Kirkby railway station

Kirkby
265px A Class 508 occupies the Liverpool portion of the platform.
Location
Place	Kirkby
Local authority	Knowsley
Coordinates
Grid reference	SJ402992
Operations
Station code	KIR
Managed by	Merseyrail
Number of platforms	2
DfT category	E
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage*
2004/05	0.516 million
2005/06	0.560 million
2006/07	0.639 million
2007/08	0.739 million
2008/09	2.191 million
2009/10	2.051 million
2010/11	2.006 million
2011/12	1.891 million
2012/13	1.750 million
2013/14	2.358 million
2014/15	2.409 million
Passenger Transport Executive
PTE	Merseytravel
Zone	A3/C2/C3
National Rail – UK railway stations
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Kirkby from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.
UK Railways portal

Kirkby railway station is situated in Kirkby, Merseyside, England. The station is an interchange between Merseyrail services from Liverpool Central and Northern Rail services from Manchester Victoria via Wigan Wallgate.

The original station was built in 1848, as part of the Liverpool and Bury Railway. The station was situated on the side that now forms the Wigan-bound platform, and consisted of two platforms. This station was removed in 1978 and replaced with the modern station layout, which opened in May of that year.

The modern station consists of a single platform, bisected by a bridge. The single track is broken up by a large buffer stop, which separates the third-rail electrified Merseyrail trains from the diesel-run Northern Rail services. Passengers wishing to go from one to another must walk a dozen yards or so along the platform to move between trains. (A similar layout exists at Ormskirk.)

Services

Services to Liverpool Central operate frequently, running every 15 minutes during the day (Monday-Saturday) and every 30 minutes at other times with a Saturday service operating on most Bank Holidays.

Services to Wigan Wallgate and Manchester Victoria operate less frequently, usually every hour.

There is no late evening or Sunday service but a normal service operates on most Bank Holidays. Most trains used continue to Rochdale railway station prior to the December 2008 timetable change, but more recently ran to/from Stalybridge. Since the May 2014 changes though, most trains now run through to/from Rochdale again and onwards to start/terminate at Todmorden.

Headbolt Lane and planned extension

As part of the second Merseyside Local Transport Plan (covering expansion of public transport in the region from 2006 to 2011), plans were drawn up for the possible future expansion of the electrified line beyond the existing station. Since the existing track at Kirkby station makes interchange difficult, part of the expansion involves the construction of a new station in the Northwood area of the town. This new facility, at Headbolt Lane - previously planned in the early 1970s but never built - would provide "turn-back" platforms for both diesel and electric services (likely in an island platform configuration). Exploratory technical assessments have already been carried out, and more detailed exploration of the scheme is scheduled to take place.

Gallery

• Kirkby Railway Station Merseyrail platform.JPG

  An overall view of the Merseyrail platform.

• Kirkby railway station - ticket office.jpg

  The ticket office.

• Kirkby Station - geograph.org.uk - 747868.jpg

  Kirkby Station view from Merseyrail side of the road bridge, showing the Wigan train about to return for Manchester.

• All Change^ - geograph.org.uk - 747865.jpg

  View from other side of bridge.

External links

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

• Station information for Kirkby railway station from Merseyrail

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Terminus		Merseyrail Northern Line		Fazakerley towards Liverpool Central
Terminus		Northern Rail Kirkby Branch Line		Rainford
	Disused railways
Terminus		Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway North Mersey Branch		Aintree Racecourse