More Liverpool's rail history.
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Merseyrail is the second oldest urban, underground, railway in the world, however sections of the network are the oldest of any urban underground/overground railway in the world. The first underground section originated in 1886 - Green Lane to James Street.
The oldest electrified section dates from 1848, from Southport to near the old Exchange Station, now a part of the Northern Line. The oldest part of the London Underground dates from 1856, now part of the Central Line - an overground section. So older in parts than London.
It gets better. The oldest diesel section dates from 1830, being a part of the original Liverpool-Manchester Passenger railway, the world's first passenger railway, now a part of the City Line. Some do not count the City Line as Merseyrail as it is contracted out to Northern Rail who use Merseyrail colours and ticketing,but Merseyrail it is as it is within the Merseytravel executive.
If the 1829 Wapping Tunnel is brought back into use, it will be the oldest underground section of any urban railway in the world, beating London's Marylebone Rd underground section by 34 years. It would be the oldest used tunnel in the world, being the second oldest rail tunnel, used or not used, urban or not, right now.
If the 1848 Waterloo Tunnel is brought back into use, it will beat London's Marylebone Rd underground section by 15 years.
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