In this next branch line adventure, I travel on the Chester line of the Merseyrail Wirral line, from Chester all the way through to Liverpool James Street around the Loop. This is one of the longer lines on the Merseyrail network, with the Southport line being the longest at around 50 minutes. The Chester line takes approximately 40 to 45 minutes, depending on whether the train stops at Capenhurst. However, I begin my journey at Chester Railway Station, operated by Transport for Wales.

Departing Chester at 19:00, we leave the main station and branch off to the right, passing TfW’s shed (CAF), where the Class 197s are stored and maintained by Transport for Wales. Merseyrail’s Class 777s are maintained at either Birkenhead North or Kirkdale Depots on the Wirral and Northern Lines, respectively. From the train, you can see the Welsh Mainline branching off to the left, with trains heading towards Llandudno and Holyhead. You can also catch services towards Shrewsbury and Cardiff from Chester Railway Station.

Our first port of call is Bache. Services on the Merseyrail Chester line skip Capenhurst station every half hour, but from 19:00, or on Sundays and Bank Holidays, services operate every half hour and stop at Capenhurst all day. This section pertains solely to the Chester line. From Hooton station, the line branches off to the left towards Ellesmere Port, which I have already written about and can be read here. However, from Hooton, we then join the mainline once operated by GWR, with services into Woodside and Paddington.

From Hooton, we run alongside the Ellesmere Port services, which operate every 30 minutes and call at the following stations: Eastham Rake, Bromborough, Bromborough Rake, Spital, Port Sunlight, Bebington, Rock Ferry, Green Lane, Birkenhead Central, and Hamilton Square. We then continue around the Loop and end the trip at James Street station. However, returning to Hooton, I stopped at Eastham Rake, which I have visited before and will feature in a post for my ‘Every Station’ series coming very soon.

This line really brings back a lot of memories from my YouTube days, which I am sadly no longer doing. However, I may come back in the future, but for the time being, I am taking some permanent time away from the platform, as well as TikTok. I made my name on YouTube filming the Class 507/8 trains before they were withdrawn in 2024. I spent a lot of time travelling up and down the Chester line chasing them and met so many people who watched and enjoyed my content. It is sad that I am no longer doing videos, but for now, I am quite happy.

Creating this branch line series on my blog has been quite enjoyable. I love taking photos of each station I visit and seeing the line from a different perspective, as if you’re a passenger while reading my post. I hope you enjoy this style. Next week, I plan to ride the Ormskirk Line and the line from Wigan Wallgate through to Headbolt Lane and vice versa. After Bromborough, we stop at Bromborough Rake, Spital, Port Sunlight, and then Bebington before continuing to Rock Ferry, which was once the terminus.

As you approach Rock Ferry station, you’re greeted by a rich tapestry of history. Originally boasting six platforms, two have since fallen into disuse. The station replaced the earlier Rock Lane station in 1862 and underwent a transformation in 1891, becoming an interchange with the urban Mersey Railway, which had already established underground stations in 1886.

From Rock Ferry, the journey takes a subterranean turn as you descend below street level towards Green Lane station, which opened its doors in 1886. This station is one of three underground stops, alongside Hamilton Square and James Street, all inaugurated in the same year. I believe Birkenhead Central also joined this underground network around that time.

I hope you’re enjoying these Branch Line posts inspired by the website Branch Line Britain. I’m creating my own version by taking photos from inside the train as well as outside with platform views, as you can see above at Green Lane Station. Leaving Green Lane, we are now approaching Birkenhead Central and the main tunnel sections heading under the River Mersey, where the New Brighton & West Kirby lines also meet at Hamilton Square Station before making their way around the Loop.

Upon arriving at our final station, Liverpool James Street, having completed the Loop once more, I am eager to bring you more blog posts like this one. For my next Branch Line series, I plan to ride the line from Preston to Ormskirk, followed by Wigan Wallgate to Headbolt Lane. I have already visited Huyton – Wigan North Western, which you can read about here. Thank you once again for reading, and please let me know if you have ever ridden this line or used it for your daily commute from Chester to Liverpool. This is going to become my local line, which I am very much looking forward to.