A fire in Liverpool today disrupted trains through Liverpool Lime Street after flames broke out near the track in the Winsford area on Saturday, July 11 evening. The closure hit services to and from Liverpool Lime Street, with delays, cancellations, and diversions spreading across the route.
National Rail said major disruption was expected until the end of the day. Avanti West Coast services between London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street faced delays and cancellations, while London Northwestern Railway between Birmingham New Street and Liverpool Lime Street was also affected.
Liverpool Lime Street closures
All lines running through Liverpool Lime Street station were closed after the fire near Winsford. INRIX reported: "Delays and some cancellations on Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern between Crewe and Runcorn, and at Crewe due to lineside fire."
That meant trains running between Crewe and Runcorn, and also Warrington Bank Quay, could be cancelled, delayed by up to 60-minutes, revised, or diverted to avoid the affected area. The disruption reached beyond one corridor because services were sharing the same blocked route through the Liverpool area.
Crewe and Liverpool South Parkway
Rail Replacement Services were arranged between Crewe and Liverpool South Parkway in both directions, and tickets could be used at no extra cost on Northern and Merseyrail services between Liverpool South Parkway and Liverpool Lime Street. Travellers heading through Crewe, Runcorn, and Liverpool South Parkway had to follow the temporary arrangements rather than the usual rail path.
For passengers already on the move, the practical step was to check Journey Planner or Find a Station before travelling and use Rail Replacement Services where listed. The fire had already forced the evening timetable off course, and National Rail’s warning meant the disruption was still set to run through the rest of the day.
