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Location notes
Woodvale is a residential suburb of Southport and is at the south end of the suburb of Ainsdale.
Railway type and traffic
The line has a 15 minute frequency worked by class 507/508 EMUs.
Environment
The area is quiet and both bridges are popular with dog-walkers and ramblers. To the south of the Coastal Road is the start of the Pine-Woods which stretch for several miles to Freshfield and Formby. There is a path running through these to Freshfield. The area to the west of the line is also characterised by Sand-Dunes. The Coast Road bridge used to carry the Cheshire Lines Railway's route into Southport along which most of the Coast Road is now formed.
Road directions
From Liverpool take the A565. After passing RAF Woodvale on the left, turn left at the next Traffic Lights onto the Coastal Road. Turn first right after about 1/2 mile into a residential road before the railway bridge. Park here to visit the Coastal Road bridge. Turn first left into Kendal Way and at the end turn left again into Easdale Drive. Shortly after this there is a small car-park on the left leading to a footbridge.
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Woodvale map co-ordinates
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Woodvale map co-ordinates
Parking
Parking is either on Kendal Way for the Coastal Road or in the Car Park for the footbridge.
Public transport
There is a 15 minute rail service from Liverpool City Center.
Arriva service 49A operates every 20 minutes from Southport and from Ainsdale station. After crossing Ainsdale station crossing, the bus then doubles back over Kenilworth Road bridge. Alight here for the footbridge (service 49 also serves this point) and walk down the banking on the south side of the bridge. Continue south along the road parallel with the railway until you reach the car park on the right. After crossing the bridge, the 49A turn right and at the end of this road turns left into Pinfold Lane. Alight here (there is a children’s playground on the corner). Head back westwards along Pinfold Lane until it meets the Coastal Road and turn right to reach the bridge.
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Arriva service 49A operates every 20 minutes from Southport and from Ainsdale station. After crossing Ainsdale station crossing, the bus then doubles back over Kenilworth Road bridge. Alight here for the footbridge (service 49 also serves this point) and walk down the banking on the south side of the bridge. Continue south along the road parallel with the railway until you reach the car park on the right. After crossing the bridge, the 49A turn right and at the end of this road turns left into Pinfold Lane. Alight here (there is a children’s playground on the corner). Head back westwards along Pinfold Lane until it meets the Coastal Road and turn right to reach the bridge.
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Amenities
There are no amenities in the immediate area, the nearest being in Ainsdale or the Spar shop at the east-end of Pinfold Lane.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Woodvale
Streetmap links
Woodvale general view map
Woodvale close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Woodvale
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Woodvale
Googly map
Woodvale general view map
Woodvale close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Woodvale
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Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
Light is generally best for southbound trains. The Coastal Road bridge is not really suitable for northbound trains due to the road being very busy and there not being a footpath on that side of the bridge. The bridge parapet on the Coastal Road is also fairly high so not suitable for shorter photographers!
General views - All photographs © Mark Bearton unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking north
The costal road
Fig 2 - Looking north
Easdale Drive footbridge
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
