LOST LINES: Liverpool & The Mersey (Ian Allan Lost Lines Series)

Liverpool can lay claim to one of the richest railway heritages in the country, with a network of lines constructed by the Lancashire & Yorkshire and London & North Western railways in particular, but with the involvement of other companies, such as the Cheshire Lines Committee and the Great Western and the Mersey, an intricate network of lines grew up to serve the city and its vitally important docks. Apart from the main line railways, Liverpool could also lay claim to one of the most unusual lines in the country — the much-missed Liverpool Overhead Railway fondly known as the Dockers’ Umbrella — as well as one of the most progressive tramway systems in the country. With the decline of the docks and with the inevitable rationalisation that followed Grouping in 1923 and Nationalisation in 1948, the railway network of Liverpool and the Wirral is now but a pale shadow of its former glory. But the closure of the lines has left the city and area with a rich heritage of railway archaeology.

In the 12th volume in the highly successful ‘Lost lines series, Nigel Welbourn has returned to Liverpool after a gap of many years to examine what remains in the region from the many closed lines that once served the city and its docks. Covering a wide range of lines — including the Liverpool Overhead Railway, the city’s tramway network and the railway built to serve the Garden Festival — the author has retraced his steps to examine the history of the lost railways of the city and what the discerning investigator can still identify from this rich heritage. As with the earlier volumes in this popular series, each chapter provides the reader with a history of the line and its current status. The well-researched and meticulous text is supplemented by an excellent selection of some 250 images. These include maps, contemporary and historic photographs, tickets and other items of ephemera.

The ‘Lost Lines’ series has, in the decade since the first titles were published, proved to be an enduring success, with many of the volumes being reprinted regularly. This new addition to a highly popular series will be much sought after by all who know Liverpool and Merseyside and the area's complex railway history.