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LOUNGING IN LIME STREET STATION
RAIL
passengers using Lime Street station will be able to lounge in
comfort next year thanks to a £3.4 million investment in the station
by Network Rail.
Work started on 18 August 2008 on two new passenger lounges, an
information point, three shops and railway staff accommodation. The
new facilities will be built on the old cab road between platforms
seven and eight, which used to be used by Royal Mail vehicles and
black cabs.
Peter Strachan, route director at Network Rail said:- “Every
day over a thousand passengers use the long-distance platforms at
the station. At the moment, they have limited seating on that side
of the station and virtually no other facilities.
This investment is designed to get their journey off to a good start
by giving them access to much needed seating, information, cash
machines and other services that a station of Lime Street’s
importance should provide for people making inter-city journeys.
We spent a lot of time talking to the city planners to make sure
that what we were proposing was acceptable to them and fitted in
with the listed building status of the station. I think the end
result will be something the people of Liverpool will appreciate and
will look forward to using for many years to come.”
Gary Iddon, Virgin Trains General Manager Liverpool said:-
“Virgin Trains is delighted to be supporting this scheme which will
enhance the station facilities for our customers and provide them
and others with a first class lounge for the first time.”
There will be two separate air conditioned buildings on the old cab
road constructed from environmentally friendly glulam timber beams
covered in wood veneers, with frameless glass walls to the front and
sides.
The building nearest the front of the station will include an
information point, which will be staffed by Virgin Trains, and three
retail units, one of which it is anticipated will provide
refreshments.
The second building will be further down the old cab road towards
the front of the trains and will have first and standard class
passenger lounges, separated by a retail kiosk.
Welfare and other facilities for both Virgin Trains and East
Midlands Trains staff will be incorporated in the buildings, which
will have new customer information screens and be covered by CCTV
linked into the existing station system.
Virgin Trains Station Manager Keith Millard added:- “The new
facilities will provide a real welcome to visitors to Liverpool Lime
Street station and will also provide accommodation for our staff at
the station for the first time.”
A new ceramic tiled passenger concourse will be created by
installing a glass screen along the length of platform seven and new
lighting will lift the existing lighting levels.
The ‘Cab Road’ development is part of a co-ordinated
programme of work designed to improve all aspects of the visitor and
traveller experience at Lime Street Station.
Preparation work has begun on the Lime Street Gateway project which
will unmask the listed Victorian frontage of the station, providing
an extensive new area of public realm along with much improved
pedestrian access to and from the station and better links to the
city’s cultural and retail quarters.
The project has been planned by national regeneration agency English
Partnerships, Liverpool Vision and Liverpool City Council in
conjunction with Network Rail, Merseytravel and the Railway Heritage
Trust. The public realm will incorporate steps, slopes and lighting
to improve access for all station users, and will involve the
demolition of Concourse House and the row of shops in front of the
main station building. Overall completion is scheduled for early
2010.
SING-ALONG
TO MAMMA MIA! AT VUE CINEMAS NATIONWIDE
FOLLOWING the
phenomenal success of Mamma Mia! The Movie from 22 August 2008, 59
Vue cinemas across the UK will be hosting sing-along screenings.
Fans will get the opportunity to enjoy the film and sing-along to
their favourite ABBA songs whilst being in the comfort of their
local Vue cinema enjoying the benefits Dolby 5:1 digital surround
sound. Mamma Mia tells the story of Donna, an independent,
single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island.
Donna is about to let go of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), the spirited
daughter she‘s raised alone. For Sophie‘s wedding, Donna has invited
her two lifelong best girlfriends—practical and no–nonsense Rosie
and wealthy, multi–divorcee Tanya —from her one–time backing band,
Donna and the Dynamos. But Sophie has secretly invited three guests
of her own. On a quest to find the identity of her father to walk
her down the aisle, she brings back three men from Donna‘s past to
the Mediterranean paradise they visited 20 years earlier. Over 24
chaotic, magical hours, new love will bloom and old romances will be
rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities. Sophie‘s father
could be any of her mother Donna‘s past suitors: Sam Carmichael,
Bill Austin, or Harry Bright. The only way for her to find out is to
invite all three to her wedding to see what happens... Mark de
Quervain, Sales and Marketing Director for Vue Entertainment, said:-
"We are really excited to give our customers the chance to
sing-along to one of their favourite films. Vue Entertainment are
passionate about displaying content in new and innovative ways
whilst engaging with our customers." Tickets for Mamma
Mia Sing-Along from 22 August to 28 August are on sale now and can
be purchased
online or by phone via
08712 240 240 or directly from box offices at participating cinemas.
Please keep checking the website for screenings from 28 August 2008
onwards. Previous sing-along screenings have sold-out
extremely quickly so please book early to avoid disappointment.
For more films please check out our Mersey Reporter advert with all
the weeks film times by
clicking here. |
Morgan Est lowers tunnel boring machine in Aughton
A 13 tonne
tunnel boring machine, has been successfully lowered into a shaft in
Aughton, near Ormskirk, by leading infrastructure services provider
Morgan Est.
The ISEKI 1,200mm TBM was craned into position to enable Morgan Est
to start work on a 40-metre long tunnel under the Southport to
Liverpool railway line, which is being constructed to prevent foul
flooding to the properties in the Moss Delph Lane area of the town.
Morgan Est is creating the tunnel as part of a five year, £450
million framework contract with United Utilities to replace, extend
and maintain clean water, waste water and electricity networks in
the North West under the AX4 capital delivery programme.
Photo: Morgan Est has successfully lowered a 13 tonne tunnel boring
machine into a shaft in Aughton, near Ormskirk.
JUST A FEW PLACES LEFT FOR CHARITY ABSEIL DOWN MERSEY TUNNEL SHAFT
THE Muscular
Dystrophy Campaign is looking for a few more local people to take up
the challenge of an exhilarating 150ft sponsored abseil down the
outside of the Mersey Tunnel Ventilation shaft in Birkenhead on
Sunday, 7 September 2008 to raise much needed funds to help in the
fight against muscle disease.
Says Charles Horton,
Regional Fundraising Manager for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign:-
“This is the perfect opportunity to do something that you will
always remember, especially if you have never done an abseil before.
The views from
the top of the Mersey Tunnel ventilation shaft across the River
Mersey and into Liverpool are stunning.
All the
necessary equipment and training is provided on the day by our
expert instructors, so beginners are very welcome.”
The abseil is taking place at the Mersey Tunnel Ventilation shaft on
the Birkenhead side (just off Pacific Road) to raise funds for
research into treatments and cures for muscle wasting diseases.
Everyone who
participates will receive a certificate to commemorate their abseil
and a t-shirt to wear on the day to show their support for the
charity.
There will also be
some great rewards for sponsorship raised including polo shirts,
fleeces and rain jackets and a Ferrari Driving challenge for the
person who brings in the most sponsorship on the day of the event.
Participants need to
pay a registration fee of £15 and raise a minimum sponsorship of
£125 to do the event.
A booking form is available now by calling the Muscular Dystrophy
Campaign office on 01244 403012 or by
email. |
