Merseyrail warns of upcoming disruptions as preparations for new trains get underway

Passengers on the Merseyrail network are being advised to check before they travel for a few days in November, as the operator prepares for the launch of a new fleet of trains.

Changes to tracks and line side equipment need to be made in order to accommodate the new eight-car trains, so between Sunday 6 November and Wednesday 9 November, Liverpool Central Station will close to Northern Line services, and there will be no services on the Hunts Cross line to allow for these essential adjustments to take place.

For the work to be completed quickly and safely, the following services will be affected:

• Hunts Cross line: The Hunts Cross line will not operate between 22:00 on Sunday 6 November until the end of service on Wednesday 9 November.  A rail-replacement bus service will operate between Moorfields station and Hunts Cross station. The bus service will not call at Liverpool Central station.
• Southport and Ormskirk line: From 22:00 on Sunday 6 November until 20:00 on Wednesday 9 November, Southport and Ormskirk line services will operate every 20 minutes and start/terminate at Moorfields station. After 20:00 services will operate every 30 minutes.
• Kirkby line: From 22:00 on Sunday 6 November until 20:00 on Wednesday 9 November, Kirkby line services will operate every 20 minutes and start/terminate at Sandhills station. After 20:00 services will operate every 30 minutes starting and terminating at Moorfields station.
• From 20:00 on Wednesday 9 November Southport, Ormskirk and Kirkby line services will start/terminate at Sandhills station. A rail replacement bus service will run between Sandhills and Hunts Cross stations. The bus service will not call at Liverpool Central station.

All routes will reopen as normal for the start of services on Thursday 10 November.

Wirral line services will not be affected.

Zoe Hands, chief operating officer at Merseyrail said: “These planned works are a vital part of the modernisation of the Merseyrail network and will enable the introduction of the new Class 777 trains.

“We would like to apologise to our passengers for the disruption that is being caused and thank them for their patience while this essential work is being carried out.

“You can be assured that we did not take the decision to close Liverpool Central station to Northern line services lightly.

“The work is expected to finish as planned on Wednesday night, and all services will be fully operational on Thursday November 10.” For more information on the planned disruptions, passengers should visit the Merseyrail website, which will be regularly updated.

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