Liverpool Overhead Railway Opens

The Liverpool Overhead Railway opened on July 1, 1894, as the first electric elevated urban line, running 6.5 miles along the Mersey docks with innovative third-rail power and multiple-unit trains. Built to relieve street congestion for dock workers, it featured 14 stations and carried millions annually until closure in 1956. Key figures included engineer Sir William Forwood. Its engineering influenced later systems like the Chicago 'L' and New York elevated lines, highlighting early electrification's role in urban rail development.