Moorfields railway station
Encyclopedia
Moorfields station is an underground railway station in Liverpool
, England
. It is situated on both the Northern
and Wirral Line
s of the Merseyrail
network and is the only station on the network which has services to all other Merseyrail stations.
The station was built in the 1970s, partly as a replacement for Liverpool Exchange railway station
, opening on 2 May 1977. It is accessed via entrances at Moorfields and on the corner of Old Hall Street and Tithebarn Street (Old Hall Street being open only from 5.30am until 7pm on weekdays).
Services from the north which had previously terminated at Liverpool Exchange were diverted to Moorfields, and continued via a new tunnel to Liverpool Central
, with some continuing south to Garston
(later extending to Hunts Cross
); these services form the Northern Line. At the same time, another new tunnel was built, carrying the Wirral Line in a loop from James Street via Moorfields, Lime Street
, and Liverpool Central before returning to James Street; the Wirral Line platform opened on 30 October 1977.
There are three platforms (two for the Northern Line and one for the Wirral Line) in two levels of tunnel. The Wirral Line platform is at a much deeper level; this is because the Northern Line tunnels pass over the Queensway
road tunnel whilst the Wirral Line passes beneath it.
Passengers must, curiously for an underground station, go up an escalator from the Moorfields entrance to reach the ticket office - the station was originally intended to connect with a pedestrian walkway system, designed to separate pedestrians from traffic. Only a small section of the system was constructed in the 1970s and the scheme eventually fell by the wayside. From the ticket office, another escalator leads down to the main passenger tunnel which links the Northern and Wirral Line platforms and the Old Hall Street entrance. A new 'M to Go' shop opened at the Old Hall Street entrance in 2006, acting as a combined snack shop/ticket counter, with another new 'M to Go' shop planned for the main entrance of the station which could open later in 2011.
The usage of the station Monday to Friday is much greater than the statistics show, since they credit "Liverpool" passengers to Lime Street station, and do not include day or season ticket holders. The station is however significantly quieter at weekends, since it is primarily used by city centre workers and is less convenient for most of the city centre retail areas than Liverpool Central.
, Ormskirk
and Kirkby
.
Southbound trains run every five minutes to Liverpool Central. Trains originating from Southport continue to Hunts Cross
, every 15 minutes.
, West Kirby
and Hooton
.
From Hooton, trains continue every 15 minutes to Chester
and every 30 minutes to Ellesmere Port
.
These services give a combined frequency of five minutes around the loop and through the Mersey Railway Tunnel to Hamilton Square
station in Birkenhead
.
At other times, trains operate every 30 minutes to each of the four destinations.
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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is situated on both the Northern
Northern Line (Merseyrail)
The Northern Line is one of the two commuter rail lines operated by Merseyrail in Merseyside, England. The other line is the Wirral Line. A third line of the Merseyrail Network, the City Line, is not owned or operated by Merseyrail, although funded by Merseytravel.The Northern Line passes...
and Wirral Line
Wirral Line
The Wirral Line is one of the two commuter railway lines operated by Merseyrail that are centred around Merseyside, England, the other being the Northern Line...
s of the Merseyrail
Merseyrail
Merseyrail 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...
network and is the only station on the network which has services to all other Merseyrail stations.
Description
Liverpool Exchange railway station
Liverpool Exchange railway station was a railway station located in the town centre of Liverpool, England.- Station construction and opening :...
, opening on 2 May 1977. It is accessed via entrances at Moorfields and on the corner of Old Hall Street and Tithebarn Street (Old Hall Street being open only from 5.30am until 7pm on weekdays).
Services from the north which had previously terminated at Liverpool Exchange were diverted to Moorfields, and continued via a new tunnel to Liverpool Central
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...
, with some continuing south to Garston
Garston (Merseyside) railway station
Garston station was a railway station in the Garston district of Liverpool, England. It was located on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail suburban rail network.-History:The station was opened on 1 April 1874 by the Cheshire Lines Committee...
(later extending to Hunts Cross
Hunts Cross railway station
Hunts Cross railway station is a Grade II listed railway station in Hunts Cross, Liverpool, England. It is situated on the southern branch of the City Line's Liverpool to Manchester route, and is the southern terminus of Merseyrail's Northern Line.-History:...
); these services form the Northern Line. At the same time, another new tunnel was built, carrying the Wirral Line in a loop from James Street via Moorfields, Lime Street
Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
, and Liverpool Central before returning to James Street; the Wirral Line platform opened on 30 October 1977.
There are three platforms (two for the Northern Line and one for the Wirral Line) in two levels of tunnel. The Wirral Line platform is at a much deeper level; this is because the Northern Line tunnels pass over the Queensway
Queensway Tunnel
The Queensway Tunnel is a road tunnel under the River Mersey, in the north west of England, between Liverpool and Birkenhead. It is often called the Birkenhead Tunnel, to distinguish it from the Kingsway Tunnel, which serves Wallasey.-History:...
road tunnel whilst the Wirral Line passes beneath it.
Passengers must, curiously for an underground station, go up an escalator from the Moorfields entrance to reach the ticket office - the station was originally intended to connect with a pedestrian walkway system, designed to separate pedestrians from traffic. Only a small section of the system was constructed in the 1970s and the scheme eventually fell by the wayside. From the ticket office, another escalator leads down to the main passenger tunnel which links the Northern and Wirral Line platforms and the Old Hall Street entrance. A new 'M to Go' shop opened at the Old Hall Street entrance in 2006, acting as a combined snack shop/ticket counter, with another new 'M to Go' shop planned for the main entrance of the station which could open later in 2011.
The usage of the station Monday to Friday is much greater than the statistics show, since they credit "Liverpool" passengers to Lime Street station, and do not include day or season ticket holders. The station is however significantly quieter at weekends, since it is primarily used by city centre workers and is less convenient for most of the city centre retail areas than Liverpool Central.
Northern Line
Northbound trains run every 15 minutes (Monday to Saturday daytime) to each of SouthportSouthport railway station
Southport railway station serves the town of Southport, Merseyside, England. It is at the end of one of the branches of the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network, and at the end of the Manchester-Southport Line which runs via Wigan...
, Ormskirk
Ormskirk railway station
Ormskirk railway station is situated in the town of Ormskirk, Lancashire, England. The station is an interchange between Merseyrail services from Liverpool Central and Northern Rail services from Preston...
and Kirkby
Kirkby railway station
Kirkby railway station is situated in Kirkby, Merseyside, England. The station is an interchange between Merseyrail services from Liverpool Central and Northern Rail services from Manchester Victoria via Wigan Wallgate....
.
Southbound trains run every five minutes to Liverpool Central. Trains originating from Southport continue to Hunts Cross
Hunts Cross railway station
Hunts Cross railway station is a Grade II listed railway station in Hunts Cross, Liverpool, England. It is situated on the southern branch of the City Line's Liverpool to Manchester route, and is the southern terminus of Merseyrail's Northern Line.-History:...
, every 15 minutes.
Wirral Line
Services run every 15 minutes (Monday to Saturday daytime) to each of New BrightonNew Brighton railway station
New Brighton railway station is situated in New Brighton, Wirral, England. It is situated at the end of the New Brighton branch of the Wirral Line 13 km west of Liverpool Lime Street on the Merseyrail network.-History:...
, West Kirby
West Kirby railway station
West Kirby railway station is situated in the town of West Kirby, Wirral, England. It is situated at the end of one of the branches of the Wirral Line, part of the Merseyrail network.The beach can be reached easily from the station....
and Hooton
Hooton railway station
Hooton railway station is situated in the south of the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, England. It lies on the Wirral Line 15 km south west of Liverpool Lime Street on the Merseyrail network, and is near the junction of the branch line to Ellesmere Port from the Chester line.The station is...
.
From Hooton, trains continue every 15 minutes to Chester
Chester railway station
Chester railway station is a railway station in Newtown in the city of Chester, England. It is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although Merseyrail, Northern Rail and Virgin Trains also run services from the station. It is situated to the north-east of the city centre...
and every 30 minutes to Ellesmere Port
Ellesmere Port railway station
Ellesmere Port railway station is located in the town of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England. It is the terminal station of two lines on separate rail networks.* One of the termini of the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network....
.
These services give a combined frequency of five minutes around the loop and through the Mersey Railway Tunnel to Hamilton Square
Hamilton Square railway station
Hamilton Square railway station is situated near Hamilton Square in Birkenhead, Wirral, England, on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
station in 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...
.
At other times, trains operate every 30 minutes to each of the four destinations.
External links
- Station information from Merseyrail