Ainsdale Beach railway station

Ainsdale Beach was a railway station located in Ainsdale, Merseyside.

The Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway (SCLER) opened this station on 9 June 1901. It was named Seaside from its opening until 1 January 1912 when it was renamed Ainsdale Beach. The station was built adjacent to a hotel called The Lakeside Hotel (now named 'The Sands' and trading as a local pub) and was situated at the coastal end of Shore Road. It was served by trains from Southport Lord Street, Liverpool Central, and from Manchester Central.

History

The station first closed in 1917, along with all other stations on the extension line, due to World War I economy measures.

The station was reopened on 1 April 1919, and continued in use until 7 January 1952, when the SCLER was closed to passengers from Aintree Central to Southport Lord Street. The line remained open for public goods traffic until 7-7-1952 at Southport Lord St., Birkdale Palace and Altcar & Hillhouse Stations. Public goods facilities were ended at Woodvale, Lydiate and Sefton & Maghull stations on the same date as passenger services (7-1-1952*) and there were never any goods facilities at Ainsdale Beach station to begin with. After 7-7-1952, a siding remained open at Altcar & Hillhouse for private goods facilities until May 1960. The very last passenger train to run on the SCLER was a railway enthusiasts 'special' between Aintree and Altcar & Hillhouse railways stations on 6-6-1959.

• On the subject of railway station or line 'closing dates', it should be remembered that the official day of a closure IS ALWAYS given as the Monday following the date of last trains run. As this is almost always a Saturday, if 7 January 1952 (Monday) is given as the date of closure, this means the ACTUAL LAST DAY OF SERVICES was Saturday, 5 January 1952. This is proven by last day tickets which bear the 5 January date.

Became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway during the Grouping of 1923 and then the London Midland Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948. British Railways (LMR) operated the station thereafter until closure.

The site today

Later the track bed was utilised to support what is now the Coastal Road, which runs from Woodvale to Southport. At this point the road is also part of the Trans Pennine Trail.

References

• Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0508-1. OCLC 60251199. 
• Jowett, Alan (2000). Jowett's Nationalised Railway Atlas (1st ed.). Penryn, Cornwall: Atlantic Transport Publishers. ISBN 0-9068-9999-0. OCLC 228266687. 
• Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0086-1. OCLC 22311137. 
• Station on navigable O.S. map

• Sub Brit Page

Coordinates: 53°36′24.6″N 3°3′24.6″W / 53.606833°N 3.056833°W / 53.606833; -3.056833