Liverpool, Southport and Preston Junction Railway

Liverpool, Southport and
Preston Junction Railway
Overview
LocaleLancashire
Merseyside
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Route map

Southport Central
until 1901
Southport Ash Street
until 1902
Southport
Chapel Street
(MSR)
from 1901
St Luke's
from 1902
Meols Cop
Blowick
Butts Lane Halt
from 1907
Kew Gardens
Heathey Lane Halt
from 1907
Shirdley Hill
New Cut Lane Halt
from 1906
Halsall
Plex Moss Lane Halt
from 1906
Barton
Altcar and Hillhouse
Railway Junctions Diagram of Hillhouse Junction
Site of Butts Lane Halt

The Liverpool, Southport and Preston Junction Railway was formed in 1884, and totaled 7 miles. In 1897 it became part of Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, and on 1 May 1901, its northern terminus switched from Southport Central to Southport Chapel Street.

It connected the West Lancashire Railway's lines to the north of Southport to the CLC Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway at Altcar and Hillhouse railway station. Known also as the Barton branch, it ran from 1 September 1887 to 21 January 1952. The Barton branch was notable for the "Altcar Bob" service, introduced in July 1906.

The short section of line that contains Meols Cop is still open and has replaced a section of the original Manchester and Southport Railway. This northern part was electrified in 1904 and then de-electrified sixty years later.

References

  • Cotterall, J.E., (1982), The West Lancashire Railway, The Oakwood Press, ISBN 0-85361-288-9
  • Nock, O.S. (1969), The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway – A Concise History, Ian Allan, ISBN 0-7110-0130-8