Cressington railway station

Cheshire Lines Committee
Legend
Merseyside Lines  Southport Lord Street Birkdale Palace to Southport Ainsdale Ainsdale Beach Northern Line Woodvale Freshfield to Liverpool Central Liverpool, Southport and Preston Junction Railway Barton Mossbridge Hillhouse Junction Altcar and Hillhouse Lydiate Sefton and Maghull to Ormskirk Old Roan Aintree Junction Southport Junction Aintree Central Aintree Northern Line Warbreck Orrell Park Walton to Kirkby Rice Lane to Liverpool Central Fazakerley Junctions Walton on the Hill Huskisson Clubmoor West Derby Knotty Ash & Stanley Broad Green City Line Childwall Gateacre Northern Line Liverpool Central Liverpool Central High Level St James Brunswick(original) Egerton Street Junction Brunswick St Michaels Otterspool Aigburth Cressington to Lime Street Garston Liverpool South Parkway Hunts Cross West Junction Hunts Cross to Manchester Central

Cressington railway station serves the Grassendale district of Liverpool, England. It is situated on the Southport-Hunts Cross route of the Northern Line of the Merseyrail suburban system. The station takes its name not from a district in Liverpool, but the nearby Cressington Park.

History

A 1913 Railway Clearing House map (left) of railways in the vicinity of Cressington (shown here as Cressington & Grassendale)

The station, originally called Cressington & Grassendale, opened in 1864 as part of the Garston and Liverpool Railway line between Brunswick and Garston Dock. In 1865 the station and line were incorporated into the Cheshire Lines Committee.

The station closed in 1972 but reopened in 1978 as part of the Kirkby-Garston line of the Merseyrail system. Services were extended from Garston to Hunts Cross in 1983, and diverted to Southport instead of Kirkby in 1984.

From 11 December 2006 the Monday-Saturday evening service was increased to run every 15 minutes, instead of half-hourly as previously.

The station is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building, and has a traditional façade. As part of the Merseyrail upgrade, the platforms were lengthened to accommodate 6-car trains. This proved problematic, as the station is situated between two bridges in a narrow cutting. Special dispensation was given by the Railway Inspectorate to build the platforms narrower than the 6-foot (1.8 m) width which would normally be required.

During the summer of 2010, the building on platform 2 had some work done to it and is now usable as a place where passengers can sit out of the weather whilst waiting for the train. The room has 15 chairs in it and an electronic information board showing the next 10 trains for both platforms. There was also the installation of an information sign on each platform outside showing the next train, where it stops, when it is expected, and what the current time is.

Inside the main building is an electronic information board showing the next 10 trains expected at the station. Also there is a bin, a bench, a place to lock your bicycle, and a vending machine for food.

Services

Trains operate every 15 minutes, Monday-Saturday to Southport via Liverpool Central to the north, and Hunts Cross to the south. On Sundays, services are every 30 minutes in each direction.

Gallery

• Bridge, Cressington railway station (geograph 3787249).jpg

  The station bridge.

• Merseyrail Class 507, 507027, Cressington railway station (geograph 3787271).jpg

  A Merseyrail Class 507 arrives with a service from Liverpool.

• Cressington Station 7.jpg

  An 1871 water fountain, at the station.

• CRESSINGTON STATION SOUTH LIVERPOOL JULY 2012 (7581184510).jpg

  A view of the station, from the street.

External links

• Train times and station information for Cressington railway station from National Rail

• Station information for Cressington railway station from Merseyrail

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Aigburth towards Southport		Merseyrail Northern Line		Liverpool South Parkway towards Hunts Cross
	Historical railways
Aigburth Line and station open		Merseyrail Northern Line		Garston Line open, station closed
	Disused railways
Aigburth Line and station open		Cheshire Lines Committee Garston and Liverpool Railway		Garston Dock Line and station closed