Heswall to Parkgate
On February 06, 2020 I walked track bed of the former GWR/LMS joint railway, which ran between West Kirby and Hooton, from Heswall to Parkgate.
On the Heswall to Parkgate section the only significant remains of the railway are again bridges / bridge abutments. At Parkgate there is a small display featuring a narrow-gauge wagon close to the Station Road overbridge.
The railway opened in two stages. Hooton – Parkgate on October 01, 1866 and Parkgate to West Kirby on April 19, 1886.
Serving a low population are of Wirral services were never frequent and by the 1950s British Railways decided to close the line to passenger services. Closure to passengers was on and from Monday September 17, 1956, with the final passenger trains running on Saturday September 15.
During 1961 the line was regularly visited by Diesel Multiple Units for driver training purposes.
Freight traffic continued until the final freight train ran on May 7, 1962.
Track and fittings were left in situ until 1964. There had been attempts to preserve the line, but these came to nothing.
However, in 1968 it was announced that the track bed was to become Britain’s first linear Country Park – “The Wirral Country Park – Wirral Way”.
The Wirral Country Park, which opened in 1973, runs from near the site of the joint station at West Kirby through to Hooton Station on the Chester to Liverpool line. Building on the track bed around the site of Heswall station and Neston has resulted in a break in continuity in places.
Read MoreOn the Heswall to Parkgate section the only significant remains of the railway are again bridges / bridge abutments. At Parkgate there is a small display featuring a narrow-gauge wagon close to the Station Road overbridge.
The railway opened in two stages. Hooton – Parkgate on October 01, 1866 and Parkgate to West Kirby on April 19, 1886.
Serving a low population are of Wirral services were never frequent and by the 1950s British Railways decided to close the line to passenger services. Closure to passengers was on and from Monday September 17, 1956, with the final passenger trains running on Saturday September 15.
During 1961 the line was regularly visited by Diesel Multiple Units for driver training purposes.
Freight traffic continued until the final freight train ran on May 7, 1962.
Track and fittings were left in situ until 1964. There had been attempts to preserve the line, but these came to nothing.
However, in 1968 it was announced that the track bed was to become Britain’s first linear Country Park – “The Wirral Country Park – Wirral Way”.
The Wirral Country Park, which opened in 1973, runs from near the site of the joint station at West Kirby through to Hooton Station on the Chester to Liverpool line. Building on the track bed around the site of Heswall station and Neston has resulted in a break in continuity in places.
