Class 502 BACK FROM THE BRINK

摘要

When the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway electrified the Liverpool Exchange to Southport Chapel Street route in 1904, they created the world's first inter-urban electric railway. A short extension along the line from Southport to Crossens via Meols Cop was also energised in 1904, and the line from Ormskirk to Liverpool Exchange followed in 1913. The self-contained electric system handled heavy commuter and residential traffic, and by the 1930s the fleet of original L&Y electric sets were becoming increasingly frail, appeared very old-fashioned, and needed urgent replacement.