Moreton railway station (Merseyside)

Moreton railway station serves the town of Moreton, in Merseyside, England. The station is on the West Kirby branch of the Wirral Line, which is part of the Merseyrail network.

Moreton
Merseyrail
A Merseyrail Class 507 at Moreton
General information
LocationMoreton, Wirral
England
Grid referenceSJ260906
Managed byMerseyrail
Transit authorityMerseytravel
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeMRT
Fare zoneB1
ClassificationDfT category E
Key dates
1866Opened
1938Electrified
Passengers
2019/20Increase 0.615 million
2020/21Decrease 0.184 million
2021/22Increase 0.406 million
2022/23Increase 0.469 million
2023/24Increase 0.505 million
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

History

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Moreton station opened for regular service on 2 July 1866, on the Hoylake Railway, between Hoylake and Birkenhead Docks.[1][2] By 1898, the station had a small signal box towards the eastern end of the westbound platform, and a siding to the south of the station.[3] West of the station, sidings for Moreton brickworks were added around 1903.[3][4] The signal box was replaced in 1932, and moved to the north side of the tracks beyond the eastern end of the platform.[5][6]

The platform buildings were replaced in 1938, rebuilt in an identical style to one at Hoylake.[7][8] Through electric services to Liverpool Central commenced on 13 March 1938, when the LMS electrified the lines from Birkenhead Park to West Kirby.[9][10] The service was provided by the then-new LMS electric multiple units. However, on Sunday mornings, the service was provided by the older Mersey Railway electric units which, up until that point, had only ever run from Liverpool to Birkenhead Park.[11]

Cadbury had a private siding adjacent to the station after 1956, although their freight trains had ended by 1971.[12][13] The 30-lever signal box closed on 17 September 1994, and was demolished on 13 November 1994.[13][14]

Facilities

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The station has a booking office and a 34-space car park, a cycle rack for 4 cycles and secure storage for 20 cycles. The station is staffed, 15 minutes before the first train and 15 minutes after the last train, has departure and arrival screens for passenger information, and platform CCTV. Each platform has open-air seating, a waiting room and a payphone.[15]

Services

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Current services are every 15 minutes (Monday to Saturday daytime) to West Kirby and Liverpool. At other times, trains operate every 30 minutes.[16] These services are provided by Merseyrail's fleet of Class 507 and Class 777 EMUs.

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References

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  1. ^ Maund 2009, p. 10
  2. ^ Maund 2009, p. 7
  3. ^ a b Maund 2009, p. 121
  4. ^ Mitchell & Smith 2014, map XI
  5. ^ Maund 2009, p. 153
  6. ^ Mitchell & Smith 2014, fig. 39
  7. ^ Maund 2009, p. 164
  8. ^ Mitchell & Smith 2014, fig. 41
  9. ^ Gahan 1983, p. 63
  10. ^ Maund 2009, p. 166
  11. ^ Gahan 1983, p. 67
  12. ^ Mitchell & Smith 2014, fig. 42
  13. ^ a b Mitchell & Smith 2014, fig. 43
  14. ^ Maund 2009, p. 227
  15. ^ "Moreton train station | timetable | ticket prices & facilities". www.merseyrail.org. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  16. ^ "Wirral Line timetable" (PDF). Merseyrail. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.

Sources

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  • Gahan, John W. (1983). Steel Wheels to Deeside - The Wirral Railway past and present. Birkenhead: Countryvise. ISBN 0-907768-70-9.
  • Maund, T.B. (2009). The Wirral Railway and its Predecessors. Gloucestershire: Lightmoor Press. ISBN 978-1-899-88938-9.
  • Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (2014). Birkenhead to West Kirby. West Sussex: Middleton Press. ISBN 978-1908174611. OCLC 885451764.
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Preceding station   National Rail Following station
Meols
towards West Kirby
  Merseyrail
Wirral Line
West Kirby Branch
  Leasowe
towards Liverpool Central

53°24′29″N 3°06′47″W / 53.408°N 3.113°W / 53.408; -3.113