Railway Lines | Southport

[TownieChap]

Orange representing the old lines and blue representing the existing lines (I'm sure you knew that already).

Fascinating though, isn't it?

Our town could have looked quite different with 2 additional lines running through it and very nice to look at the pattern of the old lines which can be seen still today, if only from above.

Google Earth is a great bit of kit.

[TownieChap]

I wonder having just posted this thread, could Scarisbrick New Road have been a railway line at some point?, certainly seems to hold the profile of a old railway line from above.

[said]

I wonder having just posted this thread, could Scarisbrick New Road have been a railway line at some point?, certainly seems to hold the profile of a old railway line from above.

Wasn't Scarisbrick New Road a Tramway at some time?

[Alikado]

I wonder having just posted this thread, could Scarisbrick New Road have been a railway line at some point?, certainly seems to hold the profile of a old railway line from above.

There was a railway bridge crossing SNR / Southport Rd by the Old Duke, the line headed out towards Halsall / Barton / Shirdley Hill.
The Coast Road was a railway line, the terminus was what became the Ribble bus station on Lord St, where the caravan park is was a goods / shunting yard.
The Preston line was electrified as far as Crossens, if that line was still in existance we would have links to all of the North & Scotland.
Southport had trams I don't know if they ventured down to Kew Gardens but Canning Rd was the Depot, that is why the doors are so high - to accomodate the ovrhead wires.

[The PNP]

I wonder having just posted this thread, could Scarisbrick New Road have been a railway line at some point?, certainly seems to hold the profile of a old railway line from above.

Not to my knowledge.....But there was another line through Kew, just off to the right of your map, where Barton Billy ran towards Maghull.

This line branched off from the main S'port/Wigan line, just behind the S'port Timber yard, crossing over S'port Rd via a bridge, to run behind Tescos car-park to Shirdley Hill. A cul-de-sac there is named after the villages last station master. Line continued on across the moss, to link up with the Cheshire Lines at Barton. The line was closed pre-Beeching in the late 1950's, and used for parking redundant goods waggons on - I have played in them as a lad!

[salus.populi]

Wasn't Scarisbrick New Road a Tramway at some time?

Yes the road was also a tram route but certainly never a railway line.
The decline of Kew Gardens was as a result of the tram service ending.

[TownieChap]

There was a railway bridge crossing SNR / Southport Rd by the Old Duke, the line headed out towards Halsall / Barton / Shirdley Hill.
The Coast Road was a railway line, the terminus was what became the Ribble bus station on Lord St, where the caravan park is was a goods / shunting yard.
The Preston line was electrified as far as Crossens, if that line was still in existance we would have links to all of the North & Scotland.
Southport had trams I don't know if they ventured down to Kew Gardens but Canning Rd was the Depot, that is why the doors are so high - to accomodate the ovrhead wires.

Now there is a thought. The benefit of that could have been incredible.

[TownieChap]

Great response from everybody so far, thanks very much


Some information about the Trams, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southp...ation_Tramways

[Little Londoner]

Not to my knowledge.....But there was another line through Kew, just off to the right of your map, where Barton Billy ran towards Maghull.

This line branched off from the main S'port/Wigan line, just behind the S'port Timber yard, crossing over S'port Rd via a bridge, to run behind Tescos car-park to Shirdley Hill. A cul-de-sac there is named after the villages last station master. Line continued on across the moss, to link up with the Cheshire Lines at Barton. The line was closed pre-Beeching in the late 1950's, and used for parking redundant goods waggons on - I have played in them as a lad!

Barton Billy where did you dream that one up, Altcar Bob was the chap you are struggling to remember.


If Beeching had all his own way Southport would now have been Rail Free he wanted to shut the lot.

[gsgsgs]

Look at this link

If you zoom in/out and move the your mouse around (with left click) you can see many old railway lines.

[Lorquinho]

There used to be a line to the gas works in Crowland Street. There were 2 sections, one branched off the existing Manchester line at Peel St bridge. (you can see where the bridge steelwork has been removed). The other went to the original main line, crossing Norwood Road at the Butts Lane junction.

The Coast Road as mentioned was the old Cheshire Lines Railway which was connected with the LNER pre 1948. I remember exploring the stations at Woodvale and Ainsdale. The line was closed in 1952 and very ocasionally a single steam locomotive LNER class J10 0-6-0, 65177 from Walton-on-the-Hill depot would run through to Southport in the 1950s.

[The PNP]

A) Barton Billy where did you dream that one up, Altcar Bob was the chap you are struggling to remember.

B) If Beeching had all his own way Southport would now have been Rail Free he wanted to shut the lot.

A) Depends who you ask....I'm aware of the Altcar Bob name, but can assure you the locals, at least in Halsall, also called that train Barton Billy.

B) I well remember the uproar in town, when Beechings plan to shut the S'port/Wigan line was published. A huge shame the Preston line couldn't also have been spared. It would have made far more sense to have been kept and electrified (with a third rail) right through to Preston.

Curious how they closed the Preston line ostensibly to save money - but then spent a shedload of £££'s demolishing almost all the bridges. Much more cost-effective, to simply pull up the tracks for scrap - and retain the trackbed as a linear park/bridleway.

[Mr B S Sniffer]

B) I well remember the uproar in town, when Beechings plan to shut the S'port/Wigan line was published. A huge shame the Preston line couldn't also have been spared. It would have made far more sense to have been kept and electrified (with a third rail) right through to Preston.

Cuts and a Tory government, a recurring theme me thinks.

[TownieChap]

Look at this link

If you zoom in/out and move the your mouse around (with left click) you can see many old railway lines.

This is superb. Thank you for sharing. Looking at that old map will occupy me for hours if not days. Thanks again. Good work!

[seivad]

A) Depends who you ask....I'm aware of the Altcar Bob name, but can assure you the locals, at least in Halsall, also called that train Barton Billy.

I grew up in the same area, but I've never heard of Barton Billy. Altcar Bob stopped running in 1938. After that only goods trains ran on that line. I think I was about 5 or 6 when they stopped running (early 50s) We spent many happy hours playing in the old station at Barton. We also used to walk along the line to Mossbridge Station, and sometimes biked to Altcar Hillhouse. That old line was a great playground for kids like us. Happy memories.