Rail passengers travelling into Liverpool are being warned of major disruption later this month as a £3.5 million programme of engineering works will lead to a 26-day closure on part of the Merseyrail network.
Network Rail will begin work on Sunday, October 11, to waterproof and strengthen four underground tunnels that carry Northern Line services into Liverpool city centre from the south.
The project will continue until Friday, November 6, with normal services resuming on Saturday, November 7.
During the closure, the Northern Line will be partially shut between Hunts Cross and Liverpool Central.
On Sundays, the closure will extend to Sandhills station and affect parts of the Wirral Line.
Network Rail said the work is designed to prevent water entering the underground railway, which can interfere with the third-rail power supply and cause disruption to services.
Engineers will also use the closure to continue modernising power control systems, making it quicker and easier to isolate and restore electricity supplies when maintenance or emergency repairs are required.
Passengers will face changes to their journeys throughout the four-week period.
From Monday to Saturday, replacement buses will operate between Hunts Cross and Moorfields, while amended train services will run from Southport, Ormskirk and Headbolt Lane to Liverpool Central.
On Sundays, replacement buses will run between Hunts Cross and Sandhills, with amended train services operating from Southport, Ormskirk and Headbolt Lane to Sandhills.
Additional changes will affect Wirral Line services on selected Sundays.
On October 11 and October 18, trains from West Kirby, New Brighton, Chester and Ellesmere Port will run to James Street only, with services not stopping at Moorfields, Lime Street or Liverpool Central.
On October 25 and November 1, trains from New Brighton and West Kirby will terminate at Birkenhead North, while Chester and Ellesmere Port services will terminate at Rock Ferry.
Replacement buses will connect passengers with Moorfields station.
Network Rail said the tunnels are a vital part of the network, carrying trains into Liverpool Central, one of the busiest stations in the country.
The station recorded more than 14 million entries and exits during 2024/25.
A spokesperson said carrying out the work during a planned closure would help avoid the risk of emergency repairs and unplanned disruption in the future.
The latest improvements follow similar tunnel upgrade work carried out on the Northern Line's southern approach to Liverpool Central in 2022.
Passengers are being urged to check before they travel and allow extra time for their journeys during the closure period.
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