Handling 200,000 Passengers Daily.

Liverpool Street Station, London, is one of the most interesting railway stations in the world. In addition to the important continental business which is handled, Liverpool Street deals with an enormous suburban traffic, worked by specially intensive steam train services. In a normal day something like 200,000 passengers are handled. At the time of writing, the winter train service is in operation, and daily train arrivals and departures total 1,237. In summer the number of ordinary booked trains handled jumps to something like 1,270 daily. Add to this anything up to a hundred or so excursions and special trains, and you will have a good idea of the enormous volume of traffic dealt with daily.

As a matter of fact, during the morning peak period, there are 89 trains into and out of Liverpool Street between 7 a.m. and 7.59 a.m.; 105 trains between 8 a.m. and 8.59 a.m., and 102 trains between 9 a.m. and 9.59 a.m. In the evening, there are 108 trains out between 5 p.m. and 5.59 p.m., and 104 trains between 6 p.m. and 6.59 p.m. Between 5 p.m. and 5.59 p.m., fifty-three trains carry an average of 22,918 passengers daily out of the terminus.

Liverpool Street was the original London terminus of the old Eastern Counties Railway, and the station is rich in historical associations. As the years go by, it is not improbable Liverpool Street and its approach tracks will be converted from steam to electric traction. This, however, would be an awkward and costly business, only to be tackled after the most careful consideration.