Liverpool Lime Street railway station

Infobox UK station
name = Liverpool Lime Street


manager = Network Rail
Merseyrail (Underground station)
locale = Liverpool
borough = Liverpool
pte = Merseytravel
zone = C1
code = LIV
years = 1836
years2 = 1977
events = Opened
events2 = Underground station opened
platforms = 9 + 1 underground
usage0405 = 13.535
usage0506 = 14.472
usage0607 = 6.377
latitude = 53.4073
longitude = -2.977

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, 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. The station was one of the first to send mail by train. A second roof was added in the 1880s. 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.

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. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/6927406.stm BBC NEWS | England | Manchester | Revamped station tops train 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

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 Manchester Victoria and Manchester Airport
*Platform 4 for services to Wigan North Western
*Platform 5 for semi-fast services to Manchester Oxford Road
*Platform 6 for services to the North East (mainly Scarborough)
*Platform 7 for services to London Euston
*Platform 8 for services to Birmingham New Street
*Platform 9 for services to the East Midlands, and for the local stopper train to Manchester Oxford Road

It should be noted, that this is a rule of thumb, departure screens should be checked for the actual platform as services that arrive late or early may be diverted to a different platform.

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, and by a lift, accessed via a long passageway which crosses beneath Lime Street itself.

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 station has recently been fitted with automatic ticket barriers and machines.

ervices

Mainline Station

The main station is currently served by East Midlands Trains, First TransPennine Express, London Midland, Northern Rail and Virgin Trains.

Merseyrail Underground Station

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.

References

External links

* [http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/891.aspx Station information] for Liverpool Lime Street from Network Rail
* [http://www.merseyrail.org/stations/?iStationId=44 Station information] for Liverpool Lime Street (Underground) from Merseyrail