Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Passenger railway began life in Liverpool in 1830 when the first passenger service ran between Liverpool and Manchester. The city’s Lime Street station now stands at the end of the world’s first passenger railway line.

The original terminus to the line built by George Stephenson was at Crown Street, in the line’s early days trains would be pulled up and down from Edge Hill by rope.

The site of Lime Street station was purchased from Liverpool Council in 1833, previously it had been used as a cattle market. The land cost Β£9000 to buy and there were differing plans for the new station. In May 1835 the council agreed to pay Β£2000 towards the cost of the new station and in August 1836 the station was opened to the public.

The Rocket (C) Rainhill & Heritage Railway Society

The station was rebuilt in 1849 with a single vaulted roof built by a Dublin based iron works. At the time it was the largest iron roof used on any building and was the first time one had been used to cover a railway station. Part of the rear wall of the 1849 station survives along side the current Platform 1.

In 1867 the station was rebuilt again and the existing roof begun with the north vault, the south vault was added in 1874. The station has since been refurbished in the 1950’s, 1980’s and again in the late 1990’s.