Liverpool’s Forgotten Station
Edge Hill station is Liverpool’s forgotten station.
For instance, it could be the only train station in the UK, with a better than two trains per hour (tph) service in both directions, that doesn’t have any displays telling passengers, when the next train is arriving.
These pictures show the station.
Note.
- The station is Grade II* Listed.
- It does have a good clock.
- There are four platforms on two islands.
- The only way to get to Platforms 3 and 4, is by one of the worst subways, I’ve seen in many years.
If ever a station needed a good makeover, it is Edge Hill.
This Google Map shows the station.
Note.
- The Northern island platform is 1 & 2. All trains using these platforms seem to use platforms 1 to 5 at Liverpool Lime Street station.
- The Southern island platform is 3 & 4. All trains using these platforms seem to use platforms 6 to 10 at Liverpool Lime Street station.
- The deep four-track cutting, that leads to Lime Street station can be clearly seen to the West of the station.
- The lines to the South of the station, that run to the West, lead to the disused Wapping Tunnel. Surprisingly, the tracks still seem to be in place.
- The lines to the North of the station, that run to the West, lead to the disused Victoria Tunnel, that used to take freight to and from Liverpool Docks.
There is certainly a lot of space around the station to put in extra platforms and a flyover or two.
Connecting The Wapping Tunnel To The Lines Going To The East
In Liverpool’s Forgotten Tunnel, I talked about a resurrected plan to use the Wapping Tunnel for passenger trains.
This was my opening sentences of the post.
The Wapping Tunnel in Liverpool was designed by George Stephenson and was the first tunnel in the world to be bored under a city.
It used to take goods trains between Liverpool Docks and the Liverpool and Manchester Line.
During the 1970s preparations were made to connect the Wapping Tunnel to Merseyrail’s Northern Line, so that trains could run between the Northern Line and the City Line, which would have connected the North and East of the City.
But the project was never completed.
I also included this recent map of the scheme.
The proposed line through the Wapping Tunnel, is shown as a dotted blue line.
Components of the scheme include.
- Four to eight tph instead of turning back at Liverpool Central station would use the Wapping Tunnel to access Edge Hill and then continue to Liverpool South Parkway, Manchester Airport, Manchester Oxford Road, St. Helens, Warrington and Wigan.
- A new station will be built at Liverpool University.
- A new station could be built at St. James. at a future date.
It looks to be a sensible scheme, providing the engineering isn’t too difficult.
New Platforms On The Wapping Tunnel Lines
This Google Map shows the lines leading to the Wapping Tunnel.
Note.
- Platform 4 is just off the Northern side of the map.
- There is a double track leading to the Wapping Tunnel.
- It looks like the other tracks are the entry to a marshalling yard, that used to serve the Docks, through the Wapping Tunnel.
I can see two platforms on either side or a single island platform between the two tracks being built, that is connected to the current station using a stylish step-free bridge, as at Leeds or Reading stations.
Connecting To The Liverpool South Parkway Route
This Google Map shows the Wapping Tunnel lines, as they pass to the South of the station.
Note.
- The Eastern ends of the two island platforms are clearly visible.
- Platforms 1 and 2, which connect to Wavertree Technology Park, St. Helens and Wigan are the Northern platform.
- Platforms 3 and 4, which connect to Liverpool South Parkway, Runcorn and London are the Southern platform.
- The lines through the Wapping Tunnel, are the two closest lines to the station.
It does appear that connecting the Wapping Lines to those to Liverpool South Parkway would probably need a series of well-designed crossovers.
In fact they might already be in place and just need refurbishment or replacement.
Connecting To The Wavertree Technology Park Route
Trains needing to go between the Wapping Tunnel lines and the lines towards Wavertree Technology Park, St. Helens and Wigan would need to cross right over the busy lines into Liverpool Lime Street station.
So I suspect for efficient operation, a flyover or dive-under will need to be built.
Conclusion
I don’t think that the engineering to connect the Wapping Tunnel lines to the Eastern routes from Edge Hill station, will be too challenging, as there is certainly plenty of space.
I also feel, that an innovative architect can create an efficient station with character.
Stations Between Mossley Hill And Edge Hill In Liverpool
Greenbank Park and Wavertree have been named as possible station on this route.
I can’t find any reference to a new station at Greenbank Park on the Internet.
This document on the Merseytravel web site is their plan of what they would like to do and it has no mention.
Wavertree station did exist until the 1950s.
At University, I visited the area a lot and even lived in a Hall of Residence by Greenbank Park. I also proposed to C, close to the Park.
This Google Map shows the area.
Note the four-track railway passing to the East of the area, which is actually crossed by the iconic Penny Lane.
- Two fast lines take expresses to and from Liverpool Lime Street.
- Two slow lines handle the slower trains.
- Trains generally stop on the fast lines at Mossley Hill and West Allerton stations.
- There are no stations between Mossley Hill and Edge Hill.
It looks to me, that it is not an efficient way to run a railway and Merseyrail’s preferred four trains an hour (tph) frequency would be impossible.
This diagram from Wikipedia, shows the lines in the area.
Note how between Mossley Hill and Edge Hill stations, there used to be Sefton Park and Wavertree stations.
- As Greenbank Park and Wavertree stations have been named as possible stations, it would only be recreating the same philosophy as when the line was built.
- I suspect that no station would be created at Penny Lane, as it would attract too many tourists. But Greenmbank Park would be a short walk.
- Surely, the local trains would run on the slow lines, to avoid delaying the expresses.
- Services on the fast lines would only stop at Edge Hill and Liverpool South Parkway.
- Four tph would certainly be possible with Merseyrail’s new trains between Lime Street and Liverpool South Parkway.
- Services might even be able to access Liverpool Airport running as trams, as I believe they can.
Edge Hill station has never been fully developed for passenger services.
- There are tunnels from the station to stations at Liverpool Riverside and Crown Street.
- Crown Street station might be reopened to serve the flagship development at Paddington Village.
- Proposals exist for a station at Kings Dock linked to Edge Hill via the Wapping Tunnel.
- Trains can access the Canada Dock Branch from the station.
- The station has connections to Manchester, Preston, Warrington and Wigan.
Could Edge Hill be developed as a satellite station for Lime Street, just as Stratford is for Liverpool Street in London?
The Anonymous Widower 