But I think I'm right in saying that the four track formation west through Salford Crescent, as well as the lines up to Red Bank, remained in use for at least a couple of years after this date?
I think the four-track section (fast & slow lines) through Salford Central was rationalised down to two through lines as part of the Windsor Link construction in 1988.
According to one of my Quail Track Maps dated 1990, after the Windsor Link opened the only through lines between Manchester Victoria & Salford Crescent were the historical Fast lines (the most northerly pair). The former Slow lines were still in place through the redundant southern platforms at Salford Central, but only provided access to the dead-end Hope Street stone terminal. (Access to the stone terminal from the main running lines has since been moved to west of Salford Central station)
As of 1990 trains from the Bolton/Atherton direction could still cross from the former fast to slow lines and access the full "old Victoria" layout using the double crossovers at Deal Street Junction (~43 chains west of Victoria station).
As mentioned, demolition and rebuilding of Victoria station occurred during 1992 & 1993, although it can be argued the first step in that process was when the Bury Line trains ceased running into Victoria on 13 July 1991 to allow construction of the Metrolink platforms to start (Class 504s continued to shuttle between Crumpsall & Bury until 17 August 1991 before final withdrawal for conversion to light rail).
On the 'heavy rail' side of Victoria station, I can quote a couple of paragraphs from the Ian Allan book
Rail Centres: Manchester by Stanley Hall (published in 1995):
Rail Centres: Manchester said:
Preparatory work started at the end of 1992 when demolition experts removed the 90-year-old roof from Platforms 12 to 16 during the Christmas break. Contractors also removed the through lines between Platforms 11 and 12 in order to clear an area where a new island platform was subsequently built.
Stage 2 of the scheme began in mid-1993, when Platform 11 and one side of the new island platform came into use. At the same time the developers moved onto Platform 12 and 13 and Victoria West signal box was taken out of use. Track Circuit Block working with train describers was then put into use between Victoria East and Deal Street signal boxes.
Stage 3 began in 1994, with the opening of the whole of the new island platform and the re-opening of Platform 12 whilst the developers took over the area occupied by Platforms 13 to 16, although work was seriously hampered when a 1,600-ton coal train became derailed on 9 March 1994 and virtually wrecked the east junction.
Ultimately the scheme has given Victoria four through platform lines, served by an island and two single-sided platforms, together with the retention of two dead-end bays.
Modernisation of the signalling systems in the 1990s certainly seems to have progressed from west to east.
- When the Windsor Bridge Junction / Salford Crescent / Windsor Link construction was underway in 1987-1988, the signalling was firstly controlled from the old Windsor Bridge No. 3 signal box by installation of temporary panels.
For a short time around 1988-89, Windsor Bridge box controlled the new junctions at Ordsall Lane, together with a length of the Chat Moss line to the next box at Eccles Station (despite Windsor Bridge S.B. being nowhere near the Chat Moss line).
- On 22 April 1989 Windsor Bridge S.B. was abolished and control of the Windsor Link & Salford Crescent area was transferred to Manchester Piccadilly SCC. Piccadilly SCC interfaced with Deal Street box on both the ex-L&Y and ex-LNW lines westbound from Salford.
- The next signal box casualty was Victoria West Junction, closed 8 August 1993 as part of the redevelopment of the station. The simplified layout through the "new Victoria" was then controlled from Deal Street and Victoria East Junction PSB using Track Circuit Block.
- In the five year period 1993 - 1998 there seems to have been gradual attrition, rationalisation and relaying of track east of Victoria. I remember travelling through the area during this time with much evidence of lifted sidings, disconnected crossovers and the like.
- By the 1990s the Red Bank, Cheetham Hill, Queens Road and Newtown carriage sidings had fallen into disuse and largely removed. The newspaper vans which used to fill Red Bank sidings during the daytime were no more, after BR lost the nightly newspaper traffic to road haulage following the "Wapping" dispute of the late 1980s. Use of loco-hauled carriages had been substantially eliminated in the area and Newton Heath TMD became the base for the second generation DMUs (Sprinters and Pacers).
- There were still four tracks up the bank to Miles Platting and the Cheetham Hill loop stayed in use as a through route until the late 1990s, although its former 4-track approach to Victoria was reduced to two at the end.
- Summer 1998 seems to have been the "Big Bang" for elimination of mechanical signalling between Victoria and Thorpes Bridge Jn. / Philips Park under the Manchester Victoria Area Infrastructure Renewals Scheme.
- Remaining mechanical boxes at Collyhurst Street, Miles Platting Junction, Brewery Sidings, Thorpes Bridge Junction, Philips Park No.1 and No.2, plus Cheetham Hill Junction on the Cheetham Hill loop closed between 4 August and 15 September 1998. The Cheetham Hill loop line closed on 15 September 1998.
- Railtrack (as it was then) brought a new "Manchester North" Signalling Centre into use in 1998. The building was located adjacent to Salford Crescent station, although it supervised none of the rail lines passing in its immediate vicinity (these tracks stayed under Manchester Piccadilly SCC control).
- Between 4 August and 15 September 1998 Manchester North SCC took over the previous territory of Deal Street, Victoria East Jn PSB, and the Rochdale and Stalybridge lines out to fringe boxes at Vitriol Works (Rochdale line), Oldham Mumps, Baguley Fold Jn (Stalybridge line) and Ashburys (Guide Bridge line).
- From 5 April 2015, control of the Manchester North area was transferred from the facility near Salford Crescent onto workstations at the Manchester ROC.
Any corrections to all this gratefully received.
