The Birkenhead Railway, owned jointly by the Great Western Railway and London and North Western Railway, opened a branch line from Hooton to Parkgate on 1 October 1866, which included a station at Willaston. An extension to West Kirby was completed twenty years later. It was named Hadlow Road Station because there are 2 villages named Willaston in Cheshire and the name Willaston railway station had already been taken by the time of Hadlow Road's opening. The main station building is on the eastbound platform towards, whereas a smaller waiting shelter stands on the westbound platform towards. At the western end of both platforms was a level crossing with rather large gates; this was due to the angle at which the road crossed the railway lines. Hadlow Road railway station closed to passengers on 17 September 1956. The track continued to be used for freight transportation and driver training for another six years, closing on 7 May 1962. The tracks were lifted two years later.
The station is on the Wirral Way footpath and part of Wirral Country Park. The country park lies both in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and in the borough of Cheshire West and Chester, it was the first designated country park in Britain opening in 1973. The footpath follows the track bed of part of the former Birkenhead Railway route from West Kirby to Hooton and is used by cyclists, walkers, joggers and horse riders. A second visitor centre is present on the Wirral Way at Thurstaston; however, Thurstaston railway station was removed and all that remains are its platforms.
Museum
The station is now a small free to enter museum that is open to the public. It was created to have the look and feel of the day it closed with a ticket office, telephone box, vintage signs and luggage carriers. All of the station has been preserved and a short section of track has been relaid in front of the eastbound platform. The signalbox and crossing gates are not the originals, having previously been located at Hassall Green on the North Staffordshire Railway. The station is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. The facilities available are car parking, seating and public toilets.
Friends of Hadlow Railway Station
The station is owned by the council but managed by The Friends of Hadlow Road, a community organisation that restores the site. There have been various plans to restore and upgrade the facilities and as of 2018 the Friends have expressed interest in laying a longer length of track, with a long-term view to placing carriages and a steam locomotive at the station.
