Liverpool Street station

Liverpool Street station

Liverpool Street station, also called London Liverpool Street, is a mainline railway station in the north of the City of London, on Bishopsgate.

Table of contents

1 Destinations
2 History
3 London Underground station
4 External Link
5 See also

Destinations

Liverpool Street services destinations to eastern England including London Stansted Airport, Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich, Chelmsford, Colchester, Braintree, and the port of Harwich. A daily express train to Harwich connects with the ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland.

To clear up any potential confusion, especially for foreign visitors: trains from Liverpool Street do not go to Liverpool. For that city, Euston is the London terminus.

There are currently three mainline train operators serving Liverpool Street:

Anglia Railways - long distance expresses to Norwich, Harwich boat trains and occasional through trains to other destinations in East Anglia
First Great Eastern - suburban and medium distance services on the Norwich mainline as far North as Ipswich and branch lines in East Essex
WAGN - suburban and medium distance services on the West Anglia Line via Hackney Downs as far as Enfield, Hertford East, Chingford, Stansted Airport and Cambridge

In April 2004, one operator will be awarded the franchise (the Greater Anglia franchise) to provide all passenger services from Liverpool Street. In December 2003, National Express Group, who own WAGN, were announced by the Strategic Rail Authority to be the preferred bidder for this franchise.

History

The station was opened in 1874 by the Great Eastern Railway. It was designed by the Great Eastern's chief engineer, Edward Wilson. It was built on the site of the original Bethlem Royal Hospital and there is a Corporation of London plaque commemorating this on the wall of the adjoining former Great Eastern Hotel, which was designed by Charles Barry (junior) (son of Sir Charles Barry) and his brother Edward Middleton Barry.

The station was extensively modified between 1985 and 1992 but its facade, steam age iron pillars and the honour roll for Great Eastern Railway employees that died in the Great War were retained. It was officially re-opened by Queen Elizabeth in 1991.

London Underground station

The connected London Underground station has surface-level platforms on the Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines. Below the station are platforms for east and westbound Central Line services. Current plans for the Crossrail service would see a new station at Liverpool Street with full mainline and underground connections.

The Central Line platforms opened on July 28, 1912.

External Link

Official Web site