Brilliant video, you're doing what I used to do in the seventies armed with a 50p merseyrover ticket.. unlimited travel from 6pm Friday night till last service Sunday.. The reason you go up to go down at moorfields Is it was to be part of the abandoned Liverpool pedway scheme . A series of pedestrian walkways linking the city by pavements at 1st floor level , there are still bits of it at st Johns market, Williamson square, and the pier head /goree/the strand. Well worth checking out
Great video, of course this was filmed in 2022 and "Pre Eurovision" which is going to bring a new dimension to Liverpool and an influx of visitors like never before - including me and I look forwards to riding the new trains too!
I am trying to think how the rail network compared to the Tram Network for competition. I think Liverpool Corporation may have been too hasty to withdraw trams, they went out quite a distance.
Great video! Just wondering if you are sure that the escalator was turned into a staircase? In the 60s and 70s, London Underground didn't install some escalators because of the cost (both of electricity and machinery), and installed stairs instead. These have then (in some cases) been retroactively fitted with escalators because they were designed that way.
@@majorpygge-phartt2643 I am aware of that. There are not that many Dockers now either. Walks down Memory Lane - I used to deliver telegrams to the last Atlantic Liners (CP Empires) as a boy.
Recon you'll blow up soon, keep at it. You have a great voice for these types of videos, not being rude but theres a lot of people who mumble into the mic without conviction
I think that Part 2 is in order, Nick. You have certainly got enough intel to do some more. I would implore you to cover the City Line too. I talk a little bit about Ormskirk station on my own 'Secrets of Ormskirk Town' video. It might even be helpful to do a bit on the expansion of the Northern Line, since it is being proposed that both Ormskirk and Kirkby won't be interchange termini with the new trains on the way. We could be getting yellow and grey trains into both Preston and Wigan Wallgate in the not too distant future.
Hello I’m a really big PEP fan and it’s a shame that the 507s and 508s are being scrapped. I hope somebody preserves one of each of them. Also I have tonnes of footage of Merseyrail trains. I also saw the TfW trains at Birkenhead North Depot (TMD). Also know every Merseyrail station off by heart.
I'm sad about the departure of the 507/8s too. They're really quite nostalgic for me. Fun story, I moved up to the North West from London when I was about 2 and I actually remember riding Merseyrail for the first time, and, because I was 2, I had no concept of moving places and different train systems yet, so I remember thinking "Huh, the trains are yellow now instead of red, blue and white. (i.e. The tube)" I also really loved, and well, I still do, the sound the traction motors make on the trains. No other train has been able to beat it yet, in my opinion! Anyway, yeah, their departure will be a sad one, for sure.
Great video. I grew up in Rock Ferry in the 1960s so I remember when the trains terminated at Liverpool Central. I recall the old Exchange station was dirty & the Southport trains were different from the rolling stock on the Wirral. My parents never owned a car as we had such a great transport infrastructure on our doorstep.
Central Mainline was the terminus for the mainline to Midlands and Central Low Level for the Wirral services. All the mainline stations were scruffy in those days - the big Beeching closures and then the major redevelopments from the 2000s have changed all of that. The Exchange facade fronts a modern office block and looks great.
The _City Line_ *is* a part of Merseyrail. The stations have the same signage and livery as Merseyrail and ticketing. When commuter trains run by other operators enter Merseytravel's area they become City Line trains. The Line is on the Merseyrail maps.
You just popped up on my UA-cam and I really enjoyed and learnt stuff on my daily route to work. Well done. I would love to see more abandoned stations. Like the Lanchester station and maybe walks under the old lines. Like Crown Street station
The Liverpool Lime St to Wigan Line, via St Helens, which is on the _City Line,_ was to be fully integrated into Merseyrail Electrics i the original plan. It was diesel run until 2015, when it was electrified. They use cast off Thameslink trains that had overhead wires and 3rd rail. The 3rd rail boot was removed. It was envisaged that the service would be run by Merseyrail Electrics rather than Northern. But as the Wapping tunnel from Central station to Edge Hill was not used, there is no way to get the trains to stabling/maintenance depots at Kirkdale and Birkenhead. So they stayed with Northern. Getting the Wapping Tunnel used would fully integrate the network. This is essential. Expanding overcrowded Central station and reusing the Wapping tunnel would mean even Manchester trains could run into Liverpool's underground section - shopping and business quarters. Or even to James St (cruise liner service).
▪Merseyrail is the second oldest urban underground railway in the world. ▪It also has the first ever deep level stations - as mentioned. ▪Part of the City Line runs on 1830 alignments and through 1836 tunnels. ▪I believe the Northern Line also runs on alignments from the 1840s. I _believe_ older than anything in London. ▪If and when the 1829 Wapping Tunnel is used that will be the oldest underground part of any urban railway in the world. ▪The oldest _used_ station in the world is the 1830 Broad Green station on the City Line. ▪The Overhead Railway ran inland to Aintree to stations use by the current Merseyrail. So a pretty unique metro. The Battery trains will add to that uniqueness.
Nice one Nick, I always try to get a ride on the Merseyrail whenever I visit Liverpool (even if it is just a short hop from Lime St to James St) and it will be a shame to see the PEP stock going :(
When I was a kid, I used to look out the windows at Sandhills, and I saw something that is very odd. It had an Ainsdale station sign??? Anyway, this has since been taken out :(
Enjoyed that Nick. I'd just point out that although Merseyrail terminates at Hunts Cross and Kirkby you can connect with Northern diesels to Manchester, Wigan and Lancashire at the same stations. Likewise at Ormskirk for Preston. Platform 2 at James Street is still in use; usually when there's a problem on the loop. I used the platform on Thursday 4 Aug 22.
Just one thing there was the Seacombe Branch but that wasn’t electrified but it used to connect near the 3 way split on the NB, WK and Birkenhead North
Yeah, I don't think I was clear enough when I said that. I said "The Wirral Railway on its New Brighton and West Kirby branches" and not just "The Wirral Railway" specifically because of the Seacombe branch. Was mainly just to prevent the history segment from dragging on for too long.
Really interesting video chap… you are doing what I used to do in the 70s. I used to ride the Merseyrail network before the loop line and the old Cheshire lines Liverpool, Central to Warrington line was reopened as far as Garston and then into to Hunts Cross. So much to say as your video wants to make me jump in and add something here and there … I could tell you a lot of what I learnt but it would take so much time …. But great video and nice to see a young man with appetite for preserving our history.
Don't do yourself down so, Badders. That Marshall fella no doubt was your inspiration and top marks for crediting him. Nevertheless, you deserve more credit than you gave yourself in this production. As a TV insider, allow me to give you a couple of pointers: The 'cinematogeaphy' isn't far off ~ you got that beat, near as. Certainly for the moment. The editing isn't ½ bad either and keeping in things like the damn i've just missed it, wouldn't that have been great for the video if .. are nice touches of humanity which get polished out of most films to their detriment. They're priceless as they are instant links with your audience who've all experienced the same arrrgghhh! sensation. The sound ~ lose the bloody mike. Get a clip / tape it somewhere. It's an instant barrier between you and the viewer. Good luck with the next one and I share the encouraging to you setiment in the recent comments: Not enough time's spent at each place - and still you managed to tell a driver of thirty years standing new facts about his railway. There's three "more and more depth please" fillips for you to be chugging on with.
Thank you very much for the kind words! And yes I do agree, the mic does kinda suck. I'm getting a new one when I can as I do hate that I have to hold it up. And yeah the depth too, I understand. I kinda traded off depth for getting more stuff in one video. But nonetheless, thank you very much!
I'm sure the City Line is included in the Merseyrail Daysaver ticket, in case anyone is worried. Also t here are still some 508 carriages in use in some 455 units used by South Western Railway from when the 508s were shortened from 4 to 3 carriages when they went north as Merseyrail couldn't use 8 carriage sets. We'll lose them when the 701 units are finally put into used. I wonder if that will be before the 777s are.
The Merseyrail Daysaver (£5.95) is only valid for travel on Merseyrail Electrics Northern and Wirral Lines. The Merseytravel Saveaway (£6.00 for all zones) is valid on the entire Merseyrail Electrics lines plus the City and Borderlands Lines within Merseyside, the buses and the ferry. Definitely worth the extra 5p!
Is the big secret that it uses 3rd Rail Electricification - apart from the Ex Southern Region Services mainly concentrating on routes into London , is this used on any other UK network of lines ?
Oh true yeah, I never really thought about that. Nothing really comes to mind. Pretty sure the 507/8s are the only Class 5XX in Britain. (I believe 5XX means third-rail EMU)
@@NickBadley Those train units just typify urban transit (non tube)for England, though I think the OHE of West Yorkshire PTE just edges them (and the OHE even of the London Liverpool Street Lines)
Thanks for the video. Can you do a video on the City Line please and tell us about Allerton Station now replaced by South Park Way. It was also the the home of South Liverpool Football club. There is a West Allerton and Mosley Hill stations too. What is the City Line all about?
Good video, however I wish you had took a bit more time to talk about the Water Street tunnel. It’s such a quirky and unique part of the network and real time capsule.
Ooh, look, james street station's had a face lift, it didn't look like that last time I was there, and inside they had far too insanely HOT infra red lamps, I hope they've got rid of them now. And the long subway entrance has had some improvement too, much brighter now, it wasn't anything like that when I last walked in it, it was dark and filthy.
absolutely Brilliant young man. i know the Merseyrail network well and this was fascinating. you researched well and presented well, with good editing all round. i wondered if you live local or just came from somewhere else to do this?
Is there a cross sectional map of the loop line showing how deep the different platforms are in Liverpool and which streets they go under? I never knew about the Water Street exit until I had to use it one day due to work at the station. I needed a rest when I got to the top. It would be interesting to see where it goes from and the angle and why it was built. Are there any other exits? I also remember in the 70s that there was a department store in Liverpool that had it's own access to a train station from the basement or lifts to a platform. Does anyone remember this or which shop it was? Any pictures or video of it? Royal Mail still have access to the line for post.
and at West Kirby, there was the adjacent joint station which ran along the coast to Neston and then via Hadlow Road to Hooton (closed in 1954) Now the Wirral Way Public footpath
Interesting! The Mersey railway is an intriguing network. One request: the sideways transitions are very dizzy-making: future videos would be better with more conventional transitions, I think.
Do you know why Morefields has an upper level? It was to link it with the walk way around that area of the city centre, but I think it just became a raised higher level concrete a public toilet. Pardon the joke but it never took off as a higher level walk way. That's why Morefields is above street leve. Garston I used to use that a lot it was down a slope. Yet South Park Way really replaced Allerton Station, can you do a video on the City Line, that would be good and might have more history. Kirkdale also has link line attached to it that loops parts of Liverpool, I think its just used for frieght now.
Moorfields first floor entrance was built because there were plans to have elevated pedestrian walkways all around Liverpool but these plans didn’t happen. The elevation was dropped from the plans of Moorfields but the station had already been built.
Walkways in the Sky, the Curse of La Corbusier blighted all the major cities, you probably remember the really hideous contraption across the Gyratory next to the Royal Court Theatre. London has only just got rid of the ones along the Barbican. Hopefully the thing at Moorfields will be redeveloped and the situation sorted out. However, there is the Tithebarn Street entrance as well.
For all their faults and excuses occasionally, we really are spoilt by the rail network up here with the regularity of the trains. I hadn't considered it a kind of rapid transit, to be honest, but put all the tracks at street level and change the trains to trams with no change to the scheduling and we'd have a great tram system, the fact they are subterranean and much bigger is a positive.
Also Kirby had a very bad derailment bc of the same reasons from Largs and do enyone know class 508 use to be 4 car trains of corse class 455 now owns that car now
Excellent and very well presented. You should come up to the North East and do a program on the Tyne & Wear metro… although it was only introduced in 1980…. There is plenty of history as it uses some of the disused steam train coastal stations.
Nice video. It brought back lots of memories. I lived in Merseyside during the 70s; we lived “over the water” in Rock Ferry and I worked in Liverpool, so I used the Merseyrail every day. Sometimes we went down to Chester for the afternoon, and the contrast between (what seemed to be) the modern electric trains to Liverpool and the old DMUs from Rock Ferry to Chester was very noticeable. Today, of course, it’s the electric trains that feel old, whereas a ride in a heritage DMU would be a treat. But it’s good to see how the network has been maintained & extended. Well done Merseyrail!
honestly not surprised that little sutton is empty always, i live pretty close to that station and there's basically nothing to do there, other than a mccolls, and maybe a pub if you're lucky
Enjoyable video. Just a few extra things. The Southport line was electrified in 1904. Ormskirk got electric services in 1913. There were also two electrified branches, the North mersey via Marsh Lane and strand Rd, (Bootle new strand) & Aintree. And from Southport as far as Crossens on the west lancs line. Kirkby was electrified in 1977. The original plan at Lime Street was to have the escalators direct from the loop platform to the main line station, but this was changed at the planning stage to what we have now. At Hunts Cross the original plans would have had the line continue via Gateacre, Bell Vale, Broad Green, edge hill & back to Central via another underground station by the Catholic cathedral. There also would have been a North East loop via North mersey and West Derby
And there was some old pictures once at ormskirk which were supposedly taken in the 1950's, but they must've been much older than that because they showed all the tracks there without any conductor rails which as you rightly point out have been there since 1913, so someone doesn't know their local history.
@@highpath4776 no, the lines were closed and are now a cycle path. A short section of the tunnel that would have led to edge hill was built, but leads to a dead end
@@Merseywail The freight line through the North loop, Tuebrook, Breck, Spellow, Walton, is still active. With luck this could be operated by battery sets on the new stock 777s and the section re-opened for passenger traffic.
Yes, can't you tell? I've had a significant makeover! A nice three decade de-aging. Came with the side effect of the fact I now require glasses, but oh well! - Definitely Geoff
didn't bother going to Ormskirk then and also missed saying about the possibility of a connection to Wigan and one possibly to Skelmasdale from Kirkby's new station at headbolt lane. A part two on the cards in the future ? you could add about the war horses at Lathom Hall for WW1. Good video well presented and edited.
On the disused platforms at James street I often wonder why they put new dot matrix screens in when the only train that I have seen there is a empty train that was going to the kirkby depo (the link between james street and central is still there)
I Made a poem for the scrapping of the 507/508s. The Class 507 and 508, Their journey ending in their worst fate, Both destined for the scrap, For years passengers watched the gap, Laid to rest in a TMD, Long after the 502 and 503, Years on end since they were made, Now both left to sit and fade, For the class 777 to take their place, Sadly they won’t win this race.
Brilliant video, you're doing what I used to do in the seventies armed with a 50p merseyrover ticket.. unlimited travel from 6pm Friday night till last service Sunday..
The reason you go up to go down at moorfields Is it was to be part of the
abandoned Liverpool pedway scheme . A series of pedestrian walkways linking the city by pavements at 1st floor level , there are still bits of it at st Johns market, Williamson square, and the pier head /goree/the strand. Well worth checking out
Ahhhh! So *that's* why it is. Thank you!
Great video, of course this was filmed in 2022 and "Pre Eurovision" which is going to bring a new dimension to Liverpool and an influx of visitors like never before - including me and I look forwards to riding the new trains too!
I am trying to think how the rail network compared to the Tram Network for competition. I think Liverpool Corporation may have been too hasty to withdraw trams, they went out quite a distance.
Great video! Just wondering if you are sure that the escalator was turned into a staircase? In the 60s and 70s, London Underground didn't install some escalators because of the cost (both of electricity and machinery), and installed stairs instead. These have then (in some cases) been retroactively fitted with escalators because they were designed that way.
Do you have any idea why Moorefields is called that? I used to wonder about that. Exchange station was a grand station.
It’s named after the road it’s located on, Moorfields.
@@InternationalEdward sorry didnt know it was called Moorfields. Never knew there was a street in town called that.
You have incorrectly advised that the ex L& Y branch from Southport to Liverpool , it was electrified in 1904
Ah, darn. That's embarrassing. I'll try not to get stuff like this wrong in the future.
@@NickBadley Everyone makes mistakes bud, don't kick yourself for it!
I’ve worked for Merseyrail for 18 years and you taught me a few things. Nice one.
It's great to see Secrets videos of other cities in the UK. It's also a shame that the Liverpool Overhead Railway didn't survive.
Eyesore and nobody used it.
@@uingaeoc3905 The dockers used it to shelter from the rain, hence it's nickname, the "dockers' umbrella".
@@majorpygge-phartt2643 I am aware of that. There are not that many Dockers now either. Walks down Memory Lane - I used to deliver telegrams to the last Atlantic Liners (CP Empires) as a boy.
@@uingaeoc3905 I'm a Londoner, but I used it once, when I was a boy. Pity it had to go.
Tell me about it! I'd love to see a video about it and what the space looks like now... A before and after comparison...
Recon you'll blow up soon, keep at it. You have a great voice for these types of videos, not being rude but theres a lot of people who mumble into the mic without conviction
I think that Part 2 is in order, Nick. You have certainly got enough intel to do some more. I would implore you to cover the City Line too. I talk a little bit about Ormskirk station on my own 'Secrets of Ormskirk Town' video. It might even be helpful to do a bit on the expansion of the Northern Line, since it is being proposed that both Ormskirk and Kirkby won't be interchange termini with the new trains on the way. We could be getting yellow and grey trains into both Preston and Wigan Wallgate in the not too distant future.
Still embarrassing “the proposed loop” via west derby hasn’t reopened
What if geoff lived in Liverpool instead:
You did a great job with this one. Nothing wrong with being inspired by Geoff either. +1 sub from me - keep the videos coming!
Thank you so much! I have several other videos planned for the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
Hello I’m a really big PEP fan and it’s a shame that the 507s and 508s are being scrapped. I hope somebody preserves one of each of them. Also I have tonnes of footage of Merseyrail trains. I also saw the TfW trains at Birkenhead North Depot (TMD). Also know every Merseyrail station off by heart.
I'm sad about the departure of the 507/8s too. They're really quite nostalgic for me. Fun story, I moved up to the North West from London when I was about 2 and I actually remember riding Merseyrail for the first time, and, because I was 2, I had no concept of moving places and different train systems yet, so I remember thinking "Huh, the trains are yellow now instead of red, blue and white. (i.e. The tube)" I also really loved, and well, I still do, the sound the traction motors make on the trains. No other train has been able to beat it yet, in my opinion! Anyway, yeah, their departure will be a sad one, for sure.
@@NickBadley No, yeah completely agree traction motors are brill. It’s a slow gradual acceleration sound and it sounds awesome!
Great video. I grew up in Rock Ferry in the 1960s so I remember when the trains terminated at Liverpool Central. I recall the old Exchange station was dirty & the Southport trains were different from the rolling stock on the Wirral. My parents never owned a car as we had such a great transport infrastructure on our doorstep.
Central Mainline was the terminus for the mainline to Midlands and Central Low Level for the Wirral services. All the mainline stations were scruffy in those days - the big Beeching closures and then the major redevelopments from the 2000s have changed all of that. The Exchange facade fronts a modern office block and looks great.
Even though I knew all these secrets already, this was still a great video to watch!
Thank you very much! If it's requested enough, I'll make a part 2 with some more, hopefully more obscure, secrets! Stay tuned!
Very good video, one thing that you missed is the abandoned platforms of Upton-by-Chester between Bache and Capenhurst on the Chester line.
The _City Line_ *is* a part of Merseyrail. The stations have the same signage and livery as Merseyrail and ticketing. When commuter trains run by other operators enter Merseytravel's area they become City Line trains. The Line is on the Merseyrail maps.
You never did the west kirby branch
You just popped up on my UA-cam and I really enjoyed and learnt stuff on my daily route to work. Well done. I would love to see more abandoned stations. Like the Lanchester station and maybe walks under the old lines. Like Crown Street station
The Liverpool Lime St to Wigan Line, via St Helens, which is on the _City Line,_ was to be fully integrated into Merseyrail Electrics i the original plan. It was diesel run until 2015, when it was electrified. They use cast off Thameslink trains that had overhead wires and 3rd rail. The 3rd rail boot was removed. It was envisaged that the service would be run by Merseyrail Electrics rather than Northern. But as the Wapping tunnel from Central station to Edge Hill was not used, there is no way to get the trains to stabling/maintenance depots at Kirkdale and Birkenhead. So they stayed with Northern. Getting the Wapping Tunnel used would fully integrate the network. This is essential.
Expanding overcrowded Central station and reusing the Wapping tunnel would mean even Manchester trains could run into Liverpool's underground section - shopping and business quarters. Or even to James St (cruise liner service).
I’m really sad that the 507s and 508s are going they’re the trains of my childhood
Same
▪Merseyrail is the second oldest urban underground railway in the world.
▪It also has the first ever deep level stations - as mentioned.
▪Part of the City Line runs on 1830 alignments and through 1836 tunnels.
▪I believe the Northern Line also runs on alignments from the 1840s. I _believe_ older than anything in London.
▪If and when the 1829 Wapping Tunnel is used that will be the oldest underground part of any urban railway in the world.
▪The oldest _used_ station in the world is the 1830 Broad Green station on the City Line.
▪The Overhead Railway ran inland to Aintree to stations use by the current Merseyrail.
So a pretty unique metro. The Battery trains will add to that uniqueness.
Thank you very much what a excellent British English speaker you are, you helped me to learn British English too.
Nice one Nick, I always try to get a ride on the Merseyrail whenever I visit Liverpool (even if it is just a short hop from Lime St to James St) and it will be a shame to see the PEP stock going :(
When I was a kid, I used to look out the windows at Sandhills, and I saw something that is very odd. It had an Ainsdale station sign??? Anyway, this has since been taken out :(
The merseyrail??
Indeed, the Merseyrail
The video shows it correctly, that's like Merseyside the police lol
It's now called misseryrail
So as of mid 2024 I can say that this video with its views of the old trains has very quickly obtained a nostalgic feel to it. Enjoyed 👏👏
Enjoyed that Nick. I'd just point out that although Merseyrail terminates at Hunts Cross and Kirkby you can connect with Northern diesels to Manchester, Wigan and Lancashire at the same stations. Likewise at Ormskirk for Preston.
Platform 2 at James Street is still in use; usually when there's a problem on the loop. I used the platform on Thursday 4 Aug 22.
Just one thing there was the Seacombe Branch but that wasn’t electrified but it used to connect near the 3 way split on the NB, WK and Birkenhead North
Yeah, I don't think I was clear enough when I said that. I said "The Wirral Railway on its New Brighton and West Kirby branches" and not just "The Wirral Railway" specifically because of the Seacombe branch. Was mainly just to prevent the history segment from dragging on for too long.
I wouldn't call it a rapid transit network. Suburban/urban commuter rail network maybe.
Really interesting video chap… you are doing what I used to do in the 70s. I used to ride the Merseyrail network before the loop line and the old Cheshire lines Liverpool, Central to Warrington line was reopened as far as Garston and then into to Hunts Cross. So much to say as your video wants to make me jump in and add something here and there … I could tell you a lot of what I learnt but it would take so much time …. But great video and nice to see a young man with appetite for preserving our history.
Thank you very much! Much appreciated!
Don't do yourself down so, Badders. That Marshall fella no doubt was your inspiration and top marks for crediting him. Nevertheless, you deserve more credit than you gave yourself in this production.
As a TV insider, allow me to give you a couple of pointers:
The 'cinematogeaphy' isn't far off ~ you got that beat, near as. Certainly for the moment.
The editing isn't ½ bad either and keeping in things like the damn i've just missed it, wouldn't that have been great for the video if .. are nice touches of humanity which get polished out of most films to their detriment. They're priceless as they are instant links with your audience who've all experienced the same arrrgghhh! sensation.
The sound ~ lose the bloody mike. Get a clip / tape it somewhere. It's an instant barrier between you and the viewer.
Good luck with the next one and I share the encouraging to you setiment in the recent comments: Not enough time's spent at each place - and still you managed to tell a driver of thirty years standing new facts about his railway.
There's three "more and more depth please" fillips for you to be chugging on with.
Thank you very much for the kind words! And yes I do agree, the mic does kinda suck. I'm getting a new one when I can as I do hate that I have to hold it up. And yeah the depth too, I understand. I kinda traded off depth for getting more stuff in one video. But nonetheless, thank you very much!
This comment alone has made me begin trying to get a new mic, 😂
@@NickBadley Great. Best of luck.
I'm sure the City Line is included in the Merseyrail Daysaver ticket, in case anyone is worried.
Also t here are still some 508 carriages in use in some 455 units used by South Western Railway from when the 508s were shortened from 4 to 3 carriages when they went north as Merseyrail couldn't use 8 carriage sets. We'll lose them when the 701 units are finally put into used. I wonder if that will be before the 777s are.
It is (assuming you mean a saveaway) up to Garswood & Newton le willows after that it's not because it becomes greater manchester
@@sexyguy3647 And you could use the saveaway on the ferry.
The Merseyrail Daysaver (£5.95) is only valid for travel on Merseyrail Electrics Northern and Wirral Lines. The Merseytravel Saveaway (£6.00 for all zones) is valid on the entire Merseyrail Electrics lines plus the City and Borderlands Lines within Merseyside, the buses and the ferry. Definitely worth the extra 5p!
Is the big secret that it uses 3rd Rail Electricification - apart from the Ex Southern Region Services mainly concentrating on routes into London , is this used on any other UK network of lines ?
Oh true yeah, I never really thought about that. Nothing really comes to mind. Pretty sure the 507/8s are the only Class 5XX in Britain. (I believe 5XX means third-rail EMU)
@@NickBadley Those train units just typify urban transit (non tube)for England, though I think the OHE of West Yorkshire PTE just edges them (and the OHE even of the London Liverpool Street Lines)
As both a Merseyside film maker and someone who frequently travels on these lines, this video was extremely cool and a joy to watch!
What's with the livery, with company "artwork" designed to look like crappy graffiti tagging?
Thanks for the video. Can you do a video on the City Line please and tell us about Allerton Station now replaced by South Park Way. It was also the the home of South Liverpool Football club. There is a West Allerton and Mosley Hill stations too.
What is the City Line all about?
Good video, however I wish you had took a bit more time to talk about the Water Street tunnel. It’s such a quirky and unique part of the network and real time capsule.
Ooh, look, james street station's had a face lift, it didn't look like that last time I was there, and inside they had far too insanely HOT infra red lamps, I hope they've got rid of them now. And the long subway entrance has had some improvement too, much brighter now, it wasn't anything like that when I last walked in it, it was dark and filthy.
absolutely Brilliant young man. i know the Merseyrail network well and this was fascinating. you researched well and presented well, with good editing all round. i wondered if you live local or just came from somewhere else to do this?
Thank you for the kind words! I live fairly nearby to Merseyside so it isn't too much of a journey to visit the Merseyrail for me.
Is there a cross sectional map of the loop line showing how deep the different platforms are in Liverpool and which streets they go under? I never knew about the Water Street exit until I had to use it one day due to work at the station. I needed a rest when I got to the top. It would be interesting to see where it goes from and the angle and why it was built. Are there any other exits?
I also remember in the 70s that there was a department store in Liverpool that had it's own access to a train station from the basement or lifts to a platform. Does anyone remember this or which shop it was? Any pictures or video of it? Royal Mail still have access to the line for post.
Hey Nick. Here’s a cool fact. After Seaforth & Litherland on the Northern line, There is a level crossing after each station.
and at West Kirby, there was the adjacent joint station which ran along the coast to Neston and then via Hadlow Road to Hooton (closed in 1954) Now the Wirral Way Public footpath
those new trains at birkenhead depot in tfw livery there on the isle of whight they scrapped the 483s they are caleed class 484s
Interesting! The Mersey railway is an intriguing network.
One request: the sideways transitions are very dizzy-making: future videos would be better with more conventional transitions, I think.
Gotcha. I shall keep that in mind for next time! :)
I rode the whole network last month before the 507’s and 508’s disappear for good.
Do you know why Morefields has an upper level? It was to link it with the walk way around that area of the city centre, but I think it just became a raised higher level concrete a public toilet. Pardon the joke but it never took off as a higher level walk way. That's why Morefields is above street leve.
Garston I used to use that a lot it was down a slope. Yet South Park Way really replaced Allerton Station, can you do a video on the City Line, that would be good and might have more history.
Kirkdale also has link line attached to it that loops parts of Liverpool, I think its just used for frieght now.
Moorfields first floor entrance was built because there were plans to have elevated pedestrian walkways all around Liverpool but these plans didn’t happen. The elevation was dropped from the plans of Moorfields but the station had already been built.
Walkways in the Sky, the Curse of La Corbusier blighted all the major cities, you probably remember the really hideous contraption across the Gyratory next to the Royal Court Theatre. London has only just got rid of the ones along the Barbican. Hopefully the thing at Moorfields will be redeveloped and the situation sorted out. However, there is the Tithebarn Street entrance as well.
@@uingaeoc3905 Barbican was particularly hideous.
For all their faults and excuses occasionally, we really are spoilt by the rail network up here with the regularity of the trains. I hadn't considered it a kind of rapid transit, to be honest, but put all the tracks at street level and change the trains to trams with no change to the scheduling and we'd have a great tram system, the fact they are subterranean and much bigger is a positive.
It's a pity there aren't more underground lines in central/inner city Liverpool.
Really enjoyed this video and I learnt a few things! Should’ve went to Ormskirk though
I believe that The old Signal Box at Birkdale now has listed Building Status.
Those ex FT stock for TFW are still there ans despite veibg around for two years have turned a wheel in service Near ditto for the 777s
I have never heard “Birkenhead Central” and “beautiful” in the same sentence
Also Kirby had a very bad derailment bc of the same reasons from Largs and do enyone know class 508 use to be 4 car trains of corse class 455 now owns that car now
Excellent and very well presented. You should come up to the North East and do a program on the Tyne & Wear metro… although it was only introduced in 1980…. There is plenty of history as it uses some of the disused steam train coastal stations.
Btw mersyrail is my local railway literally formby station is just down the road from me
Signature polythene flag blowing in the breeze: tick ✅
Nice video. It brought back lots of memories. I lived in Merseyside during the 70s; we lived “over the water” in Rock Ferry and I worked in Liverpool, so I used the Merseyrail every day. Sometimes we went down to Chester for the afternoon, and the contrast between (what seemed to be) the modern electric trains to Liverpool and the old DMUs from Rock Ferry to Chester was very noticeable. Today, of course, it’s the electric trains that feel old, whereas a ride in a heritage DMU would be a treat. But it’s good to see how the network has been maintained & extended. Well done Merseyrail!
honestly not surprised that little sutton is empty always, i live pretty close to that station and there's basically nothing to do there, other than a mccolls, and maybe a pub if you're lucky
Thanks Nick for video! And as for the Ukrainian railfan it was interesting to watch it.
Think I've found my new favorite UA-camr
3:33 Can't help but wonder what that porn story was about in the newspaper :-) lol
You missed out the faded London Underground Roundel on the side of the building just outside of Sandhills on the left heading towards Southport.
It’s class 508 what do you think in roblox scr
Using that lift to the platform level in lime you can skip the ticket check lol
I lived in Birkenhead and worked in Liverpool from 1989 to 1991 so interesting to see the changes, well done.
just be aware that in peak times there are people that check tickets near that lift in lime street
I like secrets if it is a old one i still love your videos and your Merseyrail videos are insane
Sorry I have just seen your video 2 explaining the upper levels.
Enjoyable video. Just a few extra things. The Southport line was electrified in 1904. Ormskirk got electric services in 1913. There were also two electrified branches, the North mersey via Marsh Lane and strand Rd, (Bootle new strand) & Aintree. And from Southport as far as Crossens on the west lancs line. Kirkby was electrified in 1977. The original plan at Lime Street was to have the escalators direct from the loop platform to the main line station, but this was changed at the planning stage to what we have now. At Hunts Cross the original plans would have had the line continue via Gateacre, Bell Vale, Broad Green, edge hill & back to Central via another underground station by the Catholic cathedral. There also would have been a North East loop via North mersey and West Derby
Ah, I see, thank you very much!
And there was some old pictures once at ormskirk which were supposedly taken in the 1950's, but they must've been much older than that because they showed all the tracks there without any conductor rails which as you rightly point out have been there since 1913, so someone doesn't know their local history.
Sounds like that could have been interesting, are those lines still in use but not part of the electric network ?
@@highpath4776 no, the lines were closed and are now a cycle path. A short section of the tunnel that would have led to edge hill was built, but leads to a dead end
@@Merseywail The freight line through the North loop, Tuebrook, Breck, Spellow, Walton, is still active. With luck this could be operated by battery sets on the new stock 777s and the section re-opened for passenger traffic.
Awesome Video!
Geoff looks different in this one 🤔
Yes, can't you tell? I've had a significant makeover! A nice three decade de-aging. Came with the side effect of the fact I now require glasses, but oh well!
- Definitely Geoff
Lucky you didn't bump into Purple Aki.
There is one secret that you left out and that is that Chester is the only station in the uk with merseyrail electrics announcements
1. Mersey Rail proved that guards are dangerous
Great video Nick - thanks for taking the time to film it & putting it together so well - just subscribed too 😃
1:50 you should do the city line if you didn't done this yet
Awesome! Really enjoyed this and learned a lot! Very well presented and put together.
A brilliant Geoff Marshall wannabe! I just spent a couple of days in Liverpool, and noticed how many streets share their name with streets in London
And areas such as Kensington. Which is really confusing as I have ancestors in the London One, and distance back relatives in the Liverpool one.
@@highpath4776 I think there's also a Vauxhall there and a Waterloo (which also has a station).
Great video, fascinating to understand more about these stations, appreciated the additional insight
A snob from the south born the 8 carat spoon up is jaxi
nooooo, don't tell everyone about the lift!!!! grrr
didn't bother going to Ormskirk then and also missed saying about the possibility of a connection to Wigan and one possibly to Skelmasdale from Kirkby's new station at headbolt lane.
A part two on the cards in the future ? you could add about the war horses at Lathom Hall for WW1.
Good video well presented and edited.
Part 2 has literally finished filming today! Should be coming soon.
terrific sticking to the car till i get my helicopter ola
THat water street entrance is interesting and James Street is amazing.
Great video. Nice work! 👌
Thank you very much!
There were 777 likes when I watched this, appropriately enough. I ruined it of course
Hah, you monster! 😨
The trains went to Chester in the 1980's.
Nothing to report from Ellesmere Port ?
On the disused platforms at James street I often wonder why they put new dot matrix screens in when the only train that I have seen there is a empty train that was going to the kirkby depo (the link between james street and central is still there)
We use the disused Platform during The Sandite season when The MPV`s are treating The Line. It crosses us over to back the other way.
He looks the lead singer son out pulp
Really enjoyed the video - lots of interesting stuff
Thanks man! Happy to hear it!
Ayo scr James Street in real life
I used to go on the mersyrail
I thought Upton was the most unused station on Merseyrail. Great video by the way mate.
Upton is on the Borderlands Line which is operated by Transport for Wales rather than Merseyrail.
I Made a poem for the scrapping of the 507/508s.
The Class 507 and 508,
Their journey ending in their worst fate,
Both destined for the scrap,
For years passengers watched the gap,
Laid to rest in a TMD,
Long after the 502 and 503,
Years on end since they were made,
Now both left to sit and fade,
For the class 777 to take their place,
Sadly they won’t win this race.
I know Geoff mashall
Wow! So interesting 😃
STUFF merseyrail!