Chester
Location
Place	Chester
Local authority	Chester
Operations
Station code	CTR
Managed by	Arriva Trains Wales
Platforms in use	9
Live departures and station information from National Rail
Annual Rail Passenger Usage
2004/05 *	2. Chester is the County town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77040 For the smaller central city area and principal settlement of this district see Chester. Arriva Trains Wales (Trenau Arriva Cymru is a train operating company that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches 239 million
2005/06 *	2. 337 million
Passenger Transport Executive
PTE	Merseytravel (for Merseyrail services only)
Zone	G1
History
1848 1972	Opened Chester General rail crash
National Rail - UK railway stations
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
* Annual passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Chester from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. In the United Kingdom, Passenger Transport Executives (PTEs are local government bodies which are responsible for Public transport within large urban areas The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive ( MPTE, or Merseytravel, as it is branded is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for the coordination The Chester General rail crash occurred on 8 May 1972 at Chester General station, Chester, England. National Rail is a brand name of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC |} See also List of heritage railway stations See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of closed railway stations in Britain List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom Closed Stations Yealmpton See also List of heritage railway stations in the United Kingdom
UK Railways Portal

Chester railway station is a railway station in the city of Chester, England. |}A train station, railway station, railroad station, or station yard is a facility at which Passengers may board and alight from Trains Chester is the County town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77040 England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland It is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although Merseyrail, Northern Rail and Virgin Trains also run services there. Arriva Trains Wales (Trenau Arriva Cymru is a train operating company that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches Merseyrail is the name given to the electric metro-style commuter Train network centred on Liverpool in the metropolitan county of Merseyside Northern Rail (often referred to simply as Northern) is a Train operating company that has operated local passenger services in the north of England Virgin Trains is a Train operating company in the United Kingdom, which currently provides services from London Euston to the North West It is situated to the north-east of the city centre. From 1875 to 1969 it was known as Chester General station.

A frequent and free City-Rail bus service operates between the railway station and the city centre. At one time it was necessary to show a valid ticket when boarding this service. However, since the introduction of Arriva Trains Wales operated ticket barriers the city centre bound service is now completely free. Arriva Trains Wales (Trenau Arriva Cymru is a train operating company that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches A 50p single fare is still charged for the station bound journey unless a valid return rail ticket or pass is shown.

Work is in progress on a £10 million regeneration of the station and surrounding areas as part of the Chester Renaissance programme. ^[1] The development includes a new roof, improved customer facilities and better access to the station.

History

Historically, Chester General station was a joint station between the Chester and Holyhead Railway, the Chester and Crewe Railway and the Chester and Birkenhead Railway. For other meanings see Union Station. See List of Union Stations for a specific station with the name The Chester and Holyhead Railway was incorporated out of a proposal to link Holyhead, the traditional port for the Irish Mail with London by way of the The Chester and Crewe Railway was an early British railway company absorbed by the Grand Junction Railway in 1840 The Chester and Birkenhead Railway ran from Birkenhead to Chester. Later these became the London and North Western Railway and the Great Western Railway. The London and North Western Railway (LNWR L&NWR was a Railway company of the United Kingdom which existed between 1846 and 1922 The Great Western Railway ( GWR) was a British railway company and a notable example of Civil engineering, linking London with the West The station dates from 1848, having an Italianate frontage designed by Francis Thompson. In the course of the history of Classical architecture, an Italianate style of architecture was a distinct nineteenth-century phase in which Italian sixteenth-century Francis Thompson (1808-1895 was an architect particularly well known for his railway work The station also has carved wooden owls at some strategic locations high in the roof beams to help deter feral pigeons. The Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are Solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e

From 1875, Chester was also served by Chester Northgate station (owned by the Cheshire Lines Committee); however, that station was closed in 1969 and is now the site of a leisure centre. Chester Northgate railway station was opened on as the Chester terminus of the Cheshire Lines Committee line from Northwich. The Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC was the second largest Joint railway in Great Britain

In 1972, the Chester General rail crash occurred in the station, causing severe damage to the building and the several trains involved. The Chester General rail crash occurred on 8 May 1972 at Chester General station, Chester, England.

Services

Chester lies on the North Wales Coast Line, which is served by two trains an hour operated by Arriva Trains Wales. Trains from Crewe and Cardiff alternately provide an hourly service to Bangor and Holyhead. Crewe railway station is one of the most historic Railway stations in the world Cardiff Central railway station (Caerdydd Canolog is a major British railway station on Central Square in Cardiff, Wales. Bangor railway station in Bangor, Gwynedd is the last mainland station on the London Euston to Holyhead North Wales Coast line Holyhead railway station serves the town of Holyhead ( Welsh name: Caergybi) on Holy Island Anglesey. From Manchester Piccadilly Arriva operate an hourly service to Llandudno. Manchester Piccadilly station, known locally as just Piccadilly, is the principal railway station of Manchester in England. Llandudno railway station serves the town of Llandudno and is the terminus of a branch line from Llandudno Junction on the Crewe to Holyhead Arriva operate two trains per hour between Chester and Crewe.

Virgin Trains operate services from London Euston via the West Coast Main Line to Llandudno (one daily) and Holyhead (four daily). Euston station (official name London Euston) is a major Railway station to the north of central London in the London Borough of Camden The West Coast Main Line (WCML is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom. Virgin recently announced plans for an hourly service from Chester to London, with some services running beyond Chester to Holyhead and the remaining services terminating at Chester.

Arriva Trains Wales also operate the Shrewsbury to Chester Line, with trains to Wrexham and Shrewsbury approximately every hour. History It became part of the Great Western Railway 's main line from London Paddington to Birkenhead Woodside until nationalisation when Wrexham General railway station (Wrecsam Cyffredinol is the main Railway station serving Wrexham, north-east Wales. Shrewsbury railway station (formerly known as Shrewsbury General) is a railway station serving the county town of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, Alternate trains continue beyond Shrewsbury to Birmingham New Street, and to Cardiff Central. Birmingham New Street is a major railway station located in the centre of the city of Birmingham, England. Cardiff Central railway station (Caerdydd Canolog is a major British railway station on Central Square in Cardiff, Wales.

Chester is also the terminus of the Mid-Cheshire Line from Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport via Northwich. The Mid-Cheshire Line is a Railway line in the north-west of England, between Chester and Manchester. Stockport ( is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground on the River Mersey at the influx of the rivers Goyt Northwich railway station serves the town of Northwich in Cheshire, England.

The historic Chester and Birkenhead Railway is now a branch of Merseyrail's Wirral Line from Liverpool and Birkenhead. The Chester and Birkenhead Railway ran from Birkenhead to Chester. Merseyrail is the name given to the electric metro-style commuter Train network centred on Liverpool in the metropolitan county of Merseyside The Wirral Line is one of the two lines owned and operated by Merseyrail on Merseyside, England, the other being the Northern Line (the Merseyrail Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. These Merseyrail services use third rail electrification and at Chester operate exclusively from platform 7b. Merseyrail is the name given to the electric metro-style commuter Train network centred on Liverpool in the metropolitan county of Merseyside A third rail is a method of providing Electricity to power a railway through a continuous rigid conductor alongside the railway track or between the rails

There are also proposals under consideration to reinstate a regular passenger service along the Halton Curve south of Runcorn railway station, which would permit the re-introduction of through trains from Liverpool to the North Wales Coast. Future In 2004 the Strategic Rail Authority announced that it intended to close the line Runcorn railway station is in the town of Runcorn in the unitary authority of Halton in the north west of England.

In mid 2005, Arriva Trains Wales announced a plan to improve the condition of the station, as Chester General had been well known for its neglected appearance. The planned modifications include improvements to ticketing facilities, a general clean up of the platforms, and the installation of ticket barriers. The first of these improvements to be implemented was the ticket barriers, which came into operation July 2006.

The station marks one end of the Baker Way, a footpath leading to Delamere railway station. The Baker Way is a footpath running from Chester railway station to Delamere railway station within the English county of Cheshire. Delamere railway station serves both the villiage of Delamere and Delamere Forest in Cheshire, England.

Railway lines in Chester
Legend Chester to Manchester line Wirral line (Merseyrail) Bache; Mid Cheshire line Roodee Junction; Chester North Wales Coast line to Crewe North Wales Coast line to Holyhead Shrewsbury to Chester line

Layout

The station has 7 platforms. Platform 1 is a bay platform located at the east end. This is used mainly by the Chester to Crewe shuttles. Platform 2 is another bay platform and is located at the western end. This is mainly used by trains heading towards Wrexham and Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury railway station (formerly known as Shrewsbury General) is a railway station serving the county town of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, Platform 3 is a through platform and is closest to the concourse. This is most commonly used for North Wales bound services and is split into 3a and 3b.

Over the bridge there is access to the island platform. Opposite platform 3 is platform 4, another through platform. This is mainly used for Manchester and Crewe bound services. Some Cardiff bound services also turn back here having arrived from Holyhead. There are two east facing bays at the eastern end (Platforms 5 and 6, for the Mid-Cheshire line) mainly used by Northern Rail. Northern Rail (often referred to simply as Northern) is a Train operating company that has operated local passenger services in the north of England Platform 7 at the northern end is an additional through platform. Platform 7b is used for terminating services on the Wirral Line, and is the only electrified line (3rd rail). The Wirral Line is one of the two lines owned and operated by Merseyrail on Merseyside, England, the other being the Northern Line (the Merseyrail Platforms 4 and 7 are also split into 'a' (eastern) and 'b' (western) sections and are thus capable of accommodating two trains at once.

Platforms on the railway station.

Distance board found in some disrepair on a station wall.

Carved wooden owl above platform 4 at Chester Railway station

Notes

External links

• Chester to Shrewsbury Rail Partnership

• Train times and station information for Chester railway station from National Rail
• Station information from Merseyrail
• Railway Clearing House Diagrams (diagram of railways in Chester from 1903)
• Images of England — details from listed building database (469916)