LOCAL INFORMATION


1.  History

The Chester and Birkenhead Railway Company came into being in 1837 when a single line, with no passing places, was opened for business between Grange Lane in Birkenhead and Brook Street in Chester in 1840.  There were no severe gradients on the line and the main civil engineering structure was the 11-arch Moston Viaduct near Mollington which spanned the Chester/Ellesmere Port section of the Shropshire Union canal.  The viaduct had been built for two tracks in anticipation of the need for doubling the line and, by 1847, a second track had been laid for the entire length of the railway.  From 1860, the line was operated under the jurisdiction of a "Joint Committee" comprised of senior officers from the London & North Western and Great Western railways and the railway became commonly known as "The Birkenhead Joint".

Hooton was a station in a rural area roughly equidistant from Chester and Birkenhead and, in the 1860's, two branch lines were built linking Hooton to Helsby (1863) and Parkgate (1866).  The latter was subsequently extended to West Kirby in 1886.  The growth in use of the railway in the late 1800's was such that even more capacity was needed and, by 1904, there were quadruple tracks in use between Birkenhead and Ledsham Junction.  It was only the cost of rebuilding the Moston Viaduct that had precluded quadrification all the way to Chester.  The track layout changed little between then and the late 1950's when some alterations were made at Hooton.

In the 1950's, the Absolute Block signalling system was in use throughout most of the area depicted except for the West Kirby branch where the Electric Train Staff regulations were in force.  Webb-Thompson train staff instruments were installed at Hooton, Hadlow Road, Parkgate, Heswall, Thurstaston and West Kirby.  Permissive Block regulations were in force at the two Ellesmere Port yards. 


2.  The Simulation

The simulation is based on the track layout that existed in the early 1950's.  It is centred upon Hooton and includes the Helsby and West Kirby branches in addition to the main line.  Some infrequently used sidings, connections and signals have been omitted for simplicity but the operation of the system is unaffected.   

The 'Standard' timetable demonstrates the service in use on a weekday in the winter of 1954/55.  In addition to local passenger trains, there were trains to various destinations in North Wales.  There were long distance trains in each direction to Shrewsbury, Birmingham, Leamington Spa, Bournemouth and Margate/Ramsgate.  Six trains ran each way to and from Paddington.

There was much freight traffic to and from the docks in Birkenhead and the massive Lever Brothers factories at Port Sunlight.  There was also much freight traffic to and from the industrial area of Ellesmere Port and the oil refineries at Stanlow & Thornton.

All the signals were mechanically operated but are shown as colour lights.  There are 21 signal boxes on the simulation and 22 signalmen for most of the time.  (Hooton South box, with its 128-lever frame, was a Special 'A' class box which was double manned on the 6-2 and 2-10 shifts from Monday to Saturday inclusive.)  In view of the large area covered, and the intensity of the service, many signals have been provided with the automatic facility to enable the user to reduce the activity level in running the simulation if he or she desires to do so.


3.  Start-up Photograph

The start-up picture is of loco 84003 entering Platform 3 at Hooton with the 17:10 Stanlow to Birkenhead in June 1961.  This was an unadvertised train for workers at the Stanlow petrochemical industries.  Non-corridor stock was widely used on local passenger trains in the area throughout the 1950's.  On the left, loco 42969 stands at the head of a short train in Platform 1 (bay).  The photograph was taken by the late Mr H C Casserley and has been used here by kind permission of his daughter, Mrs M Casserley.  This picture is especially interesting because it shows the unusual very small Up Fast home signals (for Hooton South box) on the bracket.  The left hand arm is for the Helsby branch whilst the right hand arm is for the main line to Chester.  Just off the picture to the right was a gantry spanning the Slow lines which carried four signal arms of similar size to those in the photograph.  The water cranes and braziers for Platforms 1, 2 and 4 can be clearly seen.


4.  Operational Notes

For ease of finding information, the stations on the simulation have been listed in alphabetical order below.  Where appropriate, some additional local information and/or historical notes have been included.  The capacities of station platforms and other sections of line are given in 'units'.  One unit is equivalent to a locomotive, a passenger coach, or three freight wagons.

4.1  Bebington & New Ferry
     Lever Number range:  101 to 149
     Platform capacity:    8
     S.143 to S.111        8
     S.147 to S.119       10
     
4.2  Bromborough
     Lever Number range:  251 to 259
     Platform capacity:    8
     S.268 to S.293        7
     
4.3  Caldy
     Platform capacity:    6
     
     This station was in use in the early 1950's but closed in
     February 1954.
     
4.4  Capenhurst
     Lever Number range:  551 to 599
     Platform capacity:   10
     Reception Line 1     16
     Reception Line 2     14
     S.582 to S.585        7
     S.581 to S.583       12
     Spur at S.590         2
     
     After World War 2, a large factory was built adjacent to the
     station on the Down side.  This belonged to the United Kingdom
     Atomic Energy Authority and its purpose was to enrich uranium.
     There was a special train for the factory's employees from Rock
     Ferry (near Birkenhead) each morning and a return train in the
     evening.  Neither of these trains were advertised in the public
     timetable.  The factory had its own shunting locomotive
     which shuttled between the Down Yard and the factory sidings under
     opposing signals which are not shown on the simulation.  These
     two signals were normally in the "off" position and a lever had
     to be reversed in the signal box to restore these signals to
     danger whenever a movement from the main line to the yard was
     necessary.  Signal 559 on the Up line was an Intermediate Block
     Signal on the site of a former signal box at Dunkirk.
     Similarly, signal M4, operated from Mollington, was an
     Intermediate Block Signal on the Down line.
     
4.5  Ellesmere Port (EP)
     Lever Number range:  616 to 635 (West)
                          636 to 655 (East)
     Platform capacity:   7
     S.632 to S.620      10
     S.653 to S.652      16
     S.647 to S.638      12
     
     The Manchester Ship Canal Company (MSCC) had an extensive railway
     network at EP which connected to both the West and East yards.
     This network served a multitude of industrial concerns including
     a paper mill, two flour mills, several chemical and engineering
     companies and a number of wharves alongside the canal.  The MSCC
     had its own shunting engines which were steam powered in the
     1950's: it was not until the early 1960's that these were
     superseded by diesel locomotives.  There were five signal 
     cabins which controlled movements to and from the yards.  One of
     these, No.2 cabin, only controlled movements to and from the West
     yard and the MSCC system: it had no control over movements on the
     main line.  The level crossing gates were operated from a wheel
     in No.3 cabin.
     
4.6  Hadlow Road
     Lever Number range:  701 to 720
     Platform capacity:   6
     S.709 to S.712       8
     
     The level crossing gates were operated by hand.
     
4.7  Heswall
     Lever Number range:  761 to 799
     Platform capacity:   8
     S.764 to S.793       8
     S.785 to S.797      11
     
4.8  Hooton
     Lever Number range:  301 to 399 (North)
                          401 to 499 (South)
     Platform capacity:   5 (Platform 1)
                          9 (Platforms 2-7)
     Up Fast Refuge      17
     Up Slow Refuge      10
     Dock                 2
     S.307 to S.440       9
     S.309 to S.367      12
     S.312 to S.416      14
     S.323 to S.422       9
     S.328 to S.411       9
     S.336 to S.431       9
     S.408 to S.409       8
     S.412 to S.414       7
     S.481 to S.434       2
     S.483 to S.434      10
     Exchange Siding      5
     
     Block Regulation 31 (Shunting into Forward Section) was
     authorised on all lines between North and South boxes.  This
     regulation was in frequent use, particularly for trains
     arriving on the Down Slow line and requiring to shunt back
     into the Down Yard.  Long trains from the Up Helsby requiring
     to shunt in the Down Yard sometimes needed S.307 to be cleared
     to allow the train to draw forward sufficiently to come to a
     stand behind signal 440.
     
     Block Regulation 32 (Working in Wrong Direction) was also
     authorised between the two boxes and was most often used for
     movements along the Down Slow line from the North Yard to the
     Down Yard.
     
     Hooton South box made much use of Block Regulation 5 (Warning
     Arrangement) on the Down Fast, Down Slow and Up Helsby lines
     because there were no outer home signals on these three lines
     and clearing points were often fouled.  In the late 1950's, an
     outer home signal was installed on the Up Helsby line which
     eased the problem somewhat.  This regulation could be used for
     passenger against passenger, passenger against freight and
     freight against freight, but not for freight against passenger.
     It was common for trains to be held at signals 417, 436 and
     498 awaiting paths.
     
     Much traffic for the factories at Port Sunlight was assembled
     in the Down Yard from various trains and several trip
     movements from here to Port Sunlight were made throughout each
     working day.  Opposite the station, there was a cattle market
     and there were cattle pens adjacent to the Up Yard.  From
     here, cattle trains were despatched on an 'as required' basis.
     Freight trains between the Helsby and Chester lines, in both
     directions, needed to reverse at Hooton and these always had
     a brake van at both ends.  Block Regulation 11 was used for 
     the loco run-round movements.  These trains normally used the
     Down Fast line and were offered from South box to North box
     using the 1-2 (Branch freight - Class K) bell code.  The
     signalman at North then knew that the train would reverse at
     the station and the loco would need to run round.
     
     There were water cranes installed at the outward ends of all
     seven of the station platforms.  Each one had a brazier next
     to it for use in frosty weather.  It was quite common for 
     locomotives to take water here. 
     
4.9  Kirby Park
     Platform capacity:   10
     
     This station was in use in the early 1950's but closed in July
     1954.  Despite that, one Down train in a morning and one Up
     train in the afternoon continued to call there.  These stops
     were for the benefit of schoolchildren, most of whom were
     pupils at the nearby Calday Grange Grammar School.  The stops
     were not advertised to the public.  These arrangements
     continued until the passenger service was withdrawn from the
     West Kirby branch in September 1956.
     
4.10 Ledsham
     Lever Number range:  511 to 549
     Platform capacity:   8
     S.507 to S.533       7
     
     Signalmen at Ledsham Station box spent a good deal of time
     cautioning trains under Regulation 5, particularly in the
     Down direction to Hooton South.
     
     Signalmen at Ledsham Junction box were authorised to use Block
     Regulation 5 (Warning Arrangement) on the Up lines but only
     for freight against freight. It was quite common for there to
     be a freight waiting on the Up Slow line for another train,
     usually a passenger train, to pass on the Up Fast.  There were
     no track circuits at this box and so Rule 55 was observed
     whenever these circumstances arose.
     
     There was a 20mph speed limit for traffic to or from the Slow
     lines and a 50mph speed limit for trains to or from the Fast
     lines.  On the Down Main line, there were inner and outer
     distant signals which were slotted with Capenhurst's Down
     Section and Down Home signals (S.581 and S.582) respectively.
     The locking was such that these two distant signals could
     only be cleared for traffic proceeding to the Down Fast line.
     Trains for the Down Slow line therefore encountered two
     caution signals before reaching the home signal (S.548) at
     Ledsham Junction.
     
     Down freight trains for the Helsby branch were signalled
     using the 1-2 bell code from Chester and the Ledsham Jn
     signalman then knew to route the train via the Down Fast line.
     
4.11 Little Sutton
     Lever Number range:  601 to 605
     Platform capacity:   5
     S.605 to S.603       8
     
4.12 Neston South
     Platform capacity:   7
     
4.13 Parkgate
     Lever Number range:  731 to 760
     Platform capacity:   8
     S.742 to S.734       9
     
4.14 Port Sunlight
     Lever Number range:  151 to 199
     Platform capacity:   12
     S.169 to S.196       14
     S.181 to S.157        6
     S.182 to S.153        8
     S.191 to S.161       13
     
     Lever Brothers had their own railway system which served
     Stork Margarine Works and Bromborough Power Station in
     addition to the soap factories.  Traffic in and out of the
     sidings at Port Sunlight was therefore considerable.
     
4.15 Spital
     Lever Number range:  211 to 249
     Platform capacity:   8
     S.228 to S.241       8
     
4.16 Stanlow & Thornton (S&T)
     Lever Number range:  656 to 699
     Platform capacity:   7 (Platform 1)
                          6 (Platform 2)
     Down Reception      12
     Up Reception        12
     Spur at S.663       14
     Spur at S.677        2
     Spur at S.683       13
     S.660 to S.661      13
     S.692 to S.695       9
     
     The Shell oil organisation built a refinery here in 1940 as part
     of the war effort.  There were a great number of sidings on both
     sides of the main line, access to which was controlled by a signal
     box of 53 levers constructed at the joint expense of the Shell
     and Manchester Ship Canal companies.  The very extensive yard on
     the Up side was shunted by a fleet of diesel locomotives
     belonging to Shell.  There were petrol loading facilities 
     accessed from the yard on the Down side and these were shunted by
     locomotives belonging to the Manchester Ship Canal company.  The
     latter sidings ran back towards Ellesmere Port for a considerable
     distance (not shown on the simulation), eventually connecting to
     the East Yard.
     
     There were unadvertised trains from Rock Ferry (near Birkenhead)
     to S&T each morning for the refinery workers.  There were similar 
     trains in the evening returning to Rock Ferry.
     
     
4.17 Thurstaston
     Lever Number range:  801 to 830
     Platform capacity:   8
     S.819 to S.30        12
     
     This station was in use in the early 1950's but closed to
     passengers in February 1954.  The goods facilities remained
     open until complete closure of the line in 1962.
     
4.18 West Kirby
     Lever Number range:  841 to 899
     Platform capacity:   8
     Siding 1            12
     Siding 2            14
     S.847 to S.848       2
     S.896 to S.881       2
     
     The branch connected to the former Wirral Railway (a double
     track third rail electrified railway) at West Kirby.  The
     Wirral Railway served several towns along the North coast of
     the Wirral Peninsula before connecting to the Mersey Railway
     at Birkenhead which led, in turn, via a tunnel under the
     River Mersey, to Liverpool.
     
     There were two goods yards at West Kirby.  One belonged to the
     Wirral Railway and the other belonged to the "Birkenhead Joint".
     The latter was known as the 'Joint' Yard.
     
     
5.	 West Kirby Branch

When crossing trains on a single line, only one train at a time may be admitted to the crossing point (normally a station).  Only after the first train has come to a stand within the crossing point may the second train be admitted.  The opposing home signals at Thurstaston, Heswall, Parkgate and Hadlow Road are therefore interlocked such that only one may be cleared at a time.
     
     
6.   Stopping Points

All stations are designated stopping points for all types of train. In addition, the Reception lines at Capenhurst and Stanlow & Thornton, the two 'Refuge' sidings at Hooton North and Siding 1 at West Kirby are designated stopping points.


7.   Timing Points

Ledsham Junction signals 541, 543 and 548 are timing points for all classes of train.


8.   Abbreviations in the Working Timetables (Location Codes)

A    Thurstaston
B    Bromborough
C    Capenhurst
D    Caldy
E    Ellesmere Port
F    Bebington & New Ferry
G    Little Sutton
H    Hooton
J    Ledsham Junction
K    West Kirby
L    Ledsham Station
M    West Kirby Siding 1
P    Port Sunlight
Q    Kirby Park
R    Hadlow Road
S    Spital
T    Stanlow & Thornton
U    Neston South
V    Parkgate
W    Heswall
X    Hooton Refuge
Y    Capenhurst Reception
Z    Stanlow & Thornton Reception


9.   Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to John Dennis for permission to use PC-Rail DataBuilder software which has been used to construct this simulation.  Without the encouragement and advice of Dave Howell, the project would probably never have started.  Without the keen eyesight of David Wilkinson and Martin Cookson, who spotted some errors that I had overlooked, the project might never have been finished!  Thanks are also due to Peter Dean for helpful advice and to members of the PC-Rail testing team for their time in testing the simulation and for their comments.

Bob Young - December 2020
      
     
                                                                 
                                                                  
               
     
     

