Notes: By the 1870's the LNWR had a monopoly on the town of Widnes as it owned the west to east Ditton Junction to Manchester via Warrington and Lymm line and the north to south St. Helens to Widnes (former Runcorn Gap) line.

The Cheshire Lines Committee were granted powers to build a new railway from Garston to Manchester (opened 1.8.1873) which passed to the north of the town. Industrialists in Widnes lobbied for a loop line to be built that would branch off this new line to the east of Widnes pass south and then run through the town before turning north and joining back up with the CLC main line. The Great Northern Railway (GNR) objected to this new line being in the ownership of the CLC. It was therefore built as a joint

Primarily a goods line it was originally provided with one station at Widnes Central which opened on 1.8.1879. Later another station Tan House Lane would open to the east of Widnes Central. By the beginning of the 20th Century the MSLR had become part of the Great Central Railway (GC) and the line became the GC & MR Widnes Branch.

Widnes Central Station had two platforms and was situated above street level on an embankment. An approach road led up to the main station facilities which were situated on the Liverpool (westbound) direction platform. The buildings were single story brick built and included a substantial canopy over the platform. A subway connected to the Warrington direction (Eastbound) platform which was also provided with a brick built building and a canopy.
In 1923 the line became jointly owned by the LMS and the LNER a situation that was to last until nationalisation of the railways in 1948. Services though were typically operated by the CLC as effectively the Joint Line was just a branch of the CLC main line between Liverpool and Manchester.

From the beginning Widnes Central was served by trains going towards Liverpool Central in the west and Warrington, Manchester Central and Stockport in the East. Most services were of a local nature and were operated by the Cheshire Lines Committee. They never had their own locomotives so Great Central Railway

Even in the 1960s there were nine trains each way (Liverpool Central - Manchester Central) but even the introduction of DMU's in 1960 could not the line from the growth in road transport and Widnes Central Station officially closed on 5th October 1964. However the last full day of train services was on Saturday the 3rd October 1964. Sunday Services had ceased many years earlier. The last train to leave the station was the 16.56 service to Manchester Central. It was a steam hauled train of five coaches. Four minutes earlier the last westbound service had left for Liverpool Central, this train being a two coach DMU.

Shortly after the closure of Widnes Central Station the line was also closed, goods services being diverted along other lines. The station was demolished apart from its platforms and the track was lifted. For many years after closure the embankment and viaduct on which the station stood survived in a derelict condition. It was all swept away in 1984 to make way for a new road. Today nothing remains of the station.