Liverpool prepares for Lime Street upgrade

Major work will take place at Liverpool Lime Street from September 30 to October 22, to increase capacity at the station.

Work includes building new and longer platforms, as well as installation of overhead line equipment to supply electric trains.

Virgin Trains has opened a temporary First Class lounge and customer information point at the station. The existing lounge has been taken out of use to enable the construction of two new platforms. A new permanent facility is due to open in the autumn.

When the work is complete in 2018, an additional three trains per hour will be able to run into and out of the station. And during the first nine days of the closure, completion of the fourth track between Huyton and Roby will allow fast trains to overtake stopping services.

Throughout the closure many main line services from the south and east will be diverted to Liverpool South Parkway, from where passengers can join the Merseyrail network.

St Helens Central will be the railhead for trains to and from Scotland and the North West for the first nine days (with replacement buses).

From October 9-20 in the night time, Huyton will be the railhead, with services continuing through to Lime Street between 0600 and 2000.

Local trains from Warrington will start and terminate at Hunts Cross throughout the blockade. Merseyrail will operate a 15-minute service between Liverpool South Parkway and the centre of Liverpool at Moorfields.

Network Rail London North Western Route Managing Director Martin Frobisher said: “With passenger figures set to double during peak periods by 2043, the Liverpool Lime Street upgrade is vital to transform train travel for passengers in the future.”