| These pictures show what remains of the Midland Railway line from Chorlton Junction to Bredbury.
Built in 1880 it was used by London trains from Manchester Central running via the Midland mainline. The Beeching Report recommended concentrating London services on the ex-LNWR Manchester London Rd (Piccadilly)station, so both Manchester Central and the Chorlton Junction to Heaton Mersey section of the line were closed in 1968. The Bredbury to Heaton Mersey section remained open to freight, mainly to allow trains from the Woodhead line to travel onto Liverpool via Northenden. This section itself was closed in 1982 due to damage caused to a tunnel in Stockport when the M63 was built. It may eventually be re-opened though, as plans are in hand to build a Metrolink line from Chorlton to Stockport using part of the trackbed. |
This is a rather poor picture of an EMU on the Styal line which crosses the line between Didsbury and Heaton Mersey. It shows a 1960 built Class 304 EMU, the last of which were withdrawn in 1996. Their replacements turned out to be not a modern EMU, but Class 150's and 142 DMU's! This section of line was also the first in the UK to electrified at 25Kv AC. Buy Print |
This cutting at Bredbury was originally a tunnel but was opened out in 1931. Buy Print |
The end of the line at Bredbury. This is where the M63 cuts through the path of the railway. The line still exists on the other side as a short spur serving a waste disposal depot and a Tilcon Stone Terminal.. Buy Print |
This is the southern entrance of Bredbury Tunnel which you walk through if you aren't scared of the dark! Buy Print |
This is the opposite end of the tunnel. Note that for some reason a length of concrete sleepers have been left in situ alongside the footpath. Buy Print |
A view from the top of the tunnel entrance. Buy Print |
The Princess Parkway road bridge. Like many of the bridges on the line this was built to accomodate four tracks in case the railway was ever expanded. Buy Print |
This is the remains of Didsbury station looking towards Manchester. The bricks on the floor are all that remains of the station building, which was demolished in 1981. Buy Print |
This view from Sandhurst Rd shows what on the left used to be Didsbury goods yard. A British Telecom depot was built on its site, but this has itself since been demolished to make way for flats Buy Print |
Disbury station platform. This area has been heavily developed since I took these pictures with the platforms being removed and some bars/cafes have been built along this side of the line. As it is hoped that eventually the Metrolink will run through here space was left to allow tracks to be relaid through this section. Buy Print |
Between Didsbury and Stockport most of the line has been turned into a cycleway/footpath. Didsbury Road bridge was partially rebuilt when the cycleway/foothpath was created as you can probably tell from the two picture. Unfortunately if the Metrolink comes it will have to be rebuilt again! Buy Print |
A close-up of Didsbury Road bridge. Buy Print |
