Notes: In 1906 the LYR started a Railmotor Service on its Southport
Chapel Street to Altcar and Hillhouse line. The line had opened
in 1887 and the last half a mile of track into Altcar and Hillhouse
was the Cheshire Lines Railways Southport Lord Street to Aintree
Line.
To coincide with the introduction of the Railmotor service two
halts were opened at Plex Moss Lane and New Cut Lane. As service
frequency and passenger numbers picked up two more halts were
opened in March 1907 at Heathey Lane and Butts Lane. The service
became known locally as the 'Altcar Bob'. There is some debate
as to the origin of this name. The use of Altcar is quite simple
as it was the southern terminus but there have been a number
of suggestions with regards to why the name 'Bob' was chosen.
It has been suggested that one of the original drivers was called
Bob, that small engines were often referred to as Bob and that
the service was named after the slang term for a shilling which
was called locally a 'Bob'.
In common with the other halts Heathey Lane Halt was a simple
cinder based low platform which was no higher than track level.
It was situated just to the north of the of B5243 bridge with
which it was connected by simple wooden steps.
By 1910 sixteen return trips daily operated along the branch
(9 on a Sunday) which for a line that south of Butts Lane Halt
ran through extremely thinly populated areas was not bad. However
even by 1910 many services ran only as far as Barton (renamed
Downholland from 1924). In 1926 the service ceased to operate
as far as Altcar and Hillhouse and terminated at Downholland.
On the 26.9.1938 the service ended and all of the stations on
the line to the south of Butts Lane Halt closed. The line to
Downholland remained open for Goods until 1952 and a section
from Butts Lane Junction to Shirdley Hill which passed through
the site of Heathey Lane remained in use as storage sidings
for excursion stock until 1964 after which the track was lifted.
Today there is nothing remaining of Heathey Lane Halt.
For more about Altcar Bob see the Southport.gb.com
web site.
To see the other
stations on the Southport - Altcar & Hillhouse line click
on the station name: Southport
Central, Southport
Ash Street, St. Lukes,
Meols Cop, Butts
Lane Halt, Kew
Gardens, Shirdley
Hill, New
Cut Lane Halt, Halsall,
Plex Moss
Lane Halt, Downholland
& Altcar
& Hillhouse
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