1950s through train from Channel Coast to Birkenhead Woodside

[JER46]

Hi, I have been searching for a timetable for the train that I and my family travelled on when visiting relations in the Wirral in the 1950s. We joined it at Reading General the train having merged from the Southern Railway originating from one of the Channel ports via Redhill and Guildford. I think member “eastwestdivide” did a reply to the post:-

“1950 weekday express Ramsgate to Birkenhead”​

on the 20 May 2019 saying “My winter 1957-58 timetable has it, one in each direction "week days only", as Table 11.”
This seems to be the train I’m looking for. Can anyone send me a copy of this particular time table Please?

 

[Gloster]

There were several through services, with a number of variations depending on the day and time of year. Trains from Birkenhead ran to Bournemouth, to Eastbourne via Brighton (and I think on to Hastings) and to Margate via Folkestone. (This all from memory and a quick look at Timetable World.)

 

[Magdalia]

The Timetable World website is indeed your friend here.

It has the LMR summer 1958 PTT. There in table 19 you will find a train with portions from Sandwich at 9.10am and Margate at 9.15am to Birkenhead Woodside. On Mondays to Fridays the train also had a 9.25am portion from Hastings that detached at Chester. The train departed Reading at 1.7pm and arrived Birkenhead Woodside 6.37pm.

 

[Taunton]

I think the Birkenhead-Margate went back to GWR days. It not only avoided a cross-London transfer, and provided a whole range of intermediate journeys, but kept the revenue just for the GWR and Southern, wholly out of the hands of the LMS - and by the 1950s out of the London Midland Region. A very early Orcats Raid .

Even a ticket from Liverpool Central to Margate and prior points before nationalisation would give revenue this way, as the initial connection to Rock Ferry would be on the wholly independent Mersey Railway.

 

[Bevan Price]

Hi, I have been searching for a timetable for the train that I and my family travelled on when visiting relations in the Wirral in the 1950s. We joined it at Reading General the train having merged from the Southern Railway originating from one of the Channel ports via Redhill and Guildford. I think member “eastwestdivide” did a reply to the post:-

“1950 weekday express Ramsgate to Birkenhead”​

on the 20 May 2019 saying “My winter 1957-58 timetable has it, one in each direction "week days only", as Table 11.”
This seems to be the train I’m looking for. Can anyone send me a copy of this particular time table Please?

Timetable World shows the equivalent timetable for Summer 1958 (Table 46)

Timetable World

timetableworld.com

09:10 Sandwich (via Dover & Folkestone) / 09:15 Margate to Birkenhead Woodside. The 1957/58 times were probably very similar.

 

[JER46]

Timetable World shows the equivalent timetable for Summer 1958 (Table 46)

Timetable World

timetableworld.com

09:10 Sandwich (via Dover & Folkestone) / 09:15 Margate to Birkenhead Woodside. The 1957/58 times were probably very similar.

Thanks Bevan, that looks like the train I’m looking for. As I’m. Ew to all this, have you any idea how I can print off that particular time table?

 

[Bevan Price]

Thanks Bevan, that looks like the train I’m looking for. As I’m. Ew to all this, have you any idea how I can print off that particular time table?

If you are using a Windows computer, you will need some kind of imaging software.

1. Get the timetable page on screen, and Press the keyboard key "PrtScn" (Print Screen)
2. Open the imaging software.
3. Press the keyboard keys "Ctrl + V" simultaneously - that should copy the page image to the imaging software,
4. Use the "Print" command from the imaging software to send the image to your printer.
(Details may vary according to your computer set-up & software type.)
Sorry, cannot help if you are using Apple or smart phone to view websites.