Index
- Barton Branch Home
- Downholland
- Plex Moss Lane Halt
- Halsall
- New Cut Lane Halt
- Shirdley Hill
- Heathey Lane Halt
- Kew Gardens
- Butts Lane Halt
- Meols Cop
- St Lukes
- Southport Central
- Southport Chapel Street
Kew Gardens
(1887 - 1938)
At the time of opening on September 2 1887, Kew Gardens station stood in open country on the eastern side of Southport. It was close to a pleasure garden, from which it took its name, on the north
side of the Southport and Ormskirk road which the line passed over on a bridge. The station was opened primarily to serve the gardens
The line was double-track and at Kew Gardens it was on the embankment. The station had two wooden platforms connected to street level by paths. The main facilities were in a single-storey timber building on the ‘down’ (northbound) Southport-direction platform
Goods facilities were south of the passenger station and west of the line. The facilities consisted of three sidings that could accommodate upto 40 wagons. The sidings were at street level, connected to the main line by a long incline
Initially six trains ran in each direction between Southport and Downholland but, owing to insufficient use, the service was reduced to four trains in each direction and there were three trains in each direction on Sunday. In July 1906, the railway company introduced a ‘railmotor’ service which became known as ‘Altcar Bob’. Consisting of an engine and single coach combination with a driving cab at one end of the coach. The railmotor was a success and in summer 1932, there were ten weekday services to Southport Chapel Street and ten in the return direction
During the 1930s, competition from local buses had a detrimental impact on the number of passengers and, as a result, the passenger service was withdrawn completely on September 26 1938 but the goods services were operational until January 1952. Until August 1963 the sidings were used to store excursion stock which had run to Southport
The track was lifted in July and August 1964 and the embankment on which Kew Gardens station stood was removed and the site is lost under a retail park
The line was double-track and at Kew Gardens it was on the embankment. The station had two wooden platforms connected to street level by paths. The main facilities were in a single-storey timber building on the ‘down’ (northbound) Southport-direction platform
Goods facilities were south of the passenger station and west of the line. The facilities consisted of three sidings that could accommodate upto 40 wagons. The sidings were at street level, connected to the main line by a long incline
Initially six trains ran in each direction between Southport and Downholland but, owing to insufficient use, the service was reduced to four trains in each direction and there were three trains in each direction on Sunday. In July 1906, the railway company introduced a ‘railmotor’ service which became known as ‘Altcar Bob’. Consisting of an engine and single coach combination with a driving cab at one end of the coach. The railmotor was a success and in summer 1932, there were ten weekday services to Southport Chapel Street and ten in the return direction
During the 1930s, competition from local buses had a detrimental impact on the number of passengers and, as a result, the passenger service was withdrawn completely on September 26 1938 but the goods services were operational until January 1952. Until August 1963 the sidings were used to store excursion stock which had run to Southport
The track was lifted in July and August 1964 and the embankment on which Kew Gardens station stood was removed and the site is lost under a retail park
