What was this old railway line in Stockport, and where did it go?

[AMR]

In the New Stockport interchange, it was said it was a matter of time before Stockport Receives the metro link, in which they would use the old Didsbury to Stockport stretch of an abandoned railway which some of it is used by the metro link, what was this railway and where did it go?

 

[Efini92]

It was the Manchester South District railway. It closed in the 1960’s as part of the beeching axe.

 

[Bletchleyite]

What on *earth* is that ugly monstrosity? Is that genuinely proposed?

The bus station could do with a bit of a tarting-up, but that looks like it will create something a bit like the nasty underground bus stations of the 80s and not a modern steel-and-glass structure, say.

 

[AMR]

It was the Manchester South District railway. It closed in the 1960’s as part of the beeching axe.

What on *earth* is that ugly monstrosity? Is that genuinely proposed?

The bus station could do with a bit of a tarting-up, but that looks like it will create something a bit like the nasty underground bus stations of the 80s and not a modern steel-and-glass structure, say.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I agree the existing one isn't pretty, but it's just a classic 1980s design. It should become something much nicer, not an underground car park with Piccadilly Gardens on top. (Stockport being Stockport, I can't see it being any more salubrious).

 

[AMR]

I agree the existing one isn't pretty, but it's just a classic 1980s design. It should become something much nicer, not an underground car park with Piccadilly Gardens on top. (Stockport being Stockport, I can't see it being any more salubrious).

Yeah I agree, its not worth the investment. but the bus station is needed as that is the main transport within the area.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

The latest scheme envisages Metrolink reaching Stockport from East Didsbury via Cheadle Heath to new platforms at Edgeley station, and not along the Mersey Valley to the bus-station. This is part of wider proposals for 'tram-train' operation on the Stockport-Altrincham line via Northenden and to Hazel Grove. There is to be a pedestrian link between Edgeley station and the 'Interchange' - very unsatisfactory in my view.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The latest scheme envisages Metrolink reaching Stockport from East Didsbury via Cheadle Heath to new platforms at Edgeley station, and not along the Mersey Valley to the bus-station. This is part of wider proposals for 'tram-train' operation on the Stockport-Altrincham line via Northenden and to Hazel Grove. There is to be a pedestrian link between Edgeley station and the 'Interchange' - very unsatisfactory in my view.

That's really not ideal. The main destination is the shopping centre, so Metrolink really needs to serve that (and, ideally, run up the hill to the railway station and terminate there). If it doesn't it'll just be an expensive white elephant while people continue to use the buses.

 

[AMR]

The latest scheme envisages Metrolink reaching Stockport from East Didsbury via Cheadle Heath to new platforms at Edgeley station, and not along the Mersey Valley to the bus-station. This is part of wider proposals for 'tram-train' operation on the Stockport-Altrincham line via Northenden and to Hazel Grove. There is to be a pedestrian link between Edgeley station and the 'Interchange' - very unsatisfactory in my view.

I agree there is a path between the bus station and the rail station but its really dark and gloomy and you need to climb a hill. If they paved it and made a large bridge for only pedestrians, it would make somewhat sense in which it would make the walk to the centre a lot nicer.
And they should move the metrolink into the centre. and make the last stop by Redrock as there is lots of room.

 

[Chester1]

I agree there is a path between the bus station and the rail station but its really dark and gloomy and you need to climb a hill. If they paved it and made a large bridge for only pedestrians, it would make somewhat sense in which it would make the walk to the centre a lot nicer.
And they should move the metrolink into the centre. and make the last stop by Redrock as there is lots of room.

Doesn't the latest design include a sloped footbridge from top level of the bus station to part of the way up the hill to allow easy disabled access between the railway and bus stations?

 

[snowball]

It was the Manchester South District railway. It closed in the 1960’s as part of the beeching axe.

There was once a station called Tiviot Dale at the bottom of Lancashire Hill.

When the M63 (now M60) was built through Stockport from the west to Portwood in 1979-83, it was designed so as not to preclude the reopening of the adjacent railway tunnel, but I believe the tunnel was inadvertently damaged. The later extension of the motorway further east cuts across the former railway route to the Bredbury area.

 

[Efini92]

One of the old railway bridges is where the exit to Morrison’s petrol station is

 

[mwmbwls]

There was once a station called Tiviot Dale at the bottom of Lancashire Hill.

When the M63 (now M60) was built through Stockport from the west to Portwood in 1979-83, it was designed so as not to preclude the reopening of the adjacent railway tunnel, but I believe the tunnel was inadvertently damaged. The later extension of the motorway further east cuts across the former railway route to the Bredbury area.

Railway Clearing House Junction Diagrams by Mwmbwls, on Flickr

This is the RCH diagram of the former rail lines in Stockport
central stockport tiviot dale route. by Mwmbwls, on Flickr

Street Map of Stockport

The old alignment through a cut and cover tunnel under the A6 is now irrevocably lost to the M60 - A6 link road

The M60 to A6 link just north of Mersey Square has been completed. by Mwmbwls, on Flickr

 

[Chester1]

Railway Clearing House Junction Diagrams by Mwmbwls, on Flickr

This is the RCH diagram of the former rail lines in Stockport
central stockport tiviot dale route. by Mwmbwls, on Flickr

Street Map of Stockport

The old alignment through a cut and cover tunnel under the A6 is now irrevocably lost to the M60 - A6 link road

The M60 to A6 link just north of Mersey Square has been completed. by Mwmbwls, on Flickr

The first map indicates that had the short line linking the Mid Cheshire line with Davenport not been closed in the 60s, or if it had been reopened when the Hazel Grove chord was built, then the freight line between Sharston and Hazel Grove could have been closed. It looks like houses were built on the alignment 20 or 30 years ago.

 

[ac6000cw]

Although the passenger services on the line through Tiviot Dale station finished in the 1960s, the line was used for freight into the late 1970s at least - it was used by coal trains off the Woodhead route to reach Fiddlers Ferry power station (they changed between electric and diesel traction near Godley Junction, where the line in question joined the Woodhead route).

Damage to the tunnel in 1980 and then the closure of the Woodhead route led to it being closed and abandoned.

 

[mwmbwls]

One of the old railway bridges is where the exit to Morrison’s petrol station is

Indeed - As can be seen in this map - when Morrisons was still Safeway
A555 M60 Junction Bredbury Option 1 by Mwmbwls, on Flickr
Remains of the old track bed can be found in the nature reserve behind the Travellers Rest. Other elements of the CLC lines are now part of the Reddish Vale Country Park
The old CLC route through Crookiley Woods by Mwmbwls, on Flickr
The spur from Woodford station serving the batching plant and waste collection centre finishes behind the DIY centre next to Morrisons
Metrolink Tram Train - Woodley to Hyde by Mwmbwls, on Flickr

Some elements of these routes could perhaps be reclaimed for Metrolink - if urban planners wake up to the possibilities

 

[Efini92]

Fantastic photos. I think originally the line went upto 4 tracks after romiley junction and the left 2 went off to tiviot dale, joining the spur from Woodley.
It’s a shame the rail link was lost to Stockport as I imagine there would’ve been potential for a lot of commuter traffic.

 

[The Lad]

The eastern end of the tunnel running parallel to the motorway in Stockport is visible, a road bridges the portal near where Tiviot dale station was, the eastern end seems to be filled in.

 

[bramling]

The eastern end of the tunnel running parallel to the motorway in Stockport is visible, a road bridges the portal near where Tiviot dale station was, the eastern end seems to be filled in.

There were originally three tunnels. The easternmost of the three (Tiviot Dale) still exists, and would seem to be the one which was damaged.

The westernmost tunnel (Wellington Road) was largely obliterated a couple of years ago as part of construction of a relief road, only the east portal survives.

The middle tunnel (Brownsword) was more of a bridge than a tunnel, and seems to have vanished many years ago, possibly even before the line closed.

 

[Chester1]

Indeed - As can be seen in this map - when Morrisons was still Safeway
A555 M60 Junction Bredbury Option 1 by Mwmbwls, on Flickr
Remains of the old track bed can be found in the nature reserve behind the Travellers Rest. Other elements of the CLC lines are now part of the Reddish Vale Country Park
The old CLC route through Crookiley Woods by Mwmbwls, on Flickr
The spur from Woodford station serving the batching plant and waste collection centre finishes behind the DIY centre next to Morrisons
Metrolink Tram Train - Woodley to Hyde by Mwmbwls, on Flickr

Some elements of these routes could perhaps be reclaimed for Metrolink - if urban planners wake up to the possibilities

There have been investigations into reusing bits of the route but it is unlikely to be chosen over using the freight line through Reddish South. If Piccadilly to Rose Hill becomes a tram train route then a chord could easily link the two lines and get services to near the A6 without sharing track with heavy rail passenger services. It would be tricky from there to Stockport bus station and or railway station but the same is true of a line from the east.

 

[martin2345uk]

There's still a platform remaining at Tiviot Dale, at least there was a couple of years ago when I was last there.