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Hamilton Square Station 1956

Hamilton Square 1956. Funny old trains. Anyone remember them?

I remember them very well indeed. Clerestory roofed, wood bodied stock. Built to an American (Wild West ?) design. Known as Westinghouse stock. Going by memory, the cars shown in the photo were the original Mersey Railway electric stock. Built 1903. Ran until 1956. As child always preferred them to the "new" trains !! Big comfy sprung seats.

Originally 4 rail system. Converted to 3 rail in 1955/56. One motor car was put aside for preservation, but was destroyed in a fire in the paint shops in Derby. All the others were towed away to Horwich for the gas axe treatment mid/late 1956.

Memories of sitting in the Motor Cars, vivid blue flashes from the collector shoes reflected off the tunnel walls and the contant clatter of the pneumatic contactors behind the Motorman's bulkhead as the car accelerated. All magical stuff when you are a kid !

Mersey electric stock today ? ..... pass the sick bag !!

Note the wooden platforms in Hamilton Sq. Same in James St. The H&S gang would have a field day today. What would they make of all-wood trains (beautifully varnished insides) today ??. Bare light bulbs, series fed from the traction supply 600v DC. Oh boy !!!

Were the old American trains, not laid to rest at Bidston Moss, near the Docks/New Brighton branch? I saw a video on the history of Merseyrail when I was a kid, and it seemed to suggest so, indeed it even appeared to have archive footgae of them rotting at the side of the New Brighton track years afterwards??

Mmmm. That's a new one on me Matt. They were in the sidings at NB during the off-peaks. Ditto at BC and RF. Don't think they ended up on Bidton Moss. I do remember them lined up in the sidings at North, all ready to be towed away. Could that be were you saw them on the video ??

I think that was the later models wasn't it?

Thanks Pinzgauer for all the info. I had meself a little laugh at the wooden platforms. They could smoke on the stations then. I don't think the Fire Regulations were as stringent as now

Yes pablo. Quite right. They were the Class 503's, some of which came after the Westinghouse cars in 1956. A lot of the 503's were cut up nr.Cavandish Wharf. Maybe these are the ones you saw Matt ?? Others met the gas axe elsewhere. A few sets where stored at Mollington Street MPD before being towed off to meet their fate. I think the last 503's ran in 1984.

After getting permission, I grabbed a pile of light fittings, bells, even seats (ex-First Class ones of course !)from Mollington St. Even got some of the leather strap hangers !The old wooden advert panels (used to be next to the sliding doors) made excellent picture frames !! All the scrappies wanted was the copper, brass and steel. The fittings were just smashed up and burnt.

As far as I know, the last 503 3-car set is near Coventry awaiting restoration. In a very sad state though. A chunk of Mereyside's history just rusting away. Sad. (Just like the folk who collect light fittings, bells, seats ............)

Lots of memories of the old trains when as a kid we use to walk from Peel Street {lower Tranmere} to Green Lane station and get the train to Halminton Square, then change to the West Kirby train so as to get off at Manor Road Hoylake. Yes plenty of blue flashes and a sound of there own as the train pulled away from the station. that was in the late 40s

Yes jimbob, the old trains had a great atmosphere. They were working museum pieces even then ! The Liverpool Echo ran a campaign against them calling them "Grandad's Railway ! They were right of course.

One thing that wouldn't go down too well today was the "Smoking Saloon" I remember that being etched on the glass panel on the sliding door in some of the cars. I used to get told off by my Mum for playing with the door. It split the smoking from the non-smoking sections.

Also the heavy slam doors at the ends of the cars. You had to open them youself when the train stopped. The staff on the platform used to slam them all shut again before the guard gave the go-ahead with his oil lamp. No bells. Yes, got one of those lamps too !

If I lived in an aircraft hanger, I'd have it full of "junk" in a week !! ha.ha.

Its a wonder nobody has mentioned the ghost on the platform.

What was the name of the compartment trains, each little compartment sat about 6/8 people, my early days of travelling to Scotland, always ended up in one of those.

The station was used as an air raid station during the war. My mum's family, along with lots of other families slept on the platforms overnight. In my mum's case she just woke up then jumped the train to work.
On three separate occasions her family returned to their home the following morning to find their house had been bombed.

bert. I think they were just called "Compartment Stock" sometimes "Surburban Stock". They were on the Bidston-Wrexham steam hauled trains until the diesels came in. Yes, I think they were 8 aside facing each other. Always seemed to have glass panelled adverts over the seats about holidays in Bognor Regis, Skegness etc. Great leather strap to raise/lower the windows. All good stuff. Not to mention that musty smell !!

Haven't heard about the ghost on the platform at HS. Was he/she a "jumper" ? (They missed the train, but the train didn't miss them!)

Thanks detsi for the info about HS being used as an Air Raid Shelter. I'd heard that before, but I've never seen seen any pics. A similar set-up to the London Underground in the war I guess. I'd heard of the Water St. subway being used as a shelter. Again, no pics.

Cheers Pinz, My only claim to fame is i once sat opposite Cathy Kirby in a compartment on my way to Scotland, you'll forgive me if i didn't notice the adds on that occasion.

The underground was indeed used as air raid shelters, in London for sure but not certain about up here, a government circular was sent round trying to prevent this, interfering with movement of troops and other things for war effort, the people protested and took no notice and the ban was lifted.

The ghost is on the platform, second pic.

Ah. Sorry bert.. THAT ghost !! (Bit slow today)