North Mersey Branch

Last updated

North Mersey Branch
North Mersey Branch leaves Northern Line.jpg
Branch leaves the Merseyrail Northern
line south of Aintree Station
Overview
StatusEngineering trains only
Owner Network Rail
Locale Sefton, Merseyside
Termini
Stations5
Service
Type Heavy rail
System National Rail
History
Opened1866
Technical
Line length4 miles 46 chains (7.4 km)
Number of tracksSingle (1)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Loading gauge W6
Electrification Not electrified
Operating speed20 mph (32 km/h)
maximum
Route map

Contents

Former L&BR
to Wigan
Kirkby
BSicon lv-HST@F.svg
BSicon CONT4+2.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon ABZ4+2xf.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
Fazakerley sidings
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon exYRD.svg
BSicon ABZ4+2xf.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
Fazakerley junction
Former LO&PR
to Ormskirk and Preston
BSicon exSTR2.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon exSTRc3.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon HST2+4.svg
BSicon CONT2+4.svg
Fazakerley
Aintree
BSicon lv-HST@F.svg
BSicon CONT4+2.svg
BSicon exSTRc1.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon exABZg+4.svg
Former L&BR
to Liverpool Exchange
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon ABZ4+2f.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon exHST.svg
Aintree Racecourse
Aintree curve
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon STR2.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon xKRZ2+4o.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
Sefton junction
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon xABZg+4.svg
BSicon CONTl+4.svg
Former LO&PR
to Liverpool Exchange
Former LC&SR
to Southport
BSicon eYRD.svg
Aintree Sorting Sidings
Seaforth & Litherland
BSicon lv-HST@F.svg
BSicon CONT4+2.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon eHST.svg
Ford
(L&YR station but
also LOR terminus)
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon ABZ4+2xf.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon eHST.svg
Linacre Road
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon KRZ2+4o.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
Bootle New Strand
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon xABZg2.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon STRc2.svg
BSicon STRl+4.svg
BSicon lv-HST.svg
BSicon ABZq+3.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
Former LC&SR
to Liverpool Exchange
BSicon exSTRc2.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon exABZg3.svg
BSicon POINTERg@f.svg
BSicon STR1+4.svg
BSicon STRc4.svg
Seaforth Connecting Line
Rimrose Road Junction
BSicon exABZg+1.svg
BSicon exSTRc4.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
Seaforth Sands (LOR)
BSicon exHST.svg
BSicon exHST.svg
Gladstone Dock
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon exDST.svg
NM&AD goods station
LOR
to Dingle
BSicon exCONTf.svg
BSicon GRZq-.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon exCONTf.svg
Mersey Docks and
Harbour Company
Abbreviations
L&YR
L&BR
LC&SR
LO&PR
LOR
NM&AD

The North Mersey Branch (NMB) is a railway line that was constructed by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway to connect its mainline (the former Liverpool and Bury Railway) with the northern Mersey dock system.

History

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway built this 4 miles 46 chains (7.4 km) long double-track branch line to capture some of the increasing freight passing through Hornby Dock, Alexandra Dock and the Canada Dock systems at the northern end of the Mersey docks. [lower-alpha 1] [1]

The scheme was authorised in May 1861, a contract was let to George Thomson in 1864 and the line opened on 27 August 1866. [lower-alpha 2] [1] [3]

The line initially had no stations, it ran from a new Fazakerley junction between Kirkby and Fazakerley on the former Liverpool and Bury Railway terminating in the North Mersey goods yard where an end-on connection was made to the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board (MDHB) rail network which gave the L&YR access to the docks further south. North Mersey goods railway station opened in 1866, albeit without buildings until the 1880s, being renamed to North Mersey and Alexandra Docks in 1892. [4] [5]

Part of the branch was electrified in 1906 as the L&YR tried to win back traffic lost to competition from trams. It was electrified between Marsh Lane (on the former Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway) and Aintree Sefton Arms (on the former Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway) using the Seaforth connecting line and the Aintree curve. [6]

Two stations were opened on 1 June 1906 on the newly electrified section at Linacre Road and Ford. [7] [8]

The branch was connected via a crossover to the Liverpool Overhead Railway (LOR) a little to the east of Seaforth Sands creating Rimrose Road junction. The connection was used by a short-lived service between Aintree and Dingle at the southern end of the LOR, it was not successful and only lasted for two years from 1906 to 1908. [9]

By 1910 18 trains were operating each way, each day, along the branch with trains terminating at Liverpool Exchange in the south and Aintree Sefton Arms, where 10 services terminated, and Maghull to which the other 8 carried on. [10]

Gladstone Dock station opened on 7 September 1914, when the section of track to it from North Mersey Branch Junction (the junction where the Seaforth Connecting line left the branch) was electrified, it became a halt in 1916 and closed on 7 July 1924. [11] [12]

In 1922 the branch had seven daily services (eight on Saturdays, none on Sundays) between Aintree Sefton Arms and Gladstone Dock, and fifteen daily services (fourteen on Saturdays, nine on Sundays) running from Liverpool Exchange to Aintree Sefton Arms. [13]

Linacre Road and Ford closed on 2 April 1951. [7] [8] The line was de-electrified in 1966. [14]

Aintree races

Grand National Race Specials in 1955. Aintree Grand National Race Special in Sidings 2035693 1430455f.jpg
Grand National Race Specials in 1955.

The branch was used to get passengers to race meetings at Aintree Racecourse especially for the Grand National in several ways. Excursion trains were run to a temporary, race-meeting only station, first noted in 1878, on the line called Aintree Cinder Lane. [15] [16]

Cinder Lane was replaced by Aintree Racecourse station and was officially renamed in 1910, it also only operated on race days, it saw its last service on 25 March 1961. [15]

Annual Grand National Express services ran from London Euston and other locations, such as Bridlington, Hull and Goole, direct to racecourse station via the North Mersey Branch. [15] [17] [18] These excursion trains all arrived travelling westwards, discharged their passengers, went to Aintree sorting sidings for servicing then all departed eastbound after the race meeting, the line being made one way and single track for the duration of the meeting. [19]

In 1988 BR decided to cancel the Grand National Express permanently, due to attacks by vandals along the line. Bricks and other missiles would be hurled at the trains when coming down the line in Litherland on the old site of the North Mersey Junction at the end of the crossover above the Merseyrail Northern Line.[ citation needed ]; and too many trains and coaches were arriving at Aintree with significant damage.[ citation needed ]

Other special services were run along the branch to Aintree Sefton Arms (on these occasions the L&YR stations at Aintree were differentiated by adding Sefton Arms or Racecourse) in addition to the regular service from Liverpool Exchange [20]

The Liverpool Overhead Railway also ran trains from its line onto the branch using the connection at Seaforth Sands, in 1955 they ran nine specials from Dingle. [21]

Usage/Freight

Intermodal and engineering trains ran from Garston, Edge Hill and as far away as Southampton, along the North Mersey Branch to Aintree Container Base, Aintree Metal Box and Fazakerley permanent-way yard.[ citation needed ]

In 1986 the line to Aintree Container Base was cut, leaving no further need for container trains along the line. In 1987 the short spur to Fazakerley sidings was closed, and the Metal Box service had finished by 1991, leaving no regular goods services on the North Mersey Branch. [22]

Today

The line from Bootle junction to Aintree station junction (that is the whole branch) was taken out of use on 19 April 2002. [23]

The section of the line between Sefton Junction and North Mersey Branch Junction is no longer maintained to basic Network Rail operational standards and as of December 2017 is completely overgrown in places.[ citation needed ]

Occasionally diesel-powered engineering/maintenance trains used the branch to access the Southport line, saving the need to reverse at Sandhills.[ citation needed ]

For trains to access the branch, a key must first be obtained in advance from the Merseyrail IECC signalling centre which unlocks the gate allowing access to/from the branch line at Aintree.[ citation needed ]

Future

Plans to open this section as part of Merseyrail's Northern Line have been put forward in Sefton's transport plan, with the first details to emerge about its possible reopening being published by the media on 28 February 2008.[ citation needed ]

The Crosby Herald newspaper reported that the line could be reopened in conjunction with a proposed new stadium for Liverpool F.C., to provide additional transport links via the town of Litherland, likely to cost millions. [24]

This was again mentioned in Merseytravel's 30-year plan of 2014. [25]

In January 2019, Campaign for Better Transport released a report identifying the line which was listed as Priority 2 for reopening. Priority 2 is for those lines which require further development or a change in circumstances (such as housing developments). [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merseyside</span> County of England

Merseyside is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in North West England. It borders Lancashire to the north, Greater Manchester to the east, Cheshire to the south, the Welsh county of Flintshire across the Dee Estuary to the southwest, and the Irish Sea to the west. The largest settlement is the city of Liverpool.

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (LYR) built suburban electric stock for lines in Liverpool and Manchester. The line between Liverpool to Southport began using electric multiple units (EMUs) on 22 March 1904, using a third rail 625 V DC. Additional trains were later built for this route, and in 1913 incompatible stock for the route to Ormskirk. Lightweight units were built to run on the Liverpool Overhead Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liverpool Overhead Railway</span> Defunct elevated railway in Liverpool

The Liverpool Overhead Railway was an overhead railway in Liverpool that operated along the Liverpool Docks and opened in 1893 with lightweight electric multiple units. The railway had a number of world firsts: it was the first electric elevated railway, the first to use automatic signalling, electric colour light signals and electric multiple units, and was home to one of the first passenger escalators at a railway station. It was the second-oldest electric metro in the world, being preceded by the 1890 City and South London Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway</span> Early British Railway Company

The Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway was a British railway company, which opened a line in 1848 between Southport and Waterloo, extending into Liverpool in 1850. The company was acquired by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1855. The line is still open.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway</span>

The Liverpool, Ormskirk & Preston Railway in north-west England was formed in 1846. It was purchased by the East Lancashire Railway the following year and opened to traffic on 2 April 1849.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liverpool and Bury Railway</span> Railway line in England

The Liverpool and Bury Railway was formed by an Act in 1845 to link Liverpool and Bury via Kirkby, Wigan and Bolton, the line opening on 20 November 1848. The line became the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway's main line between Liverpool, Manchester and Yorkshire. Most of it is still open.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seaforth, Merseyside</span> Human settlement in England

Seaforth is a district in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England. Historically in Lancashire, it is north of Liverpool, between Bootle and Waterloo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern line (Merseyrail)</span> Line part of the Merseyrail network

The Northern line is one of two commuter rail routes operated by Merseyrail and centred on Merseyside, England, the other being the Wirral line. The cross-city route runs from Hunts Cross in south Liverpool then branches in the north to terminate at Southport, Headbolt Lane and Ormskirk (Lancashire).

The North Liverpool Extension Line was a railway line in Liverpool, England in operation between 1879 and 1972. It was at one stage intended to become the eastern section of the Merseyrail Outer Loop, an orbital line circling the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bootle New Strand railway station</span>

Bootle New Strand railway station is a railway station in the centre of Bootle, Merseyside, England. It is on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network and serves in particular the nearby New Strand Shopping Centre. The platforms are elevated and are reached by ramps from the entrance at street level. Connecting bus services leave from the nearby bus station in the basement of New Strand Shopping Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bootle Oriel Road railway station</span> Merseyrail railway station in Bootle, Sefton

Bootle Oriel Road railway station is a railway station in Bootle, Merseyside, England. It is situated near the town's Victorian civic centre, opposite Bootle Town Hall, although the surrounding area is now largely residential. It is located on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aintree railway station</span> Railway station on the Ormskirk Branch of the Northern Line in Liverpool, England

Aintree railway station is a railway station that serves the village of Aintree, Merseyside, England. It is on the Ormskirk branch of the Merseyrail network's Northern Line. Until 1968 it was known as Aintree Sefton Arms after a nearby public house. The station's design reflects that it is the closest station to Aintree Racecourse, where the annual Grand National horse race takes place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fazakerley railway station</span> Railway station on the Headbolt Lane Branch of the Northern Line in Liverpool, England

Fazakerley railway station is a railway station in Fazakerley, Liverpool, England. It is situated on the Headbolt Lane branch of the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seaforth & Litherland railway station</span> Railway station in Merseyside, England

Seaforth & Litherland railway station is a railway station in Seaforth, Merseyside, England, on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network. It also serves the adjacent area of Litherland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blundellsands & Crosby railway station</span> Railway station in Merseyside, England

Blundellsands & Crosby railway station is a railway station in the Blundellsands area of Merseyside, England. It also serves the adjacent town of Crosby. It is situated on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford railway station (Merseyside)</span> Former railway station in England

Ford railway station was a station located on the North Mersey Branch, north Liverpool, Merseyside, England.

Linacre Road railway station was a station located on the North Mersey Branch in Litherland, Lancashire.

Aintree Racecourse railway station was a station located on the North Mersey Branch, in Sefton, England. It originally opened as Aintree Cinder Lane around 1890 as the only station on the line at the time, only opening for race days at Aintree Racecourse.

Gladstone Dock railway station was a station in Bootle, Lancashire, England, located on the North Mersey Branch. Situated west of Rimrose Road within the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board Estate, it was named after the nearby Gladstone Dock.

Aintree railway station may refer to:

References

Notes

  1. Railways in the United Kingdom are, for historical reasons, measured in miles and chains. A chain is 22 yards (20 m) long, there are 80 chains to the mile.
  2. An Act to enable the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company to make a Railway from Aintree to Bootle, with certain Branch Railways, all in Lancashire; and for other Purposes relating to the same Company. Local Act, 24 & 25 Victoria I, c. xxxiv. [2]

Citations

  1. 1 2 Marshall 1969, pp. 159–160.
  2. "Local Act, 24 & 25 Victoria I, c. xxxiv". UK Parliament Parliamentary Archives. UK Parliament. 1861. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  3. "Engineer's Line Reference: NMB (North Mersey Branch)". Railway Codes. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  4. Marshall 1969, p. 160.
  5. Clinker 1978, p. 16.
  6. Marshall 1970, pp. 165–166.
  7. 1 2 Marshall 1970, p. 166.
  8. 1 2 Quick 2023, pp. 197 & 283.
  9. Gahan 1985, p. 115.
  10. Bradshaw 1968, table 782.
  11. Marshall 1970, p. 168.
  12. Quick 2023, p. 207.
  13. Bradshaw 1985, pp. 548 & 551.
  14. Hilbert, Martyn (October 2018). "Class 502 Back from the Brink". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 164, no. 1411. p. 28. ISSN   0033-8923.
  15. 1 2 3 Quick 2023, p. 46.
  16. "Liverpool Spring Races" . Manchester Times. 16 March 1878. p. 1. Retrieved 16 July 2024 via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. "Race Trains Booked" . Liverpool Evening Express. 19 February 1927. p. 5. Retrieved 16 July 2024 via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. "Grand National Express Dining Car Excursion: With 1st and 3rd Class Bookings" . Hull Daily Mail. 26 March 1928. p. 4. Retrieved 16 July 2024 via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. Hollinghurst 2015, pp. 50–51.
  20. Milne, George (March 1906). "How the Railways work the 'Grand National' Traffic". The Railway Magazine. Vol. xviii, no. 105. p. 237. ISSN   0033-8923.
  21. Gahan 1982, p. 24.
  22. Welbourn 2008, p. 107.
  23. "Network News - Rail route changes - Lines out of use". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 150, no. 1240. August 2004. p. 74. ISSN   0033-8923.
  24. "Litherland in line for a new station".[ dead link ]
  25. Shennan, Paddy (28 August 2014). "Merseytravel plan to open or reopen host of new stations". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  26. Campaign for Better Transport (January 2019). "The case for expanding the rail network" (PDF). p. 42.

Bibliography