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Monday 4 Nov 2019

Passengers thanked after successful Liverpool signalling upgrade

Region & Route:

North West & Central

Passengers are benefiting from a more reliable railway after major work to upgrade signals in Liverpool this weekend.

Signal controls for Edge Hill station have now been transferred to Network Rail’s state-of-the-art rail operating centre in Manchester as part of the Great North Rail Project.

As Edge Hill station is the gateway to Lime Street, both stations were closed all weekend (2-3 November) with trains unable to run in or out of Liverpool’s main transport hub.

All lines fully reopened to passengers successfully this morning (4 November).

Phil James, managing director of Network Rail’s North West route, said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to passengers who used a different train or a bus to make their journey in and out of Liverpool over the weekend.

“Edge Hill is one of the final areas within the Liverpool City Lines to be added to Manchester rail operating centre, allowing signalling in Liverpool to be managed from one place, along with other vital areas in the North West.

“This will mean more reliable journeys and fewer delays by allowing faster decision making on the railway.”

Opened in 1830, Edge Hill station is the oldest passenger railway station in the world.

Moving the signalling control to Manchester rail operating centre means signallers can rapidly respond to disruption and route trains faster to minimise delays.

Liverpool Lime Street, Halton, Runcorn, Allerton, Speke and Garston were moved to the same system last year.

Find out more: www.networkrail.co.uk/LCR