13th April 1985

R.C.T.S. / L.C.G.B.
The Class 503 Farewell Railtour

Units Used 1937 built : 28680+29710+29279 & 29289+29720+28690
1956 built : 28371+29843+29140 & 29141+29836+28394

Route (trains 1L01 & 1L02) :

1L01 1L02 Route
EMU EMU
1937 stock 1956 stock Rock Ferry - Liverpool Lime Street - Birkenhead - West Kirby
1937 stock 1956 stock West Kirby - Birkenhead - James Street - Liverpool Central
1937 stock 1956 stock Liverpool Central - Ormskirk
1937 stock 1956 stock Ormskirk - Liverpool Central - Hunts Cross
1937 stock 1956 stock Hunts Cross - Liverpool Central - Southport
1956 stock 1937 stock Southport - Sandhills Reversing Siding
1956 stock 1937 stock Sandhills Reversing Siding - Kirkby
1956 stock 1937 stock Kirkby - Liverpool Central
1956 stock 1937 stock Liverpool Central - James Street - New Brighton
1956 stock 1937 stock New Brighton - Liverpool Lime Street - Rock Ferry

Notes :
(1) This farewell to the class 503 EMU ran as two trains (one using 1937-built vintage stock and the other using 1956-built stock) and both traversed the exact same route a mere 15 minutes apart. 1L01 was formed of the 1937 units from Rock Ferry to Southport then the passengers swapped onto the 1956 built units for the remainder of the tour. 1L02 was formed of the 1956 units from Rock Ferry to Southport then the passengers swapped onto the 1937 built units for the remainder of the tour. 1L02 returned to Rock Ferry last and hence the era of the class 503 EMU was closed with a train of 1937 built vehicles being the last carrying passengers.

Source : Gary Thornton (on train 1L02 throughout)

Photo Review

Ticket to follow soon! Two tour tickets were in use:
the main train ticket (left) and that
to access Southport Museum right


1956 stock, left, and 1937 stock at Southport (photo: Gary Thornton)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Gary Thornton, Howard Harrison & Alan Osborn)

Miles Location Booked (1L01) Actual (1L01)   Booked (1L02) Actual (1L02)
0 Rock Ferry 11.14d 11.15   11.29d 11.31
? Hamilton Square 11/19 11/19   11/34 ?
? James Street 11/22 11/21   11/37 ?
? Moorfields 11/23½ 11/22   11/38½ ?
3¾ Liverpool Lime Street 11.25a ~ 11.25½d 11.25 ~ 11.26   11.40a ~ 11.40½d 11.43 ~ 11.45
? James Street 11/29 11/30   11/44 ?
? Hamilton Square 11/32 11/32   11/47 ?
? Birkenhead North 11/37½ 11/38   11/52½ ?
? Bidston 11/40 11/40   11/55 ?
14½ West Kirby 11.51a ~ 11.56½d 11.55 ~ 11.59   12.06a ~ 12.11½d 12.12 ~ 12.15
15¾ Hoylake 11p59a ~ 12p05½d 12.02 ~ 12.07   12p14a ~ 12p20½d 12.18 ~ 12.25
? Bidston 12/11½ 12/12   12/26½ ?
? Bidston East Jn 12/16 12/17   12/31 ?
? Birkenhead North 12/18 12/18   12/33 ?
? Hamilton Square 12/23½ 12/25   12/38½ ?
? James Street 12/26 12.27 ~ 12.28   12/41 12.41a~ 12.46
? Paradise Jn 12/29 12/30   12/49 ?
25 Liverpool Central 12.32a ~ 12.36d 12.32 ~ 12.37   12.52a ~ 12.56d 12.53 ~ 12.57
? Sandhills 12/40½ 12/41   13/00½ ?
? Walton Jn 12/45½ 12/44   13/05½ ?
37¾ Ormskirk 12.56a ~ 13.00d 12.58 ~ 13.02   13.16a ~ 13.20d 13.20 ~ 13.25
? Walton Jn 13/14 13/16   13/34 ?
? Sandhills 13/17½ 13/19   13/37½ ?
50½ Liverpool Central 13/22 13/23   13/42 13/43
57¾ Hunts Cross 13.32a ~ 13.36d 13.32 ~ 13.38   13.52a ~ 13.56d 13.59 ~ 14.04
65 Liverpool Central 13/50 13/52   14/10 14/15
? Sandhills 13/56 13/56   14/16 ?
? Bootle Jn 14/02 13/58   14/20 ?
? Waterloo 14/06½ 14/04   14/24½ ?
? Hall Road 14/12 14/08   14/30 ?
? Formby 14/17 14/15   14/35 ?
? Freshfield 14/19 14.17 ~ 14.18   14/36 ?
? Ainsdale 14/24 14/23   14/41 ?
? Birkdale 14/27 14/27   14/44 ?
84 Southport 14.33a ~ 15.25d 14.30 ~ 15.25   14.48a ~ 15.40d 14.55 ~ 15.41
? Ainsdale 15/31½ 15/32   15/46½ ?
? Formby 15/37½ 15/37   15/52½ ?
? Hall Road 15/43½ 15/42   15/58½ ?
97 Waterloo 15/47½ 15.46 ~ 15.47   16/02½ 16.02 ~ 16.03
? Bootle Jn 15/50 15/50   16/05 ?
? Sandhills 15/55 15.53 ~ 15.55   16/08 ?
100¾ Sandhills Reversing Siding 15.56 ~ 16.00 15.56 ~ 15.57   15.09 ~ 16.15 16.12 ~ 16.17
? Sandhills 16/00½ 15.58 ~ 16.00   16/15½ ?
? Walton Jn 16/05½ 16.03 ~ 16.06   16/20½ ?
? Rice Lane ??/?? 16p08a ~ 16p14d   ??/?? ?
104½ Fazakerley 16p07½a ~ 16p15d 16/16   16p22½a ~ 16p37½d 16.37 ~ 16.43
106¼ Kirkby 16.18a ~ 16.21d 16.20 ~ 16.23   16.38a ~ 16.41d 16.46 ~ 19.50
? Fazakerley 16/24 16/26   16/44 ?
? Walton Jn 16/26½ 16/28   16/50½ ?
? Sandhills 16/30½ 16.35 ~ 16.37   16/55½ ?
113¾ Liverpool Central 16.35a ~ 16.40d 16.42 ~ 16.45   17.00a ~ 17.04d 17.06 ~ 17.08
? Paradise Jn 16/42 16/46   17/06 ?
114¼ James Street 16/46 16/48   17/11 17.10  ~ 17.11
? Birkenhead North 16/51 16/55   17/16 ?
? Bidston East Jn 16/59 16/58   17/17 ?
120½ New Brighton 17.05a ~ 17.14d 17.03 ~ 17.15   17.23a ~ 17.29d 17.24 ~ 17.34
? Bidston East Jn 17/19 17/20   17/34 ?
? Birkenhead North 17/20 17/21   17/35 ?
? Hamilton Square 17/28 17/26   17/43 ?
? Liverpool Lime Street 17.34a ~ 17.34½d 17.31 ~ 17.34   17.49a ~ 17.49½d ?
? Hamilton Square 17/40 17/39   17/55 ?
? Birkenhead Central 17/42 17/40   17/57 ?
? Rock Ferry 17.46a 17.45   18.01a 18.09


Back to "The Railtour Files"