Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway

The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJ&AR) was a suburban railway which operated a 13.7 km (8½ mile) route between Altrincham

Altrincham

Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...

in Cheshire

Cheshire

Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...

and London Road Station (now Piccadilly

Manchester Piccadilly station

Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester, England. It serves intercity routes to London Euston, Birmingham New Street, South Wales, the south coast of England, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central, and routes throughout northern England...

) in Manchester

Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

.

The MSJ&AR line is notable for having operated with three different systems of electrification within a period of about 60 years. The fast, frequent service resulting from the introduction of the first generation of electric trains in 1931 was a significant contributor to suburban development in the Stretford

Stretford

Stretford is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Lying on flat ground between the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, it is to the southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Salford and northeast of Altrincham...

, Sale

Sale, Greater Manchester

Sale is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Cheshire, the town lies on flat ground on the south bank of the River Mersey, south of Stretford, northeast of Altrincham, and southwest of the city of Manchester...

and Altrincham

Altrincham

districts, south-west of Manchester.

The southern part of the MSJ&AR’s route has been part of the Manchester Metrolink

Manchester Metrolink

Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...

light rail

Light rail

Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...

system since 1992. The northern section between Manchester Piccadilly

Manchester Piccadilly station

and Deansgate

Deansgate railway station

Deansgate is a railway station in Manchester city centre, England. It is situated approximately west of Manchester Piccadilly in the Castlefield area, at the junction of Deansgate and Whitworth Street West....

stations is now an intensively-used section of the National Rail

National Rail

National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...

network, used by trains running north and west of Manchester.

Construction

Manchester’s London Road railway station (today’s Piccadilly) was opened on 8 May 1842. London Road was the terminus for two trunk lines approaching the city from the south and east - the Manchester and Birmingham Railway
Manchester and Birmingham Railway
The Manchester and Birmingham Railway was built between Manchester and Crewe and opened in stages from 1840. Between Crewe and Birmingham, trains were worked by the Grand Junction Railway...

from Stockport

Stockport

Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...

and Crewe

Crewe

Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...

, and the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
The Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway was an early British railway company which opened in stages between 1841 and 1845 between Sheffield and Manchester via Ashton-under-Lyne...

, which at that point ran only as far as Godley, but would eventually be extended to Sheffield

Sheffield

Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...

via the Woodhead route.

Woodhead Line

The Woodhead Line was a railway line linking Sheffield, Penistone and Manchester in the north of England. A key feature of the route is the passage under the high moorlands of the northern Peak District through the Woodhead Tunnels...

Even in the early days, it was clear that the dead-end terminal at London Road would need to be connected to the other railway lines serving Manchester. The Manchester & Birmingham and the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne & Manchester companies proposed an extension of their lines which would skirt the southern part of Manchester city centre on a 2.4 km (1½ mile) viaduct, and join the Liverpool and Manchester Railway

Liverpool and Manchester Railway

The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first inter-city passenger railway in which all the trains were timetabled and were hauled for most of the distance solely by steam locomotives. The line opened on 15 September 1830 and ran between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in North...

at Ordsall Lane in Salford. This was promoted as the South Junction Line. A branch line was also proposed, leaving the South Junction line at Castlefield

Castlefield

Castlefield is an inner city area of Manchester, in North West England. The conservation area which bears its name is bounded by the River Irwell, Quay Street, Deansgate and the Chester Road. It was the site of the Roman era fort of Mamucium or Mancunium which gave its name to Manchester...

(west of today’s Deansgate station

Deansgate railway station

) and following the Bridgewater Canal

Bridgewater Canal

The Bridgewater Canal connects Runcorn, Manchester and Leigh, in North West England. It was commissioned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, to transport coal from his mines in Worsley to Manchester...

to Altrincham. The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway Act received Royal Assent on 21 July 1845.

During the 1840s railway company amalgamations and conflicting interests hindered the construction of the MSJ&A. However, once these differences had been resolved the Manchester Oxford Road to Altrincham line opened on 20 July 1849, and the South Junction portions from London Road to Oxford Road and from Castlefield Junction to Ordsall Lane were completed on 1 August 1849. In September 1849 the southern terminus was extended a short distance beyond Altrincham to Bowdon

Bowdon railway station

Bowdon railway station served the district of Bowdon, Cheshire , between 1849 and 1881.The station was built by the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway , and opened on 22 September 1849, the same day that a short southerly extension to the MSJ&AR line to reach Bowdon was...

Services in the steam era

In the 19th Century the area between Manchester and Altrincham was not intensively settled. It was essentially farming and market gardening country and Altrincham itself was a small market town. The first steam trains operated an hourly service, although this was increased as traffic developed.

In the first forty years or so, most Altrincham trains terminated at Oxford Road station
Manchester Oxford Road railway station
Manchester Oxford Road Railway Station is a railway station in the city of Manchester, England. The station is located at the junction of Whitworth Street West and Oxford Street, on an elevated line between Deansgate and Piccadilly stations....

in Manchester, with only a minority extended to the main line terminal at London Road. From the 1890s onwards, most trains were extended to run to London Road, although by this time passenger trains had been withdrawn from the South Junction route to Ordsall Lane.

Following the consolidation of the smaller railway companies in the mid-19th century, the MSJ&AR passed to joint ownership by the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...

(LNWR) and the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...

(MSLR), which was the successor of the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester and the predecessor of the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...

. Frequent disagreements between the two owners resulted in the appointment of a full-time independent arbiter to resolve disputes and ensure the day-to-day functioning of the railway.

The MSJ&AR owned its own coaches, but the haulage was provided by locomotives belonging to both the L&NWR and MS&LR companies. The MSJ&AR steam trains were unusual in retaining three classes of passenger accommodation well after most other British companies had dispensed with second class.

On 3 April 1881 the original stations at Bowdon

Bowdon railway station

and Altrincham

Altrincham (1st) railway station

Altrincham railway station served the district of Altrincham Cheshire, now Altrincham, Greater Manchester between 1849 and 1881.The station was built by the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway and opened on 20 July 1849....

were closed and replaced by a new station located between the two called Altrincham and Bowdon, at the location of today’s Altrincham Interchange. Also in 1881 the terminus at the other end of the line at London Road was rebuilt as a curved island platform connected to the main-line station via a footbridge. This arrangement survives today as the busy platforms 13 and 14 at Manchester Piccadilly.

Manchester Piccadilly station

1500 V DC electrification
Railway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...

In the early part of the 20th Century, the MSJ&AR steam trains came under increasing competition from electric tramways, which by that time ran the whole way from Manchester to Altrincham and closely followed the route of the railway.

Various electrification proposals were studied to counter this threat, although it was only after the 1923 Grouping

Railways Act 1921

The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...

that concrete action was taken. Following Grouping, ownership and management of the line was taken over by an MSJ&AR Committee, representing both the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...

(LMS) and the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...

(LNER). The LNER was particularly interested in the electrification of main-line railways and in 1928 a government report had recommended 1500 V DC overhead as the national standard system.

Despite the LNER’s enthusiasm for electric traction, the LMS was the company responsible for installing most of the new electrification infrastructure on the line, while twenty-two new 3-car electric multiple units (EMUs)

Electric multiple unit

An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...

were built for the line by Metropolitan-Cammell

Metro Cammell

The Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon Company was a Birmingham, England based manufacturer of railway carriages and wagons, based in Saltley and subsequently Washwood Heath....

to an LMS design. The new rolling stock was wooden frame construction and a conservative design, with individual compartments throughout (without corridors) and offering both first and third-class accommodation. The electric multiple units were all based at a new depot, located just south of Altrincham and Bowdon station on the site of the original MSJ&AR Bowdon terminus.

The new trains began test runs in 1930 and on Monday 11 May 1931 the London Road to Altrincham local service became fully electric. Coinciding with the electric service, new suburban stations were opened at Dane Road

Dane Road Metrolink station

Dane Road station is located on Dane Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, England. The station is in Ticketing Zone F.-History:The station originally opened on 20 July 1931 by the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway . Referred to as Dane Road on early tickets, timetables etc.. Operated...

and Navigation Road. The station formerly called Old Trafford Cricket Ground (which had opened only for matches at the nearby Lancashire County Cricket Club

Lancashire County Cricket Club

Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...

, or Manchester United

Manchester United F.C.

Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...

football ground) was opened full-time and re-named Warwick Road

Old Trafford Metrolink station

Old Trafford Metrolink station is a station on the Metrolink light rail network in Greater Manchester, England. It is located on Warwick Road and Elsinore Road and serves Firswood, Old Trafford and Stretford....

.

The Altrincham Electrics provided a faster, more frequent service than the steam trains they had replaced, and resulted in an 89% increase in patronage on the line within the first five years. The new electric service also stimulated further suburban housing development close to the line, and provided an early example of today’s marketing tagline

Tagline

A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product , or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product...

s when the railway’s publicists dubbed the initials MSJ&AR as Many Short Journeys and Absolute Reliability.

As well as local trains, the Altrincham Electrics also provided express services at certain times of day, making use of a four-track section of line between Sale and Old Trafford. Some of the all-station electric trains ran only between Manchester and Sale

Sale Metrolink station

Sale Metrolink Station is located on Northenden Road in Sale. There is a park and ride facility for passengers using the Manchester Metrolink system. The station is in Ticketing Zone F.-History:...

, while steam-hauled passenger and goods trains also used the MSJ&AR to travel to destinations beyond the boundaries of electrification at either end of the line. Passenger trains ran from the ex-Cheshire Lines Committee

Cheshire Lines Committee

The Cheshire Lines Committee was the second largest joint railway in Great Britain, with 143 route miles. Despite its name, approximately 55% of its system was in Lancashire. In its publicity material it was often styled as the Cheshire Lines Railway...

(CLC) line from Chester Northgate

Chester Northgate railway station

Chester Northgate is a former railway station in Chester, Cheshire that was a terminus for the Cheshire Lines Committee and Great Central Railway...

to Manchester Central

Manchester Central railway station

Manchester Central railway station is a former railway station in Manchester City Centre, England. One of Manchester's main railway terminals between 1880 and 1969, it now houses an exhibition and conference centre named Manchester Central.-History:...

, diverging from the MSJ&AR at Cornbrook Junction. There was also a local service from the ex-LNWR

Warrington and Altrincham Junction Railway

The Warrington and Altrincham Junction Railway railway was created by act of parliament on the July 3 1851 to build a line between Timperley Junction on the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway, to provide a through route to Manchester, and Warrington Arpley on the St Helens and...

line from Warrington Arpley

Warrington Arpley railway station

Warrington Arpley railway station was a station located on the south side of Wilson Patten Street, Warrington, England at the junction of St Helens Railway and Warrington and Stockport Railway. It opened on the 1 May 1854; and it closed to passengers on 5 September 1958. Both railways were absorbed...

, via Lymm

Lymm railway station

Lymm railway station was a station to the west of Whitebarrow Road, Lymm, England on the Warrington and Stockport Railway. It opened on the 1 November 1853; and it closed to passengers on 10 September 1962. The railway was absorbed by the LNWR. The station was on the southern most railway line...

which terminated at Manchester London Road.

The success of the MSJ&AR and the reliability of the 1500 V DC distribution encouraged the LNER to pursue further electrification. These projects were disrupted and delayed by World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, but in 1954 the first main-line electric railway in northern Britain, was completed from Sheffield Victoria to Manchester London Road via the Woodhead route

Woodhead Line

, using 1500 V DC overhead. This line approached London Road from the east and although it was equipped with the same electrification system as the MSJ&AR and had its own fleet of 1500 V DC suburban EMUs (later to be classified as Class 506

British Rail Class 506

The British Rail Class 506 was a 3 carriage Electric Multiple Unit built for local services between Manchester, Glossop and Hadfield on the Woodhead Line, which was electrified in 1954 on the 1,500V dc overhead system.-Design:...

), the two electric lines were never connected at London Road and the two types of EMU never ventured onto each other’s territory.

In common with most railway routes, passenger traffic on the MSJ&AR declined significantly in the 1960s as travel patterns changed and more people had access to private cars. As a result, the Altrincham Electric express services were withdrawn, along some of the rolling stock and many of the goods trains using the route. The quadruple section of MSJ&AR track was reduced to conventional double track in 1963 and Manchester Central station closed on 5 May 1969, with trains from the ex-CLC Chester and Warrington lines being diverted to terminate at Oxford Road

Manchester Oxford Road railway station

Manchester Oxford Road Railway Station is a railway station in the city of Manchester, England. The station is located at the junction of Whitworth Street West and Oxford Street, on an elevated line between Deansgate and Piccadilly stations....

Conversion to 25 kV AC

In the 1950s, British Rail

British Rail

British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...

ways chose 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead in place of 1500 V DC as the standard for all future main line electrification outside the Southern Region

Southern Region of British Railways

The Southern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992. The region covered south London, southern England and the south coast, including the busy commuter belt areas of Kent, Sussex...

. In September 1960 the first stage of the electrified West Coast Main Line

West Coast Main Line

The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...

opened between Manchester and Crewe, using 25 kV AC system. At the same time, Manchester London Road station was extensively rebuilt (including the MSJ&AR platforms) and was renamed Manchester Piccadilly. From 15 September 1958 all Altrincham trains were cut back to the bay platform at Oxford Road to allow the reconstruction to proceed at London Road. The short section between Piccadilly and Oxford Road stations was converted to 25 kV AC, and on 21 September 1960, suburban services from the Styal and Stockport lines began to use Oxford Road as their city terminus.

Despite years of providing many short journeys and absolute reliability, by the late 1960s the Altrincham Electrics were approaching forty years of age. Rather than replace them with new rolling stock operating on the non-standard 1500 V DC system, the decision was made to withdraw the trains and convert the whole Altrincham line to 25 kV AC. The last 1500 V DC train was the 23.35 from Oxford Road on Friday 30 April 1971. Altrincham depot closed and all the 1931 rolling stock (provisionally assigned to Class 505

British Rail Class 505

British Railways Class 505 were 1,500 V DC electric multiple units introduced in 1931 by the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway...

by British Rail) was withdrawn from service.

On Monday 3 May 1971, a 15-min interval service was introduced from Altrincham, running through Manchester Piccadilly to Alderley Edge

Alderley Edge

Alderley Edge is a village and civil parish within the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 4,409....

and Crewe

Crewe

Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...

. The unique 40-year-old, three-car Altrincham Electrics were replaced by 12-year-old, four-car Class 304

British Rail Class 304

The British Rail Class 304 electric multiple units were built for suburban use on the first phases of the West Coast Main Line electrification between Crewe and Manchester/Liverpool/Rugby. Originally classed as AM4 units, they later became Class 304 under the TOPS numbering system, and could be...

25 kV AC EMUs, based at Longsight depot. Three of the 1931 stock centre trailer cars were preserved and two are now undergoing restoration at the Midland Railway - Butterley

Midland Railway - Butterley

The Midland Railway – Butterley is a heritage railway, formerly known until 2004 as the Midland Railway Centre, at Butterley, near Ripley in Derbyshire.-Overview:...

in Derbyshire

Derbyshire

Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...

. However none of the motor coaches were preserved, and there is now no main line 1500 V DC overhead infrastructure remaining in the UK.

Following conversion in 1971, the AC services on the Altrincham line continued relatively unchanged for the next twenty years.

From the mid-1970s, the Greater Manchester PTE
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
Transport for Greater Manchester is the public body responsible for co-ordinating public transport services throughout Greater Manchester, in North West England. The organisation traces its origins to the Transport Act 1968, when the SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive was established to...

took a proactive role in promoting and providing financial support for local train services in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...

. In November 1976, a bus/rail interchange was opened in the forecourt of Altrincham station - the first purpose-built interchange in the Greater Manchester area. Bus schedules were revised to connect with trains to and from Manchester, new vehicles were assigned to the bus routes and the services were promoted with a special Interlink branding.
Some trains were diverted to terminate at Hazel Grove
Hazel Grove
-Education:Hazel Grove has a number of primary schools and Hazel Grove High School, the local high school. Some do decide to go to other local high schools, such as local Marple Hall, in neighbouring village Marple. The main primary schools in the area are, Hazel Grove Primary School, Torkington...

when the suburban electrification was extended to that point in June 1981.
In the 1980s the four-car Class 304s were reduced to three cars during a refurbishment programme, and first class accommodation was eliminated. In 1984 a small number of refurbished Class 303
British Rail Class 303
The British Rail Class 303 electric multiple units, also known as "Blue Train" units, were introduced in 1960 for the electrification of the North Clyde and the Cathcart Circle lines in Strathclyde...

EMUs, formerly used in the Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

area, were deployed in the Manchester suburban area and these also appeared in service on the Altrincham line.
In 1988, the original section of the South Junction line between Castlefield Junction (adjacent to Deansgate station
Deansgate railway station
Deansgate is a railway station in Manchester city centre, England. It is situated approximately west of Manchester Piccadilly in the Castlefield area, at the junction of Deansgate and Whitworth Street West....

) and the Victoria
Manchester Victoria station
Manchester Victoria station in Manchester, England is the city's second largest mainline railway station. It is also a Metrolink station, one of eight within the City Zone...

to Liverpool Lime Street
Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...

line, was revitalised by the opening of the Windsor Link
Windsor Link
The Windsor Link is a short but key railway line in central Manchester that connects Salford Crescent and Deansgate stations, opened in 1988. The new link allows services from north west of Manchester to be diverted from Manchester Victoria to Manchester Piccadilly, emphasising the latter's status...

to Salford Crescent. The Windsor Link allowed trains from Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road to reach the lines to Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...

, Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...

and Preston and opened up many potential destinations (both local and long distance) for trains from the south side of Manchester. Full exploitation of the Windsor Link depended on conversion of the Altrincham line to Metrolink
Manchester Metrolink
Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...

operation, which freed up many train paths along the congested section between Deansgate and Piccadilly.

Conversion to Metrolink

The Manchester Metrolink

Manchester Metrolink

is a Light Rail

Light rail

scheme introduced in the Manchester area in the early 1990s with the aims of reducing traffic congestion by providing modern, attractive public transport options for journeys into the city centre, and offering more convenient interchange between the rail systems north and south of the city. Phase I of Metrolink involved converting the British Rail

British Rail

lines from Victoria

Manchester Victoria station

Manchester Victoria station in Manchester, England is the city's second largest mainline railway station. It is also a Metrolink station, one of eight within the City Zone...

to Bury

Bury

Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...

and Piccadilly to Altrincham to light rail operation, and linking the two by a street running

Street running

On-street running or street running is when a railroad track or tramway track runs directly along city streets, without any separation. The rails are embedded in the road....

section through Manchester city centre.

The conversion of the Altrincham line to Metrolink was originally stated to require no more than six weeks. The line was actually closed for approximately six months, during which time both all-stations and a rush-hour express (first stop Sale) substitute bus services were provided. The last conventional service 25 kV AC train on the MSJAR was the 21.05 Oxford Road to Altrincham on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1991. The line reopened on 15 June 1992, with Metrolink light rail vehicles running from Altrincham through Manchester’s city streets to Piccadilly and Bury.

During rebuilding a number of changes were made to infrastructure along the MSJ&AR route.

Overhead electrical supply was converted from 25 kV AC to 750 V DC. Most of the existing overhead supports were able to be retained.
Nine stations were reconstructed to Metrolink standard, providing, for example, full disabled access, upgraded lighting, public address and information systems and Metrolink signage and automatic ticket machines.
Several stations were re-named – the former Old Trafford became Trafford Bar, while Warwick Road became Old Trafford.
New signalling was installed, appropriate to light rail conditions and controlled from the Metrolink control centre.
A new underpass was built at the former Cornbrook Junction, which carried the Altrincham Metrolink tracks beneath the British Rail line to Warrington Central
Warrington Central railway station
Warrington Central railway station is one of two main railway stations serving the town of Warrington in the north-west of England. It is located on the southern route of the Liverpool to Manchester Line , and is situated around halfway between the two cities...

. The Manchester – Warrington Central – Liverpool line was still a busy main line, used by local and long distance trains, and is electrified at 25 kV AC for a short distance west of Manchester to provide access for electric trains to Trafford Park freight terminal.
After passing beneath the Warrington line, the Altrincham Metrolink route used the refurbished former CLC
Cheshire Lines Committee
The Cheshire Lines Committee was the second largest joint railway in Great Britain, with 143 route miles. Despite its name, approximately 55% of its system was in Lancashire. In its publicity material it was often styled as the Cheshire Lines Railway...

viaduct from Cornbrook to Manchester Central, before entering the street running section in Manchester’s St.Peter’s Square
St Peter's Square, Manchester
St Peter's Square Metrolink station is a Manchester Metrolink station located on St Peter's Square, Manchester city centre.Metrolink trams from Altrincham and Eccles serve two platforms in the west of the square which are located directly in front of Manchester Central Library...

.
In the Altrincham area, two independent, parallel single tracks were arranged between Deansgate Junction (south of Timperley) and Navigation Road. The western (former Manchester-bound) track is used by Metrolink services in both directions, while the eastern (formerly Altrincham-bound) is used by trains running from Stockport to Altrincham and on towards Chester. The heavy rail section is still used by freight trains and passenger services on the Mid-Cheshire Line
Mid-Cheshire Line
The Mid-Cheshire Line is a railway line in the north-west of England, between Chester and Manchester.- History :The Mid Cheshire line has its origins in railways promoted by three separate railway companies in the 19th century. The Cheshire Midland Railway was opened to passengers between...

, which continue to use two of the four platforms at Altrincham station
Altrincham railway station
Altrincham Interchange serves the town of Altrincham in Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It was originally named Altrincham and Bowdon railway station and is located on Stamford New Road, adjacent to the Altrincham Ice Dome—home to the Manchester Phoenix ice hockey team...

.

Following opening of Metrolink, a 12-minute frequency service was provided between Altrincham and Piccadilly, enhanced at peak hours by a second 12-minute headway service from Altrincham to Bury via Manchester City Centre. However passenger demand off-peak for the new light rail service proved stronger than expected, not least due to the availability of concessionary fares for students and pensioners on Metrolink in common with local bus services. Consequently, the 6-minute frequency was subsequently extended to operate all day Monday to Saturday, with trams alternating to Piccadilly and Bury. By contrast, peak-hour demand proved lower than originally forecast due to fare increases over those previously in force for British Rail services.

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Construction

Services in the steam era

Conversion to 25 kV AC

Conversion to Metrolink

See also

External links