Temporary Buffer Stop at Hoylake

[jamesst]

Its the most practical option. The number of people getting on and off at Hoylake will be colossal and its only one stop short. I don't know about this time but in 2014 Network Rail took the opportunity to do renewal work and upgrade foot crossings away from the golf course.



I went to the open in 2014 and the services terminated at Hoylake. Six coaches every ten minutes i.e. the same as now.

Network Rail are actually using the time to do platform and point work at West Kirby Station this time.

 

[2192]

...I went to the open in 2014 and the services terminated at Hoylake. Six coaches every ten minutes i.e. the same as now.

Are services to other destinations served by the Loop reduced in order to provide the paths and stock for Hoylake?

 

[Djgr]

What would your solution be? Insist on cancelling an event that must bring a huge amount of money to the local economy?

I mean if you live near Liverpool you get used to disruption from large number of visitors on a regular basis;

Eurovision, Aintree, football almost every week, the Open, music, cruise liners, stags and hens, shopping trips, general tourism

I think most residents would prefer that than live in a place nobody wants to come to.

 

[Llandudno]

I mean if you live near Liverpool you get used to disruption from large number of visitors on a regular basis;

Eurovision, Aintree, football almost every week, the Open, music, cruise liners, stags and hens, shopping trips, general tourism

I think most residents would prefer that than live in a place nobody wants to come to.

Spot on, I grew up in Liverpool during the 70s/80s it was a pretty grim place, now it’s buzzing and a top tourist destination!

I really enjoy going back to visit my old home town!

Merseyrail must be the envy of virtually every UK provincial city!

 

[Bow Fell]

I know facts aren’t important on this forum, but the Open has been held at Hoylake now (2023), 2014 and 2006 and each time trains terminated at Hoylake. Before that it was around 40 years earlier?

It works, it’s well publicised and will more than likely happen again in the future.

 

[jamesst]

Are services to other destinations served by the Loop reduced in order to provide the paths and stock for Hoylake?

New Brightons were reduced to every 20mins and Ellesmere ports to a hooton shuttle with an extra circuit added onto the Chesters.
Today New Brightons are bus replacement, Ellesmere ports a Hooton shuttle and an extra circuit again added on the Chester line to give a more healthy turnaround time at Chester.

 

[dk1]

I know facts aren’t important on this forum, but the Open has been held at Hoylake now (2023), 2014 and 2006 and each time trains terminated at Hoylake. Before that it was around 40 years earlier?

It works, it’s well publicised and will more than likely happen again in the future.

It’s a well established and well organised affair and will continue in any future years.

Massive boost to the local economy.

 

[vic-rijrode]

Merseyrail must be the envy of virtually every UK provincial city!

Perhaps not Newcastle and Sunderland though?

 

[Taunton]

Massive boost to the local economy.

Unlike commentators who live at the opposite end of the country, some of the family, including in earlier times myself, actually have lived in both West Kirby and Hoylake. As can be seen from some past posts of mine about the line.

To get rid of the 'local economy boost' falsehood, there is a pretty universal experience that this doesn't happen, and in fact for some businesses they get a notable downturn. This is by no means unusual that major events lead to such downturns in the locality, it notably impacted a wide range of businesses in London during the 2012 Olympics (also local to us). The area has very little hotel accommodation, and the price gouging at a few such places is invariably scooped by organisations from out of the area. Catering contractors etc are commonly National names entirely from outside the area, and seem to bus in their staff daily from places like Manchester.

Local shops, local residents, etc find the thing a confounded nuisance, with no upsides. Some events provide more interest than others. For example, on their night before departure, the USA 2012 Olympic team centre nearby us put on a fireworks display which would not have disgraced many a national New Year's; all invited. But I understand golfers, and their camp followers, don't do any community things like that. Damage from drunkards is as much as you can expect.

 

[dk1]

Unlike commentators who live at the opposite end of the country, some of the family, including in earlier times myself, actually have lived in both West Kirby and Hoylake. As can be seen from some past posts of mine about the line.

I was so pleasantly surprised with Hoylake when ticking the Spoon there a few years back. Compared to much of Merseyside it was like walking into a small town in Sussex. Nice restaurants, shops & the better supermarkets along with a nice clean art-deco style railway station.

 

[Davester50]

Unlike commentators who live at the opposite end of the country, some of the family, including in earlier times myself, actually have lived in both West Kirby and Hoylake. As can be seen from some past posts of mine about the line.

To get rid of the 'local economy boost' falsehood, there is a pretty universal experience that this doesn't happen, and in fact for some businesses they get a notable downturn. This is by no means unusual that major events lead to such downturns in the locality, it notably impacted a wide range of businesses in London during the 2012 Olympics (also local to us). The area has very little hotel accommodation, and the price gouging at a few such places is invariably scooped by organisations from out of the area. Catering contractors etc are commonly National names entirely from outside the area, and seem to bus in their staff daily from places like Manchester.

Local shops, local residents, etc find the thing a confounded nuisance, with no upsides. Some events provide more interest than others. For example, on their night before departure, the USA 2012 Olympic team centre nearby us put on a fireworks display which would not have disgraced many a national New Year's; all invited. But I understand golfers, and their camp followers, don't do any community things like that. Damage from drunkards is as much as you can expect.

When the Open was last near me in Carnoustie, they had banned pass outs. Think there was a limited amount of liquid you could take in too.
The local shops were kicking off. All about the R&A making as much as possible.

 

[Taunton]

... along with a nice clean art-deco style railway station.

Back to a rail theme, several of the Wirral electric stations have these wholly or partially art deco style station buildings, done with the 1938 electrification (apparently they replaced many wooden tumbledown shacks). It's an interesting little outlier group of what is sometimes seen as "Southern Railway" architecture, who did many at the same time. West Kirby has the platform canopy, but not the station building.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I was so pleasantly surprised with Hoylake when ticking the Spoon there a few years back. Compared to much of Merseyside it was like walking into a small town in Sussex. Nice restaurants, shops & the better supermarkets along with a nice clean art-deco style railway station.

Once you get out of the contiguous built up area it's generally like that, just as it is in Manchester. You'd not, if you couldn't hear the accents, really be able to differentiate the area around Aughton Park from being on Southeastern, and Ormskirk is just a market town like plenty down South.

The only obvious difference in look between posh outersuburban Liverpool and posh outersuburban London is that London brick tends to be beige and Merseyside brick tends to be a deep sandstone red, though it isn't 100% universal.

 

[dk1]

Back to a rail theme, several of the Wirral electric stations have these wholly or partially art deco style station buildings, done with the 1938 electrification (apparently they replaced many wooden tumbledown shacks). It's an interesting little outlier group of what is sometimes seen as "Southern Railway" architecture, who did many at the same time. West Kirby has the platform canopy, but not the station building.

Thank you. I did West Kirby at the same time. Recently been back doing much the same & also liked Heswall.

Once you get out of the contiguous built up area it's generally like that, just as it is in Manchester. You'd not, if you couldn't hear the accents, really be able to differentiate the area around Aughton Park from being on Southeastern, and Ormskirk is just a market town like plenty down South.

Ormskirk is a home from home for me. Always head to the Railway pub after the National at Aintree.

 

[Djgr]

Back to a rail theme, several of the Wirral electric stations have these wholly or partially art deco style station buildings, done with the 1938 electrification (apparently they replaced many wooden tumbledown shacks). It's an interesting little outlier group of what is sometimes seen as "Southern Railway" architecture, who did many at the same time. West Kirby has the platform canopy, but not the station building.

Hoylake Station is Grade 2 listed, although all the stations west of Bidston are similar 1930s rebuilds on electrification, with the exception of West Kirby. And also Manor Road was actually opened in 1940. Wallasey Village on the New Brighton line looks like a similar rebuild.

Unlike commentators who live at the opposite end of the country, some of the family, including in earlier times myself, actually have lived in both West Kirby and Hoylake. As can be seen from some past posts of mine about the line.

To get rid of the 'local economy boost' falsehood, there is a pretty universal experience that this doesn't happen, and in fact for some businesses they get a notable downturn. This is by no means unusual that major events lead to such downturns in the locality, it notably impacted a wide range of businesses in London during the 2012 Olympics (also local to us). The area has very little hotel accommodation, and the price gouging at a few such places is invariably scooped by organisations from out of the area. Catering contractors etc are commonly National names entirely from outside the area, and seem to bus in their staff daily from places like Manchester.

Local shops, local residents, etc find the thing a confounded nuisance, with no upsides. Some events provide more interest than others. For example, on their night before departure, the USA 2012 Olympic team centre nearby us put on a fireworks display which would not have disgraced many a national New Year's; all invited. But I understand golfers, and their camp followers, don't do any community things like that. Damage from drunkards is as much as you can expect.

Perhaps....but Hoylake centre was very busy on Saturday when I was there not for the golf.

Once you get out of the contiguous built up area it's generally like that, just as it is in Manchester. You'd not, if you couldn't hear the accents, really be able to differentiate the area around Aughton Park from being on Southeastern, and Ormskirk is just a market town like plenty down South.

The only obvious difference in look between posh outersuburban Liverpool and posh outersuburban London is that London brick tends to be beige and Merseyside brick tends to be a deep sandstone red, though it isn't 100% universal.

And of course these days many of the accents to be heard evidence the drift away from the South.

 

[childwallblues]

Besides the railway connection West Kirby also has a direct cross river bus service (No. 437) to Liverpool which avoids the Hoylake area and is very frequent.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

The Open also saw a rare sighting of a class 777 on one of the Wirral lines. But it had problems - see post 5,145 below

Merseyrail Class 777 introduction updates

Only if it's actually true though. Do you not think it's a little implausible, considering this technology is in use on other units from the same manufacturer elsewhere in the UK and indeed on a variety of rolling stock all over Europe, with no such issues? Which is certainly why I was quite...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How long before the line to/from West Kirby is fully re-open? Wednesday?

 

[AndyPJG]

In the past for Royal Ascot, SWT used to put RRB between Virginia Water via Chertsey and Addlestone to Weybridge. This allowed the Waterloo via Staines to Weybridge to be routed to Ascot / Reading to strengthen that route to 4tph vice 2tph to handle the crowds.

Unsure whether SWR still do this these days.