View source for Linacre Road railway station

{{Short description|Former railway station in England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox station
| name                = Linacre Road
| status              = Disused
| image               = 
| borough             = [[Litherland]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Sefton|Sefton]]
| country             = England
| coordinates         = {{coord|53.4656|-2.9985|type:railwaystation_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| grid_name           = [[Ordnance Survey National Grid|Grid reference]]
| grid_position       = {{gbmappingsmall|SJ338970}}
| platforms           = 2
| line                = [[North Mersey Branch]]
| original            = [[Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway]]
| pregroup            = Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
| postgroup           = [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]]
| years               = {{start date|1906|06|01|df=y}}
| events              = Opened
| years1              = {{end date|1951|04|02|df=y}}
| events1             = Closed 
| years2              = 
| events2             = 
}}
'''Linacre Road railway station''' was a station located on the [[North Mersey Branch]] in [[Litherland]], [[Lancashire]].

==History==
The [[North Mersey Branch]] line through the station site was opened by the [[Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway]] (L&YR) for freight on 27 August 1866, the branch connecting the [[North Mersey and Alexandra Docks railway station|North Mersey goods station]] to the main line between {{rws|Liverpool Exchange}} and {{rws|Wigan Wallgate||Wigan}}.{{sfn|Gahan|1985|p=114}}

The station opened for service on 1 June 1906 when the ''Seaforth connecting line'' was opened and the line between {{rws|Aintree}} and {{rws|Bootle New Strand||Marsh Lane & Strand Road}} using the connecting line was electrified.{{sfn|Quick|2023|p=283}}{{sfn|Marshall|1970|p=166}}  

The station was located just east of the junction between the branch and the connecting line where the line crossed Linacre Road on an over bridge.

The station was to the east of road alongside Litherland tram sheds, there was a sloping pathway leading up to a wooden booking office from which there were steps up to the east-bound platform and a subway then steps up to the west-bound. The platforms were of all wooden construction with simple waiting shelters.{{sfn|Bolger|1994|p=43}}<ref name="OS1908">{{cite map |title=Lancashire XCIX.14 |url=https://maps.nls.uk/view/126522143 |year=1908 |scale=25 inch |publisher=Ordnance Survey }}</ref>

There was an early short-lived service through, and probably using,  the station when a connection was made with the [[Liverpool Overhead Railway]] (LOR) near their {{rws|Seaforth Sands}} station and through services were run from {{rws|Aintree}} through the station onto the LOR to {{rws|Dingle}}, this route needed lighter and smaller trains to operate along the LOR and twelve were built for this service, it was not a successful venture and stopped in September 1908, the trains being redeployed.{{sfn|Gahan|1985|p=115}} 

In 1910 there were 17 services in each direction on a week day, with about half of the {{rws|Aintree}} services continuing on to {{rws|Maghull}} (electric trains started running to here on 1 October 1909). In the other direction the services ran over the Seaforth connecting line through {{rws|Bootle New Strand||Marsh Lane & Strand Road}} to {{rws|Liverpool Exchange}}.{{sfn|Bradshaw|1968|loc=table 782}}

In 1914 a section of line from where the connecting line joined the branch toward the docks was electrified and {{rws|Gladstone Dock}} station opened. A new service began from {{rws|Gladstone Dock}} to {{rws|Aintree}}, there were seven trains each day in each direction with an extra service on Saturdays. The service ceased on 7 July 1924 when Gladstone Dock station closed.{{sfn|Quick|2023|p=207}}{{sfn|Marshall|1970|p=168}}

On race days at [[Aintree racecourse]] passenger trains, including those of the [[Liverpool Overhead Railway]] would pass through the station site on special services to and from {{rws|Aintree||Aintree Sefton Arms}} station (on these occasions the L&YR stations at Aintree were differentiated by adding ''Sefton Arms'' or ''Racecourse'').<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Milne |first=George |title=How the Railways work the 'Grand National' Traffic |journal=The Railway Magazine |date=March 1906 |issue=105 |volume=xviii |issn=0033-8923 |page=237}}</ref> 

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway amalgamated with the [[London and North Western Railway]] on 1 January 1922 and in turn was [[Railways Act 1921|Grouped]] into the [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]] in 1923. Nationalisation followed in 1948.{{sfn|Ferneyhough|1975|p=164}}

In 1939 the [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]] (LMS) was operating about 22 services each way that stopped at the station.{{sfn|LMS Railway|1939|loc=table 182}} By 1944 this had reduced to around twelve each way.{{sfn|Bradshaw|1944|loc=table 572}}

The station closed on 2 April 1951 but the line continued to be used by freight trains.{{sfn|Quick|2023|p=197}} The LOR service for the [[Grand National]] ceased when the LOR closed at the end of 1956.{{sfn|Gahan|1985|p=115}} 

The singled track is still in place, although no longer electrified and in a state of dereliction.{{cn|date=July 2024}}

Since the 1970s there have been plans to re-electrify the North Mersey Branch and reintroduce a passenger service. As part of those plans Linacre Road station would reopen.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/l/linacre_road |title=Linacre Road railway station |website=Disused Stations}}</ref>{{bsn|date=July 2024}}
{{North Mersey Branch}}
{{Disused Rail Start}}
{{Rail line one to two |next1={{rws|Bootle New Strand||Marsh Lane & Strand Road}}|previous={{rws|Ford|Merseyside}}|route1=[[Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway]]<br /><small>[[North Mersey Branch]] and<br>[[Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway]]</small> |next2={{rws|Gladstone Dock}}|route2=[[Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway]]<br /><small>[[North Mersey Branch]]</small>|col1={{LYR colour}} |col2={{LYR colour}}}}
{{S-end}}

__NOTOC__
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |last=Bolger |first=Paul |title=Merseyside and District Railway Stations |publisher=The Bluecoat Press |year=1994}}
*{{Bradshaw-1910April}}
*{{cite book |last=Bradshaw |first=George |title=Bradshaw's Guide for Great Britain and Ireland: March 1944 |date=1944  |publisher=Henry Blacklock  |url=https://ia800206.us.archive.org/0/items/BradshawsGuideForGreatBritainAndIrelandNo.1328March1944/1944Brad_text.pdf }}
*{{cite book |last=Ferneyhough |first=Frank |title=The History of Railways in Britain |publisher=Osprey |publication-place=Reading |date=1975 |isbn=0-85045-060-8 |oclc=2120140 |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofrailway0000fern |url-access=registration}}
*{{cite book |last=Gahan |first=John W. |title=Seaport to Seaside: Lines to Southport and Ormskirk - 13 decades of trains and travel |date=1985 |isbn=((978-0-907768-07-5))}}
*{{Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 2}} 
*{{cite book |title=London Midland & Scottish Passenger Railway Timetable- July 3rd to September 24th, inclusive, 1939 |last=LMS Railway |date=1939 |url=https://archive.org/details/1939LMS |publisher=LMS |location=London}}
*{{Quick-stations-5.05}}
==External links==
{{Closed stations Merseyside}}

[[Category:Disused railway stations in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton]]
[[Category:Former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway stations]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1906]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1951]]