Liverpool Lime Street Station History

Liverpool Lime Street station welcomes passengers coming to Liverpool from all over the country, as well as those leaving Liverpool.  Although not as busy as other Liverpool stations, Liverpool Lime Street is still an extremely important station, and a vital part of Liverpool's transport infrastructure.  As more and more people are travelling to Liverpool, many from outside the region, it's no surprise that Liverpool Lime Street is seeing more and more passengers each year.

The first Liverpool Lime Street station was opened in 1836, and was designed by John Foster Jr, with John Cunningham and Arthur Holme.  This version of Liverpool Lime Street was replaced by a new stationjust 13 years later, in 1849, and featured the first segmental arch vault trainshed, which was built by Richard Turner.  Turner had completed the Palm House in Kew the year before and so had great credentials.  As a testament to his work, parts of this structure can still be seen behind platform 1 of the current station.

In 1867, this trainshed was replaced with a new trainshed which was designed by William Baxter for LNWR, which is the north vault of Liverpool Lime Street station today.  To give the increased number of passengers coming to Liverpool somewhere to stay, the North Western Hotel was opened in 1871.  Just three years later, the second trainshed was added in 1874, which was built by Francis Stephenson and EW Ives, and is the current south vault of the station.

Over just a few short years Liverpool Lime Street station changed dramatically as rail travel became more widespread and the only viable way to travel long distances.  Liverpool was a popular destination, and having an impressive and functional station was important.

Liverpool Lime Street was amended again in 1955 to meet passenger needs, and was changed once more in 1984.   The North Western Hotel, which had been closed for many years, was reopened in 1997 as residences for students of Liverpool John Moores University.
The train sheds at Liverpool Lime Street station needed refurbishing, and the work was carried out as pert of the Station Regeneration Programme between 1999 and 2000.
The refurbishment of Liverpool Lime Street station trainshed was the proud winner of the London Underground Award in the 2001 National Railway Heritage Awards and also pleased to receive a Structural Heritage Commendation in the Institute of Structural Engineers Awards in 2002.

Thanks to increasing passengers from all over the country visiting Liverpool for a variety of reasons, from shopping, culture, sport and business, it's no surprise that Liverpool Lime Street station is going from strength to strength.