The London Midland Region era
Following nationalisation, it was proposed that Bidston shed should be included in the Western Division of the British Railways Eastern Region and coded 45D with Gorton as its main district depot. However, this proposal was overturned and it was decided that Bidston should be attached to the London Midland Region and coded 6F with Chester as the main district depot. The existing allocation at Bidston was transferred from the ER to the LMR in May 1949.18
Post-1948 there was a steady decline in freight traffic resulting from increased competition by road haulage companies and the increased use of oil as fuel by the shipping companies. This was reflected locally in the closure of several depots on the Birkenhead and Wallasey Docks including the former Great Central Railway depot at Birkenhead Dock Road in August 1955, the Cheshire Lines Committee depot at East and West Float in June 1959 and the CLC depot at Shore Road in June 1961.
Freight facilities were withdrawn from the station at Burton Point on the former GCR Mid-Wirral line in December 1955 and goods facilities were withdrawn from all other stations on the line in the 1960s, the last being from Upton in April 1969. Freight facilities were also withdrawn from all stations on the farmer Wirral Railway in the 1960s apart from that
