The Merseyrail Network
The two lines operated by Merseyrail form the electrified part of the Merseyrail network. This is the busiest British urban commuter network outside London, transporting over 100,000 passengers a day. Train services run on the electrified Northern Line and Wirral Line, covering the Liverpool suburban area and Merseyside. The total track length is 75 miles (121 km), accommodating 67 stations. The network's lines connect Liverpool city centre with cities and towns on the outer reaches of the city region, such as Southport and Chester. Passing through the intermediate urban areas frequent stops are given. Trains run typically every fifteen minutes to most destinations, with lines converging in the central areas to provide a metro-style frequency of five minutes or less, operating similarly to systems such as Copenhagen's S-tog.
The Northern Line links Liverpool city centre with Southport, Ormskirk and Kirkby to the north, and Hunts Cross to the south. The Wirral Line, extending under the River Mersey, links Liverpool with New Brighton, West Kirby, Chester and Ellesmere Port. The two lines are entirely electrified on the 750 V DC third-rail system.
The currently diesel-operated City Line is not an integral part of the dedicated Merseyrail electrified system. Parts of regional lines, operated by other rail companies, that run through Merseyside are branded the City Line, receiving funding from Merseytravel, with integrated ticketing arrangements within Merseyrail. The diesel trains on the City Line are less frequent than the trains on the electric Northern and Wirral Lines. Many of the existing constraints of the diesel line services will be eliminated when the whole of the City Line is electrified. The scheduled completion of the electrification is 2013.
Frequent train services on Merseyrail lines provide for cross-city connections:
- Northern and City Line services interchange at Liverpool South Parkway and Hunts Cross in the south of the city.
- Wirral and City Lines interchange at Lime Street in the city centre.
- Northern and Wirral lines interchange at Liverpool Central and Moorfields.
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