Liverpool Lime Street railway station

Liverpool Lime Street
General information
Location	Liverpool
Managed by	Network Rail
Platforms	9 + 1 underground
Other information
Station code	LIV
Fare zone	C1
Key dates
1836	Opened
1977	Underground station opened

Liverpool Lime Street railway station on Lime Street is a mainline and underground railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network.

History

In the early days of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR), the Liverpool terminus was located at Crown Street, in Edge Hill, officially opened in 1830. Construction of a purpose-built station began in October 1833, the land being purchased from Liverpool Corporation for £9000. A tunnel was constructed between Edge Hill and the new station (starting in 1832, prior to station construction), and the station was opened to the public in August of 1836, although construction was not completed until the following year. Because of the steep incline between Lime Street and Edge Hill, trains were stopped at Edge Hill, their locomotives removed, and the passenger carriages taken down by gravity, descent controlled by brakemen. The return journey was achieved by using a stationary engine to haul the carriages up with rope.

Within six years, the rapid growth of the railways meant that the original station needed to be extended, and a plan was made to erect an iron roof similar to that found at Euston station in London, ridge roofs supported by iron columns; however, Richard Turner and William Fairburn submitted a design for a single curved roof, which won the approval of the station committee. The work cost £15,000, and was completed in 1849. A second roof was added in the 1880s.

In 1845 the L&MR was absorbed by its principal business partner, the Grand Junction Railway (GJR); the following year the GJR formed part of the London and North Western Railway. The station was one of the first to send mail by train. The North Western Hotel designed by Alfred Waterhouse, was built in front of the station - this still stands, having been converted to accommodation for students of Liverpool John Moores University. At 'the grouping' in 1923, the station passed to the ownership of the London, Midland and Scottish (LMS) railway, and, in 1948, the London Midland Region of British Railways.

Lime Street was part of the first stage of electrification of the West Coast Main Line in 1959. In 1966, the station saw the launch of the first InterCity service.

Lime Street was voted the equal worst of the 20 busiest UK railway stations in a 2007 poll.

Layout and future expansion

Liverpool Lime Street is divided into two sections: the mainline station, which serves national and local overground services, and the Merseyrail Underground station, located between the mainline station and St George’s Hall. Lime Street is served by the Wirral Line.

Mainline

A sign at the end of platform six, with a First Transpennine express service behind it.

The mainline station is still covered by the vast iron and glass roofs dating from the 1880s. Platforms 1 to 6 are shorter than 7 to 9, the latter dealing mainly with long-distance services to London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Norwich. Access to platforms 1-6 is through a ticket inspection barrier, while platforms 7-9 are open, with tickets being inspected on the trains. Toilets, booking offices, shops, a left-luggage office, taxi ranks and coffee bars are amongst the facilities provided.

In line with Liverpool's role as European Capital of Culture in 2008, and the city's 800th anniversary in 2007, the station and its immediate surroundings will receive a £35 million redevelopment. The Lime Street Gateway Project will see the current retail parade and office block in front of the station demolished, and an improved frontage and public plaza built. The development will be overseen by English Partnerships.

As a rule of thumb, during the day:

• Platform 1 for services to Warrington Bank Quay and Stalybridge
• Platform 2 for services to Blackpool North and Preston
• Platform 3 for services to Wigan North Western
• Platform 4 for services to Manchester Victoria and Manchester Airport
• Platform 5 for semi-fast services to Manchester Oxford Road
• Platform 6 for services to the East Midlands, and for the local stopper train to Manchester Oxford Road
• Platform 7 for services to London Euston
• Platform 8 for services to Birmingham New Street
• Platform 9 for services to the North East (mainly Scarborough)

It should be noted that platforms are subject to change and diversions to a different platform are common, particularly when services arrive late or early.

Merseyrail Underground Station

The underground station consists of a single platform, alongside the Liverpool Loop, a single track tunnel excavated in the 1970s, and a ticket hall above. The station is connected to the Main Line station by means of a pedestrian subway and escalators, accessed via a long passageway which crosses beneath Lime Street itself, and by a lift from the main concourse.

The Merseyrail Wirral line trains operate on a 5 minute frequency Monday-Saturday, and between 5 and 10 minute frequency on Sunday.

As part of a programme of improvements by Merseytravel, the underground station has recently been fitted with automatic ticket barriers and machines.

Services

The main station is currently served by five train operating companies serving a wide variety of destinations. Although this has been much reduced in recent times. For example it is no longer possible to travel directly to Edinburgh, Plymouth and Newcastle without changing trains.

• East Midlands Trains operates express services to Norwich via Sheffield and Nottingham.
• First TransPennine Express operates express services to Scarborough via Leeds and York (with daily services to Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Hull all via Leeds).
• London Midland operates a half hourly service to Birmingham New Street via Crewe and Wolverhampton.
• Northern Rail operates local services to Blackpool North via Preston, Manchester via Earlestown, Manchester via Warrington Central, Preston, Warrington Bank Quay (with some extending to Ellesmere Port) and Wigan North Western.
• Virgin Trains operates an hourly express service to London Euston with stops at Runcorn and Stafford.

The underground station is situated on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network, which has services to New Brighton, West Kirby, Ellesmere Port and Chester. To reach destinations on the Northern Line of the network, passengers must either use the Wirral Line or walk the short distance to Liverpool Central station.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Terminus		East Midlands Trains Liverpool - Norwich		Liverpool South Parkway
Terminus		First TransPennine Express North TransPennine		Warrington Central or Hunts Cross
Terminus		London Midland West Coast Main Line		Liverpool South Parkway
Terminus		Northern Rail Liverpool - Wigan		Edge Hill
		Northern Rail Liverpool to Manchester Line
Terminus		Northern Rail Liverpool-Manchester Airport		Wavertree Technology Park
		Northern Rail Liverpool - Preston/Blackpool		Huyton
Terminus		Virgin Trains West Coast Main Line		Runcorn
Moorfields		Merseyrail Wirral Line City Loop		Liverpool Central

External links

• Station information for Liverpool Lime Street from Network Rail
• Station information for Liverpool Lime Street (Underground) from Merseyrail