• History of Liverpool Street station

  • Originally completed in 1874, Liverpool Street station benefited from a major redevelopment in the late 1980s. It is the London terminus of the former Great Eastern Railway, originally providing routes to Norwich via Ipswich and Kings Lynn via Cambridge.

    Today the station has 123 million visitors each year and remains a stunning example of the fusion of modern facilities within the traditional environment.

    Chronology

    • Great Eastern Railway western shed opened on 2nd February 1874
    • Nine platforms were operational by 1st November 1875
    • The Metropolitan Railway connection opened on 1st February 1875 and closed in 1904
    • The eastern shed opened on 2nd April 1894 but was removed to aid development between 1985 and 1992
    • The Great Eastern Hotel opened in May 1884 and was extended in 1901
    • The present station facilities opened in 1992

    Station design

    • The roof was designed by Great Eastern Railway’s chief engineer, Edward Wilson
    • The Great Eastern Hotel was designed by Charles Barry and his son, Charles Edward Barry
    • The Hotel’s extension in 1901 was designed by Colonel Robert Edis
    • The eastern shed opened on 2 April 1894 but was removed to aid development between 1985 and 1992
    • The station was built by the Lucas Brothers and the roof was designed and built by the Fairburn Engineering Company who also supplied the roof to the Royal Albert Hall

    For more information, download our Architectural mini guide (PDF 235KB) to Liverpool Street station.