Overview
- Merseyrail suspended services between Birkenhead North and New Brighton on Monday after a fire near Wallasey Village station, with trains resuming around 5pm subject to delays and short-notice cancellations.
- Merseyside Fire & Rescue said crews were alerted at 3:43pm, arrived at 3:48pm, knocked down the main fire by 4:10pm and fully extinguished it by 4:23pm.
- British Transport Police opened an inquiry into the cause and asked witnesses to text 61016 quoting reference 441 of 16 March.
- Passengers were offered a rail-replacement bus between New Brighton and Birkenhead North and could use Arriva 432 and 433 services at no extra cost.
- Earlier, a separate track fault at Kirkdale disrupted Hunts Cross, Ormskirk and Headbolt Lane services, with those routes also recovering with delays.