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Hunts Cross to Aintree CLC Trackbed Walk
Tuesday 15th September 2020

Report by Nick Porter


One consequence of the pandemic is that I have had more time for walking. There's a lot of local interest still to discover. So, I was pleased to book on our Liverpool Loop Line guided railway walk. I drove to Maghull North, a new station for me (OP 18 Jun 2018), then took a train to Liverpool Central passing a very different looking Kirkdale Depot, and on to Hunts Cross. We met at 10.45 at the station entrance splitting into our two social distanced allocated groups of six each led by organiser John Cameron and Paul Stewart.

Keeping a safe distance, we firstly headed through residential streets following the Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC) main Liverpool to Warrington Central and Manchester line, still of course very much in use. To gain access to Liverpool North Docks, Aintree and Southport beyond (Blackpool was the target), the CLC opened their North Liverpool Extension line in 1879 with a large triangle at Halewood big enough to include another triangle within its extensive yards. It's now mainly returned to nature, and is a park; the tree cover along much of the walk was very welcome on this warm sunny day.

Heading northwest now, following the route taken by our Chairman 49 years earlier (previous report), it took a while before the east curve joined, demonstrating the extent of the yard. From here the two track line headed north to Aintree Central, and eventually along the beach to Southport Lord Street. There was a branch with another triangular junction at Fazakerley (North, South and West Jns) via Walton-on-the-Hill to Huskisson for dock access. Built at the height of railway mania, the line was never busy past Aintree serving a sparsely populated area, even avoiding built up areas in Southport.

Long before Doctor Beeching could rub his hands together with glee, beyond Aintree Central CP 1952 (five trains daily each way at closure) and passenger services from Gateacre to Aintree Central, sparse except on race days, ceased in 1960. Gateacre to Liverpool Central went in 1972 but freight traffic continued until 1975. Much of the line has been incorporated into the Trans Pennine Trail and we could see the levels of investment. It is no ordinary path being very well used during our walk with many other walkers and mainly considerate and friendly cyclists. At least one tandem was spotted!

No signs remained of Gateacre or Childwall (the latter CP as early as 1930) stations, although their sites were identified from One Inch Ordnance Survey Maps a member had brought along. We then passed under the M62 and the 'other' Liverpool to Manchester railway line, now electrified and very busy, with Broad Green station just to the west. Had plans developed by the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive in the early 1970s been carried out, the rail network would be very different.

Our walk was to be incorporated into the Liverpool outer orbital loop all 750v dc electrified. Broad Green was to be a major junction with a six platform underground station to be named 'Rocket'. All quite amazing but, other than the loop and link lines in central Liverpool, very little work actually took place due to financial constraints. Even the modest proposal to extend the Northern line from Hunts Cross back to Gateacre was abandoned although the track bed is still protected for potential rail use.

Moving on, the path is slewed to the west around a very large Sainsburys, then, although we had our tickling sticks ready, there was little trace of Knotty Ash & Stanley station and no Diddy Men around. The path moves into a series of sandstone cuttings which were dug out for double track but most bridges and the short tunnels were built for four tracks, with minimal sandstone removed each side of the halves that never had track. The plan was to extend via a viaduct over the Ribble Estuary, the prize being Blackpool and it was thought that four tracks would be needed. We did explore beneath one overbridge, it was amazing to see the sandstone each end never dug out. Next was West Derby where we stopped for our packed lunches. It was a pleasant surprise to see a two platform station with ramps up to road level buildings that passengers would have used. The station building is 'The Gas Station', a fireplace showroom, joined to the stationmaster's house. If you are in the area, it's well worth a look.

We saw little of Clubmoor station, but just after was an underbridge over an intersection of two dual carriageways, each of which once had tram routes that crossed, running along the centre reservations - in the gaps between the rows of trees. Next was the large triangular junction at Fazakerley where the Huskisson line turned southwest. The area has been extensively developed and landscaped; railway heritage is hard to see. Beyond this a further Midland Railway branch ran west to Langton Dock. Then a footbridge takes the path over the Merseyrail line to Kirkby, with Rice Lane station (Preston Road until 1984) to the west, before continuing past the site of Warbreck station and under Walton Vale shopping centre through a much widened, austere looking overbridge made up of concrete beams.

Passing under the Ormskirk line, the path ended and we could go no further, it enters a deep flooded cutting, is fenced off and has returned to nature. The path joins the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway North Mersey Branch (one to explore another day) before we used local roads to reach Aintree (Sefton Arms!) station for our various trains home. An enjoyable and interesting day with 10 miles walked in just under 5 hours.

Thanks to John Cameron for organising this excellent walk; hopefully we can do some more soon.


With the exception of this photo the others are in the sequence of the walk.
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




The imposing former station building at Hunts Cross.
[© John Cameron 2020]




Immediately recognisable is the site of Halewood North Jn, the curve to Hunts Cross is right and to Halewood is left. Far left is your locally based Website Officer - Phil Wieland, fiddling with his device as Website Officers are wont* to do. [*No apostrophe.]
[© John Cameron 2020]




Gateacre station was immediately beyond this bridge over the B5171, Belle Vue Road; looking northwest towards Aintree.
[© John Cameron 2020]




Looking towards Aintree, the M62 is above with the Lime Street (to the left) to Newton-le-Willows line behind, Broad Green station is just to the left. The double track Southport line went through the far right overbridge ahead - the hidden one to its left (for quadrupling) never had track laid.
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




Thomas Lane, a long overbridge; four roads meet a dual carriageway above, looking towards Hunts Cross, the identical unused bridge is right.
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




East Prescott Road overbridge has been strengthened with a concrete ring, not infilled - Highways England please note.
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]





[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




Last time passengers used these platforms was in 1960; West Derby station looking southeast towards Hunts Cross (the path is left).
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




West Derby station looking northwest towards Aintree; station building left, stationmaster's house right. The never used bridge is left.
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




West Derby station looking northwest towards Aintree; station building left, stationmaster's house right. The never used bridge is left.
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




From the Down (Aintree) platform, showing the original sandstone that was never dug out by the second overbridge at West Derby station.
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




Three Butt Lane overbridge, looking towards Aintree.
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




These two identical bridges in a different style from before are for either side of Muirhead Ave, a dual carriageway (unused section left).
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




The impressive bridge over the Utting Avenue and Townsend Avenue double island intersection was only wide enough for two tracks.
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




From the east side of the bridge (its shadow is along the bottom), a tram line once ran along the reservation ahead (and three others here).
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




Further on, just before Fazakerley South Jn, is a similar bridge (again just double track) over the A580 Walton Hall Ave dual carriageway.
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




On the 'rail replacement footbridge' over the Kirkby line, looking towards Liverpool; Rice Lane platforms can just be seen in the distance.
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]




The bridge carrying the Liverpool (left) to Aintree & Ormskirk (right) line over the Liverpool Loop, with space for four tracks.
[© John Cameron 2020]




The end of the Liverpool Loop walk, the trackbed continues in a deep cutting left which is well fenced off and well flooded - now a nature reserve. The overbridge ahead carried the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway North Mersey Line to the docks (via Sefton Jn off to the left. Fazakerley Sidings by Aintree Racecourse and used to stable stock during race meetings were right, the line continued on to Fazakerley Jn). The path off right joins a trackbed walk on that line. John Cameron, the fixture organiser (also your North West Regional BLN Editor and Publicity Officer) is disappointed to discover that he has just missed a service train from Aintree Central by well over 40 years. Still there is always the adjacent Aintree Sefton Arms to fall back on… (The station, not the pub.)
[© Tony Kuivala 2020]

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