Rice Lane railway station explained

Rice Lane
Symbol Location:gb
Symbol:liverpool
Borough:Walton, Liverpool
Country:England
Coordinates:53.4576°N -2.9628°W
Grid Name:Grid reference
Manager:Merseyrail
Platforms:2
Code:RIL
Zone:C1
Transit Authority:Merseytravel
Events:Opened as Preston Road
Years1:14 May 1984
Events1:Renamed Rice Lane
Footnotes:Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Rice Lane railway station is a railway station in Liverpool, England, located to the north of the city centre in the Walton district. It is on the Kirkby branch of the Merseyrail network's Northern Line.

The station was opened on 20 November 1848, and was known as Preston Road until 14 May 1984.[1] It is located just to the north of Walton Junction, where the Kirkby and Ormskirk branches of the Northern line diverge; station on the Ormskirk line is close by (5 minutes away on foot along Hornby Road).

Facilities

Rice Lane is staffed throughout day, as is the norm for Merseyrail stations (15 minutes before start of service until 00:20, seven days per week). The ticket office is located on the Liverpool-bound platform and there are shelters on each side, along with digital information screens and timetable posters. Automated train running announcements are also provided. No step-free access is offered, as the only way to reach the platforms is via a staircase from the road after which the station is named (the two platforms being linked by a stepped footbridge).[2]

Services

The station is currently served by four trains per hour in each direction during the day time Monday - Saturday. In late evenings and on Sundays services are reduced to two trains per hour in each direction. Services are operated using BEMUs.[3] [4]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Butt, R.V.J. . The Directory of Railway Stations . 1995 . Patrick Stephens Ltd . Yeovil . 1-85260-508-1 . R508 . 191, 197 .
  2. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/ril/details.html Rice Lane station facilities
  3. Web site: Increased services between Headbolt Lane and Liverpool Central. Merseyrail. 12 October 2023.
  4. Web site: Headbolt Lane Station In Kirkby Opens To Merseyrail Services. Merseyrail. 12 October 2023.