2.5.1977 (Northern Line platforms)
9.5.1977 (Wirral Line platform)

Notes: Liverpool Central Merseyrail station is at the heart of the city’s underground railway network, on the loop line used by trains from the Wirral, and by a link line connecting the former CLC (Cheshire Lines Committee) line to Hunts Cross with the former L&YR lines to Southport, Ormskirk and Kirkby. The station occupies land that once formed part of the former CLC Liverpool Central Station and the former Mersey Railway Liverpool Central Low Level.

The idea for creating underground linking lines through the city can be traced back to the early 20th Century, but the genesis of the loop and link lines in the form that they eventually took was in studies carried out in the 1960s, principally the MALTS (Merseyside Area Land Use Transportation Study) of 1966. Further momentum was gained in 1969 when the MPTE

Three distinct groups of lines were created:

• Northern Line - the former L&YR electric routes from Liverpool Exchange;
• Wirral Line - the former Mersey Railway under-river line and the network of electrified lines on the Wirral;
• City Line - the largely diesel-operated routes from the main line station at Liverpool Lime Street.

The electric trains of the Wirral and Northern lines had Merseyrail branding applied along with the MPTE logo.

Work began on the demolition of the former CLC  Liverpool Central Station in 1971, and it officially closed on 17 April 1972. An access shaft was sunk at the Liverpool Central site in March 1972, Work began on the loop and link lines on 28 July 1975, and all trains on the Wirral Line terminated at James Street. A Rail-link bus service was introduced between

After closure the tunnel was opened out, the station’s platform seeing daylight for perhaps the first time ever. The tunnel south of Low Level was extended to come out into the former approach tunnels of the CLC line. A section of the original Mersey Railway tunnel between Central and James Street was used in the link line. Under Paradise Street a junction was created with two single-bore tunnels to carry the link through to the former L&YR lines.

At Liverpool Central a new station was created. A booking hall, set back from the road, was built, with ticket offices at its centre and a newsagent’s stall on its east side. Escalators led from the booking hall on the east side to the Wirral Line platform and on the west side to the Northern Line platforms, which used the site

The new Central station opened to passengers on 2 May 1977. The first trains were Northern Line services that terminated at the station which operated to Southport, Ormskirk and to Kirkby. A week later, on 9 May, Wirral line trains began, serving New Brighton, Rock Ferry and West Kirby. The station was an immediate success: the loop and link lines created a surge in passenger numbers. On 3 January 1978 part of the CLC route out as far as Garston reopened as an electrified line. It became part of the Northern Line, despite being in the south of the city. Kirkby services were extended to terminate at Garston. (Southport and Ormskirk trains continued to terminate at Central.) On 25 October 1978 H M Queen Elizabeth II visited Liverpool Central. She formally opened the first phase of the Merseyrail development and rode out to Kirkby

During the 1980s and 1990s further journey opportunities opened up for passengers from Liverpool Central with the extensions to the electrified network. From 16 May 1983 trains ran beyond Garston to Hunts Cross. The service pattern was altered in 1984 with Southport – Hunts Cross trains passing through Central running to and from Hunts Cross, whilst

In 1986 central government policy changed the role of the MPTE which became more a strategic body rather than a direct operator. From this date the organisation branded itself Merseytravel, however the rail services at Liverpool Central continued to be branded Merseyrail.

In 1995 British Rail was privatised. Liverpool Central passed to Railtrack and within a few years to Network Rail. Train services passed to MTL Holdings as the Merseyrail Electrics franchise on 19 January 1997 and subsequently to Arriva in 2000, and Serco-Ned Railways in 2002. In 2003 the responsibility for rail franchises on the Merseyrail network was transferred from central government to Merseytravel (through its

Tickets from Michael Stewart. Click here for more tickets from Liverpool Central Low Level Click here for a selection of Northern Line timetables.

Sources:

• Merseyrail Electrics – The Inside Story – T B Maund – NBC Books 2001
• Merseyside Electrics – Jonathan Cadwallader & Martin Jenkins – Ian Allan 2010
• Medrseyrail web site
• Merseytravel web site

See Also
Liverpool Central High Level & Liverpool Central Low Level