6,400 holes drilled, 1,672 square metres waterproofed, and buses until 7 November
What happened
On Tuesday 27 October 2026, Network Rail released new footage showing progress on a £3.5 million programme of upgrades to Victorian-era tunnels on Liverpool's Merseyrail network. The project is just over halfway through. The team of more than 50 workers has, so far, removed 92 square metres of old concrete ready for new concrete to be applied, drilled 6,400 holes in the tunnel walls for waterproofing injections, drilled another 197 holes to channel water into drainage, and waterproofed 1,672 square metres of tunnel wall. The work covers four Victorian tunnels. As well as waterproofing and strengthening them, engineers are renewing the systems that isolate and control the electrified third rail, and modernising power control systems across both the Northern and Wirral lines. To do all this, the Northern Line is closed between Hunts Cross and Liverpool Central. Rail replacement buses are running in place of trains. The closure runs for 26 days, from 11 October to 6 November. Trains are due to run again from the morning of Saturday 7 November.
Why this matters
Merseyrail carries a very large number of journeys for a network its size, and the tunnels under Liverpool are the spine of it. When they are shut, there is no convenient alternative route, because the whole point of the tunnels is that they go where the streets cannot. The problem being fixed is water. Water gets into old tunnels. On this network that is not just a damp inconvenience, because Merseyrail uses a third rail to supply power. Water and an electrified rail are a poor combination. It causes faults, and faults cause delays. Network Rail's stated aim is to tackle that water ingress to reduce delays and improve reliability for years ahead. The tunnels are Victorian. They were built for a railway that no longer exists, and they have been patched and maintained for well over a century. Periodically they need more than patching, and that means closing them. There is a wider point here that applies across Britain's railway. A large share of the infrastructure is nineteenth-century, and the cost of keeping it running does not fall. Closures like this one are what maintenance of a very old network actually looks like, and the choice is usually between planned disruption now or unplanned disruption later.
What the evidence actually says
The figures in this announcement are unusually specific, which is helpful, but it is worth being clear about what they do and do not tell you. Confirmed: 92 square metres of old concrete removed, 6,400 waterproofing injection holes drilled, 197 drainage holes drilled, 1,672 square metres of tunnel wall waterproofed, more than 50 people on site, four tunnels in scope, and a £3.5 million budget. Confirmed timings: the closure runs 11 October to 6 November, a 26-day period, with trains due back from the morning of Saturday 7 November. What the numbers do not say is how much is left. 'Just over halfway' is Network Rail's own description, and the figures given are what has been done, not what remains. That is normal for a progress update, but it means you cannot independently judge whether 7 November is comfortable or tight. Major engineering work does sometimes overrun, and it sometimes finishes early. Neither is predictable from a press release at the halfway point. The sensible approach is to treat 7 November as the plan and check nearer the time rather than assuming it either way. It is also worth noting the scope creep risk in how this is reported. The closure is specifically between Hunts Cross and Liverpool Central on the Northern Line. The Wirral line is getting power control modernisation, which is part of the same programme, but it is not the section that is shut.
Practical advice
If you travel on the Merseyrail Northern Line, check before every journey until trains are back. Merseyrail's own website and app carry the live position, and National Rail Enquiries covers it too. Rail replacement buses take longer than trains, and they stop in different places. Allow extra time, and find out in advance exactly where your replacement bus stops. It is often not outside the station entrance. If you need step-free access or assistance, check that your replacement service can accommodate you, and book Passenger Assist in advance. Replacement vehicles vary, and assuming is the thing that goes wrong. If your journey is for a hospital or clinic appointment, build in a large buffer, and tell the department if you think you may be late. Missed appointments during planned engineering works are common and avoidable. Consider whether Merseytravel's other options work better for your particular trip during the closure. Bus and ferry routes exist that may be quicker than a replacement service plus a connection. If you have a season ticket and are losing significant value during the closure, ask Merseyrail what compensation or extension is available. It is worth asking rather than assuming there is nothing. And if you are collecting medicines, shopping or anything time-sensitive during the closure, plan for the journey to take longer in both directions, not just one.
What to know
Network Rail is just over halfway through a £3.5 million upgrade of four Victorian tunnels on Liverpool's Merseyrail network, and released progress footage on 27 October 2026. More than 50 workers have removed 92 square metres of old concrete, drilled 6,400 waterproofing holes and 197 drainage holes, and waterproofed 1,672 square metres of tunnel wall. The Northern Line is closed between Hunts Cross and Liverpool Central for 26 days, from 11 October to 6 November, with rail replacement buses running. Trains are due to resume from the morning of Saturday 7 November. The work targets water getting into the tunnels, which affects the third-rail power supply and causes delays. Check Merseyrail or National Rail before travelling, allow extra time for replacement buses, and book assistance in advance if you need it. Sources: Network Rail Media Centre, 'Impressive footage released halfway through Merseyrail tunnel upgrades', 27 October 2026, https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news ; Rail Business Daily, 'Network Rail reaches halfway point in Merseyrail tunnel upgrades', 27 October 2026, https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/network-rail-reaches-halfway-point-in-merseyrail-tunnel-upgrades/ ; Rail Technology Magazine, 'Merseyrail Northern Line to close for 26 days as Network Rail begins £3.5m tunnel upgrade programme', 2026, https://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/articles/merseyrail-northern-line-close-26-days-network-rail-begins-ps35m-tunnel-upgrade-programme This article is for general information. Check your own journey with Merseyrail or National Rail Enquiries before travelling.
Related articles
1.57 billion trips forecast, and a 3% swing away from long-haul
World Travel Market London 2026 opened at the ExCeL centre in early November, and with it came the WTM Global Travel Report, produced with the analysts Tourism…
Nine trains each way, and access rights that run out in December 2027
On 3 November 2026, it was confirmed that direct trains between west Wales and Bristol have been approved by the rail regulator, ahead of a planned December lau…
A maximum of 5%, the first 28 nights, and ten mayors who have signed up
On 4 November 2026, the Visitor Levy Bill was introduced in the House of Commons. If it passes, mayors and local leaders in England will be able to add a small…