Liverpool James Street railway station

Underground railway station in Liverpool, UK

For the former Liverpool Overhead Railway station, see James Street railway station (Liverpool Overhead Railway).

Not to be confused with Liverpool St James railway station.

Liverpool James Street

James Street station entrance

General information
Location| Liverpool, Liverpool
England
Coordinates| 53°24′17″N 2°59′31″W﻿ / ﻿53.4048°N 2.9919°W﻿ / 53.4048; -2.9919
Grid reference| SJ341902
Managed by| Merseyrail
Transit authority| Merseytravel
Platforms| 3 (Only 2 platforms see regular use)
Other information
Station code| LVJ
Fare zone| C1
Classification| DfT category E
History
Original company| Mersey Railway
Pre-grouping| Mersey Railway
Post-grouping| Mersey Railway
London Midland Region of British Railways
Key dates
1 February 1886| Opened
Passengers
2019/20|  3.464 million
2020/21|  0.759 million
2021/22|  2.263 million
2022/23|  2.400 million
2023/24|  2.655 million

Notes

Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Liverpool James Street (or simply James Street[1]) is a railway station located in the centre of Liverpool, England; it is situated on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network. James Street is an underground station, with access to the platforms via lifts from the booking hall. At certain times, the platforms are accessed via a pedestrian tunnel from the India Buildings on Water Street. As of 2013/14, James Street was the fifth-busiest station on the Merseyrail network.

## History

[edit]

Water Street entrance sign for James Street station from just after electrification of the Mersey Railway. Platform and tunnel layout in and around James Street station, including the original tunnel to Central station, which still exists

The station opened as the original Liverpool terminus of the Mersey Railway Tunnel in 1886. It is accessed by lifts, and these were initially hydraulically operated. There were originally two platforms, either side of a twin-track tunnel.

The Mersey railway tunnel was extended under dry land to Liverpool Central station in 1892, changing James Street's status to a through station. By this time, there were trains from Liverpool branching from Hamilton Square station terminating at Birkenhead Park and Rock Ferry stations in Birkenhead. The line was electrified in 1903.[2] Through trains to West Kirby and New Brighton commenced in 1938, when the former Wirral Railway routes were electrified.

In 1941, during the Liverpool Blitz, the Luftwaffe bombed the surface building of the station, damaging the then famous James Street hydraulic accumulator tower so badly it required demolition.[3] A new surface building was built in the 1960s.

The station was rebuilt in the 1970s, opening in 1977, as a creation of the Merseyrail network. A new single-track tunnel known as the Loop was constructed being a part of the Wirral Line under Liverpool's city centre. The Loop ran west from the Mersey Railway tunnel via a newly constructed third platform at James Street, then onto Moorfields, Liverpool Lime Street and Liverpool Central, and back to James Street rejoining the Mersey railway tunnel just to the east of the station.

The eastern section of the original tunnel between Liverpool Central and James Street is used by the Northern Line. The remaining western section of the tunnel, which is not used by either the Wirral Line or Northern Line, was retained to provide a connection between the two for moving empty electric trains between depots at Birkenhead North and Kirkdale. Of the original two platforms at James Street, only the westbound remains in regular use. Platform 2, the original eastbound platform, is kept in near-original condition, being used only when trains are prevented from using the loop itself.[4]

The station and surrounding area were subject to a £2million package of improvements during 2007–8.[5] Further refurbishment of platforms, concourses and the booking hall were undertaken in 2012–13, as part of a £40 million investment from Network Rail which saw all Merseyrail underground stations (excluding Conway Park) refurbished.[6][7] Work to improve the little-used Platform 2 and the Water Street entrance were completed during 2015.[8][9]

A 16-year-old girl died in an incident at the station in 2011 when a train guard signalled for a train to depart while the girl was leaning against the train. She died after the movement caused her to fall between the platform edge and the moving train. The following year, the guard was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence and sentenced to five years' imprisonment.[10] A subsequent appeal of the sentence was rejected by the Court of Appeal.[11]

## Station layout

[edit]

The frieze at the rarely used Platform 2 of James Street station, before refurbishment. Platform 1 at James Street station, after refurbishment

James Street station has three platforms, although only two see regular use. Platforms 2 and 3 are situated on either side of the original Mersey Railway tunnel, and platform 1 in the newer tunnel on the loop line. Only platforms 1 and 3 are in regular use for the loop line, Platform 3 by trains westbound to the Wirral and Platform 1 by trains eastbound towards Liverpool. Platform 2, which is situated on the empty stock line opposite platform 3, has not normally been used by passenger services since the opening of the loop line. This platform has a frieze artwork, on the wall.

The junction at the western end of the station (where the loop leaves the original line in order to pass through platform 1) is known as Mann Island Junction.[12]

Occasionally, the loop line may close to allow for maintenance to occur.[13][14][15] On these occasions, platform 2 is brought back into use to allow trains arriving from the Wirral to terminate and reverse there back onto the westbound line (either directly or via platform 3).

There are two entrances to the station. The main entrance on James Street itself has four lifts to reach the platforms from street level. It also has a small newsagents inside. The Water Street entrance uses a combination of staircases and a ramp over 150 yards long which goes from ground level to just above the platforms. The Water Street entrance is only in use during certain times of the day and is closed at weekends. It is open between 7am and 7pm.[16]

## Facilities

[edit]

The station is staffed, during all opening hours, and has platform CCTV.[1] There are toilets, a payphone, an ATM, booking office and live departure and arrival screens, for passenger information. The station does not have a car park, though there is a cycle rack for eight bicycles. Step-free access to the platforms, for wheelchairs and prams, is possible, via the lifts.[17]

## Services

[edit]

Trains operate every five minutes (Monday-Saturday daytime) around the Liverpool city centre loop to Moorfields, Liverpool Lime Street and Liverpool Central. In the other direction, trains operate every five minutes to Birkenhead Hamilton Square, from where they continue every 15 minutes to each of New Brighton and West Kirby with six trains an hour to Hooton. From Hooton, trains continue every 15 minutes to Chester and every 30 minutes to Ellesmere Port. At other times, trains operate every 30 minutes to each of the four destinations, giving a service every 5–10 minutes to Birkenhead Hamilton Square.[18] These services are provided by Merseyrail's fleet of Class 507 and Class 777 EMUs.

## See also

[edit]

* List of underground stations of the Merseyrail network

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Station Facilities for Liverpool James Street". National Rail. Retrieved 23 March 2009.
2. ^ Gahan 1983, p. 32
3. ^ Gahan 1983, p. 56
4. ^ Maund 2001, pp. 10, 43, 44
5. ^ "James Street improvements". Merseytravel website. Merseytravel. 21 May 2008. Archived from the original on 26 December 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
6. ^ "James Street Refurbishment". Merseyrail website. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013.
7. ^ James Street Refurbishment
8. ^ Water Street Entrance Closure Archived 8 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine
9. ^ James Street Platform 2 Refurbishment Complete
10. ^ "Train guard jailed over death of teenager Georgia Varley". The Guardian. 15 November 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
11. ^ "Georgia Varley train death: Train guard loses appeal". BBC News. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
12. ^ 4 Midlands & North West (Map) (2nd ed.). Railway Track Diagrams. Cartography by John Yonge. Trackmaps. March 2005. p. 40 Hunts Cross - Moorfields. ISBN 0-9549866-0-1.
13. ^ "Liverpool Loop Closure" (PDF). Merseyrail travel information booklet. Merseyrail. April 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 2 March 2009.
14. ^ "Liverpool Loop Closure" (PDF). Merseytravel website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 April 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
15. ^ Manning, Craig (11 July 2013). "Wirral rail users face months of disruption as Liverpool Loop work begins". Wirral Globe. Newsquest (North West) Ltd. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
16. ^ Water Street Entrance Opening Times
17. ^ "Liverpool James Street Station Plan". National Rail. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
18. ^ "Wirral Line Train Times - 8 December 2013 to 17 May 2014" (PDF). Merseyrail. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.

### Sources

[edit]

* Gahan, John W. (1983). The Line Beneath The Liners. Birkenhead: Countryvise. ISBN 978-0-907-76840-1.
* Maund, T.B. (2001). Merseyrail Electrics: The Inside Story. Sheffield: NBC Books. OCLC 655126526.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Liverpool James Street railway station.

* Train times and station information for Liverpool James Street railway station from National Rail
* Station information for Liverpool James Street railway station from Merseyrail

Preceding station  |  National Rail | Following station

|
|

Hamilton Square
towards New Brighton, West Kirby,
Chester or Ellesmere Port |  | Merseyrail
Wirral Line |  | Moorfields
towards Liverpool Central
|  | Liverpool Central
(one-way operation)
|  Ferry services  |
Terminus |  | Mersey Ferries
Commuter ferry |  | Seacombe
Terminus |  | Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
High Speed Catamaran |  | Isle Of Man

* v
* t
* e

Merseyrail Wirral Line stations

New Brighton Branch|

* New Brighton
* Wallasey Grove Road
* Wallasey Village

West Kirby Branch|

* West Kirby
* Hoylake
* Manor Road
* Meols
* Moreton
* Leasowe
* Bidston

Northern Branch|

* Birkenhead North
* Birkenhead Park
* Conway Park

Liverpool Loop|

* Hamilton Square
* James Street
* Moorfields
* Liverpool Lime Street
* Liverpool Central

Southern Branch|

* Birkenhead Central
* Green Lane
* Rock Ferry
* Bebington
* Port Sunlight
* Spital
* Bromborough Rake
* Bromborough
* Eastham Rake
* Hooton

Chester Branch|

* Capenhurst
* Bache
* Chester

Ellesmere Port Branch|

* Little Sutton
* Overpool
* Ellesmere Port

* v
* t
* e

Railway stations in Merseyside

Knowsley|

* Halewood
* Headbolt Lane
* Huyton
* Kirkby
* Prescot
* Roby
* Whiston

Liverpool
(city centre stations in italics)|

* Aigburth
* Bank Hall
* Broad Green
* Brunswick
* Cressington
* Edge Hill
* Fazakerley
* Hunts Cross
* James Street
* Kirkdale
* Liverpool Central
* Liverpool Lime Street
* Liverpool South Parkway
* Liverpool Baltic (proposed)
* Moorfields
* Mossley Hill
* Orrell Park
* Rice Lane
* St Michaels
* Sandhills
* Walton
* Wavertree Technology Park
* West Allerton

Sefton|

* Ainsdale
* Aintree
* Birkdale
* Blundellsands & Crosby
* Bootle New Strand
* Bootle Oriel Road
* Formby
* Freshfield
* Hall Road
* Hightown
* Hillside
* Maghull
* Maghull North
* Meols Cop
* Old Roan
* Seaforth & Litherland
* Southport
* Waterloo

St Helens|

* Earlestown
* Eccleston Park
* Garswood
* Lea Green
* Newton-le-Willows
* Rainford
* Rainhill
* St Helens Central
* St Helens Junction
* Thatto Heath

Wirral|

* Bebington
* Beechwood (proposed)
* Bidston
* Birkenhead Central
* Birkenhead North
* Birkenhead Park
* Bromborough
* Bromborough Rake
* Conway Park
* Eastham Rake
* Green Lane
* Hamilton Square
* Heswall
* Hoylake
* Leasowe
* Manor Road
* Meols
* Moreton
* New Brighton
* Port Sunlight
* Rock Ferry
* Spital
* Town Meadow (proposed)
* Upton
* Wallasey Grove Road
* Wallasey Village
* West Kirby
* Woodchurch (proposed)

Outside Merseyside, but
within the Merseytravel area|

* Hooton
* Hough Green
* Town Green
* Aughton Park
* Ormskirk

* Transport in Merseyside
* Merseytravel
* Merseyrail

* v
* t
* e

Buildings and structures in Liverpool, England

Skyscrapers
and highrises|

* 1 Princes Dock
* Alexandra Tower
* Beetham Tower
* The Lexington
* Municipal Buildings
* New Hall Place
* The Plaza
* Port of Liverpool Building
* Post & Echo Building
* Radio City Tower
* Royal Liver Building
* Unity Commercial
* Unity Residential
* West Tower

Notable lowrises|

* Albert Dock
* Traffic Office
* Alder Hey Children's Hospital
* Atlantic Tower
* Bank of England
* Bluecoat Chambers
* Britannia Adelphi Hotel
* Calderstones House
* Chinese Arch
* County Sessions House
* Crowne Plaza LJLA
* Cunard Building
* Empire Theatre
* Everton Water Tower
* Everyman Theatre, Liverpool
* Grand Central Hall
* Great North Western Hotel
* Hargreaves Building
* Homeopathic Hospital
* India Buildings
* International Slavery Museum
* James Parsons Building
* Liverpool Central Library
* Liverpool Cotton Exchange Building
* Liverpool Magistrates' Court
* Liverpool Playhouse
* Liverpool Town Hall
* Liverpool Women's Hospital
* The Lyceum
* Malmaison
* Mann Island Buildings
* Merseyside Maritime Museum
* Museum of Liverpool
* National Conservation Centre
* One Park West
* Oratory
* Oriel Chambers
* Philharmonic Dining Rooms
* Philharmonic Hall
* Prudential Assurance Building
* Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts
* Royal Court Theatre
* Royal Insurance Building
* Royal Liverpool University Hospital
* Speke Hall
* Stanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse
* St George's Hall
* Tate Liverpool
* Tower Buildings
* Victoria Building
* Walker Art Gallery
* Wheel of Liverpool
* White Star Building
* Woolton Hall
* World Museum Liverpool

Places of worship|

* All Saints' Church
* Al-Rahma Mosque
* Church of All Hallows
* Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas
* Church of St Agnes and St Pancras
* Church of St Clare
* German Church
* Greek Orthodox Church of St Nicholas
* Gustav Adolf Church
* Liverpool Cathedral
* Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
* Norwegian Fishermans' Church
* Old Christ Church
* The Oratory
* Princes Road Synagogue
* St George's Church
* Saint John the Baptist's Church
* St Luke's Church
* St Luke's Church, Walton
* St Michael's Church
* St Peter's Church
* Toxteth Unitarian Chapel
* Ullet Road Unitarian Church
* Welsh Presbyterian Church

Transportation|

* James Street station
* Kingsway Tunnel
* Liverpool Central station
* Liverpool Coach Station
* Liverpool John Lennon Airport
* Liverpool Lime Street station
* Liverpool One bus station
* Liverpool South Parkway station
* Mersey Railway Tunnel
* Moorfields station
* Queensway Tunnel

Shopping complexes|

* Clayton Square Shopping Centre
* Lewis's Building
* Liverpool ONE
* Liverpool Shopping Park
* Metquarter
* New Mersey Shopping Park
* St Johns Shopping Centre

Sports venues
and arenas|

* Aigburth Cricket Ground
* Anfield
* Goodison Park
* Liverpool Arena
* O2 Academy Liverpool
* Walton Hall Park
* Wavertree Athletics Centre

Sculptures
and monuments|

* Liverpool Cenotaph
* Nelson Monument
* Steble Fountain
* Superlambanana
* Titanic Memorial
* Victoria Monument
* Wellington's Column
* Yellow Submarine

Notable demolished|

* Childwall Hall
* Concourse House
* Custom House
* The Futurist Cinema
* Liverpool Castle
* Liverpool Central High Level railway station
* Liverpool Sailors' Home
* Liverpool Overhead Railway
* Octagon Chapel
* St Peter's Church
* St John's Market
* Walton Hall

Lists|

* List of public art in Liverpool
* List of tallest buildings and structures in Liverpool
* Listed buildings in Liverpool

* Category
* Commons

* v
* t
* e

Railway stations served by Merseyrail

Northern Line|

* Aigburth
* Ainsdale
* Aintree
* Aughton Park
* Bank Hall
* Birkdale
* Blundellsands & Crosby
* Bootle New Strand
* Bootle Oriel Road
* Brunswick
* Cressington
* Fazakerley
* Formby
* Freshfield
* Hall Road
* Headbolt Lane
* Hightown
* Hillside
* Hunts Cross
* Kirkby
* Kirkdale
* Liverpool Central
* Liverpool South Parkway
* Maghull
* Maghull North
* Moorfields
* Old Roan
* Ormskirk
* Orrell Park
* Rice Lane
* St Michaels
* Sandhills
* Seaforth & Litherland
* Southport
* Town Green
* Walton
* Waterloo

Wirral Line|

* Bache
* Bebington
* Bidston
* Birkenhead Central
* Birkenhead Hamilton Square
* Birkenhead North
* Birkenhead Park
* Bromborough
* Bromborough Rake
* Capenhurst
* Chester
* Conway Park
* Eastham Rake
* Ellesmere Port
* Green Lane
* Hooton
* Hoylake
* Leasowe
* Little Sutton
* Liverpool Central
* Liverpool James Street
* Liverpool Lime Street
* Manor Road
* Meols
* Moorfields
* Moreton
* New Brighton
* Overpool
* Port Sunlight
* Rock Ferry
* Spital
* Wallasey Grove Road
* Wallasey Village
* West Kirby

Rail transport in the United Kingdom
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