Home | Metrolink Introduction | Bury Line: updated 10 March 2008 | pages list
See City Centre for a description of Victoria, Piccadilly, G–Mex and the lines between them.
Victoria to Bury is 15.9km. The line was originally electrified by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1916, using the unique 1200V dc side contact conductor rail system. This was partly in response to the growing municipal tramway network. By 1980 the line was a self-contained one running from Victoria to Bury Interchange. The Interchange was built for the ‘Pic–Vic’ Scheme, and now provides good connections between trams and buses at Bury.
The existing Metrolink route and stops are light green on the diagram. Proposed stops and Oldham/Rochdale line are shown in red.
Leaving Victoria the line passes under Cheetham Hill Road bridge and joins the former Bury Electric Line Route. It initially rises with the Rochdale main line before falling to reach Collyhurst Tunnel, which curves to pass under the main line. Then it rises again, passing the future Irk Valley Junction for the Rochdale via Oldham line, crosses the former loop line route then falls towards the depot connections.
Metrolink’s Queen’s Road Depot at is on the left side of the line, the depot connections face Bury.
Queen’s Road staff halt could be replaced by a passenger stop, subject to funding. There would be steps and two lifts between the road and Bury (outbound) platform. Steps, a DDA compliant ramp and a lift would connect the Manchester (inbound) platform to the road.
The route continues to Woodlands Road where a long ramp was built for the inbound platform. This is the nearest stop to the Greater Manchester Museum of Transport at Boyle Street.
An additional stop may be provided at Abraham Moss, subject to funding.
Crumpsall is the stop for North Manchester General Hospital. A lift for the Manchester bound platform and ramped path for the Bury bound platform were provided on conversion to Metrolink. Ticket Vending Machines are near the entrance to the footbridge. The former booking office building was removed in 2001. The stairways were opened up and a new open footbridge provided in 2003. A new ramp from the upper lift level to the Manchester bound platform opened in 2004. A new Disability Discrimination Act compliant access ramp from Station Road to the Bury bound platform and a new off road car park opened in 2005. A new power operated emergency crossover, with illuminated indicators, was installed in 2007.
Bowker Vale is next and has steps and a ramped path for each platform. It is the nearest stop to the Manchester Tramway Museum’s Heaton Park Tramway.
Metrolink continues through the covered way under Heaton Park to Heaton Park stop which has a lift for each platform. The former booking office building was removed in 2001. The Ticket Vending Machines were resited, backing onto the footbridge and facing the enlarged car park.
Next is Prestwich which had access ramps provided on conversion to Metrolink. The approach was opened up in 2001 by removing redundant buildings at the entrance. Additional CCTV equipment was installed. The car park has been improved, including better facilities for the disabled.
Just before Besses o’ th’ Barn the route crosses the unique inverted ‘T’ concrete beam bridge over the Bury Old Road and M60 motorway. This bridge is the absolute summit of phase 1 line. The stop has a lift and stairway from the island platform to the subway. In 2005 a new Disability Discrimination Act compliant access ramp and new parking spaces for disabled drivers were provided on the Bury Old Road side of the stop. These designated blue badge holder parking spaces were hardly used, the layout has been changed to 2 blue badge plus 5 regular parking spaces. There is also an existing footpath to Thatch Leach Lane on the opposite side of the stop.
Whitefield is next, a new park and ride opened in June 2006. There is a new approach road and footpath alongside the Manchester bound platform. A new bus turning area with two high specification passenger waiting shelters are provided at platform level. Beyond this there are 127 car parking spaces including eight for disabled users, plus eight motorcycle stands, three cycle stands and five cycle lockers. High quality lighting and a CCTV system are provided for passenger safety and security. The line continues through a long cutting to the viaduct over the Irwell valley at Radcliffe.
Radcliffe has ramped access to the platforms as well as the old steps and subway. Space for a large car park and bus stops was obtained by demolishing redundant station buildings and providing a retaining wall for the outbound or Bury platform. This allowed embankment including that for the long disused Bolton line platforms to be removed. Just north of Radcliffe the Bury electric line joined the original East Lancashire Railway.
The line onward to Bury crosses Hagside Level Crossing, the only one controlled by Metrolink. (Navigation Road and Deansgate Lane Crossings are controlled by Network Rail.)
Metrolink’s route joins part of the Bury Loop or Connecting Line, at the former Loco Junction, for most of the last 1.2 kilometre to Bury Interchange. The connection between Metrolink and the East Lancashire Railway was reinstated; this enabled access for materials and equipment, from Network Rail over the ELR, for the track renewal works.
A new stop with park and ride facilities may be provided at Buckley Wells, subject to approval and funding.
Bury Interchange was designed as one of the northern terminals for the ‘Pic–Vic’ main line tunnel and electrification scheme. The platform has two faces and is at the lower level. Steps, an escalator (refurbished 2006) and a lift link platform with a small concourse, containing the ticket vending machines, and the bus station. From both there is a pedestrian route to the adjacent town centre shops.
Travel information
| Timings from/to Bury | |
|---|---|
| Victoria Station | 20 |
| Piccadilly Station | 28 |
| G–Mex | 30 |
| Cornbrook | 32 |
| Altrincham | 48 |
Monday to Saturday during the daytime services run every six minutes, alternating between Altrincham and Piccadilly station.
Early morning and evening services run every twelve minutes, all to Piccadilly station, change at Piccadilly Gardens for G–Mex and Altrincham.
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.