Railway upgrades on Merseyrail’s Northern Line
We’re strengthening and waterproofing a series of underground tunnels that bring trains from the south of Liverpool into the heart of the city centre
What work is taking place?
Our teams are strengthening and waterproofing four tunnels that bring trains into Liverpool from the south.
We need to waterproof the tunnel linings to prevent water from entering the tunnel and affecting the 750V electrified third rail and disrupting train services.
Engineers will complete £3.5m of upgrades to reduce risk of power failures, emergency restrictions on trains using the tunnels, and unplanned closures of Merseyrail’s network.
We’ll also install ‘track feeder switches’ that will give us remote control over power to specific sections of the railway.
This will allow us to turn off the power quickly and in smaller sections so we can make track repairs faster, thereby reducing overall disruption for passengers.
When is the work taking place?
We will start work on Sunday 11 October. The works will take four weeks. Normal train service will resume on Merseyrail’s Northern Line on Saturday 7 November.
How will this work affect me?
To carry out these works we will partially close the Northern line between Hunts Cross and Liverpool Central for four weeks, from Sunday 11 October to Friday 6 November.
On Sundays in those four weeks, the closure will extend from Liverpool Central to Sandhills.
We’re working with Merseyrail to make sure people can travel as conveniently as possible during the work – via amended rail services and rail replacement bus services:
- Replacement buses will run between Hunts Cross and Liverpool Central from Monday to Saturday and run between Hunts Cross and Sandhills on Sundays.
- Amended train services will run between Liverpool Central and Southport, Ormskirk, and Headbolt Lane from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays, amended train services will run between Sandhills and Southport, Ormskirk, and Headbolt Lane.
Why is the work needed?
These tunnels bring services from the south of the city and the city centre, via Liverpool Central – one of the most used stations in the country. The station had over 14 million entries and exits in 2024/2025.
It’s also a vital freight corridor that serves the city’s ports and regional industries. By making this intervention, we will secure the long-term reliability of the route.
These engineering works will keep the tunnels safe and reliable for passengers and freight operators, by preventing water ingress that could cause disruption in the future.
By carrying out this work during a scheduled closure, we are managing disruption in a controlled way – avoiding the risk of emergency or unplanned closures that would cause greater disruption at short notice.
This upgrade follows similar improvements made in 2022 to High Neck Tunnel, another tunnel on the Northern Line’s southern approach to Liverpool Central station.
Get in touch
If you have any questions or need assistance with a specific issue, please contact Network Rail’s helpline on 0345 711 4141 or online at networkrail.co.uk/communities/contact-us.
Our community relations team will log your request with the project team, and we will be in touch as soon as possible.
We’ve also introduced a new, digital lineside notification service, which can keep you informed of railway work happening nearby. To sign up, visit networkrail.co.uk/sign-up.