Rail replacement buses planned during 26-day Merseyrail closure
Rail passengers in Liverpool are being reminded of £3.5m upgrades to waterproof and strengthen four underground tunnels on the Merseyrail network in one month’s time.
Network Rail is carrying out the major project over 26 days this October and November to secure future journeys for years to come.
The multi-million-pound investment will see:
Strengthening the four tunnels
Waterproofing tunnel walls
Renewing the systems which isolate and control the electrified ‘third rail’
The scale of the work means the Northern Line between Hunts Cross and Liverpool Central will be closed from Sunday 11 October to Friday 6 November.
Network Rail will also modernise power control systems across both the Northern and Wirral lines.
On Sundays during the closure, the disruption will be extended to Sandhills station on the Northern line and to parts of the Wirral line.
Rail replacement buses will be provided to get passengers to where they need to be*.
Today (Monday 14 September), a campaign has been unveiled warning people not to ‘get spooked this autumn’ while the work is taking place.
It also advises passengers to visitnationalrail.co.ukso they know what they can expect from their journey.
Paul Owen, Network Rail Liverpool area director, said:"This is a significant £3.5m investment into the underground section of the Merseyrail network to maintain four Victorian-built tunnels for 21st-century passengers.
“We understand that this work will be disruptive, so we’re working with Merseyrail to minimise the impact of the upgrades as much as possible. We’re also giving people advance notice so they can forward plan their journeys by visiting National Rail Enquiries or Merseyrail’s websites during our work.”
Stephen Dodd, Merseyrail chief operating officer, said:“We'd like to thank our passengers for their patience while this important work is carried out. These upgrades will help improve the long-term reliability of the Northern Line and reduce the risk of future disruption. We encourage customers to plan ahead and check before they travel during the closure."
The major investment will mean more reliable journeys for the millions of passengers who use the Merseyrail network each year.**
Once work is complete, trains will run again from the morning of Saturday 7 November.
Passengers are encouraged to plan their journeys in advance atnationalrail.co.uk.
Notes to Editors
*Alternative travel plans in detail
Network Rail and Merseyrail have worked together to minimise disruption and keep passengers moving during the upgrades:
From Monday to Saturday, replacement buses will run from Hunts Cross to Moorfields, and amended train services will run from Southport, Ormskirk, and Headbolt Lane to Liverpool Central.
On Sundays, replacement buses will run from Hunts Cross to Sandhills. Amended train services will run from Southport, Ormskirk, and Headbolt Lane to Sandhills.
On Sunday 11 and 18 October, amended train services will run from West Kirby, New Brighton, Chester, and Ellesmere Port to James Street. Wirral line services will not stop at Moorfields, Lime Street, and Liverpool Central.
On Sunday 25 October and 1 November, amended train services will run from New Brighton and West Kirby to Birkenhead North, and from Chester and Ellesmere Port to Rock Ferry. Replacement buses will run from Birkenhead North and Rock Ferry to Moorfields.
**Liverpool Central is one of the busiest stations in the country, recording more than 14 million entries and exits during 2024/25.
For journey planning information, passengers should visit National Rail Enquiries at nationalrail.co.uk, or the train operator’s website, merseyrail.org.
