View source for Liverpool–Manchester lines

{{Short description|Railway line serving between Liverpool and Manchester}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name                            = Liverpool to Manchester routes
| color                           = 
| logo                            = 
| logo_width                      = 
| image                           = File:156423 at Mossley Hill station.jpg
| image_width                     = 300px
| caption                         = A [[Northern Trains]] {{brc|156}} leaving {{rws|Mossley Hill}} station on the southern route
| type                            = Heavy rail
| system                          = [[National Rail]]
| status                          = Operational
| locale                          = [[Cheshire]]<br />[[Greater Manchester]]<br />[[Merseyside]]<br />[[North West England]]
| start                           = 
[[Liverpool Lime Street]]
| end                             = [[Manchester Victoria]], [[Manchester Oxford Road]] and [[Manchester Piccadilly]]
| stations                        = 38
| routes                          = 
| open                            = 
| close                           = 
| owner                           = [[Network Rail]]
| operator                        = [[East Midlands Railway]]<br />[[West Midlands Trains]] (London Northwestern Railway)<br />[[Northern Trains]]<br />[[Merseyrail]]<br />[[TransPennine Express]]<br />[[Transport for Wales Rail|Transport for Wales]]<br />[[Avanti West Coast]]
| stock                           = {{BRC|150}} ''Sprinter'' <br />{{BRC|156}} ''Super Sprinter'' <br />{{BRC|158}} ''Express Sprinter'' <br />{{BRC|185}} ''Desiro'' <br />{{BRC|195}} ''Civity'' <br />{{BRC|197}} ''Civity'' <br />{{BRC|222}} ''Meridian'' (Limited)<br /> {{BRC|323}} <br />{{BRC|331}} ''Civity'' <br />{{BRC|350}} ''Desiro'' <br />{{BRC|390}} ''Pendolino''<br />{{BRC|397}} ''Civity''<br />{{BRC|802}}
| linelength                      = 
| tracklength                     = 
| tracks                          = [[Double-track railway|Double-track]]
| gauge                           = {{track gauge|uksg|allk=on}}
| electrification                 = Mk1/Mk3/UK1 and Series 2 [[25 kV AC|25 kV 50 Hz AC]] [[OHLE]] Lime Street - Liverpool South Parkway. Lime Street - Manchester Piccadilly Northern Route and also Manchester Victoria
| speed                           = 
| elevation                       = 
| map                             = [[File:Liverpool–Manchester lines.png|300px]]<br />([[:commons:File:Liverpool–Manchester lines.png|Click to expand]])
| map_state                       = uncollapsed
}}
{{Liverpool to Manchester Lines|collapse=y}}
[[File:Lime street july 2010.jpg|thumb|right|[[Liverpool Lime Street]] station, the terminus for both the northern and southern routes to Manchester.]]
[[File:Manchester Victoria station 19-10-2009 12-11-47kopie.jpg|thumb|right|[[Manchester Victoria]] station, the terminus for the northern Liverpool to Manchester route.]]
[[File:Manchester Picadilly Station Panorama.jpg|thumb|right|[[Manchester Piccadilly]] station, the terminus of both the northern and southern Liverpool to Manchester route.]]
There once were four direct railway routes between [[Liverpool]] and [[Manchester]] in the [[North West England|North West of England]]; only two remain, the two centre routes of the four. The most northerly and the most southerly of the four routes are no longer direct lines. Of the remaining two direct routes, the northern route of the two is fully electric, while the now southern route is mostly a diesel-only line, with only the westernmost section shared with the [[West Coast Main Line]] being electrified. The most northerly of the four has been split into two routes: the western section operated by [[Merseyrail]] electric trains and the eastern section by diesel trains, requiring passengers to change trains between the two cities. The fourth route, the most southerly of the four, has been largely abandoned east of Warrington; the remaining section caters mainly for freight trains.

The remaining two direct routes are:
* The '''northern route (Chat Moss line)'''  from {{Stnlnk|Liverpool Lime Street}} terminus station via {{stnlnk|Earlestown}}, {{stnlnk|Newton-le-Willows}} and {{rws|Lea Green}} to {{stnlnk|Manchester Victoria}} and {{stnlnk|Manchester Piccadilly}}. This line follows the route of the original 1830 [[Liverpool and Manchester Railway]].
* The '''southern route (CLC line)''' from {{Stnlnk|Liverpool Lime Street}} terminus via {{stnlnk|Warrington Central}} to [[Manchester Piccadilly]] operates on lines formerly owned by the [[Cheshire Lines Committee]].

== Northern route (Chat Moss line) ==
[[File:An account of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway - comprising a history of the parliamentary proceedings preparatory to the passing of the act, a description of the railway in an excursion from (14573310538).jpg|thumb|1869 map showing the northern route]]
The northern route runs from [[Liverpool Lime Street railway station|Liverpool Lime Street station]], via {{stnlnk|Earlestown}} and {{stnlnk|Newton-le-Willows}}, and continues to either {{stnlnk|Manchester Victoria}} or {{stnlnk|Manchester Piccadilly}}. The line follows [[George Stephenson|George Stephenson's]] original 32-mile (51.5&nbsp;km) [[Liverpool and Manchester Railway]] of 1830, which was the world's first inter-city passenger railway and the first to have run 'scheduled' services. Many early steam locomotives were initially used on this line including [[Stephenson's Rocket|Stephenson's ''Rocket'']], which won the [[Rainhill Trials]] in 1829 (see [[List of Liverpool and Manchester Railway locomotives]]). The line also includes listed structures including stations and bridges, particularly the Rainhill Skew Bridge and the nine-arch [[Sankey Viaduct]].

=== Current services ===
Following completion of electrification in May 2015, services to {{stnlink|Manchester Airport}} and [[Manchester Victoria railway station|Manchester Victoria]] are operated by [[British Rail Class 323|Class 323]] 3-car electric multiple units and {{BRC|331}} 3-car and 4-car electric multiple units.

Northern operate two trains per hour on the Chat Moss line, an hourly all-stops service from {{Rws|Liverpool Lime Street}} to {{Rws|Manchester Airport}} operated by Class 323 and 331 EMUs and an hourly service from {{Rws|Chester}} to {{Rws|Leeds}} via {{Rws|Bradford Interchange}} which calls at Earlestown and Newton-le-Willows, operated by Class 195 diesel multiple units.

During weekday peak times, two daily return trains operate between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Victoria, one service in the morning and one in the evening, calling at all stations. Six daily return trains also operate between Manchester Victoria and Wigan North Western, three services in the morning and three in the evening at hourly frequency via Eccles, although only morning services towards Manchester and evening services towards Wigan call at the station.

A parliamentary service operates between {{Rws|Ellesmere Port}} and Liverpool via the western section of the Chat Moss route, calling at all stations between Earlestown and Lime Street.

Between Earlestown and Manchester Airport, there are additional hourly services operated by [[Transport for Wales Rail|Transport for Wales]], which originate from {{stnlnk|Llandudno}} via the [[North Wales Coast Line]] and {{stnlnk|Chester}}.<ref name="Arriva Trains Wales Timetable 4">{{cite web
 |title=4 - North Wales and Chester to Crewe, Warrington and Manchester 
 |work=Arriva Trains Wales Train Times 
 |publisher=[[Arriva Trains Wales|Arriva Trains Wales Limited]] 
 |date=17 May 2009 
 |url=http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/assets/30F99FAF-1AFF-4344-8E0B-21389AF45360.pdf 
 |access-date=25 August 2009 
}}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Northern Trains is the dominant operator on the route, and its services are operated with {{BRC|323}} 3-car electric multiple units, [[British Rail Class 331|Class 331]] 3-car or 4-car electric multiple units or {{BRC|195}} 2-car or 3-car diesel multiple units. Transport for Wales services between Earlestown and Manchester Piccadilly are usually operated by [[British Rail Class 197|Class 197]] diesel multiple units, but [[British Rail Class 158|Class 158]] units may be substituted on occasions.

TransPennine Express operate an hourly service between Liverpool Lime Street and Newcastle Central via Manchester Victoria and York, calling at Lea Green and Newton-le-Willows, operated by Class 802 bi-mode units.

A similar service operates on a Sunday, however the Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Airport service is extended to Wilmslow and the Llandudno service terminates at Chester.<ref name="Northern Timetable 15">{{cite web |date=10 December 2023 |title=N15 - Liverpool to Manchester Airport and Warrington Bank Quay via Earlestown (includes Helsby to Ellesmere Port) |url=https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/sites/default/files/templates/N15/2023-12-10-to-2024-06-01-1701179526.pdf |access-date=23 December 2023 |work=Northern Trains |publisher=[[Northern Trains|Northern Trains Limited]]}}</ref>

The northern Liverpool to Manchester route is also used by [[East Midlands Railway]] for empty coaching stock (ECS) movements, and as a diversionary route when the southern route is closed.

In past years, the line has been used by many express services which included through trains to {{stnlnk|Leeds}}, {{stnlnk|York}} and [[Newcastle Central railway station|Newcastle]] (via {{stnlnk|Huddersfield}}), and to {{stnlnk|Preston}}, {{stnlnk|Glasgow Central}} and [[Edinburgh Waverley station|Edinburgh]] (diverging on to the West Coast Main Line at Newton-le-Willows). Local trains also ran to Manchester via [[Leigh, Greater Manchester|Leigh]], but these services ceased in 1969 when the [[Tyldesley Loopline|Eccles-Tyldesley-Leigh-Kenyon branch]] was closed as a result of the [[Beeching Axe]]. The northern Liverpool to Manchester line has also seen regular use over the years for diverted services from the West Coast Main Line when parts of the latter have been closed for engineering work, but diversions via Manchester instead have now become more common as they do not involve the train reversing, as would be necessary at Edge Hill, following the  electrification of the route.

Work to four-track the line between [[Huyton railway station|Huyton]] and [[Roby railway station|Roby]] was completed in October 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/15584843.Two_platforms_reopen_at_Liverpool_Lime_Street/ |title=Two platforms reopen at Liverpool Lime Street}}</ref>

=== Technical details ===
The key junctions on this route are:
* Edge Hill West Jn (to CLC line via Warrington Central)
* Edge Hill East Jn (to Edge Hill CS)
* Bootle Branch Jn (to [[Canada Dock Branch]], leading to the docks)
* Olive Mount Jn (Olive Mount Jn Chat Moss to Regent Rd)
* Huyton Jn (to Wigan line)
* Earlestown West Jn (West Coast Main Line Southbound via Warrington Bank Quay)
* Earlestown East Jn (West Coast Main Line Southbound via Warrington Bank Quay)
* Newton-le-Willows Jn (for daily Wigan via Golborne Junction services)
* Parkside Jn  (for daily Wigan via Golborne Junction services)
* Eccles Station Jn (to the Weaste branch towards the Manchester Ship Canal)
* Ordsall Lane Jn (separates Chat Moss line (to Victoria) from Bolton lines (to Piccadilly) <ref name="Northern Railways forum">{{cite web|url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/rus%20documents/route%20utilisation%20strategies/north%20west/appendices/appendix%20b%20-%20baseline%20report.pdf|title=Appendix B North West Route Utilisation Strategy|work=Network Rail|access-date=27 November 2015}}. With assistance from: {{cite web|url=http://www.northernrailways.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8354#8354|title=Help re the Liverpool-Manchester lines|work=Northern Railways forum|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003090431/http://www.northernrailways.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8354|archive-date=3 October 2011}}</ref>

During a journey trains are controlled by:
* Lime Street control (LS) (Lime Street and the Lime Street tunnels) - now dedicated desk at new Manchester Rail Operating Centre (LL)
* Edge Hill signal box (LE) (Edge Hill to Edge Hill junction)
* Sandhills IECC (ML) (Olive Mount Jn To Regent Rd)
* Huyton signal box (HN) (Edge Hill to Huyton) - now dedicated desk at new Manchester Rail Operating Centre (LL)
* Warrington signal box (WN)
* Astley signal box (AY)
* Eccles signal box (ES)
* Manchester Piccadilly control (MP)
The above is likely to change in the future as various sections are migrated over to the control of the new Manchester [[Rail Operating Centre]] at Ashburys.<ref name="Manchester ROC">{{cite web|url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/news/2014/jul/Manchester-rail-operating-centre-opens/|title=Manchester rail operating centre opens | publisher= [[Network Rail]]|date=21 July 2014| access-date=13 May 2016}}</ref>

===Electrification===

From 5 March 2015, Class 319 trains started electric operation on this route from Liverpool to Manchester Airport via the Oxford Road viaduct.  Manchester Victoria station is now electrified and at the new timetable changeover on 17 May 2015 Liverpool to Manchester Victoria stopping services also began electric operation using the same rolling stock.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/News-Releases/Better-rail-services-become-a-reality-between-Liverpool-Lime-Street-and-Manchester-Airport-station-22b0.aspx |title=Better rail services become a reality between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport station |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=5 March 2015 |website=Network Rail Media Centre |publisher=Network Rail |access-date=5 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150309092746/http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/News-Releases/Better-rail-services-become-a-reality-between-Liverpool-Lime-Street-and-Manchester-Airport-station-22b0.aspx |archive-date=9 March 2015 }}</ref>

As a result of completion of the [[Castlefield|Manchester Castlefield Junction]] to Newton-le-Willows Junction electrification, [[First TransPennine Express|TransPennine Express]] services between {{stnlnk|Manchester Airport}} and {{stnlnk|Glasgow Central}}/{{stnlnk|Edinburgh Waverley}} now use new [[British Rail Class 350|Class 350]] EMUs and are re-routed along a portion of the northern Liverpool to Manchester route before joining the [[West Coast Main Line]] at Golborne Junction.<ref name="DfT Rail Electrification" />  
TransPennine Express [[British Rail Class 185|Class 185]] DMUs which formerly operated the Manchester Airport - Glasgow/Edinburgh service are now being redeployed to other routes.

The [[Department for Transport]] initially announced in July 2009 that the northern route of the Manchester to Liverpool line was to be electrified<ref>{{cite press release
  | title = £100m plan to electrify Manchester to Liverpool railway
  | publisher = [[Department for Transport|DfT]]
  | date = 23 July 2009
  | url = http://dft.gov.uk/press/aroundtheweb/videos/northwestrailelectrification
  | archive-url = http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20090825164527/http://dft.gov.uk/press/aroundtheweb/videos/northwestrailelectrification
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-date = 25 August 2009
  | access-date = 25 August 2009}}</ref>
with [[Railway electrification in Great Britain#25.C2.A0kV.2C 50 Hz AC.2C Overhead|25 kV, 50 Hz]] [[Alternating current|AC]], [[Overhead lines|overhead line]].<ref name="DfT Rail Electrification">{{cite web
  | title       = Britain's Transport Infrastructure - Rail Electrification
  | url         = http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/rail-electrification.pdf
  | publisher   = [[Department for Transport|DfT]]
  | pages       = 22–24
  | date        = 22 July 2009
  | access-date  = 25 August 2009
  | archive-url  = http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20090805225151/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/rail-electrification.pdf
  | archive-date = 5 August 2009
}}</ref> The electrification process was originally due to be completed by 2013<ref name="DfT Rail Electrification" /> but following [[2010 United Kingdom general election|a change of government in 2010]], the work was delayed meaning that, while the Manchester to Newton-le-Willows section was completed by December 2013 to enable Manchester - Scotland electric services, the remaining section to Liverpool was not completed until 5 March 2015.<ref>{{cite news |title=NR completes NW bridge work |work=Rail |location =Peterborough |page=13 |date=10 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/News-Releases/Better-rail-services-become-a-reality-between-Liverpool-Lime-Street-and-Manchester-Airport-station-22b0.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150309092746/http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/News-Releases/Better-rail-services-become-a-reality-between-Liverpool-Lime-Street-and-Manchester-Airport-station-22b0.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 March 2015 |title=Better rail services become a reality between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport station |date=5 March 2015 |website=Network Rail Media Centre |publisher=Network Rail |access-date=17 November 2016 }}</ref> Now that the electrification of the line is complete and electric services are running, the journey time between Liverpool and Manchester has been reduced from around 45 minutes to 30 minutes due to the greater acceleration achieved by electric trains and the raising of the speed limit along the line from 75 to 90 mph.<ref name="DfT Rail Electrification" />  [[British Rail Class 319|Class 319]] [[Electric multiple unit|EMUs]] have been fully refurbished and transferred from the [[Thameslink (route)|Thameslink route]] to operate between Liverpool and Manchester,<ref name="DfT Rail Electrification" /> while Thameslink services will be operated by new energy-efficient trains, which were originally due to be delivered between 2011 and 2013.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = Thameslink gets 14,500 more seats
  | work = BBC News
  | date = 9 April 2008
  | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7338401.stm
  | access-date = 25 August 2009}}</ref>
Electrification also offers electric haulage options for freight trains, giving a secondary route to the West Coast Main Line from Liverpool.

== Southern route (CLC line) ==
[[File:Manchester Central Station 7.jpg|thumb|right|The original Manchester Central terminus station]]
[[File:Cheshire Lines map 1899.jpg|thumb|1899 map showing the southern route]]
[[File:First TransPennine Class 185, 185105, Hough Green railway station (geograph 3819584).jpg|thumb|A [[First TransPennine Express]] {{brc|185}} passing {{rws|Hough Green}} station on the Southern route in 2014 before TPE services were diverted via Newton-le-Willows]]
The southern route is the old Cheshire Lines Committee line running from Liverpool Lime Street via {{stnlnk|Warrington Central}} to {{stnlnk|Manchester Piccadilly}}. There are three passenger trains per hour (tph) in each direction between Liverpool and Manchester, which are usually operated by a variety of [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150]], [[British Rail Class 156|Class 156]] and [[British Rail Class 158|Class 158]] Diesel Multiple Units. [[TransPennine Express]] used to use modern Class 185 trains, before their services were diverted via the northern route. These services are run by various rail companies and the time intervals are not evenly spaced out; there are large gaps between some services, and at other times trains leave within minutes of each other. While East Midland Railway's once per hour service generally take 50 minutes to reach Manchester from Liverpool Lime Street, some Northern services take an hour and ten minutes to cover the 35 miles. This route is less busy than the northern route in terms of service frequency (1 express & 2 stopping trains per hour each way over the entire route.)

The line's newest station is Warrington West, which opened in December 2019.<ref name="warringtonguardian15440009">{{cite news |last=Laversuch |first=Chloe |date=28 July 2017 |title={{sic|Gover|ment|nolink=y}} to pay £4.2 million towards cost of building £17.2 million Warrington West Station |newspaper=Warrington Guardian |url=http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/15440009.Government_to_pay___4_2_million_towards_cost_of_building___17_2_million_Warrington_West_Station/ |access-date=28 July 2017}}</ref> Liverpool South Parkway station opened in June 2006 after its estimated construction cost of £16 million had doubled to £32 million by the time it was completed.  This station replaced {{stnlnk|Allerton}} and [[Garston (Merseyside) railway station|Garston]] stations and has frequent bus links to [[Liverpool John Lennon Airport]]. 

Originally this line ran from {{stnlnk|Liverpool Central High Level}} terminus station to {{stnlnk|Manchester Central}} terminus station built by the [[Cheshire Lines Committee|Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC)]] in 1873. Liverpool Central High Level station was demolished in 1973 due to all the long-haul distance services on Merseyside being concentrated at {{stnlnk|Liverpool Lime Street}} with Merseyrail operating the local urban services with underground stations in Liverpool and Birkenhead centres. Manchester Central closed in 1969 and is now the [[Manchester Central Convention Complex]].

At the Liverpool end, the line from Hunts Cross to Central High Level station—which accessed the station via a tunnel—was given over to the [[Northern Line (Merseyrail)|Northern Line]] of the electric Merseyrail services and the line from Hunts Cross diverted in 1966 onto the short section of the [[West Coast Main Line]] to Lime Street station. The divergence is at Allerton Junction to the immediate south east of {{stnlnk|Liverpool South Parkway}}.

In 1977-8 the original line in the tunnel approaching Liverpool Central High Level terminus was dropped into a new lower level tunnel immediately south of the station to enter Liverpool Central underground station becoming a through line continuing underground to the north of Liverpool and onto Southport. The Low Level underground station and tunnel was built in 1890 to align with the approach tunnel to the High Level station if in the future the need was there. Victorian foresight was utilised nearly 80 years later.

At the Manchester end the line was diverted to {{stnlnk|Manchester Oxford Road}} and Manchester Piccadilly after Manchester Central was closed.

The Liverpool to Warrington section of this line was initially scheduled to be on the Merseyrail electric urban network. The Strategic Plan for the North West, the SPNW, in 1973 envisaged that the Outer Loop which was to be an orbital line circling the city of Liverpool, the Edge Hill Spur which is a tunnel connecting the east of Liverpool to the central underground sections, and the lines to St. Helens, Wigan and Warrington would be electrified and all integrated into Merseyrail by 1991.<ref>{{cite book |last=Couch |first=Chris |year=2003 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=eS1LCmyGH0YC&q=%22chris+couch%22+%22city+of+change+and+challenge%22+warrington+1991&pg=PA93|title=City of change and challenge: urban planning and regeneration in Liverpool |location=Aldershot |publisher=Ashgate |isbn=978-1-84014-857-2}}</ref>  This meant that trains from Warrington would access Liverpool city centre's underground stations via the Northern Line and Liverpool Central underground station, giving access to Liverpool's shopping and business quarters. This never transpired; however, it is a long-term aspiration of Merseytravel.

The [[Liverpool City Region Combined Authority]] announced in July 2021 that trials of battery-electric [[Class 777]] trains had been successful with the new units able to travel up to 20 miles on batteries. This opens up the possibilities of the trains being used to serve Warrington from Liverpool on this line, conforming to the original Merseyrail plan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lbndaily.co.uk/battery-breakthrough-will-see-merseyrail-network-extended/|title=Battery breakthrough will see Merseyrail network extended|date=15 July 2021}}</ref>

===Planned electrification===
Trains run on electrified track between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester on the Northern route (Chat Moss route), however only diesel engine propulsion can be used on the Southern route (Cheshire Lines route). This line has been prioritised for full electrification between the two cities, however no date has been set for the commencement of works.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/infrastructure/single-view/view/electrification-priorities-in-northern-england.html| title=Electrification priorities in northern England| website=Railway Gazette| date=5 March 2015}}</ref>

=== Current services ===
Northern operate two trains per hour on the southern route between Liverpool Lime Street and Warrington Central, with one train per hour extending to Manchester Oxford Road. The Manchester service is semi-fast until Warrington, and the service terminating at Warrington calls at all stations (except Sankey for Penketh which receives a limited service). Northern operates a mixture of {{BRC|195}}, [[British Rail Class 156|Class 156]] and [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150]] units along the line.

East Midlands Railway operate an hourly fast service between Liverpool Lime Street and Norwich calling at Liverpool South Parkway, Widnes, Warrington Central, Manchester Oxford Road and Manchester Piccadilly. EMR mainly use [[British Rail Class 158|Class 158s]] along the line, although [[British Rail Class 170|Class 170s]] are used sometimes.

TransPennine Express also operate a fast hourly service using this line from Liverpool Lime Street to Cleethorpes - this was extended from Manchester Piccadilly in December 2022. All services call at Liverpool South Parkway, Warrington Central and Birchwood, most services call at Irlam and Urmston and a few services in the morning and evening peaks call at Warrington West. All TransPennine services on this route use {{BRC|185}} units.

In the past, the [[Cheshire Lines Committee|CLC]] route was used by a variety of local services in addition to limited-stop expresses between the two cities. These included trains between Warrington Central and {{stnlnk|Stockport Tiviot Dale}}, Liverpool and Manchester to {{stnlnk|Wigan Central}}. and Liverpool to {{stnlnk|Southport Lord Street}} via {{stnlnk|Aintree Central}}. The latter route was closed in 1952. The diversion of Liverpool-bound trains to Lime Street in 1966 and the closure of Manchester Central in 1969 (all trains subsequently running to Oxford Road and Piccadilly) saw the route downgraded in importance and from then until the mid-1980s it was operated as a self-contained route due to congestion issues at the Manchester end. The service frequency was also lower than at present, for example the [[British Rail]] 1985 timetable showed one semi-fast and one stopping train per hour in each direction on weekdays (excluding the weekday peak periods). Through running to destinations east of Manchester via this route began on a regular basis only in 1986, when the opening of a new connection at {{stnlnk|Hazel Grove}} allowed trains from the Sheffield direction to run via Stockport and thus avoid conflicting movements across the station throat at Piccadilly.

The route from [[Liverpool]] to [[Manchester]] via [[Newton-le-Willows railway station|Newton le Willows]] has been popular in recent years with [[steam locomotive]]-worked [[excursion trains]]. The second route from Liverpool through [[Hunts Cross railway station|Hunts Cross]] and [[Warrington Central]] to Manchester rarely sees steam-worked excursion trains, the most recent being in 2013 for the 45th anniversary special run of the [[Fifteen Guinea Special]]. The original route through Newton-le-Willows was closed for electrification work.

=== Technical details ===
The key junctions on this route are:
* Lime Street (used to move trains onto appropriate platform)
* Edge Hill East Junction (for the Huyton line)
* Allerton West Junction (to West Coast Main Line, known as Allerton junction)
* Hunts Cross Junction (to Merseyrail Northern Line)
* Glazebrook East Junction (formerly for Warrington-Stockport services, but now used as a passing point)
* Trafford Park Junction (for Euroterminal freight terminal)
* Castlefield Junction (where lines to Manchester converge).<ref name="Northern Railways forum"/>

During a journey trains are controlled by:
* Lime Street control (LS) (Lime Street and the Lime Street tunnels) - now dedicated desk at new Manchester Rail Operating Centre (LL)
* Edge Hill signal box (LE) (Edge Hill to Edge Hill junction)
* Allerton signal box (AN) (Edge Hill junction to Liverpool South Parkway)
* Hunts Cross signal box (HC) (Allerton junction to Widnes Station)
* Warrington Central signal box (WC) (Widnes station to Padgate station)
* Glazebrook East signal box (GE) (Birchwood station to Urmston)
* Manchester Piccadilly control (MP) (Urmston to route terminus)
The above is likely to change in the future as various sections are migrated over to the control of the new Manchester [[Rail Operating Centre]] at Ashburys.<ref name="Manchester ROC"/>

== Former direct routes ==
[[File:Map of rail routes between Liverpool and Manchester in 1960.svg|thumb|upright=2.2|'''Map of all four routes in 1960'''
{{legend-line|3px solid #1699d2|Via Kirkby and Wigan ''(Route no longer direct; passengers must change at Headbolt Lane near Kirkby)''}}
{{legend-line|3px solid #d71111|Northern route (Chat Moss)}}
{{legend-line|3px solid #21ca54|Southern route (Cheshire Lines Committee) ''(Route within Liverpool now follows the black route.)'' }}
{{legend-line|3px solid #000000|Via Ditton Junction ''(Tracks no longer exist between Warrington and Altrincham.)'' }}
{{legend-line|1px solid #949494|Other lines}}
]]

===Via Wigan===
It is possible to travel between {{stnlnk|Liverpool Central}} and {{stnlnk|Manchester Victoria}} via {{stnlnk|Wigan Wallgate}}. However, since 1977, this route requires a change (from 2023 at {{stnlnk|Headbolt Lane}}, previously at {{stnlnk|Kirkby}}), from the [[Merseyrail]] electric [[Northern Line (Merseyrail)|Northern Line]] hybrid battery trains to the [[Northern Trains|Northern]] diesel trains. Sections of this route were built by the [[Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway]] and their acquired railways, such as the [[Liverpool and Bury Railway]] and the [[Manchester and Southport Railway]].

This line was partially built by the [[Liverpool and Bury Railway]], opening in 1848, which later merged into the [[Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway]] who on acquisition owned the [[Manchester and Southport Railway]] which formed the complete continuous line from Liverpool into Manchester. The route was continuous from [[Liverpool Exchange railway station|Liverpool Exchange terminus]] to {{stnlnk|Manchester Victoria}}. With the creation of the electric [[Merseyrail]] urban network the line was effectively cut into two with two different modes of traction. The Liverpool half is fast third rail electric and the Manchester side slower diesel traction. The point at which the two modes meet is Headbolt Lane which functions as a terminus for the electric and diesel services. As Headbolt Lane station is on the formerly diesel end of the Kirkby branch, the Merseyrail services change power from third rail to batteries at Kirkby and continue the journey using battery power.

The Merseyrail terminus at the Liverpool end of the line was extended from Liverpool Exchange to underground Liverpool Central.  With the closure of Liverpool Exchange terminus station in 1977, the terminus at the Liverpool end of the diesel service was cut back to Kirkby station, although the connection point was later changed to Headbolt Lane in 2023. Passengers from Manchester alight at Headbolt Lane and walk down from platform 3 to platform 1 or 2, boarding a Liverpool bound electric train terminating at Liverpool's underground Central station. The diesel train from Manchester is scheduled to meet a Merseyrail electric train from Liverpool at Headbolt Lane (albeit a tight connection) for ease of passenger transfers. A new underground through station was built at [[Moorfields railway station|Moorfields]] replacing some of the services of nearby Liverpool Exchange terminus station.

At 37 miles (59.5 km) this route is longer than either of the two direct routes. According to [http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ National Rail Enquires website] the travelling time from end to end would be 1 hour 38 minutes, including the change, compared with around 30 minutes from Lime Street to Manchester Piccadilly. However, despite the split at Headbolt Lane the line is still useful for travelling into either Liverpool or Manchester.

===Via Ditton Junction===
A further southerly route, using what was [[St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway]] and [[Warrington and Stockport Railway]], connected Liverpool Lime Street with Manchester Oxford Road via [[Ditton railway station|Ditton Junction]] (south west of Widnes), Warrington Bank Quay (low level platforms) and [[Timperley Metrolink station|Timperley]] (north of Altrincham). East of Warrington the line has been abandoned and now forms part of the [[Trans Pennine Trail]], and from Timperley into Manchester is now the [[Altrincham Line]] of the [[Manchester Metrolink]] tram system. Fiddlers Ferry Power station was decommissioned on 31 March 2020, leaving the line rarely used.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ambrose |first1=Jillian |title=UK to be left with five coal power stations after latest closure |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/13/mild-but-windy-winter-was-greenest-ever-for-uk-energy-use |website=The Guardian |access-date=30 June 2021 |date=13 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=SSE announces proposed closure of Fiddler's Ferry coal-fired power station |url=https://sse.com/newsandviews/allarticles/2019/06/sse-announces-proposed-closure-of-fiddlers-ferry-coal-fired-power-station/ |website=SSE |access-date=19 November 2019 |archive-date=2 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602145542/https://sse.com/newsandviews/allarticles/2019/06/sse-announces-proposed-closure-of-fiddlers-ferry-coal-fired-power-station/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> What will become of the line between Widnes and Warrington is uncertain. [[Northern Powerhouse Rail]] have suggested the line be used to access Liverpool for both [[Northern Powerhouse Rail|NPR]].

== Timings and line speeds ==
{{As of|2016}},  the fastest journey times are around half an hour, which is little better than over a century earlier. The fastest recorded run was from Manchester Exchange to Liverpool Lime St in 30 minutes 46 seconds by a 1936 built [[LMS Jubilee Class|Jubilee]] 5707 with 7 coaches. An 1882-built [[Compound locomotive#Webb|compound steam locomotive]] was timed on the same route in 38 minutes 18 seconds. Until 1968 trains from Liverpool to Manchester by all 3 routes were scheduled to take 40 minutes and often took less. The southern route via Warrington is now restricted to 85&nbsp;mph and the northern route via Earlestown to 90&nbsp;mph, with 75&nbsp;mph over [[Chat Moss|Chat Moss peat bog]].<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[The Railway Magazine]] |date=March 2013 |issn=0033-8923 |pages=23–27 |department=Practice & Performance |title=On the Mersey Beat |last=Heaton |first=John |volume=159 |issue=1343 |editor-last=Pigott |editor-first=Nick |editor-link=Nick Pigott }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Eccles rail crash (1941)]]
* [[Eccles rail crash (1984)]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book| first=R.V.J.| last=Butt| title=The Directory of Railway Stations| publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd|year=1995| isbn=1-85260-508-1}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Liverpool to Manchester Lines}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120205165910/http://www.n-le-w.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95&Itemid=27 http://newton-le-willows.com : A Brief History of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway]
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/127646831@N03/sets/72157648494725811/ : A frequently updated photographic record of the electrification project]

{{Railway lines in North West England}}
{{Current rail infrastructure projects in the United Kingdom}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liverpool To Manchester Lines}}
[[Category:Rail transport in Cheshire]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Greater Manchester]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Merseyside]]
[[Category:Railway lines in North West England]]