Merseyrail

 

Franchise(s):	Merseyrail 20. July 2003 – 2028
Main Region(s):	Merseyside
Other Region(s):	North Cheshire, West Lancashire
Fleet size:	59
Stations called at:	67 (66 operated)
Parent company:	Serco Group / NedRailways
Web site:	www.merseyrail.org

Merseyrail is the name given to the electric commuter train network centred on Liverpool in the county of Merseyside. The name was used as the official brand for the network in the days of British Rail, and has stuck through several franchise holders.

Merseyrail is one of the most frequent British commuter systems outside London, transporting 100,000 passengers a day, with services running (on average) every 15 minutes during weekday daytime, and 30 minutes at evenings and weekends. Services run on two lines covering the Liverpool suburban area and greater Merseyside, with a total track length of 120 km, 75 miles and 67 stations. The Northern Line links Liverpool with Southport, Ormskirk, Kirkby and Hunts Cross, while the Wirral Line, extending under the River Mersey, links Liverpool with New Brighton, West Kirby, Chester and Ellesmere Port. The two lines are entirely electrified, using a 750 V DC third-rail.

The name Merseyrail is also used by the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive to describe other railway services on Merseyside. These are the City Line from Liverpool Lime Street to St Helens, Wigan, Warrington, Manchester, and Crewe. These services are not (and have never been) part of the Merseyrail franchise; currently most services are operated by Northern Rail, and some by Central Trains and TransPennine Express.

The various lines are not tightly connected; Northern and City Line services both use Hunts Cross and the new Liverpool South Parkway to the south of the city; the Northern and Wirral lines both use Liverpool Central and Moorfields. The Northern Line does not call at Lime Street; most passengers wishing to change between Northern Line and mainline services walk the short distance between Lime Street and Liverpool Central rather than changing to the Wirral Line's 'loop' to Lime Street.

Following the privatisation of the UK rail network, the Merseyrail service was run first by MTL under the name Merseyrail Electrics, then Arriva Trains Merseyside, before its award to a consortium of Serco and NedRailways (a division of Nederlandse Spoorwegen) in 2003. The current franchise is contracted to the consortium for an initial 25-year period.

Uniquely in the UK, the Merseyrail franchise (referred to officially as a 'contract') is awarded by the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive rather than the Department for Transport (although the franchise for the London Overground network will be awarded by Transport for London in 2007), because the franchise is self-contained and separate from the rest of the British railway network - no other services normally run over the third-rail network. As a result of this isolation, the franchise-holder is keen to adopt vertical integration - taking responsibility for maintenance of the track from Network Rail.The current Franchise Manager is Dave Davenport.

Fleet

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Unit numbers	Routes operated	Built
			mph	km/h
Class 507		electric multiple unit	75	120	32	507001-021, 023-033	Northern Line Wirral Line	1978 - 1979
Class 508		electric multiple unit	75	120	27	508103, 104, 108, 110-112, 114, 115, 117, 120, 122-128, 130, 131, 134, 136-141, 143	Northern Line Wirral Line	1979 - 1980

Services on the Merseyrail network are operated by the 1978-built Class 507 and 1979-built Class 508 EMUs. These replaced pre-war Class 502 (originally constructed by the LMS) and almost identical Class 503 EMUs. There are a total of 59 trains in service on the network. Twelve 508s were transferred to Connex (South Eastern) in 1996, a further three were transferred to Silverlink to supplement their fleet of Class 313 EMUs in North London. One Unit 507022 was scrapped after a collision with 507004 in [[1991] and 508118 has been cut up after having been gutted by an arson attack.

The fleet is maintained and stabled at either Kirkdale TMD or Birkenhead North TMD, the two depots on the network. Minor repair works and stock cleaning takes place at Kirkdale, while overhauls are completed at Birkenhead. Other depots at Hall Road and Birkenhead Central have since been closed. The fleet has recently been internally and externally refurbished, involving units being dragged to and from Eastleigh works behind Class 67 locomotives. An assessment is currently taking place as to whether it would be viable to reopen the Birkenhead Central depot, which would increase the efficiency of Merseyrail services. The Merseyrail fleet is due for renewal in 2013.

To celebrate Liverpool's successful 2008 European Capital of Culture bid, Merseyrail named one of their train sets (508136) 'Capital of Culture'. Interestingly, a previous ceremony took place where Cherie Blair, Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife, named 508143 Capital of Culture. Official nameplates were applied; these had to be later removed having been covered in graffiti. 508136 bears simple vinyl stickers.

A number of Northern Rail Class 142 DMUs are in Merseyrail yellow livery, ostensibly for City Line services, but these can and do turn up all over the Northern network - they have often been seen as far away as Carlisle. Several Class 150 sets also wore the Merseytravel yellow livery for several years, but have since been repainted into other liveries.

Merseyrail formerly had four Class 73 electro-diesel locomotives for shunting, sandite trains, engineering works and other departmental duties; two of these had been repainted in the yellow livery of the previous franchise holder. These locomotives were sold to a preservation company in 2002.

Network: the Loop and Link

The underground sections in the centre of Liverpool and under the River Mersey to Birkenhead form the nucleus of the network. The Mersey Railway Tunnel was opened in 1886, running from Green Lane Birkenhead and terminating at James Street in Liverpool. This route was extended to Liverpool Central in 1890. A branch to Birkenhead Park was added in 1888 to connect with the Wirral Railway and the original line extended to Rock Ferry to connect with the Birkenhead Woodside to Chester line in 1891. It was electrified in 1903. The ex Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway line from Liverpool Exchange to Southport was electrified in 1906. Further electrifications on the Wirral line took place in 1937 (New Brighton and West Kirby), 1985 (Hooton), 1993 (Chester) and 1994 (Ellesmere Port). Electrification of the Bidston-Wrexham line has also been proposed.

The present system in Liverpool dates from the 1970s, with the construction of the 'Loop' and the 'Link'. The Loop is a single-track tunnel, along which Wirral Line trains run clockwise from James Street to Moorfields, Lime Street, Central and back to James Street. The Link is a twin-track tunnel, which connects the former Cheshire Lines Committee route in the south of Liverpool to the former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway lines in the north, via Liverpool Central and Moorfields (which replaced Liverpool Exchange station). The present twin island Northern Line platform at Liverpool Central was originally the terminus of the Wirral lines. One of the original single underground lines between James St and Central has been retained to connect the Link and the Loop lines. This is used for transfers of rolling stock, but never used for passenger services.

Northern Line

Main article: Northern Line

Services on the Northern Line operate from Hunts Cross in the south of Liverpool, via the Link tunnel through Liverpool Central and Moorfields, to Southport. Services also run from Liverpool Central to Ormskirk and Kirkby. Each route has a train every 15 minutes Monday-Saturday daytime, and recently Merseyrail have introduced services every 15 minutes during the evening, right until the last train at 2316; giving a five-minute interval between trains on the central section. Connections are available at Southport to Wigan Wallgate, at Hunts Cross to Warrington Central and Manchester Piccadilly, at Ormskirk to Preston and at Kirkby to Wigan Wallgate and Manchester Victoria.

Wirral Line

Main article: Wirral Line

Services on the Wirral Line operate from the Loop described above through the Mersey Railway Tunnel to Hamilton Square station in Birkenhead. From there, they run either south to Hooton, where they continue to either Chester or Ellesmere Port, or west to Birkenhead North, where the line bifurcates to New Brighton and West Kirby. Connections are available at Bidston on the West Kirby branch, for the Borderlands Line to Wrexham operated by Arriva Trains Wales, at Chester to Holyhead and Manchester and at Ellesmere Port to Warrington.

Monday-Saturday daytime services are every 15 minutes from Liverpool to New Brighton and to West Kirby, and every 30 minutes to Chester and Ellesmere Port. These combine to give a service every five minutes around the Loop. Due to a major upgrade of the Liverpool loop, it will be closed between 23rd April and 28th of May, with all Wirral line services terminating at James Street (or Birkenhead North for the Northern Branch of the Wirral Line and Birkenhead Central for the Southern Branch of the Wirral line on some days).

City Line

Main article: City Line

This line is not part of the Merseyrail franchise and neither is it operated by the electric stock. Nevertheless, the lines that form this line are sponsored by Merseytravel and are branded as if they were Merseyrail services, despite being operated by Northern Rail. Broadly speaking, it includes the Liverpool to Wigan Line and the two alternative branches making up the Liverpool to Manchester Line.

Future

There have been various suggestions for ways to enlarge the Merseyrail network. Some would extend beyond the current area, whilst others would use former existing lines or track beds.

Electrification

Third-rail electrification has been suggested for many lines, of which the Borderlands Line from Bidston to Wrexham, adding another branch to the Wirral Line, is perhaps the most likely.

Electrification from Ormskirk to Preston would re-establish the most direct Liverpool-Preston route. This, coupled with the reinstatement of the Burscough curves and possibly Midge Hall station, would allow direct Preston-Southport and Ormskirk-Southport services and provide an alternative Liverpool-Southport route. Another possible extension of Northern Line services, filling in a gap in the electrified network, would be from Kirkby to Wigan Wallgate.

The re-opening of part of the North Mersey Branch line between Aintree and Bootle New Strand stations to passenger services is included in Sefton's transport plan. This would involve using Sefton Junction and would enable the reopening of Ford [1] and Linacre Road [2] stations.

The Canada Dock Branch [3] (currently a busy freight-only line) could be reopened to passengers, allowing the reopening of Spellow, Walton & Anfield, Breck Road, Tue Brook, Stanley and Edge Lane stations. This would provide a connection from the Northern Line (south of Bootle) to Liverpool Lime Street and the City Line. In July 2007 it was suggested that Liverpool FC could fund the reopening of this line to provide a direct rail link to their new stadium.[4]

Reopening

During the construction of the Link line in the 1970s, provision was made for an underground junction south of Liverpool Central station. This was to access a new tunnel, via a new underground station at the University of Liverpool on Bedford Street South; a small road to the south of Abercromby Square. From University station, it would then join the Victoria Tunnel and Waterloo Tunnel to provide a connection to Edge Hill, the use of Wapping Tunnel had also been considered. Further electrification works would then have meant some City Line services (e.g. from St Helens Central) could have been connected to the Merseyrail network.

In 1975 An Act of Parliament was passed to allow the construction of this scheme, but it was never built. Restarting it would very likely be prohibitively expensive. However following the collapse of the Merseytram scheme in 2006 proposals are being considered to reuse both tunnels. The 1975 plan also included the use of the southern section of the North Liverpool Extension Line at least as far as Gateacre.

The reconnection of Skelmersdale has also been proposed "requiring two mile rail restoration to re-establish link to town of 35,000". This is presumably the Skelmersdale Branch line to Rainford Junction on the Kirkby to Wigan Wallgate line.

External links

• Merseyrail.org - Official site
• Merseyside Local Transport Plan
• Potential Rail Improvements in North Western England - Evidence presented to the Transport Select Committee, 2002-03
• Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs: Memorandum by Merseytravel
• REVIEW OF THE 2000 NETWORK MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
• Revival of curves link is back on the table - Report on the proposed reopening of the Burscough curves
• Leader on right tracks - Another report on the Burscough curves
• The Wrexham to Bidston railway, The Borderlands line

Preceded by Arriva Trains Merseyside

Operator of Merseyrail franchise 2003 - present

Incumbent

Current scheduled passenger train operators in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
National:	Arriva Trains Wales - c2c - Central Trains - Chiltern Railways - First Capital Connect First Great Western - First ScotRail - First TransPennine Express - Gatwick Express GNER - Heathrow Connect - Heathrow Express - Hull Trains - Merseyrail - Midland Mainline Northern Ireland Railways1 - Northern Rail - 'one' - Silverlink - Southeastern - Southern South West Trains - Virgin Trains2
International:	Enterprise1 - Eurostar
Sub-brands:	Caledonian Sleeper3 - Central Citylink4 - Island Line5 - Night Riviera6 - Silverlink County7 Silverlink Metro7 - Stansted Express8
1 Operated on the Irish Railway Network - 2 Virgin West Coast & Virgin CrossCountry - 3 Operated by First ScotRail 4 Operated by Central Trains - 5 Operated by South West Trains - 6 Operated by First Great Western 7 Operated by Silverlink - 8 Operated by 'one'

Future passenger train operators and franchises in Great Britain
New franchises:	CrossCountry1 - East Midlands Trains1 - London Midland1 London Overground1 - National Express East Coast2
Open-access operators:	Grand Central1 - Wrexham & Shropshire3
1 Starts November 2007 - 2 Starts December 2007 - 3 Starts Spring 2008

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