Liverpool underground stations get a makeover

Refurbishment of a platform and walkway at the oldest deep-level underground station in the world has been completed as part of an ongoing transformation of Liverpool’s underground stations.

The revamp of platform two and the pedestrian tunnel at the James Street station is part of a programme of work on five of the underground stations operated by Merseyrail.

James Street, Liverpool Central, Lime Street, Hamilton Square and Moorfields are all being transformed by Network Rail during the programme.

The completion of the latest phase at James Street – which dates back to the 1890s and sits below the landmark India Buildings – has seen the platform and pedestrian walkway to Water Street given a new look.

Art Deco posters have been displayed as part of the improvements, while coloured LED lighting has also been installed. The run-down booking office has been sympathetically improved and original features, such as the mosaic tiles, cleaned up and enhanced.

The spectacular brickwork, 19th-century tiling and other period features of platform two – which is generally used in case of disruption or emergency – have also been upgraded, and new Art Deco posters put up to complement the historical atmosphere.

The work has been carried out as part of the National Stations Improvement Programme.

"The investment is part of our Railway Upgrade Plan to provide passengers with a better railway and modern stations in Merseyside that they can rely on and be proud of.

Again we have carefully planned the work with Merseyrail and Merseytravel to limit disruption to passengers as much as possible and, by closing one platform at a time, we are able to keep the station open and keep all trains running. I thank passengers for their patience while we complete this work."

Chris Littler, Network Rail area manager

The next phase of refurbishment will soon follow at Moorfields, at the heart of the city’s business district, early in the new year.

Improvements will be made to platforms, walkways and the upper and lower concourse areas. There will be new flooring, fresh enamel cladding on the walls and brighter lighting, which will give a cleaner, more airy and less cluttered environment. Nine of the station’s escalators will also be refurbished to improve their reliability and lifespan.

Find out more at the stations or on the Merseyrail website, the Merseyrail app and social media. Passengers can plan their journeys on the National Rail website.

About Network Rail

Network Rail owns, manages and develops Britain’s railway – the 20,000 miles of track, 40,000 bridges and viaducts, and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations (the largest of which we also run). In partnership with train operators we help people take more than 1.6bn journeys by rail every year - double the number of 1996 - and move hundreds of millions of tonnes of freight, saving almost 8m lorry journeys. We’re investing £38bn in the railway by 2019 to deliver more frequent, more reliable, safer services and brighter and better stations.