Fascinating photos from almost a century ago show a historic train on Merseyside that was the ‘world’s first’.
In the early 1900s, the 28-mile line now known as Merseyrail’s Southport Line was the world’s first intercity electric railway. Passenger services began at the end of March 1904, and the work was carried out by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Company.
New trains replaced the Victorian steam locomotives that connected Liverpool Exchange to Southport via Waterloo and Ainsdale, along a busy route that generated commuter and leisure travel. Since the mid-1970s, writer and photographer Martin Hibbert, 66, has devoted much of his time and energy to documenting the changing landscape of the Mersey rail system and researching its history.
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As MerseyRail’s Southport Line celebrates 120 years of train service, amazing images have been unearthed from the archives showing 1930s trains crisscrossing Merseyside. We spoke to expert Martin about its past and how it paved the way for Merseyrail’s survival today.
He told the ECHO: ‘Dating back to the early 20th century, the line from Liverpool Exchange Station via Formby to Southport on the coast was run by steam locomotives, at a time when coal prices were rising. The company that operated the line along it was called the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, and they saw an increase in traffic along it, many houses were built, and the lines along it were called the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. We noticed that there are a lot of beaches, a lot of residential traffic, a lot of community traffic into Liverpool, and a lot of leisure traffic.
“They decided that electrification was the way forward. Travel time between terminals was reduced from 54 minutes to 37 minutes, increasing the speed of service.”
Line voltage was initially 625V DC and power to the live rails was supplied by a specially built power station at Formby. The electrical equipment for the line and trains was supplied by Dick Kerr of Preston, and the multi-unit electric trains were manufactured by Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.
These original trains were replaced by the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) Class 502 from 1939 onwards, and then by the Class 507 built by British Rail from 1978 to 1980. For passengers, the journey will be completely different. Life at these historic stations has changed significantly. If you look closely, you can catch a glimpse of the traveling past.
Mr Martin said: ‘The electrification of Liverpool Exchange to Aintree in 1905 and then its extension to Ormskirk in April 1913 was a great success. Liverpool Exchange closed in 1977 but the frontage was still It’s on Titheburn Street.
“It is now a business centre, but the platforms and the underside of the roof were demolished many years ago. Along the coastline from Liverpool Exchange to Southport, parts of the original station buildings still remain. remain.
“Over time, the needs and requirements of passengers have changed. Some of the old buildings have been removed, but buildings are left in one or two steps.
“Although it has been scaled down, the overall line at Southport remains largely unchanged.When you look out the train window, you start to see a lot of very old things.
“At the site of the railroad crossing, there were cottages and white houses built next to the railroad tracks.In the past, there was a railroad crossing manager’s hut.There are still some of them.
“All railways are set up to serve the needs of the local population, and although they were originally set up to move crates, now passengers are playing that role.The question now is who? Everything is in a hurry, everyone gets to work, gets off the train at night and leaves home – and everyone has a life to live, so all these architectural gems are overlooked. ”
Two of the original large brick substation buildings, built in 1904, still house modern equipment in Southport and Hillside, and remain intact, preserving 120 years of progress. I continue to watch quietly. The new state-of-the-art Class 777 is his fourth generation of trains to operate along the historic line, which is now part of the well-traveled Merseyrail Northern line.
Neil Grabham, Managing Director of Merseyrail, said: “This is another historic milestone we are celebrating on the Merseyrail network this year. “It shows.”
“We are extremely proud of our history of networks and public services, spanning three centuries, from the 1800s to the 1900s and now into the 2000s. The Hunts Cross Line is one of the busiest lines on the Merseyrail network, with daily 15-minute trains running throughout the summer. We are confident that we will serve the people on the route.”
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