Station Name: HEATHEY LANE HALT

[Source: Paul Wright]



Date opened: 1.3.1907
Location:

North side of Heathey Lane (B5243)

Company on opening: Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Date closed to passengers: 26.9.1938
Date closed completely: 26.9.1938
Company on closing: London Midland & Scottish
Present state: Demolished - nothing remains
County: Lancashire
OS Grid Ref: SD358149
Date of visit: 3.1.2006

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

Looking north at the site of Heathey Lane Halt in January 2006
P
hoto by Paul Wright




 

 

 

[Source: Paul Wright]


Home Page
Last updated: Sunday, 21-May-2017 11:06:10 CEST
© 1998-2006 Disused Stations