Liverpool Street Station (LST)

Address: Bishopsgate, London EC2M 7PY
Opened: 1875
Station Code: LST
Fare Zone: 1

London Overground Line(s) Served:

Lea Valley Lines (Cheshunt & Enfield Town Branches)

Service Pattern(s):

Four trains per hour to Chingford
Two trains per hour to Cheshunt
Two trains per hour to Enfield Town

Interchange(s)

London Underground: Central/Circle/Hammersmith & City/Metropolitan Lines

Elizabeth Line

National Rail: Greater Anglia services & Stanstead Express

Station History

Although the Eastern Counties Railway had run services into the local area to their terminus at Bishopsgate since July 1840, it was not until their takeover by the newly formed Great Eastern Railway in 1862, and the realisation that Bishopsgate was too small to serve the GER’s needs, that plans were drawn up for a new station.

Following the approval of the Great Eastern Railway (Metropolitan Station and Railways) Act 1864 construction of the new station and the lines serving it was commenced. The station, designed by Great Eastern engineer Edward Wilson was constructed by Lucas Brothers and partially opened to traffic in 1874 with suburban services being the first to call here.

The completed ten platform terminus was fully opened in 1875 with Bishopsgate station being closed at this time and converted for goods traffic. However, during the station’s first decade of operation, demand for services was far outstripping the provision of platforms so the GER acquired more land to the east of the station, and eight new platforms along with their tracks began construction in 1890, before opening for traffic in 1894.

Following the outbreak of the First World War, Liverpool Street (along with several other sites) was targeted by the first wave of German air raids. Three bombs hit the station, falling through the glass train shed roof with two exploding, killing 16 and seriously injuring 15 people.

Towards the end of the First World War, the station layout was modified with the addition of locomotive servicing and maintenance facilities, along with the introduction of colour light signalling, with the new facilities and associated services commencing in July 1920.

With the passing of the Railways Act 1921, Great Eastern Railway services were amalgamated with a number of other companies to form the London & North Eastern Railway, which commenced operation in 1923. This was followed by Nationalisation in 1948 which saw the LNER become part of British Railways (Eastern Region).

One of the last acts before Nationalisation saw the LNER commence electrification work on its lines, with the first part between the station and Stratford going live on 3 December 1946, followed by the full line (under British Railways) to Shenfield in September 1949. This was followed in November 1960 by electrification of the lines to Chingford and Enfield Town.

A scheme to demolish both Liverpool Street and neighbouring Broad Street and develop a new station was proposed by British Rail in 1975, but this was met with huge opposition from both local residents and businesses alike. British Rail heavily altered their plans, and planning permission was given for the amended scheme, with works starting in 1985.

The station was gradually demolished and rebuilt with a single underground concourse at the end of the platforms with entrances leading to both Liverpool Street itself and Bishopsgate. A bus interchange was also provided during the rebuild. The construction works were concluded, and the station officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 5 December 1991.

April 1993 saw an IRA bomb explode in Bishopsgate, causing approximately £250,000 worth of damage to the station leading to its temporary closure. Repairs were completed, and the station reopened on 26 April 1993.

The station has seen changes in its ownership in recent times, with Railtrack taking over management on 1 April 1994, before being succeeded by Network Rail (the current owner) in October 2002.