Chester railway station

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Chester
Location
Place	Chester
Local authority	Cheshire West and Chester
Operations
Station code	CTR
Managed by	Arriva Trains Wales
Platforms in use	7
Live arrivals/departures and station information from National Rail
Annual rail passenger usage
2004/05 *	2.239 million
2005/06 *	2.337 million
2006/07 *	2.441 million
2007/08 *	2.608 million
Passenger Transport Executive
PTE	Merseytravel (for Merseyrail services only)
Zone	G1
History
1848 1875 1969 1972	Opened Renamed Chester General Renamed Chester Chester General rail crash
National Rail - UK railway stations
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
* Annual passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Chester from Office of Rail Regulation statistics.
UK Railways Portal

Chester railway station is a railway station in the city of Chester, England. It is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although Merseyrail, Northern Rail and Virgin Trains also run services there. It is situated to the north-east of the city centre. From 1875 to 1969 it was known as Chester General station, to distinguish it from another station in Chester.^[1]

A frequent zero-fare City-Rail bus service operates between the railway station and the city centre. At one time it was necessary to show a valid ticket when boarding this service. However, since the introduction of Arriva Trains Wales operated ticket barriers, services to and from the city centre are now free.

Work on the £10 million regeneration of the station and surrounding areas as part of the Chester Renaissance programme^[2] has recently been completed. The development includes a new roof, improved customer facilities and better access to the station.

History

Historically, Chester General station was a joint station between the Chester and Holyhead Railway, the Chester and Crewe Railway and the Birkenhead Railway. Later these became the London and North Western Railway and the Great Western Railway (GWR). The joint station dates from 1848, replacing at least 2 earlier termini of the railway companies concerned.^{[citation needed]}

Architecturally the station has an Italianate frontage designed by Francis Thompson. The station also has carved wooden owls at some strategic locations high in the roof beams to help deter feral pigeons.

GWR express passenger trains operated from Chester, via Wrexham, Ruabon, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton and Birmingham Snow Hill to London Paddington station.

From 1875, Chester was also served by Chester Northgate station (owned by the Cheshire Lines Committee); however, that station was closed in 1969 and is now the site of a leisure centre.

In 1972, the Chester General rail crash occurred in the station, causing severe damage to the building and the several trains involved.

Services

Chester is served by four train operating companies. A wide range of destinations within Wales is now within easy reach since Arriva commenced operations in 2005.

Arriva Trains Wales

• Half-hourly service on the North Wales Coast Line to Llandudno Junction, continuing alternately to Llandudno and Holyhead (via Bangor).
• Hourly service to Shrewsbury via Wrexham, continuing alternately to Birmingham International and Cardiff Central.
• Hourly service to Manchester Piccadilly via Warrington Bank Quay.
• A shuttle every hour to Crewe, which gives a half-hourly service in conjunction with Virgin Trains' service.
• A Monday to Friday daily limited-stop express south to Cardiff Central and north to Holyhead.

Virgin Trains

• Hourly service to London Euston via the West Coast Main Line.
• Six trains a day from London continue to Bangor and Holyhead, and one to Wrexham General.

Virgin Trains SuperVoyager 221 105 at Chester with a service to London Euston.

Merseyrail

• Half hourly service to Liverpool Central exclusively from platform 7b. The historic Chester and Birkenhead Railway is now a branch of Merseyrail's Wirral Line. These services have used third rail electrification since 1993.

Northern Rail

• Hourly service on the Mid-Cheshire Line to Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport via Northwich. Some Sunday services also continue from Manchester to Southport.

There are also proposals under consideration to reinstate a regular passenger service along the Halton Curve south of Runcorn railway station, which would permit the re-introduction of through trains from Liverpool to the North Wales Coast.

In mid 2005, Arriva Trains Wales announced a plan to improve the condition of the station, as Chester General had been well known^{[citation needed]} for its neglected appearance. The first of these improvements to be implemented was the ticket barriers, which came into operation in July 2006. On October 31 2008 the station renaissance was officially completed and a plaque was unveiled by current Chester MP, Christine Russell. Improved station facilities now include a new travel centre, new customer information screens, a Costa Coffee outlet, new bicycle stands and a waiting area. 2009 is scheduled to see the start of further upgrades to the island platform and footbridge. The station will soon undergo a £1.4m upgrade which provides new passenger facilities including a waiting room, a second stairway for better access to platforms and new office space at the Grade II listed train station, work is due to start in Winter 2009 and is due to be finished in Summer 2010.

The station marks one end of the Baker Way, a footpath leading to Delamere railway station.

Railway lines in Chester
Legend Chester to Manchester line Wirral line (Merseyrail) Bache; Mid Cheshire line Roodee Junction; Chester North Wales Coast line to Crewe North Wales Coast line to Holyhead Shrewsbury to Chester line

Layout

The station has 7 platforms. Platform 1 is a bay platform located at the east end. This is used mainly by the hourly Chester to Crewe shuttles. Platform 2 is another bay platform and is located at the western end. This is mainly used by trains heading towards Cardiff/Birmingham via Wrexham and Shrewsbury. Platform 3 is a through platform and is closest to the concourse. This is most commonly used for North Wales bound services and is split into 3a and 3b.

Over the bridge there is access to the island platform. Opposite platform 3 is platform 4, another through platform. This is mainly used for London bound services. Some Cardiff/Birmingham bound services also turn back here having arrived from Holyhead. There are two east facing bays at the eastern end (Platforms 5 and 6, for the Mid-Cheshire line) mainly used by Northern Rail. Platform 7 at the northern end is an additional through platform. Platform 7b is used for terminating services on the Wirral Line, and is the only electrified line (3rd rail). Platforms 4 and 7 are also split into 'a' (eastern) and 'b' (western) sections and are thus capable of accommodating two trains at once.

Platforms on the railway station.

Distance board found in some disrepair on a station wall.

Carved wooden owl above platform 4 at Chester Railway station

Notes

External links

• Chester to Shrewsbury Rail Partnership

• Train times and station information for Chester railway station from National Rail
• Station information from Merseyrail
• Railway Clearing House Diagrams (diagram of railways in Chester from 1914)
• Images of England — details from listed building database (469916)

Coordinates: 53°11′48.90″N 2°52′48.17″W / 53.196917°N 2.8800472°W / 53.196917; -2.8800472