The Manchester–Southport line is a railway line in the north-west of England, operated by Northern Trains. It was originally built as the Manchester and Southport Railway. The section between Wigan and Salford is also known locally as the Atherton Line.[1]
Starting at the city centre stations of Manchester Victoria (also serving Salford Central on the fringe of the city centre) and Manchester Piccadilly (also serving Manchester Oxford Road and Deansgate), it runs in a north-western direction through the towns, villages and suburbs of the City of Salford and Wigan. It then proceeds in the same direction through the small rural villages of West Lancashire, before ending on the Irish Sea coast at the resort town of Southport.
Services on the line use Class 150, Class 156 and Class 158 DMUs as well as Class 769 BMUs, although 150s and 156s are the most common. Class 153 DMUs are banned from operating on this route because the steps below the doors on these units foul the platform coping stones at Wigan Wallgate station.
Salford Central – city centre stop serving the western fringes of Manchester city centre, the station lays just on the Manchester/Salford boundary, but Central Manchester is the area this station serves.
There is ongoing feasibility into the conversion of parts of this line (Wigan–Atherton–Manchester) to operate as a Manchester Metrolink service[2] with a higher frequency metro service for the Greater Manchester Boroughs of Wigan and Salford into the city centre. In November 2013, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority approved a recommended strategy for reconfiguring existing commuter services into tram-train operation, identifying the Atherton line as providing an opportunity for extending potential tram-train services from the south-east (Marple, Glossop) across the city centre and outwards to the north west.[3] Southport and Kirkby services on this line would be diverted to operate via Bolton. Additionally, Network Rail has identified electrification of Wigan to Southport, together with the Ormskirk–Preston line and the Burscough Curves as a possible source of new services.[4]
Referencesedit
^"Manchester Recovery Task Force Public Consultation" (PDF). GOV.UK. 2020. pp. 25–26.
^(PDF). Salford government. November 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2012.
^Transport for Greater Manchester (2013), Tram-train Strategy, TfGM – committee report
^(PDF). October 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Manchester to Southport Line.
December 15, 2023
manchester, southport, line, railway, line, north, west, england, operated, northern, trains, originally, built, manchester, southport, railway, section, between, wigan, salford, also, known, locally, atherton, line, northern, rail, class, appley, bridge, rail. The Manchester Southport line is a railway line in the north west of England operated by Northern Trains It was originally built as the Manchester and Southport Railway The section between Wigan and Salford is also known locally as the Atherton Line 1 Manchester Southport lineA Northern Rail Class 150 at Appley Bridge railway stationOverviewStatusOperationalOwnerNetwork RailLocaleGreater ManchesterLancashireMerseysideNorth West EnglandServiceSystemNational RailOperator s Northern TrainsHistoryOpened1855 1888TechnicalLine length35 75 milesTrack gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gaugeRoute map Click to expand vteManchester to Southport LineLegendSouthportMerseyrail Northern LineSt Luke sWest Lancashire Railwayto PrestonMeols CopButts Lane HaltBlowickLiverpool Southport amp Preston Jn Rly to AltcarBescar Lane New Lane Burscough BridgeBurscough CurvesBurscough JunctionPreston Ormskirk lineHoscar ParboldAppley BridgeGathurstKirkby branch lineWest Coast Main LineWigan North WesternWigan Wallgatecrossovers betweenWCML and Wallgate linesLiverpool Wigan lineWest Coast Main LineWigan Junction RailwaysInce Wigan Springs BranchWigan Avoiding LineLancashire Union RailwayHindleyManchester Preston lineto Bolton via Westhoughtonto BlackrodDaisy HillLNWR to BoltonHag FoldAthertonLNWR to BoltonWalkdenMoorsideSwintonPendleburyBury branchIrlams o th HeightPendletonManchester Preston lineto BoltonSalford Crescentto LiverpoolOldfield RoadSalford Central ManchesterExchange ManchesterVictoriaCalder Valley line amp Huddersfield lineDeansgateDeansgate Castlefield Manchester Oxford RoadManchester PiccadillyWest Coast Main Line Hope Valley amp Glossop lines Not served by this line on SundaysStarting at the city centre stations of Manchester Victoria also serving Salford Central on the fringe of the city centre and Manchester Piccadilly also serving Manchester Oxford Road and Deansgate it runs in a north western direction through the towns villages and suburbs of the City of Salford and Wigan It then proceeds in the same direction through the small rural villages of West Lancashire before ending on the Irish Sea coast at the resort town of Southport Contents 1 Rolling stock 2 Current stations 3 Tram train 4 References 5 External linksRolling stock editServices on the line use Class 150 Class 156 and Class 158 DMUs as well as Class 769 BMUs although 150s and 156s are the most common Class 153 DMUs are banned from operating on this route because the steps below the doors on these units foul the platform coping stones at Wigan Wallgate station Current stations editSouthport terminus interchange for Merseyrail Northern line services to south Sefton and Liverpool Meols Cop suburban stop for eastern Southport Bescar Lane village cottage style stop for North Meols Infrequent service New Lane village stop also for Martin Mere Infrequent service Burscough Bridge town stop pedestrian interchange to Burscough Junction on Preston to Ormskirk branch line Now an unstaffed station Hoscar village stop for Hoscar and Lathom Infrequent service Parbold for village of Parbold Staffed station Appley Bridge suburban stop for Appley Bridge Western boundary for TfGM ticketing zone Gathurst serves the nearby village of Shevington Wigan Wallgate main stop for town of Wigan interchange for services to Kirkby Bolton Manchester Airport and Rochdale Pedestrian interchange to Wigan North Western for national services to Birmingham Glasgow Liverpool and London Ince suburban stop for Ince in Makerfield Not served by semi fast services Hindley suburban stop for Hindley Interchange point for services to Bolton Staffed station Daisy Hill Westhoughton and Leigh Staffed station Hag Fold suburban stop for Atherton and Leigh Staffed station Not served by semi fast services Atherton stop for town of Atherton and Leigh Staffed station Walkden stop for Walkden and Worsley Staffed station Moorside suburban stop Staffed station Not served by semi fast services Swinton stop for town of Swinton Staffed station Salford Crescent main stop for city of Salford and the University of Salford interchange for services to Bolton and Preston line and Ribble Valley line services to Blackburn Salford Central city centre stop serving the western fringes of Manchester city centre the station lays just on the Manchester Salford boundary but Central Manchester is the area this station serves Manchester Victoria main stop for city of Manchester and interchange for trans pennine services and services to south Lancashire and Merseyside Metrolink tram interchange to Manchester Piccadilly railway station for mainline intercity services Tram train editThere is ongoing feasibility into the conversion of parts of this line Wigan Atherton Manchester to operate as a Manchester Metrolink service 2 with a higher frequency metro service for the Greater Manchester Boroughs of Wigan and Salford into the city centre In November 2013 the Greater Manchester Combined Authority approved a recommended strategy for reconfiguring existing commuter services into tram train operation identifying the Atherton line as providing an opportunity for extending potential tram train services from the south east Marple Glossop across the city centre and outwards to the north west 3 Southport and Kirkby services on this line would be diverted to operate via Bolton Additionally Network Rail has identified electrification of Wigan to Southport together with the Ormskirk Preston line and the Burscough Curves as a possible source of new services 4 References edit Manchester Recovery Task Force Public Consultation PDF GOV UK 2020 pp 25 26 Draft Core Strategy PDF Salford government November 2009 Archived from the original PDF on 30 August 2012 Transport for Greater Manchester 2013 Tram train Strategy TfGM committee report Network RUS Electrification PDF October 2009 Archived from the original PDF on 12 October 2014 Retrieved 20 October 2013 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Manchester to Southport Line Northern Rail network map Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Manchester Southport line amp oldid 1164606338, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
