However, in order to progress some railway stations and routes have had to be abandoned. Some local stations were forced to shut for practical and economic reasons. The country was hit hard by the Beeching cuts, when thousands of miles of track and stations were closed in the ‘60s. Some of our readers may still be able to recall stations at Daubhill and Plodder Lane to name a few. Indeed, many of Bolton’s smaller districts also boasted stations. Other routes simply weren t used enough and couldn t handle the competition that the development of trams and cars brought with them.