Located on the Liverpool to Manchester line, the station is very close to Liverpool South Parkway to the west, and lies on the line which serves Warrington central. This is more commonly known as the Southern route or Cheshire line.
Halewood is a relatively new station, having been only opened in 1988. Another station was situated to slightly west, which was closed in 1951. That station utilised a triangle junction where goods trains operated. Despite being on a popular line, services at that station decreased significantly after the war, and so a decision was made to close it.
This current station is perched above an embankment, and is reached by a combination of winding ramps and steps, ,more on these later. I cannot find any press cuttings or web pages relating to the opening of this station, so yet again if you know any further detail, please write in the comments below.
Access to the Manchester bound platform is by a series of four ramps. The first two are 25 metres, then 15 metres, then 25 metres with a rest platform between each or, via the first slope and then up two separate flights of steps with 25 steps in total.
Access to the Liverpool bound platform is off Hollies Road via three slopes each 50 metres long with rest platforms. Or by two flights of stairs with 18 steps with an intermediate rest platform.
There is a small ticket office at road level, at time of writing staffed during morning peak hours.
A video featuring the station when I visited in 2022 is below :
The station was opened in 1891 by the London and North Western railway, and unfortunately after research this is the only thing of note I have found about the station. If you know any more please write a comment, I am sure that myself and other readers would be interested to know.
The station lies on a slight curve and has a one story station building. Access is either a side road or ramp, the crossing of the line being done via the road bridge. Looking at the building, although old, I have a feeling that it may not be original.
There is however an older building next door, however this seems to be a pumping station.
At time of writing, passenger traffic is provided by class 331 electric multiple units, although older class 319’s may still also be seen
A quiet station with some interesting buildings is the best way to describe Eccleston Park. It a shame that there is no facts about history to be found, but I am sure someone will help us out on that. For the enthusiast sight lines are good, but there isn’t much in the way of services through the station.
I have produced a video for this railway station, which can be viewed below :
The station lies on the Liverpool to Manchester Line and is the first one after leaving Edge Hill. The Alstom railway depot is on the line to the north just after the spur from or to Edge Hill.
Mossley Hill opened in 1864 as Mossley Hill for Aigburth. It and Allerton were the only stations opened on the line when the St Helens Railway extension from Speke to Edge Hill opened. The entire station including platforms were replaced in July 1891, when the Edge Hill to Speke line was quadrupled.
The station was renamed from Mossley Hill for Aigburth to Mossley Hill on 6 May 1974
To the North of the station, on the route towards Edge Hill are the sites of two former stations, that of Sefton Park and Wavertree stations.
A wide variety or rolling stock can be seen from this location, and at time of writing this includes Class 150, 156 158 and 195, plus passing pendolinos. When I visited in 2022 occasional Transpennine class 68 hauled services also came through the station.
Mossley Hill has a very interesting station design. All platforms are of an island design, and even from the outset these seem to have been reached by ramped walkways, which is obviously a great idea. It would be nice however to see these refurbished, as the station building does look very well looked after.
For the enthusiast, plenty of traffic and good sight lines make for good photography and videography.
Below is a video taken in 2022 when I visited the station.
Thatto Heath is on the Liverpool to Wigan city line, the stations of St Helens Central and Eccleston Park being to the east and west respectively.
The station was opened in 1871, the same time as the line, and is set within a very slight cutting. Extensive research as as yet to yield no other significant history surrounding the station, so if you know any different please e-mail myself so that I can update this blog, I and others would be very interested to read about the history of the station.
It is located in the area of St Helens, and a notable claim to fame is that Thatto Heath is the birthplace of British comic actor Johnny Vegas. As far as the station is concerned you can see it is very picturesque, with stone walling which does seem to be very well looked after. A small ticket office exists, and this does seem quite old, but again I cannot find out whether this was the original location or not.
Although Northern supplies the passenger services, the station is significantly Merseyrail branded.
I visited the station in 2022 and below is a video of the visit.
Dunton Green was opened in 1868 by the South Eastern Railway Company, and it had a familiar clapboard station building similar to that of the one at Hildenborough. It also had a single siding on the London bound side, and this was incorporated into a proper running line when a branch line to Westerham was opened in 1881.
This branch line had its own station building as well as a three-story high signal box. As this new branch line cut through access to the village, a subway was constructed to gain access, but more on this later.
Three new goods sidings were also constructed at this time on the branch line section. The signal box had a short life however, as a signal modernization scheme in the early 1900s had it demolished in favour of a two-story design. By 1934 the newly formed southern region began the electrification program and Dunton Green had its platforms lengthened, with the first electric train running through the station from 1935.
Dunton Green railway station
Unfortunately Dunton Green’s recent history is less illustrious. In 1961 the branch line closed, and over the next 35 years the station went into rapid decline, culminating in the complete removal of the station in the mid-1990s and at time of writing, a new station building has never been rebuilt at this location.
Dunton Green railway station
This picture is of the subway which still connects the station to Dunton Green village (credit for these are below as I was unable to photograph on the day of my visit)
At time of writing passenger traffic is provided by class 465 or class 376 electric multiple units.
Class 465Class 376
The statistics for Dunton Green are that it opened in 1868, it has two trains per hour in both directions off-peak and Saturdays, with additional trains at peak times (this is reduced to only one train per hour in both directions on Sundays).
The entry and exit figures for 2019-2020 were 258 682.
The absence of a station building (at time of writing) really makes a visit to this station unappealing if you are a casual enthusiast. However, the location and relatively good frequency of service makes the stations survival a must. Photography and videography are ok, but I would advise that perhaps a visit to another railway station on the line nearby could wield better and more atmospheric results.
Below is a video filmed in 2021:
Thanks for reading, I’ll leave you with my tagline :
Opened in 1861 by the London Chatham and Dover railway, Bekesbourne is to be found on the Dover branch of the Chatham mainline. The station building was located on the London bound platform, and was similar to that at Shepherds Well.
It had a goods shed located on the same side, albeit smaller than other locations along the line having only two lines. A footbridge was installed in 1911, and was the last notable addition to be seen here.
The goods yard was removed in 1961, and the small signal box suffered the same fate in 1964. Eventually all the buildings were demolished in 1970, the shelters being replaced with rectanguar ‘bus shelter’ types.
Currently the station is served by class 375 Electric Multiple Units. These serve the station with 2 trains per hour each way on the weekday peak, reducing to 1 train per hour off peak and at weekends.
Bekesbourne may have had its charm removed, indeed it is quite a bleak station, but for the enthusiast good views can be had down the line. It is however a mainly passenger service line, freight locomotives being only used during any engineering work.
If you wish to see more of Bekesbourne, my Vlog is below. This is part of a series documenting the top ten least used stations in Kent.
Many thanks for reading this Blog. Please visit my channel on YouTube, or drop by on my Instagram or Facebook pages, just search for rainham rail enthusiast. I shall write again soon, see you then.
Part of a new series on my YouTube channel, I visit all the top ten least used stations in Kent, starting with Ashurst.
Opened in 1888 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, the station is at time of writing operated by Southern, a subsidiary of Govia Thameslink.
It has a reasonable sized car park next to it, one of only a handful on this list, and the overall setting is very pleasant. Below you can see the view along the tracks towards London.
Here is a view towards Ukfield. The line is actually known as the Ukfield branch of the Oxted line. Class 171 Diesel Multiple Units operate on the line at the time of writing.
The station has the usual help points, dot matrix displays, and two wooden shelters. There is also an additional modern shelter on the London bound platform.
A very pleasant station, with good views for the enthusiast, however traffic is mainly passenger.
For a full overview of the station, please view the YouTube video below.
Ill blog again next week with mini overview of the next on the list. Many thanks for reading.
I visited the East Kent Railway at Shepherdswell in Kent on the 1st August 2020. It was their first running day since the lockdown due to Covid-19. I aim to showcase some of the things on offer at this fantastic heritage railway in this short blog.
Firstly, the railway is home to a couple of MK2 carriages in BR Blue as well as a VEP DTC coach from 3545. These give a comfortable ride along the route, and for those who remeber travelling in these, a great feeling of nostalgia. They are usually hauled by diesel shunters or a steam locomotive.
Taking of which, the diesels used comprise of either a Vanguard, or class 08 shunters. All are very well kept / restored and suit the line perfectly.
Hopefully soon, a very exiting new addition will run. The railway has acquired a pacer unit! This will fit the line perfectly, and with the availability of parts, hopefully be easy to maintain. I look forward to riding it soon.
The heritage line is complemented with two miniature railways (one is only in operation at time of writing, the woodland one). These give an entirely different experience, but one which is fun and well suited to the young visitors (or young at heart!!)
There are also two carriages which host a few model railway layouts, all of which are well run and modelled. There is always something interesting to see going round the layouts, and the operators are very enthusiastic about their work.
Add to all this, some really good woodland walks, being able to get up close to some of the stock, and of course a fantastic cafe which serves great food and drinks (milkshakes are fantastic).
I had looked at this railway before but never had been. I liked the rolling stock they have as it reminds me of my childhood. Even before this first visit, I had become a member, in order to help in a small way to keep this railway running through a difficault economic period. Visiting only confirmed that I had made the right choice, and I plan more visits in the future.
Below are a few photographs, plus a Vlog which I created detailing this visit. If you can, please visit this small but very well run railway, you won’t be disappointed.
Many thanks for reading. If you enjoyed, please search for Rainham Rail Enthusiast on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram – Thank You.
Well, all my best laid plans are in tatters, as least for now!! But on a serious note we should all as rail enthusiasts be observing the nations ‘lockdown’ and not going out enjoying our hobby. It will pass, and we will soon be able to once again photograph and video to our hearts content.
In the meantime, two things. Firstly, I am working on my London Transport Museum video. I shot this in November last year, but wasn’t happy with it and was going to re shoot. This however is now not possible at the mo, and so I will do an edit with the best footage I got. The reason for wanting a reshoot? Well basically I have a new camera, which enables me to get cleaner, less jerky footage. But I will put this together for now and hopefully later in the year update it with new video.
Secondly, and more importantly, as railway enthusiasts we all like the modern, but many value the past as well. Many of us visit our heritage railways during the year and sort of take them for granted. But this situation we find ourselves in couldn’t happen at a worst time of year for these attractions. Many would have been working towards a profitable Easter and summer period, but now just lie dormant, with only a handful of volunteers able to tend to and maintain both stock and building infrastructure.
This is where we can still help. If you are able, why not donate a small amount to your local or favourite (or both) heritage railway. It doesn’t need to be much, but if we can all pull together, we can help save rolling stock and these attractions for others to enjoy in the years to come. I myself have applied to become a member of the East Kent Railway Trust, where unique rolling stock is situated. It may only be a small line, but it’s importance in keeping the memeories of the Kent coalfields alive is invaluable. I am sure there are many more heritage railways around the country with similar ties to long gone industry which now more than ever need our help.
So please if you can, give a little to help keep these running. Lets hope that by at least mid summer we can get out and about again, and hopefully get back to video and photography.
Many thanks for reading.
If you wish please visit my YouTube, Facebook and Instagram pages, just search for Rainhamrailenthusiast in the relevant apps search bar.
Once one of the busiest stations in London, Liverpool street has a very ornate interior much overlooked by its passengers. Having undergone many refurbishments in the years, the concourse now fills with natural light from the vast roof which spans it. Although now not as busy, the soon addition of the Elizabeth line may make this station a true hive of activity again.
A Brief History
London Liverpool Street was built to be the London terminus of the Eastern Counties Railway. Opened in 1874 with 10 platforms, two of which extended under the station forming a junction with the Metropolitan Railway.
Originally the buildings were 90ft high, with a spired clock tower. A hotel named “The Great Eastern” was built down the entire length of the new frontage. Many expansions came in the early years, which unfortunately created a myriad of entrance and exits. As well as this, the bridge used across the station was not wide enough and on two levels, which caused congestion and confusion for passengers wondering which part of the bridge they should be on.
The station is probably most famous for its role in welcoming children of the “Kindertransport”, an operation started in 1938 to bring children from the ever expanding Nazi Germany. The first children arrived on December 2nd 1938, and by September of the following year, almost 10,000 children would arrive into Liverpool Street, many of which landed at Harwich.
After being damaged in the Second World War, the station remained in a poor state until the 1960’s, when British Rail rebuilt and refurbished the station, giving it a new clock tower.
It was therefore a surprise that in 1974, British Rail would earmark the Liverpool Street station building to be demolished, and an underground terminus put in it’s place. Many campaigns were launched by eminent figures of the day, including the comedian Spike Milligan, to stop the bulldozers from destroying such a beautiful example of a London Terminus. Eventually after a few years, the tireless campaigning worked and Liverpool Street was saved.
A full refurbishment was again undertaken in the 1980s, with the train shed roof being fully repaired and restored. The main roof would follow in 1987. At this time a link would be established to the Cambridge line, enabling trains to terminate at Liverpool Street instead of Broad street. The entire work was finished in 1991, and the station was officially re-opened by the Queen.
Since 2013, the site has had many excavations in preparation for the Elizabeth Line. During one of these, a mass grave was found on the site of the “Bedlam” burial ground, dating back to the 17th Century. This lead to a full excavation of the area, recovering what is believed to be 3,000 bodies.
A quick view of the station today
Due to its complex nature, you could start anywhere at Liverpool street and still get great views. Howver for the sake of this quick walkthrough, we will start at the entrance at Hope Square in Liverpool Street.
Going through the gates, you will be greeted by the ‘Kindertransport’ statue in front of the glass fronted entrance. Take time at this statue to read the plaques and appreciate this significant event in history.
The ‘New’ Kindertransport Statue in Hope Square
If we now go through the entrance, you will gain the first look at the roof, with the concourse opening out below you. You are on the mezzanine level at this point, so take some time to look around you, admiring the columns which hold up the glass roof which is allowing natural light to flood in.
Looking left, you will see some arched windows, move toward these and then turn towards the concourse, so that you are looking straight down it. It is one of the best views of any London Terminus in my opinion, and a great photo if you can get it.
Move back along the mezzanine, a row of retail is ahead and to your right, but if you carry on down into a corridor, the exit to the bus station will eventally be on your left. Keep going down here for a very good view across the platforms.
A view across the platforms, note the abundance of highly decorated columns.
Once, you have seen the the platforms, with the fantastic train shed above, head back to the mezzanine level and turn left, so that you can see the arrival and departure board ahead of you, hanging above the concourse.
Once you get to the board, turn right and go underneath it, good views can be had of the concourse left and right here. At the other side, turn right and then left, you should see a rather large marble mural which reaches up toward the roof. This great marble structure is one of the best dedications to those who lost their lives during the First World War at any railway station. Below it are dedications to Captain Charles Fryatt and Sir Henry Wilson, both of whom were decorated in the Great War. Many other dedications and wreaths are normally to be found under these.
The First World War Memorial
Go back past the memorial and then past the departure board, and you should find on your right three brick reliefs. These depict a steam train, a ship and a scene involving coal being put into a firebox.
You will now see an exit which takes you out onto Bishopsgate. The former Great Eastern Hotel is to your left, and the original ballroom ceiling can be seen if you enter this building (which is now a major chain pub). Looking back towards the station you will see a glass canopy with escalators down to concourse level. This is framed with two brick columns, one with a clock tower. Also to be found here to your right is a very unusual metal totem with a London Underground roundel and the Liverpool Street name underneath.
Totem in Bishopsgate
Take the escalators down to the main concourse. Walk forward here and again admire the roof structure. Keep to your left here as you walk along. There are lots of places to sit here, and a set of escalators will take you down to the toilets. Go past these, keeping left until you almost reach the entrance to the Underground station.
You will then see another statue dedicated to the Kindertransport. This was the original one dedicated in 2003, and used to sit in Hope Square. When it was there it contained a glass box with actual artifacts from some of the children, with the standing girl only. When it was relocated however, a sitting boy was added and the glass box removed.
Kindertransport statue near Underground entrance
Moving past the Underground entrance, there is another exit ahead of you which takes you to an area with a low veiling and retail outlets. Eventually it leads to the Bus station.
London Liverpool Street is not the largest London Terminus, but this and Marylebone do keep the charm of the old railway, and although I have detailed a few hidden gems, but there are more (but that’s for another time…)
A view from the Liverpool Street end
You can see a short video of the trains at Liverpool Street on my YouTube channel below:
Rainham Rail Enthusiast 