[dropcap type=”circle”]1[/dropcap]30 years ago the first Heswall railway Station opened for business. 60 years ago it closed to passengers. It was on the south side of Station Road, on the land now occupied by Riverbank Close. There are still some traces left – like the remains of a wall that once formed part of the booking office for a pretty, rural jumping off and on point that connected Heswall to West Kirby and Hooton with stops along the way.
When Heswall Today posted this picture on Facebook it inspired many comments. Some referred wistfully to a bygone age, others described how their homes were built on land where the station once stood.
Of course, the line it served is now the Wirral Way that adds so much to the area. But pictures of the vanished Lower Village station – this is another from around 1905 and the John Alsop Collection – do beg questions about the 21st century station that bears the Heswall name.
It dates back to 1898 when it was opened as Heswall Hills. In 1973 it was renamed Heswall and, let’s be frank, enjoys none of the charm and warmth of its Victorian forebears. To say that Heswall Station is utilitarian is an understatement and its range of destinations is limited thanks to its positioning on the Borderlands line.
Tim Brown wrote on Facebook: “I use Heswall (Hills) station for my daily commute. Its raised platform lacks charm but serves its purpose. Display boards at stations along the Wrexham-Bidston line showing some local history would be great and offer something to remind today’s train users of the line’s past. Perhaps Merseytravel and Arriva would sponsor them.”
It’s a pleasing idea and could be one of several that would improve the lot of local rail users. Let’s face it, Heswall Station is not a cheery place and encourages neither departures nor arrivals. It is badly in need of a makeover and this small gallery of pictures sums up the challenge.
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Given Heswall’s low passenger numbers relative to other stations it is likely to receive only the bare minimum in terms of attention. So is it possible we could transform it ourselves? Suppose we were to crowd fund an amount of money that could, at the very least, hire local contractors to give the place a lick of paint and a tidy?
Suppose we could do more and make something special?
Heswall Today contacted Arriva Trains Wales which manages the station and outlined the proposal, a sort of home-grown DIY SOS. It was met with a little incredulity, due in part to the fact that it took some time to find Heswall Station on the Arriva map. In answer to our question, “Is there anything to stop us having a go?” came the good natured answer, “We’ll look into it and someone will come back to you.”
Let’s assume we get the green light. We could canvass the children of our local primary schools for ideas on colours and imagery and make the exercise the stuff of a school project connected to art, design, science and history.
Local businesses might be prepared to sponsor pleasant additions like comfortable benches for the platforms, tubs or troughs of flowers, more attractive information boards, and a replacement for the prison-like wire fencing.
We can’t compete with the antique charm of a station like Helsby in Cheshire, but this is a good reason to do something different.
Who knows, in a century’s time people may be sharing pictures of the simple, little station that became bright after years of neglect. Maybe more people will use the train to visit Heswall. Remember, if you build it they will come.
Madness or good sense? Let us know what you think.
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