King George V (ZKG)

King George V is a stop on the Dockland Light Railway Bank-Woolwich branch between London City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal. 

DLR 119 arrives with a Woolwich bound service

Information
Type:	Transport for London (Docklands Light Railway Woolwich Branch)
Station code:	ZKG
Opened:	2005
Platforms:	2

The station was opened in 2005 on the DLR's extension towards Woolwich. The station was the branch's terminus until 2009 and the extension of the line (via a tunnel under the Thames) to Woolwich Arsenal. The station is close to one of the entrances of the Woolwich Foot Tunnel, Woolwich Arsenal is also close (though a little further) to the other entrance. However, the journey is much quicker by DLR!

The station has the standard DLR features, the platforms being either side of a ground level island. Access to the platforms is via footbridge or lifts.

Station footbridge

Station entrance

Down the platform

Steps down to the platforms

DLR 37 arrives at the station

West Kirby (WKI)

West Kirby is the terminus of the West Kirby branch of the Wirral Line of Merseyrail.

Merseyrail 507 002 stands at West Kirby

Information
Type:	National Rail (Merseyrail Wirral Line)
Station code:	WKI
Opened:	1878
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by the Hoylake and Birkenhead Railway & Tramway (later the Wirral Railway) in 1878 at the end of an extension of their line from Hoylake. A further line from Hooton was built to West Kirby in 1895. The station was moved at this time to the west to its present location, parts of the station including the clock tower from this build still survive [1]. The station and line was a success and the line was doubled in the late 1890s [2].

The line to West Kirby from Birkenhead was electrified by the LMS using 650v DC third rail in 1938. Art Deco concrete canopies were built over the platform which remain to the present day. The line to Hooton was closed in 1956, West Kirby's goods yard closed in 1965 though a siding remains for stock storage [3].

All services are operated by Merseyrail with trains to Liverpool every 15 minutes at peak times.

Station entrance

View down the platform and under the canopies

View down the uncovered part of the platform

Station nameboard

507 016 arrives

[1] Jonathan Cadwallader & Martin Jenkins, Merseyside Electrics (Ian Allan, 2010) p. 74
[2] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Birkenhead to West Kirby (Middleton Press, 2014) map. XIV
[3] Ibid. figp. 64

Seaforth & Litherland (SFL)

Seaforth & Litherland is on Merseyrail's Northern Line and is to the North of Liverpool city centre between Waterloo and Bootle New Strand.

Merseyrail 508 126 arrives

Information
Type:	National Rail (Merseyrail Northern Line)
Station code:	SFL
Opened:	1850
Platforms:	2

The station was opened as Seaforth in 1850 by the Liverpool, Crosby & Southport Railway as the railway extended its line south to Sandhills. The station was renamed Seaforth & Litherland in 1905.

The station was also the Northern terminus of the Liverpool Overhead Railway which extended to Seaforth Sands in 1905 [1]. The railway later having a carriage shed and workshop adjacent to the station [2]. The LOR line was closed in 1956.

The station today has two platforms either side of an island. Access to the platforms is via a covered walkway from the street.

Station entrance

Standard Merseytravel style platform signage

Station sign

Ramp up to the platforms

507 021 departs heading north

[1] Martin Jenkins & Charles Roberts, Merseyside Transport Recalled (Ian Allan, 2014) p. 20
[2] Jonathan Cadwallader & Martin Jenkins, Merseyside Electrics (Ian Allan, 2010) p. 12

Nine Elms

Nine Elms is the intermediate station on the new branch of the London Underground's Northern Line from Kennington to Battersea Power Station. 

51532 prepares to depart

Information
Type:	Transport for London (London Underground Northern Line)
Opened:	2021
Platforms:	2

The station was opened in 2021 along with the rest of the branch. Like Battersea Power Station, Nine Elms was designed (and financed) by the promise of future development around and above the station. Four hundred new homes are being built on top of the station along with new office space and retail. 

The station is served by trains on the Northern Line's Charing Cross branch. The platform level has a large open space between the two platforms.

Platform level

51683 arrives with a Battersea Power Station bound service

End of the platform

Train approaching

Between the platforms

Lichfield Trent Valley (LTV)

Lichfield Trent Valley is a split-level station in Staffordshire, with the northern terminus of the Cross-City Line being on the high-level and the West Coast Main Line between Tamworth and Rugeley Trent Valley below. 

WMR 323 207 arrives at the high-level platform

Information
Type:	National Rail (West Coast Main Line & Cross-City Line)
Station code:	LTV
Opened:	1847
Platforms:	3

The station was first opened by the Trent Valley Railway in 1847 as Lichfield. A couple of years later the South Staffordshire Railway built a nearby station called Lichfield Trent Valley Junction. In 1871 the London & North Western Railway, which had absorbed both companies, closed both of these stations and amalgamated all the services at a new Lichfield Trent Valley station on the current site. Lichfield also has the more central Lichfield City which is the next stop along the Cross-City Line.


Once the high-level platforms were through platforms on a route to Burton-on-Trent but the platforms were closed in 1965 when services between Lichfield City and Burton-on-Trent ceased (the lines themselves remain open for freight and diversions) before being re-opened in 1988 as the terminus of Cross-City Line which was extended from Lichfield City [1]. The low-level platforms nowadays serve the Rugby-Stafford section of the WCML. 

The station was upgraded in the early 2010s with a new station building and a larger car park. The station is managed by London North Western Railway.

LNWR 350 120 with a North bound service

Freightliner 66 566 brings a freight through the station

The high-level platform

This is where you are

View down the WCML platforms

[1] Vic Mitchell, North of Birmingham (Middleton Press, 2014) p. 117

Wallasey Grove Road (WLG)

Wallasey Grove Road is a stop on the Merseyrail Wirral Line between Wallasey Village and New Brighton. 

Merseyrail 507 009 departs for New Brighton

Information
Type:	National Rail (Merseyrail Wirral Line)
Station code:	WLG
Opened:	1888
Platforms:	2

The station was opened by the Wirral Railway in 1888 on it's line from Birkenhead Park to New Brighton. The station served as the line's terminus for a couple of months before the line was completed to New Brighton. The line was electrified by the London Midland Scottish Railway in 1938, through services to Liverpool also began then.

The station is a standard Merseyrail one with a staffed ticket office. The original station building has survived along with the canopy though most of the platforms are uncovered. Access between the two platforms is via a footbridge. The station has a service of up to every thirty minutes to Liverpool.

Station building

Platform view, St Nicholas' church in the background

Preparing to depart

Footbridge

Merseyrail 507 009 arrives with a Liverpool bound service

Berkhamsted (BKM)

Berkhamsted is a stop on the West Coast Main Line in Hertfordshire between Tring and Hemel Hempstead.

LNWR 350 265 arrives with a Milton Keynes bound service

Information
Type:	National Rail (West Coast Main Line)
Station code:	BKM
Opened:	1838
Platforms:	4

The first Berkhamsted station was built in 1838 by the London & Birmingham Railway. The line (which nowadays is part of the West Coast Main Line) was originally planned to cut through the site of Berkhamsted Castle however the plans were changed after the castle became the first building to obtain a protection order from parliament. The WCML now runs along an embankment next to the castle's barbican.

The original station was replaced by a larger station on the current site in 1875, the new site was just 100m away from the old one. Most of the original 1875 station buildings are still in place and in use. One major change from Victorian days being the WCML electrification in the 1960s.


All four lines of the WCML have platforms though the platforms on the slow lines are used mostly. At one time it was proposed to extend Crossrail (what became the Elizabeth Line) to Berkhamsted and through to Tring but in the end the government decided not to proceed. The station is managed and served by London North Western Railway.

LNWR 350 265 heading towards London Euston

Platform building and canopy

Two south bound Class 350s

Looking up the line towards Tring

Preparing to go

Seven Sisters (SVS)

Seven Sisters is a stop on the London Underground's Victoria Line in North London between Finsbury Park and Tottenham Hale. It is also a stop on the London Overground's Enfield & Cheshunt Line between Stamford Hill and Bruce Grove. 

LO 710 106 arrives with a London Liverpool Street bound service

Information
Type:	Transport for London (London Overground & London Underground Victoria Line)
Station code:	SVS
Opened:	1872
Platforms:	5

The station was opened by the Great Eastern Railway in 1872 on it's Stoke Newington & Edmonton Railway line. The London Underground Victoria Line part of the station was opened in 1968. A new combined entrance for both parts of the station was built replacing the original GER entrance. The Underground part of the station has three platforms, one for terminating services. Seven Sisters is the close to the Victoria Line's depot at Northumberland Park [1].

The National Rail part of the station was served by Greater Anglia until 2015 when most services were taken over by the London Overground. A small number of Greater Anglia services still serve the station at peak times.

One of the station entrances

View down the above ground platforms

Preparing to depart

Looking towards the centre

[1] Jason Cross, London Underground Guide 2017 (Train Crazy, 2017) p. 154

Milton Keynes Central (MKC)

Milton Keynes Central is the main station of Milton Keynes located on the West Coast Main Line between Wolverton and Bletchley.

LNWR 350 124 arrives

Information
Type:	National Rail (West Coast Main Line)
Station code:	MKC
Opened:	1982
Platforms:	7

When Milton Keynes became a "new town" in 1967, the existing but rather outlying Bletchley was the town's main station until the building of Milton Keynes Central in 1982 after pressure from the city development corporation (and after they provided two-thirds of the money needed!) [1] The station was an immediate success with passengers.

Milton Keynes Central has seven platforms, making it the largest station in Milton Keynes as well as the busiest. It has platforms serving the WCML's fast and slow lines though not all services stop at the station. It is served by London Northwestern Railway and Avanti West Coast.

Bridge crossing the platforms

The station is managed by LNWR

View down the platform showing the platform buildings and canopies

In London Midland days, 319 457 stands waiting for a signal

LM signage for comparison with the sign shown above

[1] John Glover, BR Diary 1978-1985 (Ian Allan, 1985) p. 74