8D ASSOCIATION

The 8D Association is dedicated to promoting the history of the railways of South Lancashire, Merseyside and North Cheshire.

The Cheshire Lines Committee.

A selection of pictures from Liverpool Central High Level to Padgate.

Taken in 1971, an all Rail Blue 2 car Derby Built Class 108 prepares to depart from the near Derelict Liverpool Central High Level with the only remaining service to run from the station, the hourly Gateacre working. With this service transferred to Lime Street the station would be closed.

Photo by Les Fifoot.

Merseyrail Class 508, No 508108 seen arriving at Brunswick Station with a service from Southport. The train has come along the original line from Central Low Level via a tunnel, then on to the original line (Central High Level) and pass the closed Liverpool St James station. 7th September 2015.

507010 is seen entering the station at Brunswick with a Southport service. 28th January 2013.

Photo by Terry Callaghan.

Stanier ‘Black 5’ No 44777 passing the box at Brunswick into the adjacent sidings, sometime in the mid 1960’s.

Photo by Graham Earle.

BR ‘Black 5’ No 45417 departs from Brunswick Sidings and passing the former locomotive steam shed (8E) with a train of Army Wagons. In the background is another ‘Black 5’ along with Class 08 diesel shunter. 16th August 1966.

Photograph by David Poole

(Original image taken on 10ASA Kodachrome transparency film)

Showing the going away view of the previous image, shows the train about to enter Dingle Tunnel, located under Grafton Street. On the right can just be seen the portal of the Overhead Railway Tunnel to Dingle Station, and two stone pillars which had previously supported the track structure. 16th August 1966.

Photograph by David Poole

(Original image taken on 10ASA Kodachrome transparency film)

A Class 4, 2-6-4T No 42448 passes it’s home shed Brunswick (8E) on a Liverpool Central to Manchester Central train. 12th November 1960.

The remains of Brunswick Steam Shed (27F / 8E) which still stands to this day and in the background is the entrance of the 1082 yards long Dingle Tunnel to St Michaels Station. 9th May 1995.

Class 507, No 507010 (& 507030) arrives at Cressington Station with a Southport to Hunts Cross train. 25th May 1997.

A 1968 view of Cressington Junction before the removal of the branch to Glazebrook.

Photographer unknown.

A DMU arrives mid afternoon at Garston Station. In 2006, this station closed and was demolished, being replaced by Liverpool South Parkway Station which was located beyond the bridge in the background. April 1972.

Photo: G.Sykes.

BR Class 31, No 31447 passes Hunts Cross Station with 1E43 12.45hrs Liverpool Lime St to Sheffield train. 6th May 1988.

BR ‘Stanier’ 2-6-4T No 42455 departs Hunts Cross Station with 07.42hrs Liverpool Central to Manchester Central train. In the background on Platform 4, is a Derby Class 108 dmu No M51910 awaiting to depart with 08.0hrs train to Gateacre Station. 26th April 1965.

Photograph by David Pool

(Original image taken on 10asa Kodachrome transparency film).

Compare this image with the previous one taken from the same bridge (Mackets Lane) and note the changes. In this view, Class 47, No 47845 ‘County of Kent’ passes the red brick building of Hunts Cross Signal Box on the 13.26hrs Liverpool Lime St – London Paddington diversion. 10th September 1995.

The junction for the North Liverpool Extension, which was the CLC’s access line to Liverpool docks can be seen branching off to the left. With the Liverpool bound express headed by ‘Black 5’ No 44965 passing Hunts Cross West Junction box. April 1962.

Photo by the late Jim Peden.

The same view some 33 years later. The North Liverpool extension line is long closed and with that and the closure of the sidings complex slightly further east at Halewood the line has been reduced to double track. 4th August 1995.

Photo by Paul Wright.

A ‘Robinson’ Class O4/1 2-8-0 locomotive, No 63613 on what looks like a long ‘pipe’ train passes the sidings at Halewood. In the distance is Halewood East Junction and just beyond would of been the site of the original Halewood Station. February 1959.

Photo by the late Jim Peden.

A Derby built Class 108 DMU arrives at Hough Green Station with an all stations service from Hunts Cross to Warrington Central. In the background, you are able to make out Hough Green Signal Box which abolished December 1988. 14th November 1987.

A Class 45 ‘Peak’ seen passing through Widnes North with a Sunday diversion Trans Pennine train bound for Liverpool. 15th July 1984.

Photo By John Wilson.

In Regional Railways livery, Class 158 dmu, No 158849 passes Widnes Station on a Liverpool Lime St bound express. The station had been previous known as Widnes North and prior to that as Farnworth. 18th June 1999.

Richard Mercer collection 14.. unidentified class 31 at speed through farnworth station with a Liverpool - Sheffield express in the mid 80,s

An unidentified BR Class 31/4 at speed through Widnes Station with a Liverpool – Sheffield express , taken sometime in the mid 1980’s.

Photo: Richard Mercer.

An interesting comparison with the image above and 40 years apart, not much has really changed. A new Northern Trains CAF Class 195, No 195116 passes Widnes Station on 1H46 11.16hrs Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Airport train. 8th July 2019.

Twenty five years later and almost at the same spot but looking westbound we see 66 162 on an engineers train. The three sandstone blocks located to the left and right of the loco are the remains of the Farnworth tunnel which was opened out in the 1920’s. 12th October 2008.

Photo by John Wilson.

Photographed at Moorfield Road, Widnes, a Class 31 heads a Manchester bound express. These locos were the mainstay of traction for the services to Sheffield and beyond. 7th July 1986.

Photo by John Wilson.

Taken in 1986, looking in the Liverpool direction from Barrows Green Lane bridge, the substantial platelayers hut looks to be in very good order.

Photo by Paul Wright.

Sankey D1955 Warr to Knowle D Lennon 020873

Brush Type 4 D1955 is seen passing through Sankey station with an empty Warrington Central sidings to Knowle and Dorridge car carrying train. New from Brush at Loughborough on 29th November 1966 the loco recieved the number 47 511 and was later converted to Push Pull 47 714 for use on the Glasgow to Edinburgh service. Brush Type 4 D1955 is seen passing through Sankey station with an empty Warrington Central sidings to Knowle and Dorridge car carrying train. New from Brush at Loughborough on 29th November 1966 the loco recieved the number 47 511 and was later converted to Push Pull 47 714 for use on the Glasgow to Edinburgh service. The loco was still in service with Anglia Railways until 2008. 2nd August 1973

Photo by David Lennon.

Very much a typical Cheshire LInes Committe station is ‘Sankey for Penketh’ station mid way between Widnes and Warrington. ‘Northern’ Class 156, No 156420 just arrived with 2O92 to Manchester Oxford Road. Since the opening of the Warrington West station, only a handful of trains per day only stop at Sankey. 16th July 2019.

2O94 0855 Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Oxford Road

The newest station on the line is Warrington West Station, opened in 2019 to serve the new housing estates in the area. A Northern Class 150, No 150101 arrives with 2O94 to Manchester Oxford Road on 12th March 2020.

Taken in 1987, a 2 car Derby built Class 108 crossing the CLC’s Sankey viaduct which crosses both the Sankey Canal and the Sankey brook. The span which crosses the canal section had recently been replaced with a concrete span. This view is no longer possible as the foreground is now covered in trees.

Photo by Terry Callaghan.

Taken from the top of Golden Square Car Park (with permission), Trans Pennine Class 185, No 185111 crosses Warrington Viaduct on the approach to Warrington Central Station with 1E72 to Middlesborough. 11th August 2013.

East Midlands Trains Class 158’s, No 158854 & 158862 arrive Warrington Central Station with 1L09. 10.52hrs Liverpool Lime St to Norwich train. June 2014.

Warrington Central 40 Railtour JW 130482

EE Type 4, No 40 081 heading the ‘Vulcan Venturer’ Railtour approaches Warrington Central on 13th November 1982. A mamouth tour from Plymouth to Plymouth with the distance covered a shade over 730 miles using Vulcan built locos. No 40 081 was delivered new from the Vulcan on 20th June 1960 as D281 and it was withdrawn due to loss of power, therefore being an uneconomic repair on 13th February 1983. The loco was evenually cut up at Doncaster works in September 1983.

Photo by John Wilson.

(For more details on the route taken click here).

Warrington Central D381 Cent to Arpley 9T75 D Lennon

EE Type 4 D381 prepares to depart from Warrington Central sidings with 9T75 to Warrington Arpley. New from the Vulcan Foundry on 12th March 1963 the loco was withdrawn on 21st January 1985 as life expired and surplus to requirements it was subsequently cut up at Crewe works on 1st October 1986. Date unknown.

Photo by David Lennon.

(To view more of David’s interesting and expanding photostream click here).

Two ‘Northern’ Class 142’s led by No 142056 pass Padgate Station with a Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Oxford Road train. 13th May 2018.

The 8D Association would welcome photographs from along the line, if you wish to contribute please send them to ‘8d.association at gmail.com’ All contributions will be fully credited and can be linked to a website or photostream.