Notes: Opened as part of the Southport and Cheshire Lines Extension
Railway which ran between Aintree Central and Southport Lord
Street in 1901; the station was named Seaside until 1.1.1912
when it became Ainsdale Beach.
The line was designed to give access to the lucrative holiday
market at Southport as an alternative to the L&Y route.
From the beginning the line was served by trains from Liverpool
Central and from Manchester the former following a circuitous
route that could not hope to compete with the direct Liverpool
Exchange to Southport Chapel Street Route.
Ainsdale Beach Station stood on the north side of a level crossing
and consisted of two platforms with wooden waiting shelters
on each side.
The station closed to passengers on 1.1.1917 as a war time economy
measure. It re-opened on 1.4.1919.
The line did not survive long into the nationalisation period
and Ainsdale Beach Station closed entirely on 7.1.1952. Today
the route of the line between Birkdale Palace and Woodvale forms
the Coastal Drive which runs between the extensive dune system
that stretches along the Sefton Coast to the south of Southport.
Today some of the stations fencing posts can still be seen at
what would have been the rear of the southbound platform. Also
still standing are a row of railway cottages just to the east
of the station site.
For stations
on Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway click on
the station name: Southport
Lord Street, Birkdale
Palace, Woodvale,
Mossbridge, Altcar
& Hillhouse, Lydiate,
Sefton and
Maghull & Aintree
Central
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