Station Name: BRUNSWICK

 

[Source: Paul Wright]
Date opened: 1.6.1864
Location: On the west side of Sefton Street south of the junction with Northumberland Street. The site is occupied by a car dealership.
Company on opening: Garston and Liverpool Railway
Date closed to passengers: 2.3.1874
Date closed completely: 1970's
Company on closing: Cheshire Lines Committee
Present state: Station demolished. The base of an original gate post can still be seen as can other remnants of the later goods facilities.
County: Lancashire
OS Grid Ref: SJ349883
Date of visit: 15.6.2006

Notes: Brunswick Station opened as the western terminus of the Garston and Liverpool Railway which extended the St. Helens Railway from Garston Dock to a point nearer to the city at Brunswick. This line was opened on 1.6.1864 but just over a year later on the 5.7.1865 the line was absorbed by the Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC).

The CLC had wanted a route into the important maritime city of Liverpool from the important manufacturing city of Manchester that could compete with the LNWR. By obtaining running powers over the St. Helens Railway and the Stockport and Warrington Railway they were able to achieve this. The problem was that both of these lines were taken over by the LNWR and that company was not particularly inclined to be helpful towards the CLC.

The CLC therefore obtained powers to build their own line from a point just to the north west of Garston Dock Station, to Manchester. On 1.8.1873 the CLC opened its new line. They now had their own express route linking the two cities.

Brunswick Station did have extensive facilities including a three story brick built booking office. However the station was a mile away from the city centre. At the same time as the CLC had obtained powers for its main line to Manchester it had also obtained powers to build an extension into Liverpool city centre.

On 2.3.1874 the extension complete with a new terminus called Liverpool Central was opened. Brunswick closed the next day. However that was not the end of the story as the station was developed into an extensive goods facility including a large warehouse that stood right next to the original station building.

It is known that troop trains used Brunswick Station during the Liverpool General Transport Strike of 1911. This was presumably to avoid the mass demonstrations that would have been present outside of Liverpool Central Station. It was probably also easier to unload the horses of the Cavalry detachments at the extensive goods facilities that Brunswick had at that time.

The goods facility remained in use until the early 1970's.

Today the site is occupied by a large car dealership but the base of one of the original station gate posts can still be seen.

For other stations on the Liverpool to Manchester CLC line click on the station name: Liverpool Central, Liverpool St. James, Otterspool, Garston, Halewood & Manchester Central.


Brunswick Station in the early 1960's
Photo by Dave Nicholas


The site of Brunswick Station in June 2006 taken from the same viewpoint as the picture above. Note the gatepost on the left which is visible in both pictures.
P
hoto by Paul Wright


'The clerks at Brunswick Station pose for a photograph circa 1920 when the station was a busy goods facility. Fourth from the left on the back row is Clerk P V Colley who worked at Brunswick Goods station for 43 years'.
Photo by W Breen with permission of H Colley
During the months of June, July and September 1911 the City of Liverpool was rocked by a General Transport Strike which spiraled into major cavil unrest. The situation deteriorated to such a degree that troops and a gunboat had to be sent to the city. In this picture Soldiers of the 2nd Warwickshire Regiment disembark at Brunswick CLC Station which was at that time a major goods facility. It is likely that the CLC's main Liverpool Station, Liverpool Central would have been besieged by striking railway workers and their sympathisers. This was perhaps the first time since 1874 that the station had been used by passenger trains.

1911

2006

2006

2006

Click on thumbnail to enlarge


 

 

 

[Source: Paul Wright]


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