Ashton-under-Lyne railway station
Encyclopedia
Ashton-under-Lyne railway station serves Ashton-under-Lyne
, in Greater Manchester
, England
. It lies on the Huddersfield Line
10 km (6½ miles) east of Manchester Victoria and is operated by Northern Rail
.
, then served by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
and the London and North Western Railway
, the station was taken into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
during the Grouping
of 1923. It then passed 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 Greater Manchester PTE until the Privatisation of British Rail
ways. Usage at this time was relatively low and trains called only rarely (see BR timetable 1974, 1975 et seq.). The train service was not regular and in essence operated at peak times only.
and Oldham Road
. Also, Guide Bridge
, a few miles away, was known as Ashton & Hooley Hill and then Ashton in its earliest years.
Charlestown Station — the present Ashton-under-Lyne station — was owned by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
, who ran services between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge. The London and North Western Railway
also ran services along the line, most only calling at Ashton and Stalybridge before continuing to Leeds. The station once sported a large booking hall, where the car park is currently, as well as a substantial canopy.
Park Parade Station was located on the Guide Bridge–Stalybridge line; the only remains of the station is the "Station Inn", a short stroll away. A train signal can also be seen from the Park Parade Road.
Oldham Road Station was located on the line to Oldham
(originally known as the Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge Railway
), which continued to Park Bridge
before reaching Clegg Street
, Oldham.
, is wheelchair accessible and also has a passenger lift. This was installed due to the 1-in-8 gradient between street level and platform level Features of the station include a waiting room, ticket desk, wheelchair-accessible toilet and a hot-drinks vending machine.
(westbound). Passengers can change at Stalybridge
to join Transpennine Express services to Leeds
and beyond.
During the evenings and on Sundays there is an hourly service to both Manchester Victoria and Huddersfield.
Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies on the north bank of the River Tame, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines...
, in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies on the Huddersfield Line
Huddersfield Line
The Huddersfield Line is the name given to one of the busiest rail services on the West Yorkshire MetroTrain network in northern England. Local services are operated by Northern Rail with longer distance services operated by TransPennine Express...
10 km (6½ miles) east of Manchester Victoria and is operated by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
.
History
Opened by the Ashton, Stalybridge and Liverpool Junction RailwayAshton, Stalybridge and Liverpool Junction Railway
The Ashton, Stalybridge & Liverpool Junction Railway , was formed in 1844 and was taken over by the Manchester and Leeds Railway in 1847.-History:...
, then served by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
and the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
, the station was taken into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
during the Grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
of 1923. It then passed to the London Midland Region of British Railways
London Midland Region of British Railways
The London Midland Region was one of the six regions created on the formation of the nationalised British Railways and consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway lines in England and Wales. The region was managed first from buildings adjacent to Euston Station and later from Stanier...
on nationalisation in 1948.
When Sectorisation
British Rail brand names
British Rail was the brand image of the nationalised railway owner and operator in Great Britain, the British Railways Board, used from 1965 until its breakup and sell-off from 1993 onwards....
was introduced in the 1980s, the station was served by Regional Railways
Regional Railways
Regional Railways was one of the three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982 that existed until 1996, 3 years after privatisation. The sector was originally called Provincial....
under arrangement with the Greater Manchester PTE until the Privatisation of British Rail
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
ways. Usage at this time was relatively low and trains called only rarely (see BR timetable 1974, 1975 et seq.). The train service was not regular and in essence operated at peak times only.
Other stations in Ashton
There were once three stations in the town: Charlestown, Park ParadeAshton Park Parade (Ashton-under-Lyne)
Ashton Park Parade railway station was a station on the line between Guide Bridge and Stalybridge in Greater Manchester. This station served the town of Ashton-under-Lyne, now served only by Ashton Charlestown, north of this former station.-Location:...
and Oldham Road
Oldham Road railway station (Ashton-under-Lyne)
Oldham Road Railway Station was one of three railway stations that used to serve the town of Ashton-under-Lyne. The station closed in May 1959 following the withdrawal of passenger services on the line, although the route remained in use for freight traffic until 1967...
. Also, Guide Bridge
Guide Bridge railway station
Guide Bridge railway station serves Guide Bridge, a part of Audenshaw, Tameside in Greater Manchester, England and is operated by Northern Rail. The station is 4¾ miles east of Manchester Piccadilly on the Glossop Line.-History:...
, a few miles away, was known as Ashton & Hooley Hill and then Ashton in its earliest years.
Charlestown Station — the present Ashton-under-Lyne station — was owned by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
, who ran services between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge. The London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
also ran services along the line, most only calling at Ashton and Stalybridge before continuing to Leeds. The station once sported a large booking hall, where the car park is currently, as well as a substantial canopy.
Park Parade Station was located on the Guide Bridge–Stalybridge line; the only remains of the station is the "Station Inn", a short stroll away. A train signal can also be seen from the Park Parade Road.
Oldham Road Station was located on the line to Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
(originally known as the Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge Railway
Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge Railway
The Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge Junction Railway was an early British railway company, which opened in 1861, connecting Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge.-Plans:...
), which continued to Park Bridge
Park Bridge railway station
Park Bridge Railway Station was on the line from Oldham to Ashton-under-Lyne, from 1861 until closure of the passenger service in May 1959. The station was located adjacent to the south side of the viaduct at Park Bridge. The line remained in use for goods traffic until 1967, when the entire route...
before reaching Clegg Street
Clegg Street railway station
Oldham Clegg Street railway station was one of five stations that served the town of Oldham in northwest England.-History:The station was the northernmost passenger station on the Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge Railway; it opened on 26 August 1861...
, Oldham.
The current station
Ashton-under-Lyne station consists of a island platformIsland platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
, is wheelchair accessible and also has a passenger lift. This was installed due to the 1-in-8 gradient between street level and platform level Features of the station include a waiting room, ticket desk, wheelchair-accessible toilet and a hot-drinks vending machine.
Services
Monday to Saturdays, there is a half-hourly link from Ashton-under-Lyne to and from Manchester Victoria eastbound and an hourly service to HuddersfieldHuddersfield railway station
Huddersfield railway station serves the town of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England.The station is managed by First TransPennine Express who provide trains between the North East, North and East Yorkshire, and Leeds to the east and Manchester Piccadilly and North West.It is also served by local...
(westbound). Passengers can change at Stalybridge
Stalybridge railway station
Stalybridge railway station serves Stalybridge, Greater Manchester. It lies on the Huddersfield Line 12 km east of Manchester Piccadilly and 13 km east of Manchester Victoria. The station is managed by First TransPennine Express....
to join Transpennine Express services to Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and beyond.
During the evenings and on Sundays there is an hourly service to both Manchester Victoria and Huddersfield.
External links
- "SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST BOYS AT ASHTON": Placing Obstructions on the Railway" (news story from 1901, describing vandalism at Oldham Road)