Buxton Line
Encyclopedia
The Buxton Line is a railway line in northern England
, connecting Manchester
with Buxton
in Derbyshire
. Passenger services on the line are currently operated by Northern Rail
and most continue through Manchester from Blackpool North
.
, which the LNWR
built to connect with the Cromford and High Peak Railway
at Whaley Bridge. In 1863, it built an extension from Whaley Bridge, via Chapel en le Frith to Buxton
. This forestalled the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
's plans for the area, and also the Midland Railway
's attempts to reach Manchester
.
The latter two railways were forced to combine forces in a line following the LNWR, but north of it, through New Mills
(part of what is now known as the Hope Valley Line
), branching at Millers Dale
. As a result, Buxton, one of the largest towns in the Peak, never achieved main line status.
The LNWR had in fact, offered the use of the line (at a price, no doubt) but, with its climb through Dove Holes
, the Midland did not consider it useful for express trains, saying that it went up a steep hill merely for the sake of going down. The LNWR may have saved costs in construction but it proved difficult to operate, even with the powerful locomotives they had been forced to introduce for their lines north of Manchester. In later days, a seventeen mile stretch was operated using banking engines
, the longest such section on the British railway system. In 1957 there was a serious accident at in which driver John Axon
, who died at his post attempting to control a runaway goods train, received the George Cross
medal.
The line was electrified, at 25 kV AC overhead, between Manchester and Hazel Grove in 1981. Colour light signalling, controlled from LNWR built boxes at Edgeley Junction and Hazel Grove, covers the line as far as Norbury crossing, which itself has a small hut controlling two semaphore signals in the Middlewood area. Farther south, signalling is mostly semaphore and is controlled from boxes at , Chapel-en-le-Frith and Buxton.
, Woodsmoor
and Hazel Grove stations a half hourly off peak service to and from Manchester.
South of Hazel Grove, the off peak pattern is hourly. The hourly Liverpool to Norwich East Midlands Trains
service and the hourly Transpennine Express service between Manchester Airport and Cleethorpes run over the Edgeley to Hazel Grove section but only a few of these trains call at Hazel Grove, most being nonstop between Stockport and Sheffield.
Buxton to Manchester services are operated by Class 150 and Class 156 diesel units. Piccadilly to Hazel Grove services used to utilise Class 323
electric multiple units, but very few services currently use these units at present on the line. For many years, services on the Buxton branch were in the hands of Class 104
diesel units based at Buxton depot.
Passenger information systems have been installed at Davenport, Hazel Grove and New Mills Newtown
.
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...
, connecting Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
with Buxton
Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. Passenger services on the line are currently 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...
and most continue through Manchester from Blackpool North
Blackpool North railway station
Blackpool North railway station is the main railway station serving the seaside resort of Blackpool in Lancashire, England. It is the terminus of the main Blackpool branch line from Preston....
.
History
It has its origins with the Stockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge RailwayStockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway
The Stockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway was an early railway company in England which was opened in 1857 between Stockport Edgeley and Whaley Bridge.- Origins :...
, which the LNWR
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...
built to connect with the Cromford and High Peak Railway
Cromford and High Peak Railway
The Cromford and High Peak Railway in Derbyshire, England, was completed in 1831, to carry minerals and goods between the Cromford Canal wharf at High Peak Junction and the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge -Origins:...
at Whaley Bridge. In 1863, it built an extension from Whaley Bridge, via Chapel en le Frith to Buxton
Buxton railway station
Buxton railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Buxton in Derbyshire. It is managed and served by Northern Rail. The station is 25¾ miles south east of Manchester Piccadilly and is the terminus of the Buxton Line.-History:...
. This forestalled the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
's plans for the area, and also the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
's attempts to reach Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
The latter two railways were forced to combine forces in a line following the LNWR, but north of it, through New Mills
New Mills Central railway station
New Mills Central railway station serves the town of New Mills in Derbyshire, England. It is on the Hope Valley Line between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield...
(part of what is now known as the Hope Valley Line
Hope Valley Line
The Hope Valley Line is a railway line in England linking Sheffield with Manchester. It was completed in 1894.From Sheffield, trains head down the Midland Main Line to Dore, where the Hope Valley Line branches off to run through the Totley Tunnel .It emerges in the stunning scenery of the Hope...
), branching at Millers Dale
Millers Dale railway station
Millers Dale railway station was a station situated in Millers Dale in the Peak District. It was built in 1863 by the Midland Railway on its extension of the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway from Rowsley....
. As a result, Buxton, one of the largest towns in the Peak, never achieved main line status.
The LNWR had in fact, offered the use of the line (at a price, no doubt) but, with its climb through Dove Holes
Dove Holes railway station
Dove Holes railway station serves the village of Dove Holes, Derbyshire, England. The station is on the Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton line 37 km Dove Holes railway station serves the village of Dove Holes, Derbyshire, England. The station is on the Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton line...
, the Midland did not consider it useful for express trains, saying that it went up a steep hill merely for the sake of going down. The LNWR may have saved costs in construction but it proved difficult to operate, even with the powerful locomotives they had been forced to introduce for their lines north of Manchester. In later days, a seventeen mile stretch was operated using banking engines
Bank engine
A bank engine or helper engine or pusher engine is a railway locomotive that temporarily assists a train that requires additional power or traction to climb a grade...
, the longest such section on the British railway system. In 1957 there was a serious accident at in which driver John Axon
John Axon
John Axon GC was an English train driver from Stockport who died while trying to stop a runaway freight train on a 1 in 58 gradient near Buxton in Derbyshire after a brake failure. The train consisted of an ex-LMS Stanier Class 8F 2-8-0 No...
, who died at his post attempting to control a runaway goods train, received the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
medal.
The line was electrified, at 25 kV AC overhead, between Manchester and Hazel Grove in 1981. Colour light signalling, controlled from LNWR built boxes at Edgeley Junction and Hazel Grove, covers the line as far as Norbury crossing, which itself has a small hut controlling two semaphore signals in the Middlewood area. Farther south, signalling is mostly semaphore and is controlled from boxes at , Chapel-en-le-Frith and Buxton.
Present day services
Over the section between Edgeley Junction and Hazel Grove there are four trains per hour in each direction, more frequently at peak hours. The Manchester to Buxton service runs hourly, combining with an hourly Manchester Piccadilly to Hazel Grove service to give DavenportDavenport railway station
Davenport railway station serves the Davenport suburb of Stockport.The station is 11 km south east of Manchester Piccadilly on the Buxton Line....
, Woodsmoor
Woodsmoor railway station
Woodsmoor railway station is on the Buxton Line, serving the Woodsmoor suburb of Stockport in Greater Manchester, England, opened by British Rail in 1990.It has two platforms and a ticket office with limited opening times....
and Hazel Grove stations a half hourly off peak service to and from Manchester.
South of Hazel Grove, the off peak pattern is hourly. The hourly Liverpool to Norwich East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
service and the hourly Transpennine Express service between Manchester Airport and Cleethorpes run over the Edgeley to Hazel Grove section but only a few of these trains call at Hazel Grove, most being nonstop between Stockport and Sheffield.
Buxton to Manchester services are operated by Class 150 and Class 156 diesel units. Piccadilly to Hazel Grove services used to utilise Class 323
British Rail Class 323
The British Rail Class 323 electric multiple units were built by Hunslet TPL from 1992-93. Forty-three 3-car units were built for inner-suburban services around Birmingham and Manchester...
electric multiple units, but very few services currently use these units at present on the line. For many years, services on the Buxton branch were in the hands of Class 104
British Rail Class 104
The British Rail Class 104 diesel multiple units were built by Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company from 1957 to 1959.The first units ordered were for the London Midland Region, with the majority of the class for use in North West of England with sets also in Tyneside...
diesel units based at Buxton depot.
Passenger information systems have been installed at Davenport, Hazel Grove and New Mills Newtown
New Mills Newtown railway station
New Mills Newtown railway station serves the town of New Mills in Derbyshire, England. The station is 23 km south east of Manchester Piccadilly on the Manchester to Buxton line...
.