With the Canada Dock branch improvements, and as the port expands, it is inevitable there will have to be a significantly improved second (alternate) freight line - if only to reliably handle rail freight traffic diverted due to accidents or engineering works.
I'm no expert, but my guess is that it is entirely feasible to reinstate a Northbound freight connection out of the North docks and onto the North Mersey branch. Though I seem to recall the North Mersey Branch line was singled at some point.
The alternative (maybe better) would be to somehow connect the docks to the Kirkby line, presumably somewhere Bank Hall but I suspect the needed tunnel was long since destroyed. The alternative - to get to Kirkby and Wigan by reinstating the Aintree Racecourse station line as a freight route does not seem feasible because of new housing developments and NIMBYism.
Until, of course, road and aviation fuel becomes unaffordable, then all bets are off.
Lovely EH pix,Mike. It was crawling with activity in its heyday. You can only imagine it now-but your pix help a lot.
Dave.
Mike
Can you post some pics of the dock road traffic such as some of the lorries waiting to get in the docks etc please. 1960s period.
I had some many moons ago but lost them can you please oblige.
Dave
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