Liverpool Central High Level railway station
Encyclopedia
Liverpool Central High Level opened on 1 March 1874, at the end of the Cheshire Lines Committee
(CLC) line to Manchester Central
. It replaced Brunswick
as the CLC's Liverpool passenger terminus, becoming the headquarters of the committee.
The 3 story building fronted Ranelagh Street in Liverpool
city centre, with a 65 feet (19.8 m) high, arched shed behind. There were 6 platforms within the station, offering journeys to Manchester Central (in 45 mins; making the route the quickest and most direct than those of the competing Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway & London & North Western Railway), London St. Pancras, Hull, Harwich
, Stockport Tiviot Dale
, Southport Lord Street
and an alternative route to that of the Midland Railway
terminating at London Marylebone.
On 11 January 1892 Liverpool Central Low Level underground station
opened, at the end of the Mersey Railway
's route, via the Mersey Railway Tunnel from Birkenhead
. The tunnel was extended from James Street to Central. The Mersey Railway platforms were underground, accessed from stairs within the station (these stairs were situated in roughly the same position as the escalators accessing the Merseyrail Northern Line today.
The station was always busy, up until nationalisation. Route closures that were part of the Beeching Axe in the 1960s affected terminal stations, Liverpool Central high-level in Liverpool, and Woodside Station
in Birkenhead were closed.
New tunnels under Liverpool's city centre were scheduled to connect all the separate rail lines to create Merseyrail.
In 1966, most services on the CLC route were diverted to Liverpool Lime Street via the Hunts Cross chord, leaving only a dozen urban commuter trains per day to and from the terminus at Gateacre
. These final services were withdrawn on 17 April 1972 with the High Level part of station closed that day; it was later demolished, after having served briefly as a car park. However, the Low Level underground station remained open.
The station's demolition was unfortunate, as the large trainshed could have possibly have been developed into something of similar use, to that of Manchester Central in Manchester
, which had been the Cheshire Lines Committee's Manchester Central
up until 1969.
The site is being developed into Central Village
, built over the underground station.
Cheshire Lines Committee
The Cheshire Lines Committee was the second largest joint railway in Great Britain, with 143 route miles. Despite its name, approximately 55% of its system was in Lancashire. In its publicity material it was often styled as the Cheshire Lines Railway...
(CLC) line to Manchester Central
Manchester Central railway station
Manchester Central railway station is a former railway station in Manchester City Centre, England. One of Manchester's main railway terminals between 1880 and 1969, it now houses an exhibition and conference centre named Manchester Central.-History:...
. It replaced Brunswick
Brunswick railway station
Brunswick railway station is a railway station in Dingle, Liverpool, England, on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail rapid-transit urban network. It also serves the nearby district of Dingle and is situated on a short section of track between two tunnels, between the now in-filled Toxteth and...
as the CLC's Liverpool passenger terminus, becoming the headquarters of the committee.
The 3 story building fronted Ranelagh Street in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
city centre, with a 65 feet (19.8 m) high, arched shed behind. There were 6 platforms within the station, offering journeys to Manchester Central (in 45 mins; making the route the quickest and most direct than those of the competing Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway & London & North Western Railway), London St. Pancras, Hull, Harwich
Harwich railway station
Harwich railway station could mean one of to railway stations in Essex, United Kingdom:* Harwich International railway station in the port town of Parkeston* Harwich Town railway station in Harwich...
, Stockport Tiviot Dale
Stockport Tiviot Dale railway station
Stockport Tiviot Dale was one of two main railway stations serving the town of Stockport, Cheshire, England, the other being Stockport Edgeley .-Location and operating companies:...
, Southport Lord Street
Southport Lord Street railway station
Southport Lord Street was a railway station located in Southport, Merseyside.Southport Lord Street railway station opened on 1 September, 1884, as the Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway's northern terminus, which ran from Aintree Central in the northern suburbs of Liverpool...
and an alternative route to that of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
terminating at London Marylebone.
On 11 January 1892 Liverpool Central Low Level underground station
Liverpool Central railway station
Liverpool Central railway station is a railway station in Liverpool, England, and forms the central hub of the Merseyrail network, being on both the Northern Line and the Wirral Line. In the years 2008/09, Liverpool Central station was shown to be the busiest station in Liverpool, despite being...
opened, at the end of the Mersey Railway
Mersey Railway
The Mersey Railway connected Liverpool and Birkenhead, England, via the Mersey Railway Tunnel under the River Mersey. Opened in 1886, it was the second oldest urban underground railway network in the world. The railway contained the first tunnel built under the River Mersey. It was constructed by...
's route, via the Mersey Railway Tunnel from Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
. The tunnel was extended from James Street to Central. The Mersey Railway platforms were underground, accessed from stairs within the station (these stairs were situated in roughly the same position as the escalators accessing the Merseyrail Northern Line today.
The station was always busy, up until nationalisation. Route closures that were part of the Beeching Axe in the 1960s affected terminal stations, Liverpool Central high-level in Liverpool, and Woodside Station
Birkenhead Woodside railway station
Birkenhead Woodside was a railway station at Woodside, in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England.-Background:Birkenhead Woodside railway station was opened on 31 March 1878 to replace the increasingly inadequate passenger facilities provided at Birkenhead Monks Ferry station.It was built...
in Birkenhead were closed.
- Long and Medium Distance Routes - Lime Street Station, in Liverpool city centre was to remain, absorbing the long to medium distance passenger traffic of the closed terminal stations.
- Local urban routes - The local urban services served by the terminal stations would be absorbed by the new MerseyrailMerseyrailMerseyrail is a train operating company and commuter rail network in the United Kingdom, centred on Liverpool, Merseyside. The network is predominantly electric with diesel trains running on the City Line. Two City Line branches are currently being electrified on the overhead wire AC system with...
urban network.
New tunnels under Liverpool's city centre were scheduled to connect all the separate rail lines to create Merseyrail.
In 1966, most services on the CLC route were diverted to Liverpool Lime Street via the Hunts Cross chord, leaving only a dozen urban commuter trains per day to and from the terminus at Gateacre
Gateacre railway station
Gateacre railway station was a station located on the North Liverpool Extension Line on the north side of Belle Vale Road, Gateacre, Liverpool. It is sometimes reported as Gateacre & Woolton....
. These final services were withdrawn on 17 April 1972 with the High Level part of station closed that day; it was later demolished, after having served briefly as a car park. However, the Low Level underground station remained open.
The station's demolition was unfortunate, as the large trainshed could have possibly have been developed into something of similar use, to that of Manchester Central in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, which had been the Cheshire Lines Committee's Manchester Central
Manchester Central railway station
Manchester Central railway station is a former railway station in Manchester City Centre, England. One of Manchester's main railway terminals between 1880 and 1969, it now houses an exhibition and conference centre named Manchester Central.-History:...
up until 1969.
The site is being developed into Central Village
Central Village, Liverpool
Central Village is shopping, leisure, commercial and residential development that is currently under-construction in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. The complex is being built over Liverpool Central railway station, the UK's second busiest underground station outside of London...
, built over the underground station.