Merseyrail to introduce timetable changes on Southport and other lines due to leaves on the line

From Monday 3 October we are making some timetable changes to the Southport, Chester and Ellesmere Port lines. 

These changes are being made to enable us to run a reliable service. During Autumn, leaf fall can cause problems on our network. The residue from fallen leaves covers the track with a hard, slippery coating, which makes braking and acceleration problematic in some areas. Trains have to run at lower speeds, sometimes leading to delays and cancellations.

To prevent this the following changes will be made:

Chester & Ellesmere Port Lines

Trains running from stations between Chester & Ellesmere Port and Birkenhead Central will depart up to three minutes earlier than currently timetabled, they will arrive in Liverpool City Centre at their usual time.
Trains from Liverpool City Centre will depart at their usual time, but arrive at stations between Birkenhead Central and Chester & Ellesmere Port up to three minutes later than currently timetabled.
Southport Line

Trains running from stations between Southport and Sandhills will depart up to three minutes earlier than currently timetabled, they will arrive in Liverpool city centre at their usual time.
Trains from Liverpool city centre will depart at their usual time but arrive at stations between Sandhills and Southport up to three minutes later than currently timetabled.
Please use our journey planner at the bottom of this page to check your train times and to plan your journey.

Take a look at the short video below that shows some of the other things we do to minimise disruption in Autumn: