Birkenhead Dock Branch
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Birkenhead Dock Branch is a presently disused railway line running from the South junction of Rock Ferry, to the site of the former Bidston Dock. The branch is approximately 4½ miles in length & is also accessible by rail from Bidston East junction. The former Mollington Street Depot was joined to the branch line. Part of the branch runs through Haymarket Tunnel & a low-level cutting. The cutting is situated in the centre of Birkenhead, & is visible from the road flyovers which are in the town centre. The disused Canning Street North signal box & level crossing is also situated on the branch. Level crossings are also situated across Duke Street & Wallasey Bridge Road. The last known locomotives to have served on this stretch of track were Birkenhead North's allocation of Class 03 shunters, all of which have been preserved. At the northern end of the branch, disused goods yards are situated parallel to Birkenhead North TMD, Wallasey Bridge Road sidings, & adjacent to the Kingsway Tunnel approach road, Bidston Dock sidings. These two sets of sidings are also accessible by rail, through a series of points between Birkenhead North TMD & Bidston station. The northern part of the track to the west of Canning Street North signal box & to the east of Wallasey Bridge Road level crossing, was owned by Mersey Docks and Harbour Company & is presently, understood to be in the ownership of Peel Holdings. The main part of this section runs parallel, on the northern side, to Corporation Road, across Duke Street, & parallel Beaufort Road. The sections of the branch between, & inclusive of Rock Ferry railway station, Canning Street North signal box, and the section west of Wallasey Bridge Road level crossing, are understood to have been in the ownership of Railtrack &, subsequently, Network Rail.
[edit] Future
A future option for this line, as the trackwork is still mainly in place, may be to use it as a Heritage railway line which would be beneficial to the local economy. The former Railtrack has, in the past, signified an interest in seeing the line reopened for goods services. However, Network Rail has not, so far, followed through with any action, in this regard.
This track may be available in the future, through a long-term lease to a heritage group, in exchange for maintenance & running rights.[citation needed]
[edit] External links
- An overhead view of Bidston Dock, the quayside, & sidings. The sidings & quayside are still present, the dock has since been filled in.
- An overhead view of Wallasey Bridge Road level crossing & sidings. Birkenhead North TMD is to the bottom of this photo.
- A photograph of Canning Street North signal box, in its present state, courtesy of Fotopic.net. The photo was taken at this location.
- A photograph of diesel shunter no. 03 162 'D2162 Birkenhead South 1879-1985' at Duke Street level crossing in Birkenhead, in the early 1990's, before the line fell into disuse. Courtesy of Preservedshunters.co.uk. The photo was taken at this location.
- A photograph of the 'Birkenhead Bandit' railtour on the level crossing at Duke Street.The photo was taken at this location.
- A photograph from a locomotive cab, on the branchline. Though the photo is stated as being 'along Duke Street', this, in fact, appears to be the Beaufort Road stretch of track & taken at the location of this minor level crossing. The houses to the right of the picture have, since, been demolished & this housing area is now, open, waste ground. The track is, presently, heavily, overgrown.
- Documentation of the Rail Regulator. A partial disposal of land.
[edit] Further References
Rail Atlas of Great Britain & Ireland by S.K. Baker ISBN 0-86093-553-1
