The lines were opened to Aintree Junction and Walton-on-the-Hill on 1 December 1879, with stations at , , , and . The section to Huskisson and station, for both passenger and goods trains, opened on 1 June 1880. A passenger service was provided from Liverpool Central to Walton-on-the-Hill, but it proved unpopular and thereafter most services terminated at Gateacre. When Huskisson opened, it too was provided with a passenger service that was even less popular: it was withdrawn on 1 May 1885 and the station closed. The line became known as the Liverpool Loop Line.