Merseyrail services disrupted by broken down train

RAIL services between Wirral and Liverpool were severely hit yesterday afternoon when a technical fault on a train caused the entire city centre loop line to shut down for 90 minutes.

The New Brighton service arrived at James Street station at 1.30pm but was then unable to proceed any further because of the fault.

Rail passengers heading to and from the city had to use only James Street station after the train broke down causing congestion problems.

Tim Cosgrove, who was heading back to New Brighton with his young son, said overcrowding was “frightening and dangerous.”

He said: “People were jam-packed into the lifts and then at the platform. People were fighting to get into the lifts and the crush was quite frightening. It seemed like there were thousands of people underground and it was dangerous.”

Another locomotive was coupled to the broken down train to remove it. Services on the loop line were able to resume at 3pm.

Merseyrail spokesman Rudi Boersma said: “It was a nuisance as there would have been a lot of people using the service either to go shopping or who were on their way to Goodison Park for the match.

“We are well used to dealing with crowds at underground stations.”


Source: liverpoolecho.co.uk