History of Liverpool Street station in Timeline

Liverpool Street station, or London Liverpool Street, is a significant railway terminus and London Underground station situated in the northeastern part of the City of London. It serves as the terminus for several major lines, including the West Anglia Main Line (to Cambridge and Ely), the Great Eastern Main Line (to Norwich), and commuter trains heading to east London and various destinations in the East of England, such as the Weaver line of the London Overground. Additionally, it provides access to Stansted Airport via the Stansted Express service.

November 1909: Underground station renamed

On November 1, 1909, the underground station was renamed Liverpool Street.

July 1912: Opening of Central London Railway terminus

On July 28, 1912, the platforms that are now the deep-level Central line platforms 4 and 5 opened as the eastern terminus of the Central London Railway (CLR).

December 1927: Opening of Post Office station

In December 1927, the Post Office station opened at Liverpool Street, enabling the transfer of mail to and from the main station.

1936: Liverpool Street in Monopoly

In 1936, Liverpool Street was one of the four railway stations present on the British version of Monopoly, when Victor Watson redesigned the game for the British market.

September 1940: Liverpool Street station becomes a shelter during the Blitz

During heavy raids on the East End on 7 September 1940, Liverpool Street station was used as a shelter during the Blitz.

December 1946: Passenger line extended eastwards

On 4 December 1946, the passenger line was extended eastwards as part of the war-delayed London Passenger Transport Board's New Works Programme.

1951: Underground ticket hall added

In 1951, an Underground ticket hall was added at Liverpool Street station.

1974: Platform 3 still in use

By 1974, platform 3 at Liverpool Street station was still in use by terminating Metropolitan line trains from the west.

December 1991: Official opening of the redeveloped Liverpool Street

In December 1991, Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the redeveloped Liverpool Street station. A giant departures board was installed above the concourse at this time.

1991: Construction of additional entrance

In 1991, an additional entrance was constructed on the east side of Bishopsgate with a subway under the road.

April 1993: Bishopsgate bombing

On April 24, 1993, the Bishopsgate bombing caused about £250,000 of damage, primarily to the glass roof, and temporarily closed the station. The station re-opened on April 26, 1993.

December 1993: Station "twinned" with Amsterdam Centraal railway station

On December 2, 1993, Liverpool Street station was "twinned" with Amsterdam Centraal railway station, with a plaque marking this close to the entrance to the Underground station.

1994: Platform 3 made redundant

By 1994, platform 3 at Liverpool Street station was redundant.

1996: Liverpool Street featured in espionage film

In 1996, Liverpool Street station was used as a backdrop for the espionage film Mission: Impossible.

Loading Video...

2003: Discontinuation of postal traffic system

In 2003, the postal traffic system at Liverpool Street station was discontinued.

2004: Fictional terrorist attacks

In 2004, Liverpool Street station was featured in London Under Attack, a Panorama docu-drama portraying a terrorist attack on London using chlorine gas; and the drama Dirty War portrayed a suicide terrorist attack using a "dirty bomb" near the Underground station.

July 2005: Terrorist attack on Underground train

During the 7 July 2005 terrorist attacks on London, a bomb was exploded aboard an Underground train that had departed Liverpool Street toward Aldgate, killing seven passengers.

2006: Liverpool Street featured in espionage film

In 2006, Liverpool Street station was used as a backdrop for the espionage film Stormbreaker.

Loading Video...

November 2007: Replacement of the 'flapper' display board

In November 2007, the mechanical 'flapper' display board at Liverpool Street station, one of the last remaining at a British railway station, was replaced.

2009: Liverpool Street featured in flash mobs in the film

In 2009, Liverpool Street station was the site for staged flash mobs in the film St. Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold and for a T-Mobile advert.

Loading Video...

2010: Desire for interchange with Central line

Since the opening of the London Overground's Windrush line in 2010, an interchange with the Central line has been desired locally in neighbouring Shoreditch.

2011: Liverpool Street featured in crime drama

In 2011, Liverpool Street station was used as a backdrop for the crime drama The Shadow Line.

Loading Video...

2013: Discovery of burial ground

In 2013, during excavation work for the Crossrail project, a 2-acre (0.8 ha) mass burial ground dating from the 17th century was uncovered a few feet beneath the surface at Liverpool Street. A 16th-century gold coin was also found.

2014: University of Cambridge study

In 2014, a team from the University of Cambridge began conducting a study in a short, double track section of unused tunnel near the platforms where a newly built tunnel for Crossrail is situated almost two metres beneath.

2015: TfL Rail takeover and London Overground transfer

From 2015, TfL Rail took over the Liverpool Street-Shenfield stopping "metro" service from Greater Anglia, and services on the Lea Valley Lines out of Liverpool Street transferred to London Overground.

2015: Excavation of the burials began

In early 2015 full-scale excavation of the burials began. It was estimated at 3,000 interments.

2015: Changes to passenger services

Since 2015, the Shenfield stopping service has been operated by Transport for London (first under the TfL Rail brand, now the Elizabeth line), and the Lea Valley Lines to Enfield Town, Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters) and Chingford are operated by London Overground.

March 2020: Liverpool Street becomes the third-busiest railway station in the UK

In the 12 months to 31 March 2020, immediately before travel restrictions were introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Liverpool Street was the third-busiest railway station in the United Kingdom.

May 2020: Planned freight trial

A freight trial between Liverpool Street and London Gateway was planned to start in May 2020, using a Class 769 bi-mode train.

March 2021: Significant drop in passenger numbers due to the pandemic

In the 12 months to 31 March 2021, patronage at Liverpool Street station fell by 83% to 11.2 million entries and exits, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.