Hadlow Road railway station
Encyclopedia
Hadlow Road railway station was a station on the single track Hooton
to West Kirby
branch of the Birkenhead Railway
, on the Wirral Peninsula
, Cheshire, England. The station served the village of Willaston.
The Birkenhead Railway, owned jointly by the Great Western Railway
(GWR) and London and North Western Railway
(LNWR), opened a branch line from Hooton to Parkgate
on 1 October 1866, which included a station at Willaston. An extension to West Kirby was completed twenty years later.
The main station building is on the eastbound platform towards , whereas a smaller waiting shelter stands on the westbound platform towards . At the western end of both platforms was a level crossing
with rather large gates; this was due to the angle at which the road crossed the railway lines.
Hadlow Road railway station closed to passengers on 17 September 1956. The track continued to be used for freight transportation and driver training for another six years, closing on 7 May 1962. The tracks were lifted two years later.
The route became the Wirral Way footpath and part of Wirral Country Park
in 1973, which was the first such designated site in Britain. All of the station (excluding the westbound platform) has been preserved to give an authentic 1950s look and a short section of track has been relaid in front of the eastbound platform. The station has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building. It is one of two visitor centres on the Wirral Way, with the other at where the platforms remain in situ, but the station has not been restored.
Hooton, Cheshire
Hooton is a village in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England in the south of the Wirral Peninsula near Ellesmere Port.- History :...
to West Kirby
West Kirby
West Kirby is a town on the north-west corner of the coast of the Wirral Peninsula, England, at the mouth of the River Dee across from the Point of Ayr in North Wales. To the north-east of the town lies Hoylake, with the suburbs of Grange and Newton to the east, and the village of Caldy to the...
branch of the Birkenhead Railway
Birkenhead Railway
The Birkenhead Railway was formed on 1 August 1859 as a result of the Birkenhead, Lancashire and Cheshire Railway merging with the Chester and Birkenhead Railway. The new company was originally called the Birkenhead, Lancashire and Cheshire Junction Railway, but in 1859 shortened its name to The...
, on the Wirral Peninsula
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
, Cheshire, England. The station served the village of Willaston.
The Birkenhead Railway, owned jointly by the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
(GWR) and London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
(LNWR), opened a branch line from Hooton to Parkgate
Parkgate, Cheshire
Parkgate is a village on the Wirral Peninsula, in the part that lies in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in the North West of England...
on 1 October 1866, which included a station at Willaston. An extension to West Kirby was completed twenty years later.
The main station building is on the eastbound platform towards , whereas a smaller waiting shelter stands on the westbound platform towards . At the western end of both platforms was a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
with rather large gates; this was due to the angle at which the road crossed the railway lines.
Hadlow Road railway station closed to passengers on 17 September 1956. The track continued to be used for freight transportation and driver training for another six years, closing on 7 May 1962. The tracks were lifted two years later.
The route became the Wirral Way footpath and part of Wirral Country Park
Wirral Country Park
The Wirral Country Park is a country park on the Wirral Peninsula, England, lying both in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and the county of Cheshire...
in 1973, which was the first such designated site in Britain. All of the station (excluding the westbound platform) has been preserved to give an authentic 1950s look and a short section of track has been relaid in front of the eastbound platform. The station has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II listed building. It is one of two visitor centres on the Wirral Way, with the other at where the platforms remain in situ, but the station has not been restored.