Bought a wardrobe from a Room Furniture Online that uses Freight 4u to deliver. I was told:…read more "We use a specialised furniture courier called Freight 4 U, they will not attempt to deliver your order without speaking to you first. Freight 4 U offer 3 hour timeslots on the days that they are in your area and will not attempt delivery without confirming the timeslot with you." Seems simple enough, but no-one called me to say they were delivering or to confirm the timeslot. Seriously???? Trying to deliver a wardrobe without confirming delivery time? Chances of someone being at home during the weekday = zilch. Do not use this company or if you do, expect random delivery times with no consultation.

Ordered a filing cabinet online and the company organised delivery via Freight4u. I called…read moreFreight4u to explain I'm on the 3rd floor with no lift so will have to arrange somebody to help so needed a phone call 30 mins before they arrive to get the person there in time. Delivery driver came 5 mins after the help arrived and refused to take the cabinet upstairs with or without help. When I complained to Freight 4 u they told me that nobody was there to help him. When I refuted this they told me that the driver must have thought that the person wasn't fit to help him. I'm sure the 6ft 1 16stone helper appreciated this thought. They were unable to deliver again for a further 3 weeks so the company selling the cabinet said they'd sort it out and arrange a complimentary upgrade to a 2 man crew. I duly received an email and text to say Freight4u were delivering to me between 10-1 this morning. When they didn't arrive, I called and was told that they weren't delivering to me but to another delivery company in Birmingham who is going to deliver to me. So why send me emails so that I sit in and wait for the delivery? I feel sorry for the company using Freight 4 u because I'll never order another item from them

Ormskirk station is a proper old English train station. It makes me think of the Narnia books--yes,…read morethe books, not the films. I grew up on the books, and that's probably partly why I fell in love with England and eventually moved here. Naturally it's been done up to modern standards, but it still has the feel of an old railway station, making one almost wonder if at any second Miss Marple might hop off the train. Definitely a favourite station of mine in the North West.

Parbold Train Station gets the basics right. The waiting room is a six-seater affair, with a high…read morelevel of décor and wintertime cosiness! You can read about the history of the station in the newspaper cuttings framed on the walls. The staff exude a rural charm, and man the ticket office well into the evening. Even if it's the last train you're on, Parbold station feels safe - it's well lit, with the lively The Railway pub adjacent and a couple of hot food takeaways over the road. For those walking or cycling the canal path it's good to check out the options the railway gives you, either for linear routes or for bailing out early in case of bad weather or mechanical problems. Parbold to Appley Bridge (which also has a station) is a lovely walk along the canal, especially in the right weather. Tourist information centres will have information on the longer routes. And Parbold itself is a lovely, lively village worth exploring in its own right or as a starting point for an adventure in the Lancashire countryside.

Appley Bridge is a nice little train station on the Manchester-Southport line. A sign states that…read morethe station is 'Adopted by Shevington Parish Council' which might explain the attractive floral displays and the pay phone in the platform shelter. In contrast to Parbold, this is an unmanned station with no waiting room, although the platform shelters should keep you dry if not warm. There are four or five Bicycle Locker Users' Club (BLUC) lockers, but I've never seen any of them in use, despite having a look through the peepholes each time I pass! The nearby canal and River Douglas are both nice to walk alongside with the canal path being easier going. Parbold offers more in the way of food and refreshment, and getting off at Appley Bridge and walking the canal path to Parbold would be one way to do it. If you're making an onward journey by bike, all else being equal, Parbold is preferable as Appley Bridge is in a valley with steep ascents on all sides. By car, the station car park is full by early morning so don't bother looking - instead, drive up the main road until you find a space.

A well served station for interconnecting bus routes. I arrived at the station by bus, with plenty…read moreof time to spare to get the first train in the morning. The platform is quite simply too small. The locals (mostly women) all arrive at the very last minute, & then attempt to get on the train BEFORE people who have been waiting 20 minutes. They then sit next to their bags, taking up two seats, & staring blankly into their mobile phones for the duration if the journey, like the socially programmed sheeple of the brainwashed masses that permeate todays society. Use at your peril. If commuting I would reccomend staying on the bus until Pemberton, a slightly longer walk, & getting on the train there.