Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History England's forgotten railway stations

I doubt you can remember the last throes of steam at Liverpool Central underground; the system was electrified in 1903.

Glad you liked the pics Pinz, no idea where I got them though. As far as I know, isn't the old 'Low Level' platform now part of the 'High Level' platform at Central? As you say, I would be interesting to know if that link passage from Lewis's is still there.

Here's a couple more:-

The link passage to Lewis's was still there until the shop closed. So not sure now as building work was due to start.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpools-lewiss-store-to-close-3431901

Still the main entrance and side entrance into Bold Street, although very much more up to date with shops like a little mini mall.
This leads to the Lyceum building with it's beautiful colonnade front and I think it was a Post Office building just a few years ago and maybe still is.

Exchange Station was the one I used until moving away from the area. Went to work every morning by rail into Exchange and it was so busy. Loads of carriages and mostly only standing room by the time we got on. The train had come through from Ormskirk., I vaguely remember the steam trains on the same line going up to Scotland. They would shoot past our station and toot, toot as they went. We would always give a wave when they passed. Not sure when that finished.

Exchange Station also had the Exchange Hotel which was above .Author and First World War poet Siegfried Sassoon frequently lodged in the hotel adjoining Exchange station. I imagine it was there for the travellers from Scotland.

Limestreet Station is where I remember travelling those wonderful journeys by steam trains. St. Georges Hall was as black as the ace of spades from the muck.
Fabulous distinctive smell, with the noise of the steam hissing from their engines whilst idle at the platforms. We took a couple of trips down to South Wales on those with individual carriages of 6 or 8 seats.A nice long journey when we would to chant 'bumbly bee', bumbly bee , bumbly bee as that went in time to the motion of the engine. Not long, before we were asleep. A little reminiscent of the train journey on TV series Box of Delights.

Where was Reeces Tea Rooms , was that part of the Central Station ? There was a café there but don't know which one.

They were lovely times in many ways and although dark buildings there was a feeling of belonging to it all.

Great descriptions Granny. Most evocative indeed. You are right re: Reeces Cafe, not Lyons as I said. I always remember getting an Ice Cream Sundae thing in a scratched, dented, silver-type bowl, when taken in there with Mum & Dad on shopping trips. Big stuff !

Thanks Granny and thanks again to billy for the additional pics.

The last steam hauled passenger train on this line was the 21.25 Preston - Liverpool Exchange on 3rd August 1968.
This train was also the very last timetabled steam train to run on British Railways. I was on it & it was absolutely packed with enthusiasts.

Bob.

What an exciting journey to have experienced Bob. Have you still got your ticket ?



Side tracked : As a follow up to Pinz about Reece's Tea Rooms, see the 'also at '

There was also the Central Station Restaurant.

Ticket taken by ticket collector at end of platform - never thought of its significance at the time.

Bob.

Here's a description taken from the "Disused Stations" site which describes pretty well the picture in Mark's first post.

"Following the diversion of services to Lime Street there was no need for six platforms, so platforms 1, 2, 5 and 6 were taken out of use. Platforms 1 and 2 became a car park; 3 and 4 were retained for the Gateacre service. By 1969 the lines at the decommissioned platforms had been lifted leaving only tracks adjacent to 3 and 4. In 1970 platform 3 also lost its track leaving only platform 4 for the Gateacre trains. The platform area under the trainshed took on a neglected air, but the concourse of the station remained heavily used as the low level platforms continued to be extremely busy."

Also, an O.S. map at 50"/mile of the area before the station existed. The map is probably 1864 and the station was opened in 1874.

The dark and atmospheric picture of Central Low Level platform dragged another memory up from the depths.... If you look at the platform, it's not a wandering weak bladdered dog that has been along. It was one of the station staff with armed with a BR issue galv. watering can. The nozzle was "adjusted" with a handy hammer to produce a mere dribble. Strong disinfectant was watered on the platform several times a day. It smelled of very strong phenols. Quite a pleasant smell, but no doubt lethal by today's standards and long since banned! Water Street subway always smelled of it too. Funny, the useless info. that surfaces.

Chriskay, painting by W.G. Herdman (son of William Herdman)of the Waterloo Hotel ,Ranelagh Street, Liverpool 1867. Assuming the building to the right is frontage area to the station, they must have knocked that down too.


Ranelagh Street (s. side). Shows Lynn's Waterloo Hotel. 1867.



We have a great deal to thank Mr Herdman for, and his paintings are absolutely wonderful.

Maybe a good idea to start a new topic for anyone who wishes to view and discuss the content and history.

Thanks for the picture of the Central Station restaurant, which brought back a long-forgotten, happy memory. In 1968, I had a Christmas holiday job in Lewis's (on the bacon counter, no less) and during the lunch break on December 28 - my 18th birthday - I went across to the bar of the station restaurant and treated myself to my first legal drink. Oh to be young again!

Granny, the picture of the Waterloo Hotel is interesting. Unless the perspective is distorted (which I doubt), the building on the right doesn't exist on the map. The maps I have are supposedly 1847 & 1864, but the date on this sheet is given as 1848, so that building must have been built between then and 1867, the date of the painting, and subsequently knocked down to make room for the station. I guess that that hotel is where the Central Station Restaurant was later.
I'd be interested to see more of Herdman's paintings if you'd start a new topic.

I find this thread so fascinating, well done to all for your info.

A few more good shots of Liverpool Central in its latter days here: Clicky

...and here: Clicky too...