Birkdale Palace railway station
Encyclopedia
Birkdale Palace was a station located in Birkdale
, Merseyside
.
The Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway
(SCLER) openened Birkdale Palace on 1 September 1884, as an intermediate station from Southport Lord Street railway station
.
The station was built adjacent to a hotel called the Birkdale Palace Hotel
(now closed) and was sandwiched between Palace Road & Weld Roads.
The station was an island platform, accessed from the Weld Road bridge. It first closed on 1 January 1917, along with all other stations on the extension line, due to World War I economy measures.
The station was reopened on 1 April 1919, and continued in use until 7 January 1952, when the SCLER was closed to passengers from Aintree Central to Southport Lord Street. The line remained open for public goods traffic until 7-7-1952 at Southport Lord St., Birkdale Palace and Altcar & Hillhouse Stations. Public goods facilities were ended at Woodvale, Lydiate and Sefton & Maghull stations on the same date as passenger services (7-1-1952*) and there were never any goods facilities at Ainsdale Beach station to begin with. After 7-7-1952, a siding remained open at Altcar & Hillhouse for private goods facilities until May 1960. The very last passenger train to run on the SCLER was a railway enthusiasts 'special' between Aintree and Altcar & Hillhouse railways stations on 6-6-1959.
Later the track bed was utilised to support what is now the Coastal Road, which runs from Woodvale
to Southport
.
Birkdale
Birkdale is a village and district in the southern part of the conurbation of the town of Southport, within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, though historically in Lancashire, in the north-west of England. The village is located on the Irish Sea coast, approximately a mile away from...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
.
The Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway
Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway
The Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway is a now-disused railway line in Merseyside, England. It was built by the Cheshire Lines Committee, extending the North Liverpool Extension Line to Southport in 1884. Passenger services ended 7 January 1952 and goods six months later...
(SCLER) openened Birkdale Palace on 1 September 1884, as an intermediate station from Southport Lord Street railway station
Southport Lord Street railway station
Southport Lord Street was a railway station located in Southport, Merseyside.Southport Lord Street railway station opened on 1 September, 1884, as the Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway's northern terminus, which ran from Aintree Central in the northern suburbs of Liverpool...
.
The station was built adjacent to a hotel called the Birkdale Palace Hotel
Birkdale Palace Hotel
The Birkdale Palace Hotel was a luxury hotel located in the coastal resort of Birkdale, Southport, on the north-west coast of England. It was opened in 1866 and demolished in 1969. During the Second World War it was a rehabilitation centre for US airmen, and in the last two years of its existence...
(now closed) and was sandwiched between Palace Road & Weld Roads.
The station was an island platform, accessed from the Weld Road bridge. It first closed on 1 January 1917, along with all other stations on the extension line, due to World War I economy measures.
The station was reopened on 1 April 1919, and continued in use until 7 January 1952, when the SCLER was closed to passengers from Aintree Central to Southport Lord Street. The line remained open for public goods traffic until 7-7-1952 at Southport Lord St., Birkdale Palace and Altcar & Hillhouse Stations. Public goods facilities were ended at Woodvale, Lydiate and Sefton & Maghull stations on the same date as passenger services (7-1-1952*) and there were never any goods facilities at Ainsdale Beach station to begin with. After 7-7-1952, a siding remained open at Altcar & Hillhouse for private goods facilities until May 1960. The very last passenger train to run on the SCLER was a railway enthusiasts 'special' between Aintree and Altcar & Hillhouse railways stations on 6-6-1959.
- On the subject of railway station or line 'closing dates', it should be remembered that the official day of a closure IS ALWAYS given as the Monday following the date of last trains run. As this is almost always a Saturday, if the 7th January 1952 (Monday) is given as the date of closure, this means the ACTUAL LAST DAY OF SERVICES was Saturday, 5 January 1952. This is proven by last day tickets which bear the 5th January date.
Later the track bed was utilised to support what is now the Coastal Road, which runs from Woodvale
Woodvale, Merseyside
Woodvale is a village in Sefton, Merseyside, England. It is situated between Formby and Ainsdale, to the south of Southport and to the north of RAF Woodvale....
to Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
.