the lancashire and yorkshire railway (lyr) built electric multiple units (emus) for lines in liverpool and manchester. the line between liverpool to southport began using emus on 22 march 1904, using a third rail 625 v dc. additional trains were later built for this route, and in 1913 incompatible stock for the route to ormskirk. lightweight units were built to run on the liverpool overhead railway. the southport units was replaced in the early 1940s; after regular through services onto the lor were withdrawn the lightweight units were used on local crossens services until 1945; the ormskirk units were withdrawn in 1964. in 1913 an experimental 3.5 kv dc overhead line system operated between bury and holcombe brook in the manchester area, and 1.2 kv dc with a side-contact third rail between manchester victoria and bury. electric services started in 1916, the bury to holcombe brook route being converted in 1918. the cars were replaced in 1959/60. ==liverpool== ===liverpool to southport=== electrification of the southport route was agreed in 1902. it was increasingly popular for commuting and pleasure trips but suffered from competition from the cheshire lines railway. electric traction was seen as cleaner than steam locomotives, and with coal prices rising, potentially cheaper. at the time concerns were being expressed, especially in the railway press, that engineering developments in britain was being overtaken by electrification projects in america and switzerland. preston-based dick, kerr & co. was responsible for the traction systems and the l&yr built the rolling stock. a 625 v dc four-rail system was adopted. a live rail was outside the running rails  from the centre of the track and  above the top of the running rails. a return rail, cross-bonded to the running rails, was positioned centrally between the tracks. the route was  long and gaps were left at 46 level crossings. the l&yr built a power station at formby, generating 7.5 kv ac, conveyed to four sub-stations by underground cables. the first batch of trains were open saloons  long and , initially in four-car sets. the two driving motor cars were third class, weighed  powered by four  motors. the traction current was controlled from driving cabs at both ends of the train. the two trailers were first class or third class and weighed .{{cite web | url=http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docid=2544 | title=accident at hall road on 27 july 1905 | publisher=board of trade | work=railways archive | date=2 september 1905 | accessdate=
British_Rail_electric_multiple_units Lancashire_and_Yorkshire_Railway