Are the platforms at Broad Green in exactly the same place as the original station? When the lines were reduced from four to two in about 1970, it was the tracks on the north side of the station that remained.At Roby and Huyton the tracks on the south side remained. Which tracks were on the 1830 alingnment before they were doubled up in 1871?
No they are not.
The arrangement of the station changed considerably when it went from 4 tracks with a siding to two tracks.
The platform on the north side of the station is close to where it was, however what we think of platforms today and what they were back then is different, they were almost at ground level, which is why there were steps up to the coaches.
The southern platform was once an island platform between the fast and slow lines, there were 3 platforms, the middle of which was an island, now the north is still the north but in a slightly (only by meters) different place, while the southern most platform was where the road outside the station is now.
Its buildings were in typical L&M style, they gave way in the 80s to modern yellow coated plastic consituctions with mass produced red brick. It all looks throughly modern and presentable.
Liverpool has over the years been encouraged to delete all of its railway heritage, the only reason it can still boast the original Edge hill station as being what it is is because you cant really do anything to demolish or tart up a cutting with some holes cut into it that formed waiting rooms etc... The modernisers didnt recognise it for what it was.
When the L&M was doubled up to for a four track layout the tracks Broad green changed too. the tracks were slewed slightly north to accommodate the new track arrangement a triple platform layout built. It is not and can not lay claim to being the oldest station, it was rebuilt while the second Edge hill station has remained, when the track was doubled new platform faces were added but the station remained the same apart from its platforms became island platforms.