The Liverpool Overhead Railway closed at the end of 1956.
It had opened in 1893 to carry dock workers to the warehouses, docks and waterfront
The Liverpool Overhead Railway was the first all electric elevated railway in the world.
The railway was both quick and reliable and was known locally as ‘The Docker’s Umbrella’ as it protected those who walked beneath it from the worst of Liverpool’s weather. It was also promoted as a tourist attraction taking in views along the River Mersey. The line operated through both World Wars and was crucial in moving workers along the docks during these austere times.
The structure suffered from corrosion plus wear and tear throughout its life along with bomb damage in the second World War.
Following a report recommending £2 million of repairs, the Liverpool Overhead Railway Company announced the line’s closure in 1955. On the last day on December 30 1956, the final trains ran from each end of the line to mark the railway’s demise.