Notes: Runcorn Gap station was the southern terminus of the St. Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway which ran from St. Helens in the north to the banks of the Mersey at Widnes in the South, with no intermediate stations. The line was one of the earliest railways and was under construction before George Stephenson had completed the famous Liverpool and Manchester Railway (LMR) which the Runcorn Gap line crossed to the south of St. Helens.

The line opened on 21st February 1833 and very little thought had been given to the provision of passenger services. The primary purpose had been to move coal to the Mersey for transshipment to Barges that would then go down river to Liverpool. Extensive dock facilities were laid out at Runcorn Gap with rail connections, the worlds first direct rail to ship facility of this kind.

The people of St. Helen's lobbied the St. Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway company for a service to Runcorn Gap. In September 1833 the company hired two coaches from the LMR at £1.00 per coach per week and began a service. No specific passenger trains were run; the coaches were attached to coal trains. It was at this time that Runcorn Gap station opened. No pictures exist of it but early maps show the most basic of facilities.

In 1838 over 26,000 passengers used the line but very little thought was given to them. The line did not even submit a timetable for the Bradshaw Publication which began in 1839. Passengers made numerous complaints about the line. It had two steep inclines on its route. One just north of Runcorn Gap. Trains where hauled up the inclines by cable. There is a record of a passenger who arrived at Runcorn Gap Station in the early 1840's to find the train gone. The Station Master sold him a ticket and said 'if you rush along the line you will easily catch it up'. Such was the quality of the service. From 1845 the line was doubled and the inclines eased which gave a journey time of only 25 minutes from St. Helens to Runcorn Gap but still passenger facilities and services did not much improve. In 1845 The railway company amalgamated with the St. Helens Canal to form the St. Helens Canal & Railway Company.

On the 1.7.1852 the St. Helens Canal & Railway Company opened its line to Garston and on this occasion more consideration was given to passengers. A new Station opened also called Runcorn Gap but it was much closer to Widnes Town centre and so more convenient. Upon the opening of the new Station the original Runcorn Gap Station closed.

The line through the site of the station continued in use for goods services until the late 1960's when the lines where lifted. Just to the south of the station there had been a swing bridge which carried the line across the St. Helens Canal to the docks. The bridge survived until the early 1980's when the whole area was laid out as a park and it was replaced by a wooden footbridge.

For a history of the line see the Halton Borough Council web site.

To see the other stations on Widnes - St. Helens line click on the station name: Appleton, Farnworth & Bold, Union Bank Farm Halt, Clockface, Sutton Oak & Peasley Cross

A 1967 view looking north from the site of Runcorn Gap Station. The lines running from the left of the picture heading north form the original route of the line from Runcorn Gap (Widnes) to St. Helens. The line that crosses on the level. On which the engine stands is the 1853 line that ran to Garston and Warrington. Connections running north to west and south to east where put in. The later can be seen in the picture.


Photo by Bevan Price