Notes: Lea Green was one of the
original passenger stations of George Stephenson's 1830Liverpool
and Manchester Railway the world's first railway to cater
for passengers as one of its primary functions. It was also
arguably the worlds first inter city railway. When the line
first opened on the 15th September 1830 no details exist of
the initial intermediate stops and Walkers accurate description
of the line at the time of opening says that fares for intermediate
stops had not been settled implying that initially there might
not have been any stops.
The earliest known company timetable is 1st March 1831, this
did not show times at intermediate stops but did list stops
in fare tables. The company minutes of 26th September 1832 did
give a full list but no further list was given until January
1846.
There were many early changes of stopping place and name so
the early history of intermediate stops is patchy. At first
trains stops at, for example, level crossings where the gatekeeper
issued tickets; perhaps a room in his cottage was available
as a shelter. Many of the stations consisted of little more
than a basic cottage. In 1841 platforms and nameboards were
added to stations lacking them.
The station was renamed Sutton in 1844 reverting back to Lea
Green in June 1848l. When the line first opened on the 15th
September 1830 the intermediate stations on the double track
line consisted of very basic cottages but due to the lines monumental
success these facilities were upgraded over the years.
Certainly by the end of the 19th Century Lea Green had been
developed into a two platform station. Its platforms were partly
staggered, the eastbound platform was partially under the road
bridge and the westbound was on the west side of the bridge.
From the beginning the station would have been served by local
trains running between the two cities or on shorted journeys.
A steady stream of express and goods services would have passed
through.
The 1830 Liverpool to Manchester line is still a busy railway
but over the years many of its intermediate stations, including
Lea Green have closed to passengers. Today the Station house
remains in non-railway use surrounded by a scrapyard. The entrance
ramp to the eastbound platform is largely intact, as part of
a private garden. For the westbound platform, the approach road
and staircase from the overbridge still exist, in use as track
access point.
On the 17.9.2000 a new Lea Green Station was opened by Merseytravel
to the east of the original station.
Click here
for a detailed history of the Edge Hill cutting and tunnels,
including pictures inside the 1829 Crown Street Tunnel
Further reading: Liverpool & Manchester Railway Operations
1831 - 1845 by Thomas J Donaghy
David & Charles 1972 ISBN 0 71535705 0
To see the other
closed stations on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway click
on the station name: Liverpool
Crown Street, Huyton
Quarry, Collins
Green, Parkside 1st, Parkside 2nd, Kenyon
Junction, Glazebury
and Bury Lane, Flow
Moss, Astley, Lambs
Cottage, Barton
Moss 1st, Barton
Moss 2nd, Weaste,
Seedley, Cross
Lane, Ordsall
Lane, Manchester
Liverpool Road
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