Storeton Tramway

This was a single track, standard gauge railway which was used to transport stone from the 3 quarries at Storeton to Bromborough Pool. From there it was taken by barge to Birkenhead and Liverpool to be used in the construction of buildings.

Before the railway was built, horse drawn wagons were used. This took about 3 weeks for the total trip of two and a half miles. This was due to breakdowns and the need for blocks to be cut to ease handling.

The idea of constructing such a railway dates back to the late 1820’s, when in 1828 George Stephenson visited the quarries. He was looking for stone to complete the Sankey Viaduct.

Construction of the Storeton line began in April 1837 and was completed in August 1838 at a cost of £12,000.The original name was Sir Thomas Massey Stanley’s Railway or The Stourton Railway (original spelling of village) In the quarries latter years it was known as Storeton Quarries Tramway. After closure it became known as Storeton Tramway. However, now it is remembered as Wagon Line.

The line serviced three quarries, Storeton North, Storeton Southand Jackie’s Wood Quarry which was on the East side of Mount Road. It started at the North Quarry, then past the South Quarry,over Rest Hill Road, through Hancock’s Wood and into the 60yd tunnelunder Mount Road. It emerged in Jackie’s Wood Quarry. Then across Bracken Lane, Cross Lane and Church Road (near to St Andrews Church) and onto the Quay at Bromborough Pool. There was also a branch line onto the Birkenhead to Chester line. From the quarries to Mount Road the wagons were hauled by horses, but from then on they were propelled by gravity at speeds of up to twenty miles per hour. Horses providing the power for the return journey at a more sedate speed. The old journey time of three weeks had been reduced to less than 30 minutes by changing from horse drawn road wagons to a railway.