The Borderlands Line is the name given to the services operating over the railway line between Wrexham, Wales, and Bidston, Wirral, England.
The southern part of the line was built by the Wrexham, Mold and Connah's Quay Railway (WMCQR). The northern part of the line was built by the North Wales and Liverpool Railway, a joint committee between the WMCQR and Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway. Both Railways were acquired by the Great Central Railway on 1 January 1905.
Current passenger services are operated by Arriva Trains Wales, between Wrexham Central and Bidston stations. Trains run every 60 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes and every 2 hours after 18:45 and on Sundays. Connections can be made with other National Rail services at Bidston (for Merseyrail services to West Kirby, Birkenhead and Liverpool), Shotton (for Chester and the North Wales Coast Line) and Wrexham General (for the Shrewsbury-Chester Line). Arriva Trains Wales operate the service using Class 153s, but more recently (October 2006), they have been using Class 150s or doubling up on the Class 153s. Even more recently (Late December 2006), the Class 153s have disappeared in favour of Class 150s.
Various proposals exist to electrify some or all of the Borderlands Line and incorporate it into the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network, allowing through services to Birkenhead and Liverpool and the possible introductions of three new stations at Deeside Industrial Park, Woodchurch and Beechwood however nothing definitive has been confirmed, only plans. In August 2006, it was announced there would be a feasibility study into the electrification of the line.
Route The towns and villages served by the line are listed below.
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