The station was originally called Waterloo Road when it opened in 1903, at the junction with a newly built express Marton Line direct from Kirkham. It had four platforms and soon became a busy station. Until November 1964, the line extended north from here to Blackpool Central. There were extensive sidings to accommodate the many excursion trains which came to Blackpool. The Marton Line closed to regular traffic in 1965; its track bed is now the road called Yeadon Way and the M55 motorway. The station continued to handle through trains from Manchester, Liverpool and London until 1970, when these were all diverted to Blackpool North at the other end of town. It was then reduced to local status only, although it kept its signal box, two working platform faces and double track until 1982. The box was notable in that it was located on the opposite side of Waterloo Road bridge from the station and so could not see the tracks & platforms it controlled, instead being surrounded by the disused railway land once occupied by the main line & aforementioned sidings. After the line was singled west of St Annes and the box was abolished, all trains used the former northbound platform and continue to do so to the present day. The substantial main buildings that formerly existed at street level were demolished in 1985. For much of the 1970s and early 1980s nearly all services terminated at Kirkham, where passengers were forced to change if wanting to travel further east but from 1988 they were integrated with those on the East Lancashire Line, a timetable pattern that remained in place 7 days a week until May 2018.
Facilities
The station is unstaffed and only has basic amenities, namely a waiting shelter and bench seating. A touch screenticket vending machine and timetable poster boards are available on the platform, with a payphone at the street-level station entrance. Train running information is provided via a digital CIS display and automated announcements. Step-free access is available via ramps from Waterloo Road and the car park.
Services
Blackpool South currently has an hourly service to Preston on weekdays and Saturdays, with services continuing to Colne from Preston. Sunday services continue on a similar frequency to Colne via Blackburn, but not terminating at Preston. Services are normally formed of Class 156 units and Class 150Sprinter units operated by Northern Trains. The other station in Blackpool, Blackpool North, lies at the other end of the town and is not directly connected by rail to Blackpool South. More frequent and express services depart from Blackpool North, with services to Manchester, Liverpool, London and York.
