Route History

[Bevan Price]

RE: Route History
St. Helens Corporation - Rainhill & Prescot routes.

"Commencing on Wednesday 4th July 1934, with the introduction of trolley buses on the St. Helens, Rainhill & Prescot route, the following timetable will be put into operation for the tramcar service via Eccleston Park"

Mostly every 10 minutes on Monday to Friday, increasing to every 8 minutes on Saturdays after 15:40. Sunday service started at 09:00, was irregular until 10:30, the every 15 mins until 13:30, after which it was every 10 mins.

The trolley bus service was mostly every 10 mins on weekdays, but supplemented to every 5 mins between St. Helens and Mental Hospital (now known as Nutgrove) - on Fridays & Saturdays only, from 16:15 until 21:25 (FO) or 23:30 (SO)

The Sunday service was irregular from 09:25 until 12;55, then every 10 mins.

Then we get:
"On and after Wednesday 1st April 1936, a new trolley bus service will be put into operation and the present tramcar service discontinued." The routes via Eccleston Park and via Rainhill were linked into circular services (later known as routes 7 and 8) There were only slight changes in frequency at that time, but

"Commencing on Wednesday 13th July 1938, the present timetable will be withdrawn and an increased service substituted as follows:"
Weekday services became mostly every 8 minutes, but increased to every 6 minutes after 16:00 on Fridays, and after12:00 on Saturdays. Most of the short workings to Mental Hospital were withdrawn.