Altrincham station

Infobox UK station
name = Altrincham
logofile = Altrinchamstation.jpg
code = ALT

---

manager = Northern Rail
locale = Altrincham
borough = Trafford
years = 20 July 1849
events = Original MSJA station opens
years1 = 3 April 1881
events1 = MSJA station replaced on current site
years2 = 6 May 1974
events2 = Name changed form Altrincham and Bowden to Altrincham
years3 = 15 June 1992
events3 = Manchester Metrolink Service starts

platforms = 4 (2 for National Rail, 2 for Manchester Metrolink)
usage0405 = 0.194
usage0506 = 0.210
usage0607 = 0.223
pte = Greater Manchester
zone = G

Altrincham station serves the town of Altrincham in Greater Manchester and is located on Stamford New Road. The station also serves as the terminus of the Metrolink from Manchester city centre.

The station has 4 platforms - 2 through platforms (3 and 4) for the Northern Rail Mid-Cheshire Line services to Manchester Piccadilly and Chester and two bay platforms (1 and 2) for the Metrolink services, although only one of these is regularly used.

For information on services and types of trains used please see Mid-Cheshire Line

History

The station opened on 3 April1881 as Altrincham & Bowdon by the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJAR) to replace Altrincham station on Stockport Road and Bowdon on Lloyd Street/Railway Street which both closed. Platforms 1 and 2 were used by the MSJAR and platforms 3 and 4 by the Cheshire Lines Committee trains.

The station became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway during the Grouping of 1923. The station then passed on to the London Midland Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948.

When Sectorisation was introduced in the 1980s, the station was served by Regional Railways under arrangement with the GMPTE until the Privatisation of British Railways.

Since 1971 the station has been called Altrincham. In 1975 a new booking office was opened on platform 4 to serve the car park on the site of the former goods yard. Also in 1975 work, including the demolition of the glass covered canopy over the station entrance, began to convert the former station forecourt on Stamford New Road into a bus station which opened in November 1976. Thereafter the combined bus/rail station was referred to as Altrincham Interchange.

British Rail electric trains between Manchester and Altrincham ceased serving the station on 24 December 1991. The former electric train platforms (1 and 2) reopened for use by Metrolink on 15 June 1992.

A new roof for platform 1 costing £180,000 was installed in 2006. This platform had been uncovered since glazed panels were removed in 2003 due to safety concerns. The new roof is made of coated steel with clear panels to let in the light. [ [http://www.thisistrafford.co.uk/search/display.var.1024423.0.work_starts_on_station_roof.php "Station roof"] , This is Trafford - Retrieved November 28, 2006]

The station clock tower on Stamford New Road is a Grade II listed building.

Passenger Numbers

Like most stations on the Mid-Cheshire line passenger numbers have risen over recent years. However, surprisingly Altrincham has lower rail passenger numbers than the nearby town of Knutsford, despite many leaving the National Rail Network at Altrincham to change to the Manchester Metrolink.

ervices

There is a basic hourly service in each direction on the Mid-Cheshire line on Mondays to Saturdays with one or two morning peak extras to/from Northwich, one of which runs through to Blackpool, but will cease to do so from December 2008. On Sundays there are five trains to and from Chester but these all terminate here, there being no service onwards to Stockport & Manchester. Through passengers must use the Metrolink service to continue their journey (connections are advertised in the current 2008 timetable and National Rail tickets are valid for through trips).

There is a frequent service to Manchester & Bury via Metrolink, with a tram every six minutes to Manchester for most of the day (alternate trams running to Bury, avoiding Piccadilly). On evenings & Sundays this drops to every fifteen minutes, when all trams run to Piccadilly.

References

*Frank Dixon "The Manchester South Junction & Altrincham Railway" The Oakwood Press (1994) ISBN 0-85361-454-7
*
*

External links

* [http://www.midcheshirerail.org.uk Mid-Cheshire Community Rail Partnership]