Book excerpt: The self-contained, fully electrified Merseyrail system is an iconic part of the UK’s railway network. With 75 route miles of track, sixty-nine stations, and over 800 services, it is the third largest rail system outside London and the South East, transporting around 100,000 passengers safely, efficiently, and to the highest environmental standards on any typical working day. Radiating from the city of Liverpool, it serves the Wirral and parts of Cheshire and West Lancashire, where it has gained numerous awards for reliability, punctuality, and passenger satisfaction. And the future of Merseyrail looks bright: state-of-the-art Class 777 electric multiple units are entering service and extensions of the network are being planned. 'Merseyrail Electric: The Award-Winning Network' is the definitive book on this magnificent network, examining with an expert’s eye its development, its rolling stock, and its exciting future.