Home | Metrolink Introduction | Altrincham Line: updated 14 September 2007 | pages list
Manchester (G–Mex) to Altrincham is 12.2km. The first 1.94km from G–Mex is via the CLC viaduct and the grade separated junction at Cornbrook. The next 8.63km to Timperley runs over former MSJA route then the last 1.64km to Altrincham is over Network Rail, formerly British Rail, part of the MSJA route.
The diagrams show existing Metrolink route and stops in light green; South Manchester line and new depot in red; Railway route and stations in blue.
See City Centre for a description of Victoria, Piccadilly, G–Mex and the lines between them; also City South for details from G–Mex to Trafford Bar.
Trafford Bar, the name derives from Chester Road having had a toll bar here at one time.
Metrolink’s second depot site has now been cleared, except for one modern building. This site is bounded by the line, Ayres Road and the former railway line to Chorlton.
Old Trafford Lancashire County Cricket Ground is alongside the line and Manchester United’s football ground is about half a mile away. Both Grounds are called Old Trafford. The stop was provided with access ramps to the subway as well as the existing steps.
Stretford was provided with ramps to the platforms when converted to Metrolink. The old station steps and footbridge have been replaced by new steps from street level to platforms. Stretford town centre is close to the stop. There is now a bus link to the Trafford Centre, an out of town shopping centre, from the car park by the Manchester bound platform.
From Stretford to Timperley, Metrolink tracks run alongside or close to the Bridgewater Canal.
Dane Road, Sale and Brooklands stops each have a lift for the inbound platform. A ramped path was built for the Dane Road outbound platform. Existing ramped routes to the outbound platforms were available at Sale and Brooklands.
Sale stop is next to the town centre.
At Brooklands the stairs from the Manchester bound platform have been opened up and a new access to the pavement provided at the top. The former footbridge has been removed. Two TVMs remain in the former booking office lobby. Each platform also has one TVM.
At Timperley, as part of the original Metrolink conversion works, two lifts were built linking platforms with street level. In 2001 the old wooden footbridge and stairs were replaced by new concrete stairways. The Manchester bound platform stairway is from the street level lift access point, between the ticket machine and lift doors, to the platform. The Altrincham bound platform stairway is from the pavement, on the eastern side of the station building, to the platform. The ticket machine for the Altrincham platform remains in the former booking office lobby, which is still the upper level lift access point.
Just south of Timperley station there is a turn back siding facing Manchester between inbound and outbound lines. This enables trams to reverse at Timperley, should some difficulty prevent running over the Network Rail line. The boundary between Metrolink and Network Rail track is just north of the double to single Metrolink junction.
The Manchester to Chester via Northwich trains, which shared the Altrincham line with the British Rail electric trains, were diverted to run to and from Manchester via Stockport. This enabled the electrified line to be converted for use by Metrolink.
In July 1991 British Rail (BR) remodelled and resignalled the Altrincham area, totally separating the tracks to be used by trams and main line trains, in preparation for Metrolink.
From Deansgate Junction (DJ) (Altrincham), which is named after Deansgate Lane and has a level crossing, to just south of Navigation Road level crossing there are only two tracks. Widening the formation would have been prohibitively expensive so there are two bidirectional lines, one for Metrolink and the other for main line trains. Just north of DJ level crossing the Stockport and Manchester line comes in from the east and becomes a single line.
At Navigation Road stop Metrolink uses the western, formerly Manchester bound, platform while main line trains use the eastern platform.
Using the four track formation width between Navigation Road level crossing and Altrincham the layout, from west to east is now Metrolink inbound, Metrolink outbound, main line to Stockport and main line from Stockport. Metrolink uses the terminal platforms from which the BR electric trains ran. The main lines from Chester via Northwich use the through platforms.
At Altrincham station Northern employees staff the booking office. Metrolink tickets can be bought from the booking office when it is open. Otherwise tickets for travel on the day are bought from the TVMs. At all other stops TVMs should be used for ticket purchase. There are at least two TVMs for each stop.
Travel information
| Timings from/to Altrincham | |
|---|---|
| Cornbrook | 16 |
| G–Mex | 18 |
| Piccadilly Station | 28 |
| Victoria Station | 28 |
| Bury | 48 |
Monday to Saturday during the daytime services run every six minutes, alternating between Bury and Piccadilly station.
Early morning and evening services run every twelve minutes, all to Piccadilly station, change at Piccadilly Gardens for Victoria and Bury.
Timings for cross city journeys should be the same if a cross platform interchange is made at Piccadilly Gardens.
On Sundays services run every 12/15 minutes, all to Piccadilly station.
Further information is available on the GMPTE web site, see the Links page.
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This page was written and illustrated by Tony Williams, Manchester Area Officer, Light Rail Transit Association. Contact manwebm@lrta.org if you have any comments, ideas or suggestions about these pages.