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I'd like to know which station this was. Southport area?


sn

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I was recently given a disc with some photos on it of trains at Barton and Halsall stations on the Old Altcar and Hillhouse jnc to Southport line.

 

This one...

 

southportarea-1.jpg

 

 

..is of neither location, but I don't know where it is. The person who gave it me can't help.

 

Anyone recognise the location?

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Given the proximity of the platform end to the level crossing I'm tempted to hazard a guess at Ainsdale(sometime between the wars judging by the house nearest to the line which looks like a late twenties/thirties build)looking towards Southport.

Don't think it's Ainsdale , although that was my first thought too, as there would be buildings visible on the other platform, also there is a road running parallel to the railway where the house is and there are shops rather than houses next to the station.

 

This is what Ainsdale looks like today standing in the road behind the buildings on the other platform, crossing is to the left of the stop sign.

 

Although I come from that area I don't know the Altcar branch very well as passengers service on it finished a little before my time and I was too young to have my own transport to investigate it before it disappeared. My good friend and fellow railway enthusiast Joe Halsall (guess where he came from?) knew the Altcar branch well and would have known where it was, but sadly the big "C" got him a few years back.

 

Tom

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If it's on the Liverpool to Southport line then it has to be of a station where the road crosses the railway on the level and therefore I don't think it's Aintree.Whilst houses may be demolished and shops etc. built and station structures etc.demolished/built or altered the line itself and roads remain more constant and therefore there are only so many possible candidates(assuming that this isn't a photo of a demolished station)which are Ainsdale or Birkdale looking towards Southport or Hall Road or Freshfields looking towards Liverpool.

My money is still on Ainsdale but it's only an educated guess.

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cheers.

 

just a few more things, to say why I think its shirdley hill,

 

the platform on the opposite side looks about the same height,

 

we can see the small canopy in both shots, on the side the loco is.

 

the loco is an ex l&y and so is the station, that doesnt necessarily mean anything, but usually pre grouping locos still stayed on theyre lines.

 

also the house with the pointy roof appears to still be there, as does the buildig in front of it in the shot.

 

shirdleyhill.jpg

 

Mike

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  • RMweb Gold

Hi Mike,

 

Compare the photo here and the one on Subterranea - http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/s/shirdley_hill/index.shtml -

the canopy does not appear to stretch out far enough on the 1949 shot, there is also the lack of vegetation.

 

Do we have any idea when the photo (in this thread) was taken ?

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Hi Mike & all,

 

Are we sure the pic is not a mirror image ie the neg was printed/scanned wrongly? The only clue (assuming single line working or shunting) would be the lamp code - now who knows them......?

 

If so it might just fit the 1949 photo No clues to the date of photo as the brake van could be ex LNER rather than a BR std I think.

 

Cheers Tony

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I went and had a look this afternoon.

 

as dvlr dave says. that house is a bungalow :(

 

only thing is that it was demolished and a new bunch of bungalows and houses where built there???

 

 

what we would need would be a ordnance survey map from the time.

 

 

 

I still think, the angle of the shots (after being confused by lots of other stations and goods yards when Ive only ever had a couple of shots which seemed to conflict each other) could still have been taken from the platform, but far back against the platform fence.

 

I think in the 1949 shot, we cant quite see the canopy on the right because of the trees, but if the photographer was standing behind the canopy, you wouldnt see those trees like in the mystery shot, there is also a loco and a train of 4/5 vehicles which would be some length, but the mystery shot also seems, because of the angle to loose the sense of depth.

 

 

I would have a guess that the mystery shot was taken on one of the last days of 1952, it would give a reason for the photo to be taken.

 

 

is it possible we could also see the other shots you have of the line please SN?

 

cheers

 

Mike

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  • RMweb Gold

 

I think in the 1949 shot, we cant quite see the canopy on the right because of the trees, but if the photographer was standing behind the canopy, you wouldnt see those trees like in the mystery shot, there is also a loco and a train of 4/5 vehicles which would be some length, but the mystery shot also seems, because of the angle to loose the sense of depth.

 

 

Mike - there is vegetation on the platform which would be visible which is what I have already said :(

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  • RMweb Gold

only other thing, is that shot really 1949? it could be a mistake, the station was still there until 1964 according to subrrit

 

 

the platform edging flags look like the same too. although thats not really a point as most stations seem the same.

 

Mike

 

Same shot appears in Paul Bolgers book but larger and easier to see the plants ;)

 

but if we flip the photo ...

 

post-6662-126964751086_thumb.jpg

 

and compare it we can now see the telegraph pole is pretty much in the right place on the (revised) shot here and the Paul Bolger/Subrrit photo ...

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id go with that, that telegraph pole was bugging me, I thought it may have been hidden by the vegetation.

 

 

I went today, and didnt take a shot of the house on the other side, only took one of the bungalow lol smile.gif

edit, doesnt look like the house is still there from the aerial shots

 

 

also to be noted the lack of vegetation on the trees and smoke from the guards van, looks cold.

 

 

Mike

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A couple of thoughts - firstly I think the house in original photo is on the same side of the road as the station so we are looking at the back of the house.

Secondly, looking at the station site in google maps it looks like the line of the railway ran through where the houses are now so somewhat to the west of the new road and to the left of the red line.

 

So is this the same white house which you can see between the two new houses on the station site, given that we are standing somewhat to the east of where the photo was taken and we are getting a better view of the side of the house rather than the back?

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yes I think your right, but had to move along the google maps along renacres lane to see it better, I think it may have been updated too, with extra buildings as with the whole area.

 

what a great thing that google streetview is, I would never have thought they would have went down there, its such a quiet place in the middle of nowhere.

 

that red line I drew was just a quick job, not knowing exactly where the line was.

 

but this little station in the middle of nowhere has become very interesting, as is the whole line which is very hard to find any info on and is often overlooked.

 

Mike

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yes I think your right, but had to move along the google maps along renacres lane to see it better, I think it may have been updated too, with extra buildings as with the whole area.

 

what a great thing that google streetview is, I would never have thought they would have went down there, its such a quiet place in the middle of nowhere.

 

that red line I drew was just a quick job, not knowing exactly where the line was.

 

but this little station in the middle of nowhere has become very interesting, as is the whole line which is very hard to find any info on and is often overlooked.

 

Mike

 

And this at Shirdley Hill....

 

 

1930shirdleyhll.jpg

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