Was there any future for the much-lamented Liverpool Overhead Railway?, asks Peter Elson on the 50th anniversary of its closure.
by Peter Elson, Liverpool Daily Post
AMID the grime and gloom, it was a twin parallel ribbon of gleaming, airborne steel striding along the edge of Liverpool's lengthy waterfront, known affectionately by all as "The Dockers' Umbrella".
The closure of the Liverpool Overhead Railway, 50 years ago last week, prompted me to jokily write in the Daily Post that this was a psychological blow from which the city never really recovered.
But therein was a grain of truth. The Overhead was one of Liverpool's unique features that made this great seaport so special. No other city in Britain had such a spectacular urban transport system with electric trains rattling along some 20ft up in the air above the streets.
The LOR was a true pioneer and preceded similar networks in the US, again emphasising Liverpool's apartness as "Britain's North American city", sharing more in common with places across the Atlantic than others down the road.
Although long gone and still much-missed, what would be the LOR's impact be today had it not been closed on December 31, 1956, when replacing its entire decking (which carried the tracks) was deemed too expensive? Would the heritage era have come to its rescue?
Dr Adrian Jarvis, National Museum Liverpool's former port historian and author of A Portrait of the Liverpool Overhead Railway, says the system pioneered many aspects of modern railway now taken for granted.
"Although under seven miles long, the LOR was epoch-making. It was held in profound affection here because it was so unusual and unique in the UK. It was the world's first electric overhead railway - and Manchester didn't have one.
"By the time of closure, it was a financial liability and had been for a long time. Even back in 1913, the chairman explained its low returns because the huge growth in telephones meant fewer messenger boys using the trains."
But the main issue dated back to the LOR's construction.
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