Merseyrail expansion and Gateacre

[urbophile]

Yesterday I found myself with a few minutes to spare in the middle of Gateacre village, in south-east Liverpool. Reading a local history display board, it appears that this ancient settlement, which long predated the city of Liverpool, originally consisted of a crossroads with a few scattered dwellings and workshops in an otherwise rural area. Although it was incorporated into the city boundaries in the early 20th century, it remained a small village until the 1960s when it was overwhelmed by suburban development. Meanwhile, in the 19th century the Cheshire Lines Committee had constructed the loop line which linked Hunts Cross to Aintree and Southport.

Most of the services on this line were the victim of (pre-Beeching) cuts, but the stub from Hunts Cross to Gateacre survived until 1972. It was proposed that it would be electrified and reopened as part of Merseyrail's Northern Line. However that never happened and the Northern Line ended at Hunts Cross as it does now. The old trackbed has been transformed into a cycle and pedestrian path.

It struck me as ironic that soon after the population of the area had increased to justify the existence of the railway, it was closed down. I would have thought it would fulfil a very useful role today. As the line was formerly double track it should not be impossible to re-lay a single track branch from Hunts Cross (maybe with one intermediate station) which would allow the cycle track to remain alongside. The battery 777s should easily maintain a 4tph service over the short stub.

Among all the various (sometimes fantastical) proposals for the future of Merseyrail I've not noticed much attention being paid to this low-hanging fruit.

Another thing I noticed is that local bus services seemed to serve every destination except the city centre. By rail Liverpool Central would be less than half an hour away.

 

[geordieblue]

Yesterday I found myself with a few minutes to spare in the middle of Gateacre village, in south-east Liverpool. Reading a local history display board, it appears that this ancient settlement, which long predated the city of Liverpool, originally consisted of a crossroads with a few scattered dwellings and workshops in an otherwise rural area. Although it was incorporated into the city boundaries in the early 20th century, it remained a small village until the 1960s when it was overwhelmed by suburban development. Meanwhile, in the 19th century the Cheshire Lines Committee had constructed the loop line which linked Hunts Cross to Aintree and Southport.

Most of the services on this line were the victim of (pre-Beeching) cuts, but the stub from Hunts Cross to Gateacre survived until 1972. It was proposed that it would be electrified and reopened as part of Merseyrail's Northern Line. However that never happened and the Northern Line ended at Hunts Cross as it does now. The old trackbed has been transformed into a cycle and pedestrian path.

It struck me as ironic that soon after the population of the area had increased to justify the existence of the railway, it was closed down. I would have thought it would fulfil a very useful role today. As the line was formerly double track it should not be impossible to re-lay a single track branch from Hunts Cross (maybe with one intermediate station) which would allow the cycle track to remain alongside. The battery 777s should easily maintain a 4tph service over the short stub.

Among all the various (sometimes fantastical) proposals for the future of Merseyrail I've not noticed much attention being paid to this low-hanging fruit.

Another thing I noticed is that local bus services seemed to serve every destination except the city centre. By rail Liverpool Central would be less than half an hour away.

A 4tph service would need each train to enter and leave the single track branch within 15 minutes, which is pushing it with an intermediate stop. However when you consider that the Merseyrail track approach to Hunts Cross is also single-track then you are asking the impossible. Whether Gateacre is a good idea or not is a different point but it is not feasible to extend a single-track ‘stub’ to Gateacre and call it a day - you would have to invest a fair bit of money in Hunts Cross and realistically double-track bits of the branch too, which all pushes the cost up.

 

[urbophile]

Thanks. You make some good points. However I am surprised there hasn't been more of a campaign to reinstate services to Gateacre; it still strikes me as less of a major project than many others that have been discussed here and elsewhere. Surely if the abandoned platform at Hunts Cross was reopened it would help, as would a two-platform terminus at Gateacre as it would allow one train to lay over while another approached. Of course as you say it does depend on whether it is a good idea or not in the first place, but I can't see why not.

 

[Bevan Price]

Thanks. You make some good points. However I am surprised there hasn't been more of a campaign to reinstate services to Gateacre; it still strikes me as less of a major project than many others that have been discussed here and elsewhere. Surely if the abandoned platform at Hunts Cross was reopened it would help, as would a two-platform terminus at Gateacre as it would allow one train to lay over while another approached. Of course as you say it does depend on whether it is a good idea or not in the first place, but I can't see why not.

I am not sure if Gateacre itself is large enough to support a railway. But if they could build a new/diversion route from Gateacre to Belle Vale & Netherley, that might be enough to justify a railway - apart from the impossibly high construction costs of anything rail-related in UK. Perhaps a tram route night have a better chance of success ?

 

[urbophile]

I am not sure if Gateacre itself is large enough to support a railway. But if they could build a new/diversion route from Gateacre to Belle Vale & Netherley, that might be enough to justify a railway - apart from the impossibly high construction costs of anything rail-related in UK. Perhaps a tram route night have a better chance of success ?

Belle Vale and Netherley are what, five minutes walk from Gateacre?

 

[Bevan Price]

Belle Vale and Netherley are what, five minutes walk from Gateacre?

Only if you are Usain Bolt.
Belle Vale is closer - maybe 10 minutes for younger, fit people. Not walked to Netherley, but I suspect at least 20 minutes.

 

[Chester1]

Thanks. You make some good points. However I am surprised there hasn't been more of a campaign to reinstate services to Gateacre; it still strikes me as less of a major project than many others that have been discussed here and elsewhere. Surely if the abandoned platform at Hunts Cross was reopened it would help, as would a two-platform terminus at Gateacre as it would allow one train to lay over while another approached. Of course as you say it does depend on whether it is a good idea or not in the first place, but I can't see why not.

It would mean Gateacre services crossing the CLC too. It is not a straightforward reopening. If NPR is ever built and Merseyrail extends to Warrington Central it would be much easier.

 

[8A Rail]

It would mean Gateacre services crossing the CLC too. It is not a straightforward reopening. If NPR is ever built and Merseyrail extends to Warrington Central it would be much easier.

You are assuming that the Merseyrail crosses onto the mainline east of Hunts Cross Station. 'If' ever someone wanted to do it then it be easier just to extend the present the 3rd rail line to (old) Hunts Cross East Junction just beyond Macketts Lane bridge, that way it does not affect the mainline in any way what so ever. However, I say this on the basis that the CLC line eventually comes under Manchester ROC (which it will do eventually) which will then dispense of the need of Hunts Cross (Brick) Box which is presently on the old trackbed of the previous four track formation.

 

[geordieblue]

You are assuming that the Merseyrail crosses onto the mainline east of Hunts Cross Station. 'If' ever someone wanted to do it then it be easier just to extend the present the 3rd rail line to (old) Hunts Cross East Junction just beyond Macketts Lane bridge, that way it does not affect the mainline in any way what so ever. However, I say this on the basis that the CLC line eventually comes under Manchester ROC (which it will do eventually) which will then dispense of the need of Hunts Cross (Brick) Box which is presently on the old trackbed of the previous four track formation.

Hunts Cross services already cross the CLC - extending to Gateacre would not, I imagine, alter the frequency of such a crossing move, but it would reduce the reliability, as the possibility of a Merseyrail unit being late off the ‘Gateacre branch’ presents timetabling issues for the Merseyrail-CLC interaction which are not currently extant.

 

[8A Rail]

Hunts Cross services already cross the CLC - extending to Gateacre would not, I imagine, alter the frequency of such a crossing move, but it would reduce the reliability, as the possibility of a Merseyrail unit being late off the ‘Gateacre branch’ presents timetabling issues for the Merseyrail-CLC interaction which are not currently extant.

That I know already as after all I live in the region as well as using the train services too! I was referring to the gentleman who was (I think) suggesting that from Hunts Cross Station they would operate on the existing main line which he stated "It would mean Gateacre services crossing the CLC too". My reply was in reference to that.

 

[geordieblue]

That I know already as after all I live in the region as well as using the train services too! I was referring to the gentleman who was (I think) suggesting that from Hunts Cross Station they would operate on the existing main line which he stated "It would mean Gateacre services crossing the CLC too". My reply was in reference to that.

Ah right, that makes sense.

 

[Chester1]

Hunts Cross services already cross the CLC - extending to Gateacre would not, I imagine, alter the frequency of such a crossing move, but it would reduce the reliability, as the possibility of a Merseyrail unit being late off the ‘Gateacre branch’ presents timetabling issues for the Merseyrail-CLC interaction which are not currently extant.

That I know already as after all I live in the region as well as using the train services too! I was referring to the gentleman who was (I think) suggesting that from Hunts Cross Station they would operate on the existing main line which he stated "It would mean Gateacre services crossing the CLC too". My reply was in reference to that.

I didn't realise there was sufficient space for a third track. Not needing to join and leave the CLC would certainly reduce the timetabling conflicts.

 

[8A Rail]

I didn't realise there was sufficient space for a third track. Not needing to join and leave the CLC would certainly reduce the timetabling conflicts.

But only if resignalling took place and transferred to Manchester ROC - which will happen eventually. This means the disappearance of HX (brick) Box which provides the space again which was previously a four track line.