▁near - original ▁condition , ▁being ▁used ▁only ▁when ▁trains ▁are ▁prevent ed ▁from ▁using ▁the ▁loop ▁itself . ▁ ▁The ▁station ▁and ▁surrounding ▁area ▁were ▁subject ▁to ▁a ▁£ 2 mill ion ▁package ▁of ▁improvements ▁during ▁ 2 0 0 7 - 8 . ▁Further ▁ref urb ishment ▁of ▁platforms , ▁conc ourses ▁and ▁the ▁book ing ▁hall ▁were ▁undert aken ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 - 1 3 , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁£ 4 0 ▁million ▁invest ment ▁from ▁Network ▁Rail ▁which ▁saw ▁all ▁Mer sey ra il ▁under ground ▁stations ▁( ex cluding ▁) ▁ref urb ished . ▁Work ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁little - used ▁Platform ▁ 2 ▁and ▁the ▁Water ▁Street ▁entrance ▁were ▁completed ▁during ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁Station ▁layout ▁ ▁James ▁Street ▁station ▁has ▁three ▁platforms , ▁although ▁only ▁two ▁see ▁regular ▁use . ▁Platform s ▁ 2 ▁and ▁ 3 ▁are ▁situated ▁on ▁either ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁Mer sey ▁Railway ▁tunnel , ▁and ▁platform ▁ 1 ▁in ▁the ▁newer ▁tunnel ▁on ▁the ▁loop ▁line . ▁Only ▁platforms ▁ 1 ▁and ▁ 3 ▁are ▁in ▁regular ▁use ▁for ▁the ▁loop ▁line , ▁Platform ▁ 3 ▁by ▁trains ▁west bound ▁to ▁the ▁Wir ral ▁and ▁Platform ▁ 1 ▁by ▁trains ▁east bound ▁towards ▁Liverpool . ▁Platform ▁ 2 , ▁which ▁is ▁situated ▁on ▁the ▁empty ▁stock ▁line ▁opposite ▁platform ▁ 3 , ▁has ▁not ▁normally ▁been ▁used ▁by ▁passenger ▁services ▁since ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁loop ▁line . ▁This ▁platform ▁has ▁a