The remodelled Liverpool Lime Street station
A video released by Network Rail gave train passengers a glimpse of what the newly remodelled Liverpool Lime Street station looks like.
The 3D virtual video shows a ‘fly through’ of the station explaining what work has been completed on each of the platforms and the new platform layout.
Dame Louise Ellman MP, Maria Eagle MP, Dan Carden MP and Liverpool deputy mayor Lynnie Hinnigan saw first-hand the upgrade when they joined Network Rail on the 27 July 2018 to look behind the scenes at Liverpool Lime Street.
Two new platforms, built last year, have been fully commissioned and other platforms remodelled, lengthened and widened. This is vital to boost capacity within the station – making room for longer, more spacious trains with more seats for passengers.
Extensive upgrades to signalling equipment and overhead line equipment have also been completed to boost capacity within the station.
Signalling control is in the final stages of being moved to the centrally-operated Manchester Rail Operating Centre. This will mean more reliable journeys for passengers, allowing faster decision making on the railway to minimise delays.
The station’s major eight week transformation came to a close this weekend, with normal services resuming.
Martin Frobisher, Network Rail’s London North Western route managing director, said: “Remodelled, extended and widened platforms are vital to make room for more frequent, longer, more reliable trains carrying more passengers. This essential upgrade will serve the growing rail travel needs of the Liverpool City Region for generations to come.
“While we prepare to reopen the station, we’d like to say a big thank you to passengers for bearing with us during this upgrade, which is a key part of the Great North Rail Project.”
Dame Louise Ellman MP for Liverpool Riverside, said: “I am delighted to see these much needed improvements to Lime Street station.
“This will boost the city, enabling more people to travel to and from Liverpool as well as opening up new routes. It is welcome investment for our future.”
Liam Robinson, transport portfolio holder for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said: “It’s fantastic to see the progress that has been made over the last eight weeks for this major upgrade of Lime Street.
“These improvements are a major part of our Long Term Rail Strategy being put into practice and will help to meet the increasing demand for services from the station.
“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience and understanding during the works and look forwarding to them seeing the benefits that this upgrade will bring.”
Andy Heath, managing director of Merseyrail said: “Merseyrail have been pleased to support such a significant upgrade to the local transport infrastructure by bringing mainline passengers in to the city centre via Liverpool South Parkway.
“There are some really key improvements happening to the rail network here which are making the Liverpool City Region much more accessible and easy to travel around, including our new fleet of trains which will arrive in 2020. These developments are vital to support growth in the region.”
Liverpool Lime Street’s major transformation will be fully complete in October this year. Some additional, final works will take place on Sunday 2 September and Sunday 14 October before full project completion, which will see new platforms 1 and 2 come into full passenger use.
This work will enable an extra three services in/out of Lime Street every hour, including new direct services to Scotland. Remodelling and rebuilding station platforms will provide longer, more spacious platforms capable of accommodating longer trains and more passengers, more safely.
This capacity boost, also delivered by a wholesale signalling upgrade, is essential for the forecast growth in peak-time travellers through the station over the coming years.
