Rail History — Manchester Metrolink — LRTA Metrolink Introduction > A Brief Rail History: updated 8 October 2016 A Brief Rail History of Manchester This page is an outline of the history of railways in the Manchester area from 1830. It summarises information obtained from various books about railways and includes observations of recent developments. When mainline railways arrived, during the 1830s and early 40s, the town was already a considerable size with valuable properties in the central area. Terminal stations were built on the outer edges of the town. This resulted in problems for passengers arriving at one station and wanting to depart from another. Victoria station with its connecting lines opened in 1844 on the north side of the city centre, the adjacent Exchange station opened in 1884. The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham lines opened in 1849 on the south side. By the 1980s the north and south side networks were still unconnected and without effective central area penetration. The Metrolink six line plan came out of several studies into light rail. The 19th Century saw the arrival and expansion of railways in the Manchester area.

Topics in this section are Liverpool and Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire, Manchester and Birmingham, Sheffield and Manchester, Diagram of Central Manchester Railways and Stations in 1890, Victoria and Exchange Stations, Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJAR), Manchester to Leeds via Stalybridge and Huddersfield, Midland Railway (MR) and Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC). 1900 to 1960s , during this period the railways faced increasing competition from road based transport. Topics in this section are Bury Line Electrification (LYR), Railway Grouping 1923, The Altrincham Line Electrification (MSJAR) and Modernisation and Contraction. Late 1960s to Metrolink . It became clear that previous attempts to solve the railway’s problems were not working which lead to the setting up of the Passenger Transport Authorities and Executives.

Other topics covered in this section are Altrincham line first re–electrification, North–South Connections, Hadfield and Glossop line re–electrification, Hazel Grove Chord and Windsor Link, Transpennine Services, Manchester Airport Link, Diagram of Central Manchester Railways, Stations and Metrolink in 2015 and Conclusions 19th Century Liverpool and Manchester By the early nineteenth century Manchester was already a thriving town based on the cotton and related industries. The existing road and canal links to Liverpool, through whose docks most of the raw cotton was imported and also finished goods exported, were considered inadequate. A group of Liverpool businessmen got together and promoted a rail line between Liverpool and Manchester. The ‘Rocket’ won the Rainhill locomotive trials in October 1829. The line opened on 15th September 1830 the Manchester terminus was Liverpool Road Station. The Grand Junction Railway (GJR), opened in 1837, linked the mid–point of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway with Birmingham. Early in 1844 Liverpool Road became a goods station and closed in 1975.

It is now preserved as part of the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway This was formed in 1847 from a number of smaller railways in the two counties from which it is named. The Manchester and Bolton opened in 1838 from a terminus at Salford (present day Salford Central) to Bolton. The Manchester and Bury was promoted by a company which became the East Lancashire Railway (ELR). It ran from Clifton Junction on the Manchester and Bolton to Bury and on to Accrington. The Manchester and Leeds was first of the Transpennine railways and one of the easiest in terms of gradients. The route is through Rochdale and Hebden Bridge. The line opened throughout in 1841 from a terminal station in Oldham Road. Oldham Road became a goods station after Victoria opened. Later it closed completely and has now been demolished, it was about 800 metres or half a mile from Piccadilly Gardens. By 1842 there was a steeply graded branch from Middleton Junction to Oldham Werneth, extended to Oldham Mumps in 1847.

In 1863 a line from the east end of Rochdale via Shaw to Oldham was opened. The Cheetham Hill loop line from Victoria to Thorpes Bridge Junction was built in 1877 avoiding steep gradients on the Miles Platting line. In 1879 a new line opened from Cheetham Hill, via Prestwich, to Radcliffe on the former ELR route to Bury. A more direct line from Thorpes Bridge Junction to Oldham opened in 1880. In 1904 the LYR opened a new short line to bring trains from the Bury line into the terminal platforms on the south side of Victoria Station. Manchester and Birmingham The citizens of Manchester required a more direct route south than that via the Liverpool and Manchester. The Manchester & Birmingham (M&B) line from London Road (now Piccadilly) to Crewe opened in 1842. In 1845 the GJR took over the Liverpool and Manchester.

Then in 1846 the GJR, M&B and London and Birmingham railways became parts of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) Sheffield and Manchester Before the railway was built the Pennines were a formidable barrier to travel, there was no canal and only a very poor road between Sheffield and Manchester. Construction of the line was very difficult and resulted in steep gradients which were a handicap to operators for the next hundred years. This Line, via the long Woodhead tunnel, opened in 1845. It shared London Road Station and the first half mile of track with the M&B. This line became part of the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MSLR) in 1849. Before the opening of the London extension in 1899 the MSLR renamed itself the Great Central Railway (GCR).

Central Manchester Railways and Stations in 1890 Key LRY to Yorkshire via Rochdale LNWR to Yorkshire via Stalybridge LNWR + MSLR is:– LNWR to Birmingham and London MSLR to Sheffield and Lincolnshire MSJA to Altrincham Liverpool, Chester and the Midland Railway LNWR Liverpool via Chat Moss LYR – Bolton Victoria and Exchange Stations Manchester’s original terminal stations were on the edge of the built up area. To make these into through stations would have required lines going through the most expensive central area of Manchester. On the north side, the Liverpool and Manchester built a line from Ordsall Lane which passed the Salford terminus of the Manchester Bolton and Bury on its way to Victoria. Here it made an end on connection with the new Manchester and Leeds line to a junction at Miles Platting with the original line from Oldham Road. Victoria Station and the line opened in 1844. The LYR extended Victoria in 1884 and the LNWR opened Exchange station that year. Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJAR) In 1845 the Birmingham and Sheffield companies at London Road promoted the South Junction to link with the Liverpool line.

The branch to Altrincham was added to the scheme. The South Junction line is built entirely on a 2.6 kilometre viaduct to minimise the amount of land required and cross the many roads in its path. The Altrincham branch is also on viaduct for the first 900 metres southward from Castlefield Junction. The MSJA opened in 1849. Manchester to Leeds via Stalybridge and Huddersfield The London and North Western Railway opened this route in 1849. It used Running Powers over the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway between Victoria and Stalybridge. In time it became the main route for transpennine services — trains from Liverpool to Manchester, Leeds and beyond. Midland Railway (MR) The year 1867 saw the Midland Railway running trains from the MSLR side of London Road station. They ran over the MSLR line to Hyde Junction and then over a branch to New Mills where Midland Railway tracks continued to Ambergate and Derby.

From 1880 the MR ran trains to Central Station via Romiley, Heaton Mersey, Didsbury, Chorlton Junction and Throstle Nest Junction on the CLCR line from Liverpool. Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC) This grew from an 1850s partnership between the MSLR and the Great Northern Railway (GNR). It was joined by the MR in 1866. Initially the CLC managed four local lines in the area on behalf of the partner companies. These lines ran from Woodley via Stockport (Tiviot Dale) to Timperley (Deansgate Junction) and from Altrincham via Knutsford, Northwich and Mouldsworth to Helsby. In 1873 the CLC line from Cornbrook Junction on the MSJAR via Warrington to Garston and Liverpool opened to traffic. The CLC’s Manchester to Chester route ran over the MSJAR line to Altrincham then via Knutsford and Northwich reaching Chester by a branch from Mouldsworth in 1875. The CLC partners decided that they needed an independent terminus in Manchester.

They built Manchester Central and a new two track viaduct from Cornbrook to Central Station. The viaduct was built with red brick arches and metal decks at major crossing locations. A temporary station opened serving Liverpool trains in 1877 and Chester trains in 1878. The permanent station opened in 1880. The temporary station later became part of the CLC Goods Station. In the late 1890s the viaduct was widened to carry five tracks. From Cornbrook towards the city centre, because of the existing viaduct alignment, blue brick arches were built on either or both sides of the red brick arches. Wrought iron metal widenings supported on blue brick piers were also used in several places. At the northern end, a steel viaduct on metal columns was built to cross the canal basins and the Manchester South Junction railway line. The Great Northern Railway Goods Station was built between Central Station and Deansgate in 1898/9. Long disused it is now a “listed building” and can be seen from Peter Street.

A short viaduct connected it to the main CLC line, only a small part of this now remains near the Metrolink line. GNR Goods Station and the listed Deansgate Victorian Terrace are now part of the Great Northern development. Central Station, CLC and GNR goods stations were nearer the centre of the city than the MSJAR line. The area was previously occupied by low quality housing, industrial buildings and part of the unsuccessful Manchester and Salford Junction canal. A significant short section of the CLC ran from Cornbrook to Chorlton; via Throstle Nest South Junction then through a short tunnel, crossed under the MSJA line and Elsinore Road and continued in a cutting to Chorlton Junction. There it became the Midland line to Derby and Great Central line to Guide Bridge and Sheffield. Operating characteristics of Light Rail have enabled a burrowing junction between CLC and MSJA lines to be built at Trafford Bar, this could not be used by main line trains. Disused CLC line to Chorlton and Midland line to East Didsbury have become part of Metrolink. The Airport line diverges at St. Werburgh’s Road stop and junction in Chorlton.

The former Great Central Railway line has become the Fallowfield Loop footpath/cycleway. From Cornbrook to Throstle Nest South Junction, (in a cutting alongside Boyer Street) also a south to west chord line from this junction to Trafford Park Junction (near Trafford Road) the track bed and former Cornbrook carriage sidings have disappeared under subsequent redevelopment. 1900 to 1960s Bury Line Electrification (LYR) The spread of street tramways on radial routes from central Manchester and their electrification in the early 1900s, combined with frequent services and low fares compared to the trains, caused a marked loss of railway passengers on the suburban services. To counteract this the LYR electrified the Bury via Prestwich line in 1916 using the unique 1200V dc side contact third rail system. This was the highest voltage permitted for a ground level conductor rail system. Side contact current collection avoided the icing problems of top contact conductor rails used elsewhere. It also allowed the shielding of the live rail against snow and dirt by a fire resistant Jarrah wood casing, which also gave some protection to railway staff working on the line.

Railway Grouping 1923 The Railways Act 1921 created the Main Line Companies known as the “Big Four”. As far as passenger services in Manchester were concerned The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMSR) included the LNWR (which amalgamated with the LYR in 1922), MR and the North Staffordshire Railway. The London North Eastern Railway (LNER) included the GCR and GNR. The CLC continued as a joint line two thirds owned by the LNER and one third by the LMSR. The MSJAR continued as a joint line owned by the LMSR and LNER. The Altrincham Line Electrification (MSJAR) By 1907 Manchester Corporation electric trams were running to Altrincham along the parallel main road. Consequently some passenger traffic was lost to the railway. When considered for the fourth time in 1928 electrification was agreed, using the proposed national standard 1500V dc overhead system. The electric trains started in May 1931. They ran a popular and successful service for forty years.

From 15 September 1958 the Altrincham electrics terminated at Oxford Road Station. This allowed the new suburban ac electric services to reach Oxford Road, which is nearer the city’s central business district, when the first stage of main line electrification was completed. Modernisation and Contraction In 1954 the Manchester–Sheffield–Wath (GCR) route electrification was opened. This was at the then standard 1500V DC overhead. Electrification was primarily for the heavy west bound coal trains from Yorkshire to Manchester. It also enabled Passenger trains to be electrically hauled between Manchester and Sheffield and the electric suburban service from Manchester to Hadfield and Glossop. The 1955 Modernisation Plan proposed and introduced radical changes. Stations were to be modernised, diesel and electric traction was to replace steam. Stopping and local passenger services which could not be made profitable by introduction of DMUs were to continue being withdrawn. Over 2000 route miles of such services were withdrawn between nationalisation and publication of Dr Beeching’s Reshaping Report in 1963.

Another report by Dr Beeching “The Development of the Major Railway Trunk Routes” appeared in 1965 and was to have more far reaching effects than the Reshaping Report. So called duplicate routes were to be closed in their entirety. Local services from Manchester Central station on former Midland Railway lines were withdrawn in 1967. Express services to Derby and beyond via the Peak Forest route were, in 1968, diverted to run from Piccadilly via Romiley and the Hope Valley line. Alterations between Cornbrook, Oxford Road and Piccadilly enabled the former CLC Liverpool via Warrington and Chester via Northwich services to run to Oxford Road or Piccadilly and Central station was closed in 1969. For several years the Central Station site was used as a car park. The Victorian train hall was converted into the Greater Manchester Exhibition and Events Centre (G–Mex) which opened in 1986. Manchester International Convention Centre (MICC) which opened in 2001 occupies the former CLC goods station site. In 2007 the adjoning G–Mex and MICC have been renamed Manchester Central.

Exchange station also closed in 1969, its reduced traffic was transferred to Victoria. The express passenger trains on the former GCR Sheffield line were withdrawn in 1970. Freight traffic declined and the line was closed as a through route in 1981. Late 1960s to Metrolink Passenger Transport Authorities and Executives The station closures and service withdrawals did not eliminate British Railways’ losses. Almost invariably they generated opposition from the public. By the late 1960s the government decided that remaining ‘uneconomic services’ would have to be supported by public funds. The 1968 Transport Act established the Passenger Transport Authorities (PTAs) and associated Executives (PTEs) in the large conurbations outside London. PTA members now are Councillors from local District Councils for the area covered. The PTEs were set up to carry out PTA policies. Altrincham line first re–electrification By the late 1960s both the overhead line equipment and the multiple unit rolling stock on the Altrincham line were reaching the end of their working lives.

In 1968 British Rail started converting the line to the 25kV ac overhead system. On the 3rd May 1971 electric trains started running through from the Crewe lines to Altrincham. They continued until 24th December 1991 when they were withdrawn from Altrincham to Deansgate (Manchester) to enable conversion of the line for Metrolink. North–South Connections Over the years there have been several plans for connections between lines on the north and south sides of the city. The 1970s plan was for a new underground line from south of Piccadilly to north of Victoria. There would have been underground stations at Piccadilly and Victoria with three intermediate stations in the city centre. Radial suburban lines and stations would be upgraded and feeder bus services to suburban stations introduced. The Bury line would have been converted to 25kV ac electrification with the line from Radcliffe to Bolton electrified for Manchester–Bolton Services. This scheme became known as the ‘Pic–Vic’ after the tunnel line between main stations, it also failed to find the necessary finance.

Hadfield and Glossop line re–electrification In 1984 the former GCR line suburban services to Hadfield and Glossop were re–electrified at 25kV ac. Thus removing a non–standard electrification and rolling stock type. Hazel Grove Chord and Windsor Link The Hazel Grove Chord, built by British Rail, between the former MR and LNWR lines opened in 1986 and allows trains from Sheffield via the Hope Valley line to run through Stockport on the way to Manchester Piccadilly station. The Windsor Link is a new line from Windsor Bridge Junction on the former LYR line to Ordsall Lane on the former LNWR line. It allows trains from Bolton, Preston and the North to run directly to Piccadilly station. The link opened in 1988 and came into full use in 1989. Transpennine Services In 1989 the transpennine services were transferred from the Victoria route to run through Guide Bridge and Manchester Piccadilly then on via Warrington Central to Liverpool.

Manchester Airport Link Manchester Airport Station and its 2.25 kilometre (1.4 mile) electrified spur from the Styal line at Heald Green opened in May 1993. This enabled trains from Manchester Piccadilly and beyond to run directly to the airport station. These services have been very successful. A south to west curve opened in January 1996 allowing trains from the south via Wilmslow to run directly to the Airport Station. The third platform opened in December 2008. Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale In October 2009 the loop line closed for conversion. Metrolink opened in stages; starting with Oldham Mumps temporary in June 2012 to Rochdale town centre in March 2014. Rail services continue on the Calder Valley line between Manchester and Leeds. From GMPTA/GMPTE to TfGMC/TfGM In February 2009 Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA) became Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA). The new name is the first of a wave of changes being introduced by the Local Transport Act 2008.

See 06 February 2009: Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority news item. In April 2011 the inaugural meetings of both the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Transport for Greater Manchester Committee (TfGMC) took place. GMPTE also changed its name to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). See 6 April 2011: Manchester City Region Governance news item. Central Manchester Railways, Stations and Metrolink September 2016 Key Railways are shown in blue. Open Metrolink lines and stops are shown in green. Under construction part of Second City Crossing is shown in orange. Piccadilly is in the undercroft of the main line station. St. Peter’s Square new Metrolink stop with two new island platforms at the Princess Street end of the enlarged square has opened. Services on the first cross city route are running. Conclusions Since the main line railways first arrived in Manchester there have been problems for passengers arriving at one station and wanting to depart from another. During the 1840s Victoria station and the lines from it, together with the South Junction line and Altrincham branch were built. It was only a partial solution.

Even after the 1960s closures passengers still had to get between Piccadilly and Victoria stations. British Rail’s plans enabled it to concentrate most long distance services on Piccadilly Station. The reduced capacity required at Victoria enabled rebuilding with four through and two bay platforms for main line services By the early 1980s there were lines with only or mainly local services. They required increasing levels of subsidy and considerable capital expenditure for renewals. Additionally no real solution for City Centre penetration had been found. Several studies into light rail alternatives resulted in the original Metrolink six line scheme. See the Metrolink History page for more details. When transpennine services were transferred from the route through Victoria to run via Guide Bridge and Manchester Piccadilly, the growth that has since occurred in rail travel was not expected. Trains crossing the throat at Manchester Piccadilly now cause congestion; which will be reduced by the Northern Hub scheme. The Ordsall Chord will allow transpennine services from Yorkshire to run via Victoria and continue via Oxford Road and Piccadilly to the Airport. An additional island platform at Piccadilly and remodelling Oxford Road Station will increase capacity on the South Junction line.

Rail History: top This page was written and illustrated by Tony Williams. Contact manwebm@lrta.org if you have any comments, ideas or suggestions about these pages. Disused Stations: Manchester Central Station Date of visit: 14.2.2005 Manchester Central Station was opened by the Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC) railway company on 1st July 1880. The CLC was a partnership of three railway companies that had come together in the 1860s, consisting of the Great Northern Railway (GNR), the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway (MSLR) and the Midland Railway (MR). The CLC partners had all gained access to Manchester by the end of the 1860s through a variety of agreements that involved running over the lines of other companies. The MSLR shared a terminus station with the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) at Manchester London Road. The MSLR allowed the MR and the GNR to use their part of the station, but by the 1870s this situation was becoming a problem as London Road was increasingly congested. Outright hostility to the MR from the LNWR did not help matters.

With the opening of the CLC main line from Liverpool to Manchester in 1873, and its purpose-built terminus station at Liverpool Central on 2nd March 1874, the need for a station in central Manchester became even more pressing. The CLC had to run its trains from Liverpool and from its mid Cheshire line into Manchester London Road, which once again meant that there was a reliance on the LNWR. The CLC obtained an Act in June 1872, which granted them powers to extend their line from Liverpool into central Manchester and create a terminus station of their own. On 9th July 1877 a station that was known as Manchester Central opened on Windmill Street at the back of the city’s Free Trade Hall. This station was destined to have only a very short life as, at the time of its opening, work was well under way on its permanent replacement. The CLC chose its resident engineer Lewis Henry Moorsom, to build the permanent Manchester Central station, and work on the building commenced in 1875. Areas of notorious slum dwellings, which inspired the writings of Frederick Engels, had occupied the land on which the station was built.

The city fathers were pleased to see the area cleared, although it is doubtful that any thought have been given to the individuals who lived there. Robert Neill & Sons, at a cost of £124,778, undertook the construction work. During the construction of the station the MR had found a way of accessing it from its main line to London St Pancras. In January 1876 the MSLR had given the MR notice to quit Manchester London Road station within three years. The MR took over a project that had been proposed by the Manchester South District Railway (MSDR) in 1873, obtained its own Act to build the line in July 1877, and started work on it in 1878. The line connected the CLC Liverpool - Manchester route just over a mile to the west of Manchester Central near Cornbrook, to the CLC Glazebrook - Woodley route via Stockport Tiviot Dale at Heaton Mersey, thus giving the MR a route into Central Station. When the station opened it consisted of a magnificent arched single-span roof, constructed by Andrew Handyside & Co.

The dimensions of the arch at Manchester Central were 210 feet wide, 550 feet long and 90 feet high at the highest point. The frame itself weighed 2,400 tons and was covered using a combination of slate and glass. Underneath the roof there were six platform faces, four of which were situated on two island platforms. The platforms were served by nine tracks, the extra lines being used by engines to run around their trains. The running lines and platforms were above street level, and beneath them were huge brick-built caverns that could be used to store goods. The lines exited the station via some very heavily engineered bridges and viaducts that carried the line down to Cornbrook where the Liverpool, Heaton Mersey and Chester lines separated. For the public the main entrance to the station was at the Windmill Street end. At the time of opening wooden buildings provided all of the usual facilities including the main booking office. These facilities were meant to be a temporary measure, as it was intended that a hotel to be constructed would form a grand frontage to the station. A large clock face was provided on the inside and on the outside of the station.

When the permanent station opened, its temporary predecessor closed to passengers and was developed as a goods station. From the opening of Manchester Central trains ran to Liverpool via the CLC main line, to Stockport and beyond via the South District line, and to Northwich and Chester via the CLC’s mid Cheshire route. From Monday 2nd August 1880 the MR began to run express services between Manchester Central and Buxton, Derby and London St Pancras. From October 1891 the GNR introduced express trains between Manchester Central and London Kings Cross. They had opened a new line that ran from Fairfield, on the MSLR main line between Manchester and Sheffield, to Chorlton-cum-Hardy on the South District Line, giving them access to Central Station. At the same time a local all-stations service was introduced between Manchester Central and Guide Bridge. On 1st July 1897 the MSLR changed its name to the Great Central Railway (GCR), and a couple of years later, on 15th March 1899, they opened their London Extension Railway to London Marylebone.

From this date trains also ran between the new GCR London terminus and Manchester Central. In 1896 the MR purchased land at the front of Manchester Central station on which to build a hotel. By this time, however, it was decided that the hotel would not be built onto the front of the station as originally envisaged; instead it was built a short distance away on the other side of Windmill Street. The hotel was designed by the MR’s architect Charles Trubshaw assisted by William Towle. It was a magnificent structure that was the height of luxury. It opened on 5th September 1903 having taken four years to build. A covered walkway was built between the station entrance and the hotel so that passengers could be protected from wet weather. The station’s so-called temporary wooden buildings were destined to remain in place. By the time the hotel had opened, passengers were able to travel between Manchester Central and Buxton, Chester Northgate, Derby, Hull, Liverpool Central, London Kings Cross, London Marylebone, London St Pancras, Nottingham and Southport Lord Street. Local services radiated out to the south Manchester suburbs and to such towns as Warrington and Wigan.

Because of the intense levels of traffic the station had to be extended. In 1906 extra platforms were built outside the overall roof on the south east side of the station. The platforms were constructed from wood and were provided with awnings to protect passengers from the elements. Three platform faces were created in all, one of which, platform 7, was effectively a bay at the end of platform six. The new platforms were numbered seven, eight and nine. During the early years of the 20th century the MR made substantial investments to speed up its services from Manchester to London in direct competition with the LNWR. With the construction of a new direct line between Heaton Mersey and New Mills opening in 1902, MR express trains were reaching London from Manchester Central in 3 hours and 40 minutes, which which was only 10 minutes slower than the LNWR. The MR also provided levels of comfort, including the introduction of Pullman Coaches, not previously seen in Britain. In 1923 the GCR and the GNR became part of the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) while the MR became part of the London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS).

The CLC remained independent, but it now had only two partners, the LMS and the LNER; the LNER had two thirds of the shares and the LMS one third. After 1923 competition between the former LNWR and MR routes was no longer an issue as they both belonged to the LMS. Express services out of Manchester Central did not suffer, though, because the LMS considered the MR route to be important as it took the strain off the former LNWR line. During the 1930s two of the services between London St Pancras and Manchester Central were named trains: the ‘Peak Express’ and the ‘Palatine’. The Peak Express covered the journey in 3 hours and 35 minutes. In 1935 the signalling at Manchester Central was modernised using the latest technology. Colour light signals replaced semaphores that had served the station since its earliest days. During the Second World War passenger services were reduced both in number and in speed. At the end of hostilities it took many years for timings to reach anything like their pre-war levels.

From 1st January 1948 Manchester Central became part of the nationalised British Railways (London Midland Region) and the CLC was no more. In the early 1950s service patterns from Manchester Central were fairly familiar, but competition from road was having an effect on some of the more local services. The South District services which at this time were running between Manchester Central and Stockport Tiviot Dale or Cheadle Heath, and which had once built up to a ten minute frequency, were down to twenty-three per weekday by 1954. In 1952 the Southport Lord Street service was cut back to Aintree, and in July 1958 the Guide Bridge service ended. A regular service between Liverpool Central and Manchester Central continued to run, and from 1958 Manchester Central found itself handling an increase in express services to the south. This was because British Railways had decided to electrify the former LNWR route from Manchester London Road, which was renamed Manchester Piccadilly, to London Euston. As the electrification work would cause delays it was decided to concentrate services at Manchester Central.

From 4th July 1960 a new train that had been developed by British Railways, a diesel Pullman, which became known as the ‘Blue Pullman’, began to operate between Manchester Central and London St Pancras. The train was both modern and luxurious, completed the journey in 3 hours and 13 minutes, and proved very popular with business travellers. Sleeping car services were also concentrated into Manchester Central at this time, but they were routed over the former GCR main line to London Marylebone. Also in 1960 new four-car Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) were introduced onto the Liverpool service. In 1961 DMUs also started to operate on the South District line and on services to Chester and Buxton. However, despite the modernisation, steam-hauled services could still be seen at Manchester Central during this period. The years between 1960 and 1966 were very busy at Manchester Central, but they were to prove to be a swansong. In April 1966 electrification of the LNWR route was completed and services were concentrated onto that route.

The Blue Pullman ceased to operate in 1966, and on 1st January 1967 the South District service ended. As early as September 1966 British British Rail, as it had then become known, was considering how they might close Manchester Central and divert the remaining services. A target date for closure was eventually set for June 1968 with an estimated cost of £539,000. The costs were associated with junction remodelling that was needed to allow Liverpool and Chester trains to run towards Piccadilly. From the 1st January 1968 express services were diverted to run into Manchester Piccadilly. The last express services had run between Central Station and Nottingham and London St Pancras. From this date the only trains that served Manchester Central were the Liverpool and the Chester services along with a Sundays-only service that ran between Liverpool Lime Street and Sheffield Midland. The intended closure date of June 1968 was not met, and a new date was set for 5th May 1969. The last trains ran out of the station on Saturday 3rd May 1969.

Following its closure the station was sold to the NCP Car Parking empire in 1972. It slowly decayed, acting not only as a symbol of the decline of Britain’s railways but also of the country’s northern industrial towns. It was purchased by the Greater Manchester Council in 1978. Thankfully, as Manchester began to resurrect itself from its decline in the early 1980s, the city officials focussed their attention on the station. In 1983 it was given Grade II* Listed status, then work began on converting it to an exhibition hall. On 7th March 1986 it re-opened to the public as the GMEX exhibition hall. For over 20 years the GMEX hosted shows, exhibitions and concerts. In January 2007 the venue was renamed as Manchester Central , once again taking on its historic name. Home | Manchester Central Manchester Central Find out more about us Meeting spaces for 40 to over 10,000 delegates All Events "Manchester Central is a perfect venue for us as its location and connectivity gives us a perfect catchment across the North, particularly the M62 corridor.

Equally important is that our visitors and exhibitors love being in the heart of the city and use it as an opportunity to check out the best of Manchester’s burgeoning food and drink scene." Thom Hetherington Managing Director at Holden Media Ltd "We are delighted to be returning to Manchester Central in 2014 and look forward to a long working relationship. Manchester Central offers the right mix of conference facilities with the exhibition space that we require. The professional attitude of the staff ensures the conference is a great success year after year." Steven Yeats CEO of British Cardiovascular Society "We needed a venue that not only had the right facilities to accommodate our conference and exhibition requirements, but could also offer a vibrant city centre location with an extensive array of hotels, dining amenities, entertainment and the travel network to support it." Aimee Colton Project Manager at UK Oracle User Group More than Manchester Central Station (C) Peter McDermott :: Geograph Britain and Ireland Manchester Central The Manchester Central complex was originally built as Manchester Central Station and opened officially in July 1880. It operated successfully for almost 90 years but was deemed surplus to requirements when the railway network was restructured following the Beeching report.

Central Station closed in May 1969. The building had been granted Grade l listed status in 1963 and this ensured that the shell would be preserved but it remained standing empty for several years. Greater Manchester County Council purchased the building in 1978, developjng the station into the G-Mex (the "Greater Manchester Exhibition Centre") which opened in 1986. Its listing was revised to Grade II status in 1994 ( Link for listing details). In 2001 the Manchester International Convention Centre (MICC) was added to the complex and in January 2007 the venue was rebranded as Manchester Central, evoking the memory of the former Manchester Central railway station. Railway RAILWAY LINKS 1948 South Levenshulme Station looking East. (Photo: The Fallowfield Line author E M Johnson Foxline Publishers) South Levenshulme Station building in March 2004. Renovations in progress. I'm not sure about the blue cupola!! ( Photo Carole Daniels ). Levenshulme South Station Building 1959. At that time a Wood & DIY shop.

Was it two separate businesses? ( Photo. Manchester Libraries) This view, looking east from Parker Street, Shows the wall above the railway embankment, with Levenshulme South Station in the background. The passage leads to Kevin Street. The semi-detached houses in the background were, I think, built by the railway company to house the station master and possibly his assistant. ( Manchester Libraries) Levenshulme North Station. ( Now Levenshulme Station) Albert Road 1910 Levenshulme Station. Albert Road (Photo: Looking Back At Levenshulme & Burnage.1987 Willow Publishing) Albert Road Station, Levenshulme North. Note the temporary wooden structure, and the train heading south. I would date this photo as early 1950s. ( Manchester Libraries) Levenshulme North Station from Albert Road, March 2004. Compare to the above earlier photographs. ( Photo Carole Daniels ). A wet scene on Albert Road, early 20th century.( Photo via Cliff Garratt) Levenshulme South station 1949.The year that I was born!

( Manchester Libraries) South Levenshulme Station, Albert Road. Compare to the above photo, note the brick bridge wall, airman in uniform. This could be a wartime photo. (Manchester Libraries) Another very atmospheric photo of Albert Road in the rain during the 1930s. Note the large station sign board. Everything looks very orderly and well maintained. See the photos below for a more up to date view of this area. ( Manchester Libraries) An early 1970s ticket. Note both decimal and shillings and pence fare. Also note The station is still referred to as Levenshulme North, although Levenshulme South ceased to operate in 1958!! ( via Brian Carter) Another ticket issued at Levenshulme North going to Longsight. Probably dates from the 1960s, note the fare 3 old pence. Also this ticket was never cancelled so is theoretically still valid!! ( image found on Ebay) Yet another ticket image found on Ebay. Nine old pence single to Stockport Edgeley. Up to the mid-sixties Stockport had another station at Tiviot Dale, at the bottom of Lancashire Hill.

The entrance to Levenshulme Station in December 2007. The posts and steps look similar to the above photo. The street at the side of the station is now signposted " The Street With No Name"!! Another photo of "The Street With No Name". My old pal Steve Lambert is on the right. Levenshulme Station 2009. A sign of the changing ethnicity of South Manchester. Not to be outdone, the is also a sign in Gaelic!! A sign of Levenshulme's long Irish tradition. This is the entrance to Levenshulme Station on the other side of the bridge nearer to Stockport Road. No longer in use and looking derelict, it is still possible to view some of the original structure of the Victorian Station. December 2007 The East side of the station seen from another angle. There were houses where this car park now stands The pedestrian tunnel looking west . Note different colours of brickwork. The red bricks were from the early 1960s when the the South Levenshulme Station was heavily " modernized". The tunnel was at one time divided by a heavy wooden fence.

To the right of this view once stood Burdett's Bakery, This is the same view, taken in 1908. Note the wooden fence. What was its purpose? ( Manchester Libraries) The other side of the tunnel in 1908. Note the gates, gas lamp and the beginning of the wooden ramp up to the north bound platform on the left. ( Manchester Libraries) This street, known as either Station Grove or Station View is The same street as the above photos. Taken in 1970, this shows the old Burdetts Bakery, at that time serving as Levenshulme Market. Now no more. Note the two bakers on both corners. Levenshulme folk loved their cakes!! ( Manchester Libraries) Passenger Train heading South through Levenshulme North Station, Albert Road. Probably in the 1950's. Note the wooden platforms! The Station was modernized in the early 1960's. Levenshulme North Station in 1949.

These buildings all disappeared in the rebuilding in 1959 (Photo Manchester Libraries) A train heading north through Levenshulme North 1949.( Manchester Libraries) Re-building 1959, Electrification has arrived and the old station buildings have been demolished. ( Photo Manchester Libraries) Another view during re-building. The end building survived because it housed the entrance stairs from Albert Road.( Photo. Manchester Libraries) Re-construction of Albert Road bridge. When the London-Manchester line was electrified a great deal of work was carried out on widening the track bed & rebuilding a number of the bridges. Most of the Levenshulme bridges were rebuilt, although the ones at Alma Road & Clare Road do not seem to have been extensively altered. ( Photo Manchester Libraries) Another view of the Albert Road bridge rebuilding ( Manchester Libraries) Re-building Levenshulme North Station 1959. ( A series of views by B R Robinson) My old friend, the late Brian Robinson took a series of photos during the re-building of Levenshulme North Station, on Albert Road during 1959/60. I was given these photos recently, summer 2012.

They are a unique record of a major change to the South Manchester railway scene. Two views showing the major changes at Levenshulme North as the old buildings were demolished. Interestingly quite a lot of the old station structure still remains in 2012. Track work at Levenshulme North. Both views are looking south. Does the "S" denote the direction? These two views show, 1) the interior of the tunnel connecting both platforms at the station, and 2) the pedestrian tunnel running from South Street to the so called "Street With No Name". A couple of photos found on the internet showing locomotives waiting to proceed south near the Levenshulme North signal box. 1950s? ( via deva-bob photos) An unusual view taken from the platform of Levenshulme North Station looking East towards St Peters church. In the left of the picture is the roof of the Palace cinema & the roof of the bakery. The picture was taken in the early 1980s by Colin Irving. A Class 25 Diesel locomotive, hauling a Glasgow to Euston passenger train, passing through Levenshulme North Station in 1983.

(via Internet) A Diesel Multiple Unit DMU passing through Levenshulme North. Heading north on a service to Manchester London Road/Piccadilly Station. These DMUs were a familiar sight on this line, and were the predecessor of the modern Sprinter units. We used to take these trains to Middlewood and Disley to get to Lyme Park. A Deltic type locomotive heading north on the LMS main line through Levenshulme. The location seems to be in the vicinity of Claire Road/Errwood Park. A selection of Locomotive photos, Steam & Electric at Levenshulme North, 50s & 60s. The above train photos taken in the 1950s & 60s show the transition on the main London-Manchester line from steam to diesel electric traction. If anyone can identify the type of locomotives I would be grateful. This photo shows Brian Robinsons daughter, Allyn, sitting on a porters cart at Levenshulme North in 1949. Note the ice cream cone!

South Levenshulme Goods Yard Broom Lane 1962 The Main Line & Goods Yard near Levenshulme South Station, looking west. The train is the Liverpool to Hull boat train. Yes, this was a main line! It operated up to October 1988. The track bed is now being turned into a walking/cycling pathway. (Photo: The Fallowfield Line) . Not a particularly good photograph, but it shows roughly the same view as above in May 1999. New houses, and a Pub now exist where the Goods Yard once stood. An interesting view of the UCP ( United Cattle Products) factory and its famous chimney, taken from just behind the signal box on the South Levenshulme line. Also in view is the lattice work iron footbridge.( See Below) This photo taken in 1965 also features part of the dereliction of " The Brickie" ( Manchester Libraries) The Fallowfield Loop line passing under Kingsway a little way south of Moseley Road. Note the UCP poster on the advertising hoarding.

( Manchester Libraries) I was recently sent this photo of a Freightliner train heading east on the Fallowfield Loop Line, about to cross under Kingsway and soon to pass the remains of Levenshulme South Station. It was taken in 1983. It would be good to have a contemporary shot of this location! (photo:- Neil Ferguson-Lee via Robert Todd) Levenshulme South Station. Built 1892. Closed 1958 The South Levenshulme Station, originally just known as Levenshulme Station, was built in 1892 and was one of several stations on the Fallowfield Loop Line from Manchester Central Station to Fairfield Station. I lived on Station Road, later Crayfield Road, which ran alongside the north side of the station. I recently discovered a fascinating website called "The Disused Railway Site Index" which has a page on South Levenshulme Station plus hundreds of other disused railway and station sites around Great Britain. Some of the images below are from this site. This postcard view shows the front of South Levenshulme Station, Stockport Road, in 1910.

Note the open topped tram and the absence of motorized traffic. Quite a busy, bustling scene. The houses on the right of the photo, past the railway bridge, must have been demolished around 1928 when the CO-OP building was built. ( Photo via John Alsop) An interesting photo taken in the early 1970s. The rail track is down to one single track. Still showing one of the covered stairs to the platform intact, but looking pretty shabby. (via Alan Hampson) A slightly different view of the back of Levenshulme South Station taken from the north embankment by Alan Hampson in 1976. ( Via Alan Hampson) The South Levenshulme Station frontage in the early 1970s. It was still in use as a DIY shop at that time.( Via Alan Hampson) Two photos of the South Levenshulme Station Building. The first shows the building in 1986, Still a DIY store. Note the bus shelter, and the British Rail poster board at the side. The second photo shows Rushton's shoe repair shop witch was attached to the station building sometime after 1910.

( both Manchester Libraries) This is a very interesting map, probably from the late 1890s showing Levenshulme Station, but all the land north and south of the station is still fields! This was before the Levenshulme Council Offices and Station Road, Gordon Ave, Bristol Ave and Langdale Ave were built. ( Via Nick Catford) A general view of the Fallowfield Loop Line passing through Levenshulme. Probably a pre-WW2 map as it shows Fairey Aviation on Crossley Road as Motor Works.( map via Nick Catford) Levenshulme South Memorabilia Railway Timetable, from Bradshaw's Railway Guide for October 1950, Showing all the Stations on the Fallowfield Loop Line. ( via Nick Catford) Various railway tickets issued to and from Levenshulme South Station. Two tickets are pre-nationalization, L.N.E.R & C.L.C. The other two are probably from the British Railways era! Note the prices and classes. Also none of these tickets appear to have been cancelled ( punched by a ticket clerk or canceling machine!!) ( ticket images via Michael Stewart) 2001.

A great view of the back of Levenshulme South Station as it then looked. The platforms are gone. The covered stairs leading down to the platforms were demolished in the 1970's The Station fell to "Dr.Beeching's Axe" in July 1958,but the bulk of this very unique & odd shaped building still exists. This view is looking West ,the Main London to Manchester line can just be glimpsed through the tunnel. (Photo: Aidan O'Rourke) December 2007. Not much remedial work has been carried out on the old station building. Compare to previous photo. A nice winter view of Crayfield Road taken from the new cycle path. South Levenshulme Station, February 2004, showing the new footpath & cycle way. The embankment does not look as deep as I remember. The access is from Crayfield Road to the right. You can walk west as far as Chorlton. The footpath ends at Highfield Road currently. (Photo. Andrew Barber) The same view as above prior to the cycle/footpath being built. Just see how overgrown the station area had become.

Another view from further back showing how overgrown the track bed had become. You can still see the South platform edge in this view. A nice photo of Levenshulme South Station in 1971. Single line and the platforms slowly disappearing. Compare to the next two photos. This photo, taken in 1965, shows the derelict South Levenshulme Station before the platform buildings were demolished. Note how overgrown the platforms had become, also the remains of the station gas lamps. ( Photo Manchester Libraries) The previous two photos show South Levenshulme Station some time after its closure in 1958. The top photo shows the intact station buildings with the familiar shape of the Co-op Stores in the background. The second photo shows the "Flying Scotsman" passing through the station. Anyone put a date to these photos? ( via B R Robinson) This is the view looking the opposite way towards Broom Lane, March 2004. Note the pathway has been raised up at this pint to allow access to the cycle/footpath from Crayfield Road. ( Photo. Carole Daniels) This image is taken from a transparency that I took in 1971.

I was trying out my new Practika SLR camera. The photo is a little fuzzy, but it shows the rear of South Levenshulme Station at that time. The covered steps to the station were still there, and the windows at the rear were still intact. The photograph was taken through the front room window at 14 Crayfield Road. Another "fuzzy" photo showing the rear of Levenshulme South station after the demolition, or collapse, of the south staircase. Overgrown station and track bed 1980s. This photo shows the railbed in 2002 looking East from the tunnel beneath the London to Manchester Midland Region/LMS line. Note the burned out car, a current abandoned railway feature! Over the bridge parapet you can see the top of South Levenshulme Station on Stockport Road. The opposite view from the one above. Taken during the early stages of building the foot and cycling path. This photograph shows a later view of the same area during the building of the new cycle & footpath. ( Photo Aidan O'Rourke) The same view in December 2007.

Note that a new tunnel has been created, probably to strengthen the bridge on Stockport Road. Pity about the graffiti!! The Model Steam Train, South Levenshulme Does anyone remember the model steam train which ran on a track at the top of the embankment on the south side of South Levenshulme Station? How long was it there, and who built and operated it? I seem to think the owner gave rides on it to local children during the summer. I never got to ride on it though! This photo shows the approximate location of the model steam railway. I got my friend Dave Irving to point to where the line was located. Nothing there now to show that it ever existed. December 2007.Update: I have recently been given some information by Jennifer McKay, who lives in Canada. She states that " With reference to the photographs of the railway station in South Levenshulme especially the one about the model railway line, yes I remember it well in fact the person who owned and ran the train lived at No. 12 Samuel Street and his name was Mr Standen. My very good friend lived next door to him.

Mr & Mrs Standen passed away many years ago so we have no idea what happened to the trains, probably they went to some model enthusiast".( information received 23rd March 2009). Finally evidence of the model railway! I recently found this photo of the buildings on South Levenshulme station before they were demolished. The photo, taken in 1967 from the front bedroom window of 20 Crayfield Road, clearly shows the model railway line running across the top of the far embankment. It looks like a low fence! The photographer, Peter Bower, was a student living at number 20 Crayfield Road. He was using up a roll of 35mm colour film, and this was the last shot! This view was almost the same as it would have been from my parents house at 14 Crayfield Road. The station at this time had been closed for nearly 10 years, the glass and iron canopies had been removed, and the buildings look ready for final demolition. ( photo Peter Bowers) Another local model garden railway I found these photos of a garden railway situated in Burnage, and dated 1912.

Can anyone shed any light on the possible location of this railway. Obviously a very wealthy family!! ( photos via Manchester Libraries) A Levenshulme Railway Landmark The following series of photographs show a Levenshulme railway landmark which must be familiar to generations of Levenshulme residents. It is the very unique iron foot bridge which crosses the Fallowfield Loop line east of South Levenshulme Station. Did the bridge have a name? I only hope that future generations see its significance as a piece of unique railway architecture! I have no idea when the bridge was built but it must be of a similar age to the railway line. The bridge was accessed, and still is, from a rather overgrown footpath starting on Broom Lane . The bridge led to the, in my generation, wonderful open aspect of Jacksons "Brickie" This vast excavated area was used as a landfill in the 1970's & 80's and is now a kind of Country Park. Passenger train passing under the foot bridge 1948. ( photo Levenshulme Loop Line) These two photos are a before & after view of the bridge.

The first shows the last train to use this line, October 1988. Note the ruins of the UCP in the background. ( Photo: The Fallowfield Loop Line.E. M. Johnson ) The second shows the bridge in recent times, including graffiti & burned out car.( Aidan O' Rourke ) The above photographs show my old school friend Tony Woodford standing on the bridge in 1999. As kids we used to watch the steam trains pass under the bridge & run up and down through the clouds of smoke & steam. I can still smell the smoke!! The second photo shows a group of enthusiasts trekking along the Fallowfield Loop line in July 2002. The rail bed is now being turned into a walking & cycling pathway. ( 2nd Photo. Aiden O'Rourke ) Two views of the footbridge looking north, December 2007. Thats me in the second photo! This bridge seems to get to look more dilapidated every time I see it. Any hope for some preservation? Question? Why does the cycle/footpath leave the original rail bed here? Is the bridge considered unsafe to walk under?

The two photos below were sent to me by Cedric Woodhall, who used to live at 71 Langdale Ave and also in Greenway Ave. He states " I have found some old pics my father took, one of me on the " lattice bridge" aged probably two, so that puts the photo winter 1957/58. You can see the UCP in the background. I was up in September 2008 and took another at exactly the same spot, 50 years later" How time flies. You don't look a day older Cedric! Cedric Woodhall aged two. Note the broken windows at the UCP! Cedric aged 52, 2008. Holding a copy of the above photo. ( Information received January 11th 2009) The above photos are recent, 2009, shots of the Lattice Bridge sent via Robert Todd. The lattice Bridge prior to the cycle/footpath. Some of the track bed still in place. The Levenshulme Railway Goods Yards I am looking for information on the two Levenshulme Railway goods yards.

When were they built, how long were they in operation, what type of goods were handled Etc. During my childhood they seemed to be mainly used as Coal sidings servicing the local coal merchants. The coal probably came from the South Yorkshire coalfields, but it could also have been mined locally. The two yards were, Alma Road (BR Midland Region) & Broom Lane (BR Fallowfield Loop Line ). The coal merchants that I remember are Barbers, Harry Kay, Hodgkinson's. There were others! I remember the 3 wheeler Scammell trucks used by some coalmen & by British Railways. In the early fifties it was quite probable that some coal was still delivered by horse & cart. Alma Road Goods & Mineral Yard The photos above show:- #1 A Barbers Removals Van, parked on Alma Road opposite the gates to the London Midland & Scottish Railways (LMS) Goods & Mineral Yard. This photo, taken in the 1930s, shows the gates leading to the goods yard. I believe the sign was still there in the 1960s! #2 A Barbers Removals container being loaded or unloaded.

I don't know where this was taken, but it probably is not in Levenshulme! The site of the Alma Road Goods & Mineral yard, February 2004. This is now the Kwik Save parking lot. This is roughly where the gateway to the old yard stood. ( Photo Andrew Barber ) The Alma Road goods yard site in December 2007. Since the previous photo Kwik Save has closed down so the car park is currently disused. Broom Lane Goods & Coal Sidings This view from 1959 shows the re-built bridge parapet on the corner of Broom Lane & Broom Ave. Note the Goods Depot buildings and various coal merchants buildings, including Mitchell's. ( Photo. Manchester Libraries) The same corner looking south down Broom Lane. Note The railway bridge parapet on this side of the lane was rebuilt during the early 1960s. ( Manchester Libraries) The above photos taken in 1959 show the South Levenshulme Goods Yard when t was still in operation. Compare to the view immediately below. ( Photo.

Manchester Libraries) The above three photographs show views of the South Levenshulme Goods Sidings site as it exists in February 2004.The Sidings Pub & a small modern housing development now stand where coal & mineral wagons were once shunted in and out of a busy railway depot. (Photos. Andrew Barber ) Not a very clear photograph, but it does show a parade passing by the Broom Lane Sidings in 1912. The photo was taken from the corner of Station Road, looking north east. The various buildings/huts shown in this picture still existed in the 1950s. The farthest one was a coal merchants office, the centre one was the weigh scale office and the nearest one is again a coal merchants office. The iron railings still existed in the 1980s. Note, the cobbled surface of Broom Lane and Station Road and also the fine dress of the onlookers. The photo came from a 2002 calendar sent to me by my sister. This could be the same parade as the one shown previously. This is right beside the South Levenshulme Goods Yard. Most of the buildings in the background still exist to this day.

Also most of the buildings and coal offices still existed into the 1960s. A locomotive named "LEVENSHULME" The above photo shows a locomotive bearing the name "LEVENSHULME". The locomotive is an "M" class contractors locomotive,0-6-0 saddle tank No.1113. This locomotive was built in 1889 by Manning Wardle & Co. of Leeds, and delivered new to T A Walker the contractors for the Manchester Ship Canal. It later passed to Topham, Jones & Railton and was used in the construction of The Great Central Railway between Leicester & Rugby in the period 1894-98. Later still it worked on the Kings Dock contract in Swansea between 1904-09. Nothing is known after that time. This photo was taken on 12th June 1897, working between Aylestone & Rugby. The locomotive probably never worked in the Levenshulme area, so how did it get its name? Any thoughts?

( Photo via Leicestershire County Council, Photographer S W A Newton) Crossley Road Railway Bridge The Crossley Road bridge in 1959, looking east towards Lloyd Road.. This re-built bridge eventually enabled double decker buses to pass under it. In this view the road surface has yet to be lowered, so in 1959 only single deck buses such as the No 22 Eccles service were able to pass through. When the road was lowered it created a steep dip in the road which has been subject to flooding during heavy rain. This problem persists to the present day!! ( Photo. Manchester Libraries) Reddish Sheds ( The Reddish Depot) The Reddish Diesel Locomotive Depot, affectionately known as "Reddish Sheds" was located just over the Stockport border near the reservoirs in Reddish. To several generations of Levenshulme train spotters it was a place of fascination, as indeed it was for train spotters countrywide. This busy depot was built in the 1950s, but alas it is no more. Only broken bricks & general desolation remain!! A bustling Reddish Sheds circa 1979.

(via Robert Todd) Abandoned, but not yet derelict Reddish Sheds 1989. ( via Robert Todd) Derelict Reddish sheds 1980s. All these buildings have now been demolished. The next three photos taken at Reddish Sheds in the 1970s. Heading towards Levenshulme from Reddish. This is Sandfold Lane Bridge. These two photographs show something of what used to exist at Reddish Depot. ( Photos Andy Sparks via Stockport Heritage Magazine) The Blue Pullman For a short period in the early 1960s a new Pullman service was operated between Manchester Central Station & St Pancras in London. The service was known as the " Midland Pullman", and was unusually only First Class. The diesel units used on this service were maintained at Reddish Sheds, and used the Fallowfield Loop Line to transit to and from Manchester Central. The diesels were brand new units, and were only ever used on the London Midland and West Country services.

I remember these trains passing through the long closed Levenshulme South station, and I often saw them early on the morning waiting on a signal right in front of my house in Crayfield Road. I would love to find some photos of these trains passing through Levenshulme. Someone must have photographed them! In the meantime here are a couple of photos found on the internet. Not Levenshulme, but a very good shot of a Midland Pullman train at rest. The train looks old fashioned by todays standards, but was "state of the art" in 1960. The Midland Pullman at Manchester Central Station in the 1960s. This once very busy mainline terminus is now the site of the G-Mex exhibition & conference centre, and the magnificent train hall and the "Clock" still exist. The Blue Midland Pullman heading west. Possibly Fallowfield Station. 1960s.Update:-The train is actually passing through Withington on a London St.Pancras morning express. Info via Robert Todd. ( Manchester Libraries) Update: I have been informed that this station is more likely Chorlton!!

The Blue Pullman at Cheadle Heath Station 1960s The Blue Pullman at Reddish Sheds mid 1960s. ( Photo via Robert Todd) Pedestrian Tunnels under the LMS Mainline railway in Levenshulme. There are several pedestrian tunnels under the old LMS Mainline railway that runs north to south through Levenshulme. Most of them are north of the Levenshulme station, but there is at least one under the tracks next to Errwood Park. Whether this was ever used as a pedestrian tunnel is a mystery, as in my day and currently it is fenced off!! The Crescent Tunnel This is the west side of the tunnel facing towards The Crescent and Stockport Road. Dated 1912 This is the east side of the tunnel, taken from The Crescent in 1971. Facing towards Central Ave and Slade Lane. Park Grove Tunnel Park Grove Tunnel in 1907. Compare to the next view 103 years later! "Graffiti Rules" The same view in 2010. The other end of the tunnel 2010.

The tunnels appear to have been partially re-built, probably during the electrification of the line in the early 1960s. Spot the speeding train!! ( both 2010 photos via Mike Berrell) Slade Hall Road Tunnel Slade Hall Road Tunnel in 1903. West side facing east towards Stockport Road. Slade Hall Road Tunnel facing west towards Slade Hall Road and Slade Lane. Note this is at this time a dirt road. Railway Bridges in Levenshulme. There are a multitude of railway bridges in Levenshulme. Mostly elevated on the London to Manchester (LMS) mainline, or passing over the old east to west Fallowfield Loop line. This is the bridge at the junction of Moseley Road and Kingsway. Carrying the Manchester to Crewe line. This bridge is on the boundary of Levenshulme and Rusholme. Taken from the old Birchfields Tram/Bus Depot in 1971. The old Kingsway Picture House can be seen standing derelict through the bridge. The same bridge seen from the opposite side in 1959. Taken from beside the Kingsway Picture House.

Category:Manchester Central railway station - Wikimedia Commons Category:Manchester Central railway station English: Manchester Central Conference Centre , formerly the Manchester Central railway station , also known as the G-Mex Centre. Manchester, England. Subcategories

Question: The building originally known as the G-Mex Centre in Manchester was built on the site of which railway station?
Answer: MANCHESTER CENTRAL