West Kirby to Heswall
On January 30th, 2020 I walked part of the track bed of the former GWR/LMS joint railway, which ran between West Kirby and Hooton, from West Kirby to Heswall.
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.
On the West Kirby to Heswall section the only significant remains of the railway are bridges / bridge abutments, the platforms and the goods loading dock at Thurstaston Station.
In recent years signs have been affixed to several over bridges in the style of the British Railways totem station signs.
Read MoreThe 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.
On the West Kirby to Heswall section the only significant remains of the railway are bridges / bridge abutments, the platforms and the goods loading dock at Thurstaston Station.
In recent years signs have been affixed to several over bridges in the style of the British Railways totem station signs.
