c. cxciii) of 11 August 1881 and the Southport and Cheshire Lines Extension Railway Act 1882 (45 & 46 Vict.

c. cclxi) of 18 August 1882, the first authorising the line as far as Birkdale and the second the remaining section to Southport Lord Street.

[2][3] The 14 miles 3 chains (22.6 km) line was built as a double track railway opening on 1 September 1884.

The trackbed forms part of National Cycle Network Route 62, the Trans Pennine Trail.

In January 2019, the Campaign for Better Transport released a report identifying the line which was listed as Priority 2 for reopening.