While looking at an old map, in connection with the Bidston air shafts thread, I found this. It's from 1882 & shows the original terminus at Docks station, at the junction of Wallasey Bridge Rd. & Beaufort Rd., next to where the train sheds are now. Here's a view also of the site at present. Looks completely undeveloped & unless it's my imagination you can still see the outline of tracks.
Sorry to disappoint Chris, but these look like part of Bidston Dock Lines, if you are looking at the same tracks I am.
Here are 1997 pictures ... if you want me to blow up (photographically, not explosives) any area, please shout.
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In your last pic. you can see the present railway lines of the Mersey railway with the loop to New Brighton & the Birkenhead North sheds at the bottom right. None of those lines existed on the 1882 map. The Dock station of the Hoylake Railway was on the pale patch just above the sheds, across the Birket/Fender. Pinzgauer pointed out to me that on the bird's eye link I gave you can see where there was a level crossing on Wallasey Bridge Rd. which connected with the dock railway system. You can see it in you first pic.
I've just gotten a new book or two on this, I'll dig it out and shove some more information, I'm a railway geek but a local railway geek, somehow I feel better for saying that!
The lines connecting to the Dock line alongside Beaufort Road, next to the depot were re-jigged in the early 1960's as a 'House Coal Concentration' depot and this operated until about 1980 I believe, I can remember (just) the 21 Ton hopper wagons used on this traffic. Latterly they were used as overspill sidings for Birkenhead North Electric Multiple Unit depot. Not used for about 10 years now...
OK. I'm stepping out of the cupboard as well ! Main interest for MANY years has been the Mersey Railway. From 1903 (no, I'm not that old) to the mid '80's. ie. when they had "proper" EMU's. 502 land also of interest.
Docks station was renamed Birkenhead North. The site on which the Merseyrail Electrics depot now stands was the the Wirral Railway's loco shed , works & carriage sidings. The tracks passing the depot were goods lines to the docks & a connection to the Birkenhead - Chester line at Grange Lane .
Docks station was renamed Birkenhead North. The site on which the Merseyrail Electrics depot now stands was the the Wirral Railway's loco shed , works & carriage sidings. The tracks passing the depot were goods lines to the docks & a connection to the Birkenhead - Chester line at Grange Lane . Bob.
Not quite Birkenhead North on the current site was not built until electrification - it was a carriage shed (for loco-hauled coaches) before that. An even older carriage shed was built on the other side of the line.
Up until electrification North shed was bang in the middle of the afrementioned goods line.
Please see the 1899 map on this link on which there are 2 Engine Sheds mentioned - the most westerly in the main line Great Central Bidston shed - the one where North Traction Depot is now - is incorrectly tagged (see text) and the actual shed was the most westerly building in the group that forms the area labelled good station - the goods station was on this site too using the other buildings.
![[Linked Image]](http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/9940/334766523006ccdm3.jpg)
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