Merseyside’s main railway station fully reopened on Monday following completion of a three week closure. Upgrade work at Liverpool Lime Street involved lengthening platforms, constructing two new ones and replacing almost 2km of track as part of Network Rail’s ‘Great North Rail’ project.

 

Further work is planned at Christmas and next summer, including upgrades to signalling. From 2019, an extra three services an hour into and out of the station will be provided, including new direct services to Scotland. An artist’s impression of the finished upgrade is pictured. 

 

Buckingham Group is the contractor, with Siemens responsible for signalling and the S&C Alliance is looking after overhead line equipment and track. The £100M project is part of a £340M investment in rail around the Liverpool city region.

 

Network Rail’s London North Western route managing director Martin Frobisher said of the activity that finished this week: “This work brings us one step closer to fulfil our aim of running hundreds more trains each day across the north of England.”

 

Liverpool City Region’s metro mayor Steve Rotheram added: “I look forward to next year when we will see the completion of this project which is a pivotal part of our ambitious plans to build a better railway for everyone.”

 

Public transport operator Merseytravel’s chief executive Frank Rogers said: “Months of planning has paid off and the Liverpool City Region remained ‘open for business’ during this essential upgrade work.”

 

 

 

 

(Photos: Network Rail)