The railway is very important for the city because it is a convenient means of transportation between cities and countries. In this article, we will tell you about the history of the Liverpool railway. Learn more at liverpool-future.com.
The first railway in Liverpool
The railway appeared in Liverpool in 1852. At that time, the city had the already functioning port, so the railway was relevant too. After all, there had to be a way to transport goods from warehouses to docks. For many years, that work was performed by horses.
In 1859, passengers began to use the railway. 21 years later, the trains were coming and leaving within an interval of five minutes.
In 1878, the management of the Port planned to lay a railway with junctions at the station, but the Trade Council didn’t support that decision.
The Liverpool Overhead Railway Company was established in 1888. That year, it received permission to lay a double-track railway. Engineers started working on the project and proposed to build a structure that wouldn’t pollute streets with ash. It was made of iron beams, which were placed five metres above the road. Construction began in 1889 and lasted four years.
It should be noted that electric traction was chosen for the railway in 1891. The city authorities decided to build a generating station and develop light carriages with an electric motor.
Opening and closing of the Liverpool Railway
The railway was officially opened in February 1893 and the residents started to use railway transport in March. Most of the railway track was overhead.
The railway was badly damaged during the Second World War. Still, the city gradually restored everything afterwards. The railway resumed its work and the carriages began to be modernised. It should be noted that after the war, the railway services were mainly used by port workers.
In 1955, it was reported that the railways needed serious repairs, which would cost £2,000,000 and take five years. The Liverpool company, which owned the railway, had no funds for it. There was also no financial support from the authorities. That is why they decided to close the line. It happened in December 1956. Later, the railway tracks were dismantled and buses began to run along the route.
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the world’s first inter-city railway
The first inter-city railway in the world was also built in Liverpool. It was opened in 1830. It connected the cities of Liverpool and Manchester. It used only steam engines and followed a strict schedule. It is also the first railroad in the world to have a signal system and was used to carry mail. The railway was also used to transport goods between seaports.
Construction of the first railway began in 1823. It was 56 kilometres long. In addition, its width (1435 mm) is still used as a European standard in many countries of the world.
In addition, 64 bridges and viaducts as well as a two-kilometre tunnel were built for the railway.
The railway is an important means of transportation for every city because it relieves traffic, allows transporting a large amount of cargo over long distances, provides safe conditions, etc.
This was the history of the Liverpool railway. We hope that our article was informative and you learned more about this city.
