- the only such route to suffer that fate during the Beeching-era closures. Nowadays, the towns of Southport and Preston are linked only by the (largely dual-carriageway) A565 and A59 roads. At its largest, Chapel Street station had eleven regular platforms and two excursion platforms. Now six truncated platforms are in use (platforms 1-3 for Liverpool trains & 4-6 for Manchester), the rest having been demolished and the land used for car parking. In 1970 the former terminal building was replaced with a shopping centre. Platform 7 was originally going to be saved and used as an excursion platform for when mainline specials were to visit the resort, but this failed, and it, too, was demolished along with platforms 8, 9 & 10. Remains of the signal box, carriage & wagon works & substation are still visible today. The sidings next to the former South Curve still remain today but are not much used except for if a unit or engine needs turning. A new M to Go shop opened in 2007, incorporating a ticket office, and the station itself underwent a £3.5 million renovation project which included a renewed roof, new lighting, glazed screens, floor tiles and toilets, plus a retail unit. Facilities The main entrance to this staffed station is located on the pedestrianised Chapel Street, one of Southport's main shopping areas. The car park immediately next to the station is reserved for taxis and staff only, but a large pay car park further along London Street is available for general public use. The station is staffed 15 minutes before the first service and 15 minutes after the last service. There are toilets, platform CCTV and a Mtogo shop & booking office. There are departure and arrival screens on the platform for passenger information. There are cycle racks for 16 cycles and secure storage for 80 cycles. Services Merseyrail Monday to Saturday, trains depart every 15 minutes to Hunts Cross via Liverpool Central. Fewer trains operate on Sundays, with the frequency reduced to one service every 30 minutes, except during the summer, when the service is four trains per hour, two of these services terminate at Liverpool Central, with the remaining two continuing to Hunts Cross. Merseyrail services can utilise only the electrified platforms. These are Platforms 1, 2 and 3. Platforms 2 and 3 are used more frequently than Platform 1. Northern Trains The Monday to Saturday