Sandhills railway station
Encyclopedia
Sandhills railway station is a railway station in Kirkdale
, Liverpool
, England
, located to the north of the city centre on the Northern Line
of the Merseyrail
network.It was built by the Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway Company and now stands at the junction between the branch to Southport
and the branch to Ormskirk
and Kirkby
.
The two platforms form a single island, overlooking the River Mersey
on one side, and the former industrial area of Commercial Road on the other. It is also used by football
fans heading for Liverpool F.C.
and Everton F.C.
matches: a bus
service called Soccerbus runs between the station and the football stadiums on match-days only.
Passengers have to walk up a ramp to reach the ticket office, then through a subway and up ramps to reach the platform
was extended from its previous terminal at Waterloo to Liverpool Exchange
. It became part of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
in 1904, who took over from the LCSR. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway amalgamated with the London and North Western Railway
on 1 January 1922 and in turn was Grouped
into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
in 1923. Nationalisation followed in 1948 and in 1978 the station became part of the Merseyrail Network's Northern Line (operated by British Rail
until privatised in 1995). The station had 4 platforms until it was rationalised in the 1970s.
An extensive refurbishment plan for the station was suggested in 2006 which involves the building of a completely new booking hall and greatly improved facilities on the platform. A new overall roof is under construction - originally intended to cover the entire length of the platform, but now only covers approximately half. In addition, There will be a dedicated bus-rail interchange point built, improving transport beyond the station to localities such as Kirkdale
, Anfield
and Everton. On 24 April 2007, improvement works to the station at a cost of £6million were agreed. In November 2007, it was announced that the station would be closed from 17 November 2007 until March 2008 for refurbishment. The refurbishment work was extended until July 2008, when the station reopened in a partly completed state. The full completion of the work at the station was finished in early 2009 and a second phase of works to develop a bus turnaround facility in front of the station is planned in 2010.
During late evenings and on Sundays, frequencies are reduced to 2 tph on the Ormskirk and Kirkby lines. On Sundays, frequencies are reduced to 2 tph beyond Liverpool Central to Hunts Cross. On winter Sundays, frequencies are also reduced to 2 tph on the Liverpool Central to Southport section, giving a total 6 tph from all lines between Sandhills and Liverpool Central.
Kirkdale
Kirkdale is the name of several places in the United Kingdom:*Kirkdale, Merseyside, an area of Liverpool, England**Kirkdale **Kirkdale *Kirkdale, North Yorkshire, England...
, 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...
, 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...
, located to the north of the city centre on the Northern Line
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...
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.It was built by the Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway Company and now stands at the junction between the branch to Southport
Southport 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...
and the branch to 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....
.
The two platforms form a single island, overlooking the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
on one side, and the former industrial area of Commercial Road on the other. It is also used by football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
fans heading for Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and Everton F.C.
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
matches: a bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
service called Soccerbus runs between the station and the football stadiums on match-days only.
Passengers have to walk up a ramp to reach the ticket office, then through a subway and up ramps to reach the platform
History
Sandhills opened in 1850 as an intermediate station when the Liverpool, Crosby and Southport RailwayLiverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway
The Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway received parliamentary authorization on 2 July 1847 and opened between Southport and Liverpool Waterloo on 24 July 1848.-LC&SR later operations:...
was extended from its previous terminal at Waterloo to Liverpool Exchange
Liverpool Exchange railway station
Liverpool Exchange railway station was a railway station located in the town centre of Liverpool, England.- Station construction and opening :...
. It became part of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
in 1904, who took over from the LCSR. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway amalgamated with the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
on 1 January 1922 and in turn was Grouped
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
in 1923. Nationalisation followed in 1948 and in 1978 the station became part of the Merseyrail Network's Northern Line (operated by British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
until privatised in 1995). The station had 4 platforms until it was rationalised in the 1970s.
An extensive refurbishment plan for the station was suggested in 2006 which involves the building of a completely new booking hall and greatly improved facilities on the platform. A new overall roof is under construction - originally intended to cover the entire length of the platform, but now only covers approximately half. In addition, There will be a dedicated bus-rail interchange point built, improving transport beyond the station to localities such as Kirkdale
Kirkdale
Kirkdale is the name of several places in the United Kingdom:*Kirkdale, Merseyside, an area of Liverpool, England**Kirkdale **Kirkdale *Kirkdale, North Yorkshire, England...
, Anfield
Anfield, Liverpool
Anfield is a district of Liverpool, Merseyside, England and a Liverpool City Council Ward.-Toponymy:Originally common pasture land, the area had the name of Hanging-fields or Hangfield - the name originating from the deeply sloping nature of the terrain. The name was also frequently written as...
and Everton. On 24 April 2007, improvement works to the station at a cost of £6million were agreed. In November 2007, it was announced that the station would be closed from 17 November 2007 until March 2008 for refurbishment. The refurbishment work was extended until July 2008, when the station reopened in a partly completed state. The full completion of the work at the station was finished in early 2009 and a second phase of works to develop a bus turnaround facility in front of the station is planned in 2010.
Services
Off-peak service frequency is as follows:- 4 trains per hour (tph) to SouthportSouthport railway stationSouthport 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...
- 4 tph to OrmskirkOrmskirk railway stationOrmskirk 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...
- 4 tph to KirkbyKirkby railway stationKirkby 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....
- 4 tph to Hunts CrossHunts Cross railway stationHunts 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:...
via Liverpool CentralLiverpool Central railway stationLiverpool 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...
and Liverpool Moorfields station
During late evenings and on Sundays, frequencies are reduced to 2 tph on the Ormskirk and Kirkby lines. On Sundays, frequencies are reduced to 2 tph beyond Liverpool Central to Hunts Cross. On winter Sundays, frequencies are also reduced to 2 tph on the Liverpool Central to Southport section, giving a total 6 tph from all lines between Sandhills and Liverpool Central.
Trivia
The station is named after the road, Sandhills Lane, which the main entrance is located on. There is no locality in Liverpool named Sandhills, the lane taking its name from Sandhills, a large house on the site of the station belonging to local solicitor and property speculator John Shaw Leigh.Passengers
The usage figures for the station underestimate the actual usage as it is a busy interchange station. 71,953 interchange passengers are recorded for 2004-5, but passenger statistics do not include travellers using Saveaway or other multi-mode tickets.External links
- Station information from Merseyrail