 |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Franchise(s): | Merseyrail 20. July 2003 – 2028 |
| Main Region(s): | Merseyside |
| Other Region(s): | North West Cheshire, South West Lancashire |
| Fleet size: | 59 |
| Stations called at: | 67 (66 operated) |
| National Rail abbreviation: | ME |
| Parent company: | Serco-NedRailways |
| Web site: | www.merseyrail.org |
Merseyrail is the name given to the electric metro-style commuter train network centred on Liverpool in the metropolitan county of Merseyside. Merseyside is a Metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1365900 Cheshire (or archaically the County of Chester) is a county in North West England. Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea Serco-NedRailways is a trading name for the organization that controls Merseyrail and Northern Rail, two of Great Britain 's franchised passenger train Railway electrification in Great Britain describes the past and present electrification systems used to supply traction current to railways and tramways in Great Britain A train is a connected series of vehicles that move along a track ( Permanent way) to transport freight or passengers from one place to another Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Merseyside is a Metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1365900 The name was used as the official brand for the network in the days of British Rail, and has stuck through several franchise holders, although the name was not used by the previous operator Arriva. See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" In Anglo-Saxon law, an exclusive right is a de facto non-tangible Prerogative existing in law (that is the power or in a wider sense Right Arriva Trains Merseyside was a train operating company operating passenger trains in Merseyside ( UK) Merseyrail is referred to as Merseyrail Electrics by National Rail Enquiries, and as Serco/Ned Railways Merseyrail by Merseytravel.
Merseyrail is now a firmly established iconic brand; its bright yellow and silver livery being instantly recognisable and associated with Liverpool in much the same way as London is with the Tube's 'roundel'.
Contents |
The Merseyrail system
Liverpool's Merseyrail (sometimes referred to as the Merseyrail Underground, or Merseyrail Electrics) is one of the most frequent metro-style British commuter systems outside London, transporting 100,000 passengers a day. The service is run on a similar basis as Germany's S-Bahn or Denmark's S-Tog. Frequencies are Monday to Saturday: every 5 minutes on the inner section, every 15 minutes within the urban area, and every 30 minutes to longer distance suburban destinations (such as Chester & Ellesmere Port); Sundays: every 30 minutes to all destinations, giving half the frequency on the inner section compared to other days, with the exception of summer months when frequencies are increased to near weekday levels. Trains run from before 6am until around midnight. Frequencies are maintained from first until last train, with additional services during peak hours. Merseyrail owned services run on two lines covering the Liverpool suburban area and greater Merseyside, with a total track length of 120 km, 75 miles and 67 stations. The Northern Line links Liverpool with Southport, Ormskirk, Kirkby and Hunts Cross, while the Wirral Line, extending under the River Mersey, links Liverpool with New Brighton, West Kirby, Chester and Ellesmere Port. The Northern Line is one of the two lines owned and operated by Merseyrail on Merseyside, England, the other being the Wirral Line (Merseyrail's Southport is a seaside town on the Irish Sea coast situated within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in England, UK. Ormskirk is a Market town in West Lancashire, England. It is situated north of Liverpool, and southwest Kirkby ( IPA /ˈkɝbiː/ — the second "k" is silent is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley on Merseyside in England Hunts Cross is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is located on the southern edge of the city bordered by Garston 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 See also Mersey River (Tasmania and Mersey River (Nova Scotia. New Brighton is a Seaside resort located in the town of Wallasey, on the north east tip of the Wirral Peninsula, in Merseyside West Kirby is a town located on the north west corner of the coast of the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England, at the mouth of the River Dee Chester is the County town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77040 Ellesmere Port is a large industrial town and cargo port in the district of Ellesmere Port and Neston, Cheshire, England, situated in the south of the The two lines are entirely electrified, using a 750 V DC third-rail. Railway electrification in Great Britain describes the past and present electrification systems used to supply traction current to railways and tramways in Great Britain 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 The City Line isn't Merseyrail owned but is run with similar frequencies.
Unlike local train networks in other British cities, the regular frequencies on all lines provide for cross city connections. Northern and City Line services interchange at Liverpool South Parkway in the south of the city and Lime Street in the city centre; the Northern and Wirral lines interchange at Liverpool Central and Moorfields.
Due to the one-way nature of the inner section of the Wirral Line, most Northern Line passengers wishing to travel to Lime Street for mainline national rail services tend to walk the short distance from Liverpool Central, instead of changing at Moorfields or James Street.
History
The underground sections in the centre of Liverpool and under the River Mersey to Birkenhead form the nucleus of the network. See also Mersey River (Tasmania and Mersey River (Nova Scotia. The Mersey Railway Tunnel was opened in 1886, running from Green Lane, Birkenhead and terminating at James Street in Liverpool. The Mersey Railway connected Liverpool and Birkenhead, England, via the Mersey Railway Tunnel under the River Mersey. Green Lane railway station serves the town of Birkenhead, Wirral, England, located in the south of the town Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. James Street railway station may refer to James Street railway station (England James Street Railway Station (India This route was extended to Liverpool Central in 1890. Liverpool Central railway station is a railway station in Liverpool, England, and forms the central hub of the Merseyrail network being on both the A branch to Birkenhead Park was added in 1888 to connect with the Wirral Railway and the original line extended to Rock Ferry to connect with the Birkenhead Woodside to Chester line in 1891. Birkenhead Park is a public Park in the centre of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. The Wirral Railway (WR was incorporated in 1863 as the Hoylake Railway (HR with powers to build lines from Birkenhead to New Brighton, and Rock Ferry is an area of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. Birkenhead Woodside was a Railway station at Woodside, in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Chester is the County town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77040 It was electrified in 1903. The ex Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway line from Liverpool Exchange to Southport was electrified in 1906. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. Liverpool Exchange railway station was a railway station located in Liverpool, England. Southport is a seaside town on the Irish Sea coast situated within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in England, UK. Further electrifications on the Wirral line took place in 1937 (New Brighton and West Kirby), 1985 (Hooton), 1993 (Chester) and 1994 (Ellesmere Port). New Brighton is a Seaside resort located in the town of Wallasey, on the north east tip of the Wirral Peninsula, in Merseyside West Kirby is a town located on the north west corner of the coast of the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England, at the mouth of the River Dee Hooton is a village in Cheshire, England in the south of the Wirral Peninsula near Ellesmere Port. Chester is the County town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77040 Ellesmere Port is a large industrial town and cargo port in the district of Ellesmere Port and Neston, Cheshire, England, situated in the south of the Electrification of the Bidston-Wrexham line has also been proposed. The Borderlands Line is the Railway line between Wrexham, Wales, and Bidston, Wirral, England.
The present system in Liverpool dates from the 1970s, with the construction of the 'Loop' and the 'Link'. The Loop is a single-track tunnel, along which Wirral Line trains run clockwise from James Street to Moorfields, Lime Street, Central and back to James Street. James Street railway station may refer to James Street railway station (England James Street Railway Station (India Moorfields station is an underground railway station in Liverpool, England. Liverpool Lime Street railway station on Lime Street is a mainline and underground Railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England Liverpool Central railway station is a railway station in Liverpool, England, and forms the central hub of the Merseyrail network being on both the The Link is a twin-track tunnel, which connects the former Cheshire Lines Committee route in the south of Liverpool to the former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway lines in the north, via Liverpool Central and Moorfields (which replaced Liverpool Exchange station). The Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC was the second largest Joint railway in Great Britain The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. Liverpool Exchange railway station was a railway station located in Liverpool, England. The present twin island Northern Line platform at Liverpool Central was originally the terminus of the Wirral lines. One of the original single underground lines between James St and Central has been retained to connect the Link and the Loop lines. This is used for transfers of rolling stock, but never used for passenger services. Rolling Stock was a Newspaper of ideas and a chronicle of the 1980s published in Boulder, Colorado
Merseyrail predecessor
From 1893 until the 1950s, Liverpool owned the world's fourth oldest metro, the Liverpool Overhead Railway. The Liverpool Overhead Railway (known locally as the Dockers' Umbrella in Liverpool, England, opened on February 4 1893. It was an elevated system, just as those in New York and Chicago, however it was the world's first "El" to run electric trains.
The system closed and was demolished due to financial constraints, however it is arguable that the system's legacy was an expectation among the population that the city needed and deserved a rapid transit system (which is not common in British cities), fueling the demand for the current Merseyrail system to be built.
Plans for Liverpool Waters[1] include proposals for a monorail to travel in some of the areas where the LOR used to run. Liverpool Waters is a large scale £55bn development that has been proposed by the company Peel Holdings in the Vauxhall area of Liverpool, Merseyside
Merseyrail lines
Northern Line
Services on the Northern Line operate from Hunts Cross in the south of Liverpool, via the Link tunnel through Liverpool Central and Moorfields, to Southport. The Northern Line is one of the two lines owned and operated by Merseyrail on Merseyside, England, the other being the Wirral Line (Merseyrail's Hunts Cross railway station is a Railway station in Hunts Cross, Liverpool, England. Southport railway station serves the town of Southport, Merseyside, England. Services also run from Liverpool Central to Ormskirk and Kirkby. Ormskirk railway station is situated in the town of Ormskirk, Lancashire, England. Kirkby railway station is situated in Kirkby, Merseyside, England. Each route has a train every 15 minutes Monday-Saturday giving a five-minute interval between trains on the central section. Connections are available at Southport to Wigan Wallgate, at Hunts Cross to Warrington Central and Manchester Piccadilly, at Ormskirk to Preston and at Kirkby to Wigan Wallgate and Manchester Victoria. Southport is a seaside town on the Irish Sea coast situated within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in England, UK. Wigan Wallgate railway station is one of two main Railway stations serving the town of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. Hunts Cross is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is located on the southern edge of the city bordered by Garston Warrington Central railway station is one of two main Railway stations serving the town of Warrington in the north-west of England. Manchester Piccadilly station, known locally as just Piccadilly, is the principal railway station of Manchester in England. Ormskirk is a Market town in West Lancashire, England. It is situated north of Liverpool, and southwest Preston railway station serves the city of Preston in Lancashire, England and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line. Kirkby ( IPA /ˈkɝbiː/ — the second "k" is silent is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley on Merseyside in England Wigan Wallgate railway station is one of two main Railway stations serving the town of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. Manchester Victoria station is the second of Manchester 's mainline railway stations
Wirral Line
Services on the Wirral Line operate from the Loop described above through the Mersey Railway Tunnel to Hamilton Square station in Birkenhead. 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 The Mersey Railway connected Liverpool and Birkenhead, England, via the Mersey Railway Tunnel under the River Mersey. Hamilton Square railway station (named on rail tickets as "Birkenhead Hamilton Sq" is situated near Hamilton Square in Birkenhead, Merseyside Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. From there, they run either south to Hooton, where they continue to either Chester or Ellesmere Port, or west to Birkenhead North, where the line bifurcates to New Brighton and West Kirby. Hooton railway station is situated in the south of the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, England. Chester railway station is a Railway station in the city of Chester, England. Ellesmere Port railway station is located in the town of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England. Birkenhead North railway station is situated in Birkenhead, Wirral, England. New Brighton railway station is situated in New Brighton, Wirral, England. West Kirby railway station is situated in the town of West Kirby, Wirral, England. Connections are available at Bidston on the West Kirby branch, for the Borderlands Line to Wrexham operated by Arriva Trains Wales, at Chester to Holyhead and Manchester and at Ellesmere Port to Warrington. Bidston railway station is a Railway station near the village of Bidston, Wirral, England. The Borderlands Line is the Railway line between Wrexham, Wales, and Bidston, Wirral, England. Wrexham (Wrecsam is a town and principal area in Wales. It is the largest town in North Wales and lies to the east of the region 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 Chester is the County town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77040 Holyhead railway station serves the town of Holyhead ( Welsh name: Caergybi) on Holy Island Anglesey. Manchester Piccadilly station, known locally as just Piccadilly, is the principal railway station of Manchester in England. Ellesmere Port is a large industrial town and cargo port in the district of Ellesmere Port and Neston, Cheshire, England, situated in the south of the Warrington Bank Quay railway station is a mainline Railway station serving the UK town of Warrington.
Monday-Saturday services are every 15 minutes from Liverpool to New Brighton and to West Kirby, and every 30 minutes to Chester and Ellesmere Port (Monday - Sunday). These combine to give a service every five minutes around the Loop.
City Line
This line is not part of the Merseyrail franchise and neither is it operated by the electric stock. The City Line is the name given to local rail routes out of Liverpool Lime Street station, Liverpool, Merseyside. Nevertheless, the lines that form this line are sponsored by Merseytravel and - with the exception of long distance services - are branded as if they were Merseyrail services, despite being operated by Northern Rail. The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive ( MPTE, or Merseytravel, as it is branded is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for the coordination Northern Rail (often referred to simply as Northern) is a Train operating company that has operated local passenger services in the north of England Broadly speaking, it includes the Liverpool to Wigan Line and the two alternative branches making up the Liverpool to Manchester Line. Services Monday-Saturday- Services between Liverpool & Wigan operate every 30mins calling at all stations except Edge Hill There are two Liverpool to Manchester Lines between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in the north-west of England.
City Line services
- Liverpool Lime Street to St Helens Central, Wigan & Blackpool (operated by Northern Rail)
- Liverpool Lime Street to Newton-le-Willows & Manchester Airport (operated by Northern Rail)
- Liverpool Lime Street to Hunts Cross & Manchester Oxford Road via Warrington Central (operated by Northern Rail and also a limited service by East Midlands Trains)
- Liverpool Lime Street to Earlestown & Warrington Bank Quay (operated by Northern Rail)
Other services that run on the City Line
Other trains operated by First Transpennine Express, Virgin Trains and London Midland trains to Crewe, Runcorn and Birmingham also run on the ‘City Line’. St Helens Central railway station is a railway station serving the town of St Helens, Merseyside, England. Wigan is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south of Preston, west-northwest of Manchester Blackpool (/ˈblækˌpul is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. Northern Rail (often referred to simply as Northern) is a Train operating company that has operated local passenger services in the north of England Newton-le-Willows is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. Manchester Airport is a major Airport in the vicinity of Manchester, England, and the largest airport in the United Kingdom outside the Hunts Cross railway station is a Railway station in Hunts Cross, Liverpool, England. Manchester Oxford Road Station is a railway station in the city of Manchester, England. Warrington Central railway station is one of two main Railway stations serving the town of Warrington in the north-west of England. East Midlands Trains ( EMT) is a train operating company operating in the United Kingdom. Earlestown forms the western part of the former urban district of Newton-le-Willows, but is now in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside, Warrington Bank Quay railway station is a mainline Railway station serving the UK town of Warrington. First TransPennine Express is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Virgin Trains is a Train operating company in the United Kingdom, which currently provides services from London Euston to the North West London Midland is a Train operating company in the United Kingdom. However, these are not referred to as ‘City Line’ services as they are long distance services and only serve two or three stations in Merseyside, such as Liverpool Lime Street, South Parkway, Hunts Cross or Newton-le-Willows. First Transpennine will begin calling at Liverpool South Parkway by the next timetable change. Liverpool South Parkway station is a railway station and bus interchange in Garston, Liverpool, England.
Feet on seats
Merseyrail employs a team of officers who enforce railway by-laws relating to placing feet on seats, traveling without tickets, and other aspects of anti-social behaviour. Merseyrail is the only UK train operator to take such a vigorous approach, a stand which has proved popular with commuters. Anti-social behaviour is now rare on the system. [2]
The Franchise
Following the privatisation of the UK rail network, the Merseyrail service was run first by MTL under the name Merseyrail Electrics, then Arriva Trains Merseyside, before its award to a consortium of Serco and NedRailways (a division of Nederlandse Spoorwegen) in 2003. Serco-NedRailways is a trading name for the organization that controls Merseyrail and Northern Rail, two of Great Britain 's franchised passenger train The current franchise is contracted to the consortium for an initial 25-year period. The Merseyrail franchise, referred to officially as a "contract", is awarded by the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive rather than the Department for Transport which issues all other franchises. The only other exception is the franchise for the London Overground network, awarded by Transport for London in 2007. Merseyrail is given such exception because the franchise is self-contained and separate from the rest of the British railway network - no other services normally run over the third-rail network. As a result of this isolation, the franchise-holder is keen to adopt vertical integration - taking responsibility for maintenance of the track from Network Rail. The current Franchise Manager is Dave Davenport.
Performance
Operating as a self-contained network there are relatively few problems because of less conflict with other TOCs. Merseyrail has publicly committed to aiming to be the best train operating company in the UK [3]. [4]. Merseyrail staff are generally local, helpful and highly motivated, which undoubtedly contributes to performance success. The latest figures released by the Office of Rail Regulation report that Merseyrail's PPM is 93. 8% and the MAA is 94. 3%. [5] This makes Merseyrail the third best performing operator for the third quarter of the financial year 2007/8.
Fleet
| Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Unit numbers | Routes operated | Built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | |||||||
| Class 507 |  |
electric multiple unit | 75 | 120 | 32 | 507001-021, 023-033 | Northern Line Wirral Line |
1978 - 1979 |
| Class 508/1 |  |
electric multiple unit | 75 | 120 | 27 | 508103, 104, 108, 110-112, 114, 115, 117, 120, 122-128, 130, 131, 134, 136-141, 143 | Northern Line Wirral Line |
1979 - 1980 |
Services on the Merseyrail network are operated by the 1978-built Class 507 and 1979-built Class 508 EMUs. British Rail Class 507 Electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works from 1978 to 1979 An electric multiple unit or EMU is a Multiple unit train consisting of many carriages using Electricity as the motive power The Northern Line is one of the two lines owned and operated by Merseyrail on Merseyside, England, the other being the Wirral Line (Merseyrail's 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 The British Rail Class 508 Electric multiple units ("EMUs" were built by BREL at York works in 1979-80 An electric multiple unit or EMU is a Multiple unit train consisting of many carriages using Electricity as the motive power The Northern Line is one of the two lines owned and operated by Merseyrail on Merseyside, England, the other being the Wirral Line (Merseyrail's 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 British Rail Class 507 Electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works from 1978 to 1979 The British Rail Class 508 Electric multiple units ("EMUs" were built by BREL at York works in 1979-80 An electric multiple unit or EMU is a Multiple unit train consisting of many carriages using Electricity as the motive power These replaced pre-war Class 502 (originally constructed by the LMS) and almost identical Class 503 EMUs. The British Rail Class 502 was a type of electric multiple unit originally built by the London Midland and Scottish Railway at their Derby Works. London Midland for the new (2007 railway company The London Midland and Scottish Railway ( LMS) was a British Railway company British Rail Class 503 trains were 70mph (110km/h Electric multiple units They were introduced in two batches — in 1938 by the London Midland and Scottish Railway There are a total of 59 trains in service on the network. Twelve 508s were transferred to Connex South Eastern in 1996, a further three were transferred to Silverlink to supplement their fleet of Class 313 EMUs in North London. Connex South Eastern was a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Silverlink Train Services Ltd was a Train operating company in the United Kingdom. Class 313 Electric multiple units were built by BREL at York Works from 1976 - 77, these being the first second-generation London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. One Unit 507022 was scrapped after a collision with 507004 in 1991 and 508118 has been cut up after having been gutted by an arson attack.
The fleet is maintained and stabled at either Kirkdale TMD or Birkenhead North TMD, the two depots on the network. Kirkdale TMD (code KK) is a Traction Maintenance Depot located beside Kirkdale railway station in north Liverpool, England. Birkenhead North (Formerly a TMD was a Traction maintenance depot located opposite Birkenhead North railway station for servicing Merseyrail Multiple Minor repair works and stock cleaning takes place at Kirkdale, while overhauls are completed at Birkenhead. Other depots at Hall Road and Birkenhead Central have since been closed. Hall Road TMD is a currently disused railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated adjacent to Hall Road railway station. Birkenhead Central MPD is a former Motive power Depot located adjacent to Birkenhead Central railway station, built to replace that at Mollington Street The fleet has recently been internally and externally refurbished, involving units being dragged to and from Eastleigh works behind Class 67 locomotives. Eastleigh is a former Railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough. The Class 67 Locomotives were built from 1999 to 2000 by Alstom in Valencia Spain under sub-contract from General Motors Diesel in Canada An assessment is currently taking place as to whether it would be viable to reopen the Birkenhead Central depot, which would increase the efficiency of Merseyrail services. The Merseyrail fleet is due for renewal in 2013.
To celebrate Liverpool's successful 2008 European Capital of Culture bid, Merseyrail named one of their train sets (508136) 'Capital of Culture'. The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union for a period of one Calendar year during which it is given a chance to showcase its Interestingly, a previous ceremony took place where Cherie Blair, the wife of then-Prime Minister Tony Blair, named 508143 Capital of Culture. Cherie Blair (born 23 September 1954 known professionally as Cherie Booth QC, is an English Barrister. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union for a period of one Calendar year during which it is given a chance to showcase its Currently, 508136 bears simple vinyl stickers.
In February 2008 the first of four sets in a special Capital of Culture advertising livery was released. Set no. 508134 has been emblazoned in a purple livery showcasing the "creative" element of the city. Over the next few weeks three more will enter service in "heritage", "maritime" and "sport" themes. [6]
A number of Northern Rail Class 142 DMUs are in Merseyrail yellow livery, ostensibly for City Line services, but these can and do turn up all over the Northern network - they have often been seen as far away as Carlisle. Northern Rail (often referred to simply as Northern) is a Train operating company that has operated local passenger services in the north of England The British Rail Class 142 is a class of Pacer diesel multiple units used in the United Kingdom. A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a Multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board Diesel Carlisle (pronounced CARLYLE(emphasis on the first syllable is a City in northern England the largest settlement in Cumbria. Several Class 150 sets also wore the Merseytravel yellow livery for several years, but have since been repainted into other liveries. The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" Diesel multiple units (DMUs were built by BREL from 1984 - 87.
Merseyrail formerly had four Class 73 electro-diesel locomotives for shunting, sandite trains, engineering works and other departmental duties; two of these had been repainted in the yellow livery of the previous franchise holder. The British Rail Class 73 Electro-diesel locomotives are very unusual in that they can operate from a 750 V DC third-rail supply but also have a diesel NOTE The Sandites is also the name of the mascot for Charles Page High School in Sand Springs, Oklahoma Sandite These locomotives were sold to a preservation company in 2002.
Future
There have been various suggestions for ways to enlarge the Merseyrail network. Some would extend beyond the current area, whilst others would use former existing lines or track beds. A track bed is the term used to describe the groundwork onto which a Railway track is laid In about 2013 the current Merseyrail fleet will need to be replaced, if trains capable of use beyond the DC network are selected as replacements then various expansions can be achieved without electrification of the entire new route. [7]
Electrification
Third-rail electrification has been suggested for many lines, of which the Borderlands Line from Bidston to Wrexham, adding another branch to the Wirral Line, is perhaps the most likely. Bidston railway station is a Railway station near the village of Bidston, Wirral, England. Wrexham (Wrecsam is a town and principal area in Wales. It is the largest town in North Wales and lies to the east of the region Another option is to electrify between Ellesmere Port and Helsby, extending the Wirral Line. Ellesmere Port railway station is located in the town of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England. Helsby railway station serves the village of Helsby in Cheshire.
Electrification from Ormskirk to Preston would re-establish the most direct Liverpool-Preston route. Ormskirk is a Market town in West Lancashire, England. It is situated north of Liverpool, and southwest Preston ( ˈprɛstən is a city and local government district in Lancashire, England, located on the River Ribble. This, coupled with the reinstatement of the Burscough curves[8] and possibly Midge Hall station, would allow direct Preston-Southport and Ormskirk-Southport services and provide an alternative Liverpool-Southport route. Burscough Junction pronounced (Burs/co Junction is one of two railway stations serving the small West Lancashire town of Burscough in the north-west of England Midge Hall is a small village on the outskirts of Leyland in the borough of South Ribble, Lancashire, England. Southport is a seaside town on the Irish Sea coast situated within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in England, UK. Southport is a seaside town on the Irish Sea coast situated within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in England, UK. Another possible extension of Northern Line services, filling in a gap in the electrified network, would be from Kirkby to Wigan Wallgate. Kirkby ( IPA /ˈkɝbiː/ — the second "k" is silent is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley on Merseyside in England Wigan Wallgate railway station is one of two main Railway stations serving the town of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. This was originally planned to take place during the construction of the Loop and Link tunnels, but financial constraints at the time meant that only electrification to Kirkby was possible, in 2007 funding is in place to extend electrification to a new station beyond Kirkby at Headbolt Lane. Headbolt Lane is a proposed new railway station in the Northwood area of Kirkby, Merseyside, England.
The re-opening of part of the North Mersey Branch line between Aintree and Bootle New Strand stations to passenger services is included in Sefton's transport plan. The North Mersey Branch (NMB is a railway line that connected the Liverpool and Bury Railway at Fazakerley Junction with the Gladstone Dock. Aintree railway station is a Railway station in Aintree, Merseyside, England. Bootle New Strand railway station is a railway station in the centre of Bootle, England. This would involve using Sefton Junction and would enable the reopening of Ford [9] and Linacre Road[10] stations, along with the possibility of a further two stations also on this stretch of line. Ford railway station was a station located on the North Mersey Branch at East of Netherton Way A5038, north Liverpool, Merseyside, Linacre Road railway station was a station located on the North Mersey Branch It opened on 1 June 1906.
Reopening
The Canada Dock Branch [11] (currently a busy freight-only line) could be reopened to passengers, allowing the reopening of Spellow, Walton & Anfield, Breck Road, Tue Brook, Stanley and Edge Lane stations. The Canada Dock Branch is a 4 Mile 59 chain (762 kilometre long Railway Spellow railway station was a station located in Liverpool, England. Walton & Anfield railway station was a station located on the Canada Dock Branch to east side of Walton Lane in Walton, Liverpool, England Breck Road railway station was a station located on the Canada Dock Branch to the north of Townsend Lane between Anfield and Clubmoor, Liverpool Tue Brook railway station was a station located on the north side of West Derby Road, Tuebrook, Liverpool, England, opposite Newsham Park Stanley railway station was a station in Newsham Park to the north of Prescot Road on the Canada Dock Branch, Fairfield Liverpool Edge Lane railway station was a station located on the Canada Dock Branch, Liverpool, England, it opened in September 1870 and closed on 31 May This would provide a connection from the Northern Line (south of Bootle) to Liverpool Lime Street and the City Line. In July 2007 it was suggested that Liverpool FC could fund the reopening of this line to provide a direct rail link to their new stadium. Liverpool Football Club are an English professional Association football club based in Liverpool England. [12] If trains capable of use beyond the DC network are selected as replacements, "then the case for bringing the Bootle Branch into passenger service operation will be examined". The Canada Dock Branch is a 4 Mile 59 chain (762 kilometre long Railway [13]
The original 1975 plan for Merseyrail included the use of the southern section of the North Liverpool Extension Line at least as far as Gateacre. The North Liverpool Extension Line is a now-disused Railway line in Liverpool, England. Gateacre railway station was a station located on the North Liverpool Extension Line on the north side of Belle Vale Road Gateacre, Liverpool. The reconnection of Skelmersdale has also been proposed "requiring two mile rail restoration to re-establish link to town of 35,000"[14]. Skelmersdale is a town in West Lancashire, England. It lies on high-ground on the River Tawd, to the northeast of Liverpool, south-southwest This is presumably the Skelmersdale Branch line to Rainford Junction on the Kirkby to Wigan Wallgate line. The Skelmersdale Branch (SKE connected the Liverpool Ormskirk and Preston Railway at Ormskirk with Skelmersdale, Rainford Junction with the Rainford is a village in North West England, five miles north of the town of St Helens in Merseyside. The opening of the Halton Curve to passenger traffic to provide a Liverpool-Runcorn-Crewe connection is under consideration, with an additional station on the curve. Future In 2004 the Strategic Rail Authority announced that it intended to close the line [15]
New Works
During the construction of the Link line in the 1970s, provision was made for an underground junction south of Liverpool Central station. This was to access a new tunnel, via a new underground station at the University of Liverpool on Bedford Street South; a small road to the south of Abercromby Square. The University of Liverpool is a University in the city of Liverpool, England. Abercromby Square is a square at the heart of the University of Liverpool. From University station, it would then join the Victoria Tunnel and Waterloo Tunnel to provide a connection to Edge Hill, the use of Wapping Tunnel had also been considered. The Victoria Tunnel in Liverpool, England is a 2475 Metre long rail tunnel The Waterloo Tunnel in Liverpool, England is a former railway tunnel 862 Metres long which opened in 1849. Edge Hill Railway station serves the district of Edge Hill in Liverpool, England. Wapping or Edge Hill Tunnel in Liverpool, England, was constructed to enable goods services to operate between Liverpool docks and Manchester Further electrification works would then have meant some City Line services (e. g. from St Helens Central) could have been connected to the Merseyrail network. St Helens Central railway station is a railway station serving the town of St Helens, Merseyside, England.
In 1975 An Act of Parliament was passed to allow the construction of this scheme, but it was never built. An Act of Parliament is a Law enacted as Primary legislation by a national or sub-national Parliament. Restarting it would very likely be prohibitively expensive. However following the collapse of the Merseytram scheme in 2006 proposals are being considered to reuse both tunnels. Merseytram was a proposed Tramway for Liverpool and surrounding districts of Merseyside, England.
Stations
Merseyrail/Merseytravel is undertaking a programme to refurbish stations and build some new ones. Liverpool South Parkway is a new interchange station that links the Northern Line, City Line, long distance services, buses and the airport, and opened in 2006. Liverpool South Parkway station is a railway station and bus interchange in Garston, Liverpool, England. Bootle Oriel Road is nearly complete and trains now stop there. Sandhills station, which is an interchange for the Northern Line branches along with buses to Anfield and Goodison Park, opens later in 2008. James Street underground station in the City Centre has re-opened after being refurbished and is the nearest station to the new Liverpool One complex. Refurbishment of other city centre stations are also planned.
References
- ^ http://www.liverpoolwaters.co.uk/
- ^ http://www.merseyrail.org/news/
- ^ http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2007/12/04/we-have-taken-the-misery-out-of-merseyrail-100252-20199088/
- ^ http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2007/12/14/merseyrail-trains-in-first-place-100252-20249726/
- ^ Office of Rail Regulation
- ^ Article | Merseytravel | Keeping Merseyside on the Move
- ^ Network Rail Strategic Development Plan for Merseyrail 2009-2014
- ^ Networkrail Network Rail Strategic Development Plan for North West Rural 2009-2014
- ^ Ford on Disused Stations
- ^ Linacre Road on Disused Stations
- ^ Canada Dock station on Disused Stations
- ^ Liverpool Daily Post
- ^ Network Rail Strategic Development Plan for Merseyrail 2009-2014
- ^ Potential Rail Improvements in North Western England - Evidence presented to the Transport Select Committee, 2002-03
- ^ Network Rail Strategic Development Plan for Merseyrail 2009-2014
External links
- Merseyrail.org - Official site
- Merseyside Local Transport Plan
- Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs: Memorandum by Merseytravel
- REVIEW OF THE 2000 NETWORK MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
- Revival of curves link is back on the table - Report on the proposed reopening of the Burscough curves
- Leader on right tracks - Another report on the Burscough curves
- The Wrexham to Bidston railway, The Borderlands line
- Network Rail Strategic Development Plan for Merseyrail 2009-20014
| Preceded by Arriva Trains Merseyside |
Operator of Merseyrail franchise 2003 - present |
Incumbent |
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic