MANCHESTER LOCOMOTIVE SOCIETY
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THE SLS/MLS RAILTOURS


16: THE MERSEYSIDE RAIL TOUR 6th June 1959

From The Mancunian No.270 May 2009

The “Merseyside Rail Tour” ran on Saturday afternoon 6th June 1959, the sixteenth tour run by the Society and was the only one in that year. It covered 65½ miles of lines in the Liverpool area, many of which were later closed and lifted, and it carried 230 passengers. The fare was 17/6d and the tour lasted 6¼ hours. It was in the days when many of our members had to work on Saturday mornings, so many reached Liverpool on the 12.30pm express from Manchester Central via the old CLC route, the train being worked by 44663 of Kentish‘Town shed (14B).

The tour, reporting number W600, began at 2.00pm from Riverside station which was alongside Pier Head and the train consisted of five coaches (155 tons tare), hauled by G2A 0-8-0 49173 (8A). This station and its approach tracks were owned by the Mersey Docks & Harbour Board and the station had a simple layout of two platforms, 795 ft. and 698 ft. in length with a Centre road between them, plus a 560 ft. bay on the east side. The whole platform area was completely covered and it opened on 12th June 1895. The original structure was badly damaged during a wartime “blitz” on Liverpool but it was rebuilt in 1945.

Riverside station never had a regular passenger service and never appeared in the railway timetables but in the pre-1914 period it served Britain’s chief port. The LNWR maintained special stock for the American Boat Specials between Euston and a Riverside which were Claimed to be the best appointed trains in the world. Also during the two world wars it was a major arrival and departure point for troops.

In LNWR days, a couple of 0-6-0 “Special Tanks” dating from the 1870s were kept at Edge Hill shed, were fitted with square tanks and named EUST0N and LIVERPOOL for working the American Boat trains (and others) between Edge Hill and Riverside station for the departure and arrival of the Ocean Liners. The former EUSTON was allocated LMS 7335 but was withdrawn in 7/1928 without being re-numbered, but LIVERPOOL became LMS 7334, then 27334, and survived until 3/1939. A couple of LNWR 0-6-2 Coal Tanks were then used; it was a novel sight to see these diminutive engines boasting express headlights in charge of 10 coach trains.



Picture: 49173 leaving Riverside station (in the left background) and crossing the swing bridge over the entrance to Princes Dock. Note the flagman who is walking 1n front of the train and controlling the operation until the train crosses the ungated Waterloo Road.

To enable larger engines to run into Riverside station, the MD&HB relayed the tracks into the platforms and approaches with flat-bottom track and easier curves, and also strengthened a swing bridge, so from 7 March 1950 the boat trains ran through from Euston to Riverside without a locomotive change. From that date, engines as large as “Scots” could be used. The tour train left Riverside on time and shortly after leaving the station it went over the swing bridge across the entrance to Princes Dock. A signal cabin for the bridge was on the right which contained three levers, all of which controlled signals. Then we joined the main dock railway which ran the length of the docks,  but soon we branched right to cross the busy Waterloo Road. A flagman preceded the train on foot to this point and controlled the traffic on the road as there were no gates.

Then we entered Waterloo Goods Station which opened 1n 1849 for freight (it closed in September 1963). Here it became apparent that all was not well with the 0-8-0 so a “Jinty” 47404 (8A), was quickly attached as pilot and the two engines took the train up the 1 in 56 gradient through Waterloo tunnel (900 yards.) and Victoria tunnel (1 mile 1,000 yds.) to Edge Hill. Here we stopped for about 10 minutes whilst the two locomotives were detached and replaced by G2 0-8-0 49434 (8A). The whole exercise, including obtaining a replacement locomotive, was carried out very quickly by the LMR.

Leaving Edge Hill at 2.30pm, we branched off the Manchester line on to what was usually referred to as the Bootle branch and soon joined the line from Olive Mount Junction at Edge Lane Junction. In quick succession we passed the stations at Edge Lane, Stanley, Tue Brook, Breck Lane, Walton & Annfield and Spellow, all of which closed to passenger traffic on 31 May 1948, then passed under the CLC Huskisson Dock branch and the L&YR Liverpool (Exchange) at Wigan line to reach Atlantic I Dock Junction.

From here we took the short 38 chain line to Canada Dock which opened for freight traffic in October 1866 and for passenger services on 1 July 1870. Enemy action during the 1939-45 war caused the temporary closure of the passenger station on 5 May 1941 but later the closure became permanent without any restoration of passenger services. The station here was named Bootle until September 1881. Another 0-8-0, 49224 (8A), was attached to the rear of the train and pulled it back to  the junction, then we went forward again past Bootle Junction where there Was a connection on to the Liverpool - Southport electric line and then through Bootle (Balliol Road) station which closed 1n May 1948.



After passing under the Southport line we took a short 11-chain branch to Alexandra Dock station (above). This was known as Atlantic Dock until the introduction of the passenger service from Lime Street and Edge Hill. Latterly passenger trains to Alexandra Dock only ran during rush hours and the Service ended on 31 May 1948. It is understood that workman's fares from stations on the Bootle branch to the docks were sub-standard so that the trains could compete with the somewhat shorter tram route. 49224 then hauled the train back to Bootle Junction where it was detached. an operation which took just three minutes. When the passenger service from Edge Hill to Alexandra Dock was withdrawn, a sparse service of through coaches between Southport (Chapel Street) and London (Euston) continued to use the line for many years which was only available for passengers travelling beyond Liverpool but later, when the service was Worked by DMUs, passengers for Lime Street were carried.

From Bootle Junction and for the rest of the tour the train was hauled by 49434. First we joined the 4-track Southport line which opened from Sandhills to Waterloo on lst October 1850; the fast lines were on the left and it was originally the Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway. The next two stations were Bootle (Oriel Road) and Marsh Lane & Strand, this station being closed from 19 May 1941 to 12 July 1943 because of damage by enemy action.

The line was electrified on 5th April 1904, using the third rail system at a voltage of 630 d.c. After crossing the Midland Railway Alexandra Dock branch, the tour train branched left, climbed over the Southport line and joined the L&YR North Mersey line from Fazakerley Junction and Aintree to Gladstone Dock This was electrified in 1906 for the use of passenger trains between Liverpool (Exchange) and Aintree with stations at Linacre Road and Ford.

Soon after electrification a regular service was operated by the Liverpool Overhead Railway from Dingle to Aintree but it ceased 1n August 1908 after which L.O.R. trains only ran once a year on Grand National Day. This ceased when the Overhead Railway closed 1n December 1956. The Liverpool (Exchange) to Aintree service by this route remained but it gradually dwindled after 1939 until by 1946 there were only five trains in each direction in rush hours only. And this ceased in April 1951. There was also a service between Aintree and Gladstone Dock but this ended in 1924.

At Sefton Junction the tour train went left on to the L&YR Liverpool to Preston line and reached Aintree (Sefton Arms) station which had bay platforms used for race traffic. Aintree shed and race course were on the right. Here we set back to Aintree (Central), the terminus of the CLC passenger service from Liverpool (Central). This was to close in November 1960.

From here the train Continued north over the Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway through Sefton & Maghull and Lydiate stations to Altcar & Hillhouse, all of which closed to passenger traffic on 7th January 1952. At Lydiate, the signalling had been dismantled but the box remained, what was left of the goods yard was on the right and there was a level crossing just before the station.



Altcar & Hillhouse station (above) was a mile further on and was the limit of the line. The signals remained here with the box on the right but the track terminated at a stop block about a train’s length beyond the station.

The Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension opened to Southport (Lord Street) on 1 September 1884 and between 1 November 1887 and 15 November 1926 the L&YR and its successors ran a passenger service between Altcar and Southport (Chapel Street) via Downholland which was latterly worked by a steam rail car. This left the S&CLER at Hillhouse Junction, about half a mile d Altcar & Hillhouse station. After the closure of the line from Aintree to Lord Street on 7th January 1952, freight traffic at Altcar continued until 7th July 1952 after which it remained as private siding but the actual date of final closure is not known. At the time of our tour the line was due to be lifted.

When the loco had run round at Altcar, we returned to Aintree (Central) where we arrived 20 minutes early and here there was another reversal before we crossed on to the L&YR line and departed for the 7¼ mile run to Ormskirk. This section was opened by the East Lancashire Railway on 2nd April 1849 and amalgamated into the L&YR on 13th August 1859. It Was electrified in conjunction with the Southport line to Maghull on 1st October 1909, to Town Green & Aughton on 3rd July 1911 and finally to Ormskirk on 12th July 1913. There was a small locomotive shed here (L&YR 29 and LMSR 23G) but it closed in September 1935. We left the main line to Preston at Ormskirk station and joined the L&YR Rainford Junction branch to begin another 18¾ mile run through mainly closed stations. The section to Rainford Junction opened on 15 March 1858 with just one station at Skelmersdale which had closed on 5th November 1956 for passenger traffic. However, three “Halts” were subsequently opened at Westhead (1m 931 yards from Ormskirk), White Moss Level Crossing (977yds beyond Skelmersdale) and Hey’s Crossing (a mile further on) but no trace of any of them remained.

Between White Moss and Hey’s Crossing, a branch went west to Bickerstaffe Colliery which was about a mile away. Our train did not pass through Rainford Junction but used the direct line from Bushey Lane Junction to Randle Junction which was not used by regular passenger trains and crossed over the main L&YR Liverpool to Wigan line, forming a triangle with Rainford Junction. The section from Rainford Junction to St. Helens was opened by the St. Helens Canal and Railway on 18th February 1858, eventually becoming part of the LNWR system. There were stations or halts at Rainford Village, Rookery, Old Mill Lane, Crank and Moss Bank before reaching St. Helens (Shaw Street) All the stations except St. Helens closed for passenger traffic on 18th June 1951 although Rainford Village remained open for freight until 6th July 1964.

Just before joining the Wigan to St. Helens line at Gerrard’s Bridge Junction there was a connection to Pilkington glass works on the right and just beyond the junction the tour train passed under the GCR line to St. Helens (Central) station. St. Helens (Shaw Street) was a very dingy and dilapidated station in 1959 although there were plans for it to be rebuilt under the modernisation plan. Immediately beyond the station we took the LNWR branch to Widnes which opened as the St. Helens & Runcorn Gap Railway in 1833. After amalgamation with the Sankey Branch Navigation in July 1845, the company was known as the St. Helens Railway & Canal.

The first station was Peasley Cross, about ¾ mile from St. Helens, then came Sutton Oak shed (LNWR 24, LMS 10E, then BR 10E, 10D and 8G). Sutton Oak station followed, then Sutton Oak Junction where the line to St. Helens Junction went off to the left to join the Liverpool to Manchester line. Continuing straight ahead, the tour train then passed Clock Face station and sidings where a colliery line went off to the right to Sutton Manor colliery and to the left to Clock Face colliery. The station was unstaffed from 1926. Next came Union Bank Farm and Farnworth & Bold stations after which we crossed the CLC Manchester to Liverpool line. The last two stations were Appleton and Ann Street, both in the Borough of Widnes, and finally we passed under the GC & Midland Joint Widnes Central loop line. All these stations closed to passenger traffic on 18th June 1951.

The original Runcorn Gap line continued to the docks but our train branched right, passing Widnes shed (LNWR 35S LMS and BR 8D) and climbing up to the Warrington line just before Widnes South station. The suffix “South” was added to the name from 5th January 1959. Whilst the St. Helens line closed to passenger traffic in 1951, it continued to be used by occasional football excursions in connection with Widnes Rugby League matches whilst the St. Helens to St. Helens Junction section remained open for passenger trains. Widnes South station opened on 1st December 1869 and the original station could still be seen; also on the left could be seen the Widnes-Runcorn transporter bridge which was being replaced by a bridge of conventional design, and a short way down stream was the High Level Runcorn railway bridge alongside which was a pathway for foot passengers and cyclists. A toll was charged for using the path.

Continuing towards Liverpool, the Crewe line was joined at Ditton Junction where the station consisted of three island platforms, and from here there were four tracks. The line from Widnes (Runcorn Gap) to Garston Dock was opened by the St. Helens Canal & Railway 1n 1852, leased to the LNWR 1n 1860 and absorbed on 29th July 1864. Until 1873, this line was used by CLC trains between Manchester and Liverpool There was a station at Halebank which closed on 15 Sept 1958 and one at Speke which closed in 1930. At Speke Junction we took the line to Garston Dock and at Garston Junction were joined by, a connection from Liverpool and Allerton. At Garston there was a station at Church Road which closed in July 1939 and Garston Dock lost its passenger services from Lime Street on 16th June 1947. The train reversed at Garston Dock although the line continued on to Cressington & Grassendale on the CLC, and went via Allerton Junction and the main line to Lime Street, arriving just 5 minutes late at 8.15pm.


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