A terrible loss - The Southport – Preston Line – A new booklet
marking 60 yrs since the electric services to Crossens ceased.
I’ve just read an excellent booklet produced by the Class 502 Preservation Trust to mark 60 years since the loss of the 3rd rail electrified service from Southport out to Crossens in September 1964. The following day the whole route from Southport to Preston closed; all part of the short-sighted Beeching cuts.
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| Front cover of booklet |
The line is now lost to housing in so many places that reopening is impossible yet in 1963, just one year prior to closure, the booklet tells us that the line was carrying 2m passengers a year! With all the building along the line from Southport through Crossens to Preston it would clearly be viable 2024.
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| Back cover of booklet |
Even if closure was seen to be the right thing to do in 1964 the trackbed should, like with so many other lost lines, have been safeguarded for future possible reopening but UK politics has always been short-term and short-sighted.
Anyway, back to the booklet which runs to 40 plus pages. It’s full of colour photos, great captioning and is a wonderful insight into what has been lost. I really enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to railway enthusiasts, and those interested in Southport’s history.
It’s available from the Class 502 Preservation Trust priced at £8.50 and their online shop is via this link -
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