General information | |||||
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Location | Liverpool, Liverpool England | ||||
Coordinates | 53°24′17″N2°59′31″W / 53.4048°N 2.9919°W | ||||
Grid reference | SJ341902 | ||||
Managed by | Merseyrail | ||||
Transit authority | Merseytravel | ||||
Platforms | 3 (Only 2 platforms see regular use) | ||||
Other information | |||||
Station code | LVJ | ||||
Fare zone | C1 | ||||
Classification | DfT category E | ||||
History | |||||
Original company | Mersey Railway | ||||
Pre-grouping | Mersey Railway | ||||
Post-grouping | Mersey Railway London Midland Region of British Railways | ||||
Key dates | |||||
1 February 1886 | Opened | ||||
Passengers | |||||
2019/20 | 3.464 million | ||||
2020/21 | 0.759 million | ||||
2021/22 | 2.263 million | ||||
2022/23 | 2.400 million | ||||
2023/24 | 2.655 million | ||||
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Liverpool James Street (or simply James Street [1] ) is a railway station located in the centre of Liverpool,England;it is situated on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network. James Street is an underground station,with access to the platforms via lifts from the booking hall. At certain times,the platforms are accessed via a pedestrian tunnel from the India Buildings on Water Street. As of 2013/14,James Street was the fifth-busiest station on the Merseyrail network.
The station opened as the original Liverpool terminus of the Mersey Railway Tunnel in 1886. It is accessed by lifts,and these were initially hydraulically operated. There were originally two platforms,either side of a twin-track tunnel.
The Mersey railway tunnel was extended under dry land to Liverpool Central station in 1892,changing James Street's status to a through station. By this time,there were trains from Liverpool branching from Hamilton Square station terminating at Birkenhead Park and Rock Ferry stations in Birkenhead. The line was electrified in 1903. [2] Through trains to West Kirby and New Brighton commenced in 1938,when the former Wirral Railway routes were electrified.
In 1941,during the Liverpool Blitz,the Luftwaffe bombed the surface building of the station,damaging the then famous James Street hydraulic accumulator tower so badly it required demolition. [3] A new surface building was built in the 1960s.
The station was rebuilt in the 1970s,opening in 1977,as a creation of the Merseyrail network. A new single-track tunnel known as the Loop was constructed being a part of the Wirral Line under Liverpool's city centre. The Loop ran west from the Mersey Railway tunnel via a newly constructed third platform at James Street,then onto Moorfields,Liverpool Lime Street and Liverpool Central,and back to James Street rejoining the Mersey railway tunnel just to the east of the station.
The eastern section of the original tunnel between Liverpool Central and James Street is used by the Northern Line. The remaining western section of the tunnel,which is not used by either the Wirral Line or Northern Line,was retained to provide a connection between the two for moving empty electric trains between depots at Birkenhead North and Kirkdale. Of the original two platforms at James Street,only the westbound remains in regular use. Platform 2,the original eastbound platform,is kept in near-original condition,being used only when trains are prevented from using the loop itself. [4]
The station and surrounding area were subject to a £2million package of improvements during 2007–8. [5] Further refurbishment of platforms,concourses and the booking hall were undertaken in 2012–13,as part of a £40 million investment from Network Rail which saw all Merseyrail underground stations (excluding Conway Park) refurbished. [6] [7] Work to improve the little-used Platform 2 and the Water Street entrance were completed during 2015. [8] [9]
A 16-year-old girl died in an incident at the station in 2011 when a train guard signalled for a train to depart while the girl was leaning against the train. She died after the movement caused her to fall between the platform edge and the moving train. The following year,the guard was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence and sentenced to five years' imprisonment. [10] A subsequent appeal of the sentence was rejected by the Court of Appeal. [11]
James Street station has three platforms,although only two see regular use. Platforms 2 and 3 are situated on either side of the original Mersey Railway tunnel,and platform 1 in the newer tunnel on the loop line. Only platforms 1 and 3 are in regular use for the loop line,Platform 3 by trains westbound to the Wirral and Platform 1 by trains eastbound towards Liverpool. Platform 2,which is situated on the empty stock line opposite platform 3,has not normally been used by passenger services since the opening of the loop line. This platform has a frieze artwork,on the wall.
The junction at the western end of the station (where the loop leaves the original line in order to pass through platform 1) is known as Mann Island Junction. [12]
Occasionally,the loop line may close to allow for maintenance to occur. [13] [14] [15] On these occasions,platform 2 is brought back into use to allow trains arriving from the Wirral to terminate and reverse there back onto the westbound line (either directly or via platform 3).
There are two entrances to the station. The main entrance on James Street itself has four lifts to reach the platforms from street level. It also has a small newsagents inside. The Water Street entrance uses a combination of staircases and a ramp over 150 yards long which goes from ground level to just above the platforms. The Water Street entrance is only in use during certain times of the day and is closed at weekends. It is open between 7am and 7pm. [16]
The station is staffed,during all opening hours,and has platform CCTV. [1] There are toilets,a payphone,an ATM,booking office and live departure and arrival screens,for passenger information. The station does not have a car park,though there is a cycle rack for eight bicycles. Step-free access to the platforms,for wheelchairs and prams,is possible,via the lifts. [17]
Trains operate every five minutes (Monday-Saturday daytime) around the Liverpool city centre loop to Moorfields,Liverpool Lime Street and Liverpool Central. In the other direction,trains operate every five minutes to Birkenhead Hamilton Square,from where they continue every 15 minutes to each of New Brighton and West Kirby with six trains an hour to Hooton. From Hooton,trains continue every 15 minutes to Chester and every 30 minutes to Ellesmere Port. At other times,trains operate every 30 minutes to each of the four destinations,giving a service every 5–10 minutes to Birkenhead Hamilton Square. [18] These services are provided by Merseyrail's fleet of Class 507 and Class 777 EMUs.
Merseyrail is a commuter rail network which serves Merseyside and adjacent areas of Cheshire and Lancashire in the Northwest of England. Merseyrail serves 69 stations,67 of which it manages,across two lines –the Northern Line and the Wirral Line. The network uses 750 V DC third rail electrified lines having 75.0 miles (120.7 km) of routes,of which 6.5 miles (10.5 km) are underground. Since January 2023,Merseyrail commenced replacing its train fleet,withdrawing the Class 507 and 508 trains and introducing 53 new Class 777 trains. The network carried 28.3 million passengers in the 2023/2024 statistical period.
The Mersey Railway was the passenger railway connecting the communities of Liverpool,Birkenhead,England. It is currently a part of the Merseyrail network. It was extended further into the Wirral Peninsula,which lies on the opposite bank of the River Mersey to Liverpool. Both sides of the river were connected via the Mersey Railway Tunnel. The railway opened in 1886 with four stations using steam locomotives hauling unheated wooden carriages;in the next six years the line was extended with the opening of three more stations. Using the first tunnel under the Mersey,the line is the world's oldest underground railway outside London.
Merseytravel is the passenger transport executive responsible for the coordination of public transport in the Liverpool City Region in North West England. It was established on 1 December 1969 as the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive. From 1 April 2014,with the creation of the Liverpool City Region,Merseytravel expanded its area of operation from the metropolitan county of Merseyside to also include the Borough of Halton.
Liverpool Central railway station in Liverpool,England,forms a central hub of the Merseyrail network,being on both the Northern Line and the Wirral Line. The station is located underground on two levels,below the site of a former mainline terminus. It is the busiest station in Liverpool,though considerably smaller than Lime Street station,the mainline terminus,and the busiest station to operate solely on the Merseyrail network. The station is the busiest underground station outside London serving 40,000 people daily. The station in passengers per platform is the busiest underground railway station in the United Kingdom outside of London at 3,979,547 per platform per annum and coming tenth out of all stations outside the capital,underground or overground.
Moorfields railway station is an underground railway station in the city centre of Liverpool,England. The station is situated on both the Northern and Wirral Lines of the Merseyrail network. It is the third-busiest station on the Merseyrail network,and the largest underground station. It is also the only station on the network having services to all other Merseyrail stations.
Birkenhead Hamilton Square railway station serves the town of Birkenhead,in Merseyside,England,on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network. The station is close to Hamilton Square in Birkenhead.
The Northern line is one of two commuter rail routes operated by Merseyrail and centred on Merseyside,England,the other being the Wirral line. The cross-city route runs from Hunts Cross in south Liverpool then branches in the north to terminate at Southport,Headbolt Lane and Ormskirk (Lancashire).
The Wirral line is one of two commuter rail routes operated by Merseyrail and centred on Merseyside,England,the other being the Northern line.
West Kirby railway station serves the town of West Kirby in Merseyside,England. The station is the terminus of the West Kirby branch line,which is one of the two branches of the Wirral Line on the Merseyrail network. There is a central island platform between two terminus tracks and two parallel sidings for out-of-use electric multiple units. A second station,which was the terminus of a branch line from Hooton,lay to the east of the Wirral Line station;it was closed in 1962.
Birkenhead Park railway station is a station serving the town of Birkenhead,in Merseyside,England. It lies on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network.
Birkenhead North railway station serves the town of Birkenhead,in Merseyside,England. The station is situated on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network,close to the junction of the New Brighton and West Kirby branches. Birkenhead North TMD,situated just to the west of the station,is the main traction maintenance depot for the Merseyrail fleet.
Leasowe railway station is a station serving the village of Leasowe,in Merseyside,England. It lies on the West Kirby branch of the Wirral Line,part of the Merseyrail network.
Moreton railway station serves the town of Moreton,in Merseyside,England. The station is on the West Kirby branch of the Wirral Line,which is part of the Merseyrail network.
Hoylake railway station serves the town of Hoylake,Merseyside,England. It lies on the West Kirby branch of the Wirral Line,part of the Merseyrail network.
Birkenhead Central is a railway station serving the town of Birkenhead,in Merseyside,England. Located on the south side of Birkenhead town centre,it lies on the Chester and Ellesmere Port branches of the Wirral Line,part of the Merseyrail network.
Green Lane railway station serves the Tranmere area of Birkenhead,Merseyside,England. The station is situated on the Chester,Liverpool Central and Ellesmere Port branches of the Wirral Line,part of the Merseyrail network.
Rock Ferry railway station is situated in the Rock Ferry area of Birkenhead,Merseyside,England. The station lies 4.5 miles (7 km) south west of Liverpool Lime Street on the Chester and Ellesmere Port branches of the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network. The station has an island platform with four platforms in total and four tracks.
Bebington railway station serves the town of Bebington in Merseyside,England. The station is situated on the Chester and Ellesmere Port branches of the Wirral Line,forming part of the Merseyrail network.
Bromborough Rake railway station is one of two stations serving the town of Bromborough in Merseyside,England. The station is situated on the Chester and Ellesmere Port branches of the Wirral Line,part of the Merseyrail network.
The history of Merseyrail dates back to the 19th century,with the original formation of the Mersey Railway,however,Merseyrail dates back to the 20th century,namely being set up by British Rail in 1969,it did not become a single network until 1977.
Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
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Hamilton Square towards New Brighton, West Kirby, Chester or Ellesmere Port | Merseyrail Wirral Line | Moorfields towards Liverpool Central | ||
Liverpool Central (one-way operation) | ||||
Ferry services | ||||
Terminus | Mersey Ferries Commuter ferry | Seacombe | ||
Terminus | Isle of Man Steam Packet Company High Speed Catamaran | Isle Of Man |