Manchester Piccadilly station
Encyclopedia
Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester
, England. It serves intercity routes to London Euston
, Birmingham New Street, South Wales
, the south coast of England, Edinburgh
and Glasgow Central
, and routes throughout northern England
. Two platforms for the Manchester Metrolink
light rail network are located in the station's undercroft
. Piccadilly is one of 18 British railway stations managed by Network Rail
.
Piccadilly is the busiest station in Manchester ahead of Manchester Victoria
and Manchester Oxford Road
. It is the fourth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside London, after Birmingham New Street, Glasgow Central
and Leeds. According to Network Rail, which manages it, over 28.5 million people use the station annually.
The station received a five-year £100m refurbishment in 2002, which was the most expensive improvement on the UK rail network at the time. According to an independent poll carried out in 2007, Manchester Piccadilly has the highest customer satisfaction level of any UK station, with 92% of passengers satisfied with the station; the national average was 60%.
, which shared it from August 1844 with the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
.
was formed (later to become the Great Central Railway
). The Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
(MSJAR) opened its line from Manchester Oxford Road railway station
to London Road on 1 August 1849 and built its own platforms adjacent to the main part of the station. These platforms were referred to as the MSJAR or South Junction platforms. During the early 1880s the station was enlarged. The MSJAR platforms and the bridge over Fairfield Street were demolished and an island platform, on girder bridges, opened on 16 May 1882.
During the first two decades of the 20th century, London Road station was served by the London and North Western Railway
, the Great Central Railway
and, through running powers, the North Staffordshire Railway
. Following the 1923 railway grouping
, the station was served by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
and the London and North Eastern Railway
. After nationalisation in 1948, London Road station was operated as two independent sides, separated by formidable iron railings located where platform 5 now is. On one side was the London Midland Region of British Railways
; on the other was the Eastern Region
.
In 1910 a second terminus, Mayfield Station
, was opened to cope with passenger volume. It was closed to passenger trains by 1952 but remained in use until August 1960 for "overflow" local services and for one major passenger train, the Pines Express
from Bournemouth
to Manchester. It reopened as a parcels depot in 1970 but has since closed. Its disused building is visible across Fairfield Street from platforms 13 and 14.
electric train services to London. The MSJAR platforms and bridges over Fairfield Street had been replaced. The island platforms (13 and 14) were built on a new pre-stressed concrete slab bridge with cantilevered sides for the tracks.
In the early 1970s, as part of the Picc-Vic tunnel
project, there were proposals to build an underground station, Piccadilly Low Level. The project was cancelled, and subsequent rail improvements concentrated on surface projects and the introduction of light rail
.
Piccadilly's island platforms were further rebuilt and lengthened in 1988 in connection with the opening of the Windsor Link
. The glass roof over the terminal platforms was completely replaced in the late 1990s. The train shed is a Grade II listed building.
In 2001-2002, as part of preparations for the 2002 Commonwealth Games
the remainder of the station was rebuilt, to designs by BDP
, increasing the size of the concourse and improving road access. The station's undercroft (the two levels below the main rail platforms) were converted to provide two platforms for the Manchester Metrolink
tram system, which opened in 1992.
, a new line costing £85 million, cutting journey times on Trans-Pennine routes.
roof which is 105 metres wide between platforms 1 and 12, has four spans, two spans 185 metres in length over the eastern part of the station date from the 1860s while the other two at the western side measuring 150 metres long were built in the early 1880s. The roof is supported by masonry walls alongside platforms 1 and 12 and rows of cast iron
column
s. The roof spans have wrought iron
truss
es with cast iron strut
s on girder
s between the columns. The original roof was covered with slate tiles with some glazing. The slates were subsequently replaced with boarded felt. Between 1997 and 1999 the roof was refurbished and 10,000 panes of toughened glass ‘float’ above the wrought iron trusses.
George W. Buck
designed the original skew arch
bridge over Fairfield Street with ten cast iron arch ribs as part of a long brick arch viaduct topped with open stonework parapet
s. The bridge was widened by adding wrought iron plate girders and transverse girders, supporting longitudinal joists with iron arch plates. As part of reconstruction in the 1960s the cast iron arches and spandrel
s were encased in concrete. Platforms 13 and 14 are situated on the bridge.
Below the train shed is an area once used as a goods station. Its cast iron columns and brick arches support the non-through platforms above. The area is now used by the Metrolink station, its tracks and siding
s. The columns were encased in concrete for protection against collision. The station's approach constructed in 1969 along with the "wavy" fronted Gateway House, façade and facilities were modernised in 2003.
to North Wales
, Liverpool
, North-Western England
, Glasgow
and Edinburgh
, including through services from Manchester Airport
and split into a and b sections to allow more than one train to stand at a time. These through services have shorter dwell times.
services to Bury
, Altrincham
, and Eccles
. A service to St Werburgh's Road commenced in March 2011. The Metrolink station, in a vaulted undercroft underneath the mainline station, is one of eight serving Manchester city centre
, within the system's City Zone. Trams from Piccadilly Gardens
run down Aytoun Street, cross on to London Road and run a short distance on segregated track, before crossing the road and entering the undercroft through a tunnel entrance.
The station is the busiest on the Metrolink network. Under current arrangements, there are separate arrivals and departures platforms; after arriving passengers disembark, the empty tram runs into a reversing siding in a tunnel, where it reverses and runs up to the departure platform. Previously one platform was used for arrivals from Altrincham/departures to Bury, and the other for arrivals from Bury/departures to Altrincham and all services to/from Eccles, with a crossover inside the station to allow access to and from either platform.
The tram station has been refurbished, and was the first to display the new Metrolink corporate identity unveiled in 2008. Station signage bears the yellow and silver livery as applied to the new generation of trams since 2009.
Piccadilly is the eastern terminus of the Metrolink system, but the track was constructed with eastward extension in mind. Proposals have been approved for a six-mile extension to Ashton-under-Lyne. The reversing sidings will form part of this line, which will run out of the north side of the station through Ancoats, Sportcity, Clayton, and along Ashton New Road to Droylsden
and Audenshaw
. Trams terminating at Piccadilly from the city centre will use a new reversing siding being built to the east side of Sheffield Street.
In the early 1980s, proposals for a light rail system were based on converting existing railway lines to light rail operation (as with the Altrincham and Bury
lines). Under these plans, eastward extensions from Piccadilly would have involved running Metrolink trams along the Glossop Line (to Hadfield
and Glossop
) and along part of the Hope Valley Line
(to Marple
and Rose Hill). These plans are no longer being pursued; however, the alignment this route would have used is still protected in 2010, with BRB Residual land disposals being altered by the ORR after a year-long consultation.
The Fairfield Street entrance, at basement level, serves the car park, taxi rank, and the Metrolink station. Above, at track level, is a concourse into which the main entrance feeds. It houses ticket offices, information points, seating, timetables, toilets, shops, and food and drink outlets. Above the concourse is a second level of food outlets and bars, and the Virgin Trains
First Class Lounge. On the main concourse, glass doors within a large glass screen lead to platforms 1 to 12. A travelator
leads to the upper concourse linked by footbridge, steps and lift to platforms 13 and 14. The island lounge contains retail outlets, toilets and a departure lounge. There are vending machines, waiting areas and snack bars on platforms 13 and 14.
Manchester Piccadilly is accessible for disabled people and has escalators and lifts to all levels, wide access doors and gates, braille
signs and hearing loops and disabled toilet facilities.
Cycle racks are available on Fairfield Street, the long stay car park and next to the tower block at the station front. In March 2010, Manchester City Council
and Network Rail unveiled plans for a 'Cycle Centre' to provide secure facilities, with maintenance and hire facilities.
There is a taxi rank and short stay car park allowing limited free parking for pick up and drop off passengers and a multi-storey car park to the rear of the station
.
Northern Rail
Services also operate to the north and west of the city, via the towns to the north and west of Manchester to places such as Liverpool
via St Helens Junction
, Preston
via Bolton
and Southport
via Wigan
.
These are operated by a variety of trains of Class 142
, Class 150
and Class 156
Sprinter DMU
s, Class 180
or Class 323
electric units.
Arriva Trains Wales
CrossCountry
East Midlands Trains
First TransPennine Express
operate services on three routes.
Class 185
Desiro units now work the majority of these services, replacing the class 158s on the North and South services, and the class 175s on the North West services. Most of the Manchester-Hull services are operated by Class 170 Turbostar units.
Virgin Trains
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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...
, England. It serves intercity routes to London Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
, Birmingham New Street, South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
, the south coast of England, Edinburgh
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
and Glasgow Central
Glasgow Central station
Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line railway terminals in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The station was opened by the Caledonian Railway on 31 July 1879 and is currently managed by Network Rail...
, and routes throughout northern England
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
. Two platforms for the Manchester Metrolink
Manchester Metrolink
Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...
light rail network are located in the station's undercroft
Undercroft
An undercroft is traditionally a cellar or storage room, often brick-lined and vaulted, and used for storage in buildings since medieval times. In modern usage, an undercroft is generally a ground area which is relatively open to the sides, but covered by the building above.- History :While some...
. Piccadilly is one of 18 British railway stations managed by Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
.
Piccadilly is the busiest station in Manchester ahead of Manchester Victoria
Manchester Victoria station
Manchester Victoria station in Manchester, England is the city's second largest mainline railway station. It is also a Metrolink station, one of eight within the City Zone...
and Manchester Oxford Road
Manchester Oxford Road railway station
Manchester Oxford Road Railway Station is a railway station in the city of Manchester, England. The station is located at the junction of Whitworth Street West and Oxford Street, on an elevated line between Deansgate and Piccadilly stations....
. It is the fourth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside London, after Birmingham New Street, Glasgow Central
Glasgow Central station
Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line railway terminals in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The station was opened by the Caledonian Railway on 31 July 1879 and is currently managed by Network Rail...
and Leeds. According to Network Rail, which manages it, over 28.5 million people use the station annually.
The station received a five-year £100m refurbishment in 2002, which was the most expensive improvement on the UK rail network at the time. According to an independent poll carried out in 2007, Manchester Piccadilly has the highest customer satisfaction level of any UK station, with 92% of passengers satisfied with the station; the national average was 60%.
History
The station opened on 8 May 1842 as Store Street station and as Bank Top station, terminus of the Manchester and Birmingham RailwayManchester and Birmingham Railway
The Manchester and Birmingham Railway was built between Manchester and Crewe and opened in stages from 1840. Between Crewe and Birmingham, trains were worked by the Grand Junction Railway...
, which shared it from August 1844 with the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
The Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway was an early British railway company which opened in stages between 1841 and 1845 between Sheffield and Manchester via Ashton-under-Lyne...
.
Manchester London Road
The station was renamed London Road station in 1847, around the time the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire RailwayManchester, 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:...
was formed (later to become the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
). The Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway was a suburban railway which operated a 13.7 km route between Altrincham in Cheshire and London Road Station in Manchester....
(MSJAR) opened its line from Manchester Oxford Road railway station
Manchester Oxford Road railway station
Manchester Oxford Road Railway Station is a railway station in the city of Manchester, England. The station is located at the junction of Whitworth Street West and Oxford Street, on an elevated line between Deansgate and Piccadilly stations....
to London Road on 1 August 1849 and built its own platforms adjacent to the main part of the station. These platforms were referred to as the MSJAR or South Junction platforms. During the early 1880s the station was enlarged. The MSJAR platforms and the bridge over Fairfield Street were demolished and an island platform, on girder bridges, opened on 16 May 1882.
During the first two decades of the 20th century, London Road station was served by 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 Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
and, through running powers, the North Staffordshire Railway
North Staffordshire Railway
The North Staffordshire Railway was a British railway company formed in 1845 to promote a number of lines in the Staffordshire Potteries and surrounding areas in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire....
. Following the 1923 railway 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...
, the station was served by 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...
and the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
. After nationalisation in 1948, London Road station was operated as two independent sides, separated by formidable iron railings located where platform 5 now is. On one side was 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 the other was the Eastern Region
Eastern Region of British Railways
The Eastern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
.
In 1910 a second terminus, Mayfield Station
Manchester Mayfield railway station
Manchester Mayfield is a former railway station in Manchester, England. It is located on the south side of Fairfield Street, next to Manchester Piccadilly station.- Use as a passenger station :...
, was opened to cope with passenger volume. It was closed to passenger trains by 1952 but remained in use until August 1960 for "overflow" local services and for one major passenger train, the Pines Express
Pines Express
The Pines Express was a named passenger train that ran daily between Manchester and Bournemouth in England between 1910 and 1967.It ran for the first time under the name "Pines Express" on 26 September 1927; and is believed to have been named after the pine trees growing in the Chines in the...
from Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
to Manchester. It reopened as a parcels depot in 1970 but has since closed. Its disused building is visible across Fairfield Street from platforms 13 and 14.
Manchester Piccadilly
London Road station was renamed Manchester Piccadilly when it reopened after reconstruction on 12 September 1960 for London Midland RegionLondon 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...
electric train services to London. The MSJAR platforms and bridges over Fairfield Street had been replaced. The island platforms (13 and 14) were built on a new pre-stressed concrete slab bridge with cantilevered sides for the tracks.
In the early 1970s, as part of the Picc-Vic tunnel
Picc-Vic tunnel
Picc-Vic was a proposed, and later cancelled, underground railway designed in the early 1970s with the purpose of connecting two major mainline railway terminals in central Manchester, England. The name Picc-Vic was a contraction of the two station names, Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria...
project, there were proposals to build an underground station, Piccadilly Low Level. The project was cancelled, and subsequent rail improvements concentrated on surface projects and the introduction of light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
.
Piccadilly's island platforms were further rebuilt and lengthened in 1988 in connection with the opening of the Windsor Link
Windsor Link
The Windsor Link is a short but key railway line in central Manchester that connects Salford Crescent and Deansgate stations, opened in 1988. The new link allows services from north west of Manchester to be diverted from Manchester Victoria to Manchester Piccadilly, emphasising the latter's status...
. The glass roof over the terminal platforms was completely replaced in the late 1990s. The train shed is a Grade II listed building.
In 2001-2002, as part of preparations for the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
the remainder of the station was rebuilt, to designs by BDP
Building Design Partnership
Building Design Partnership is a firm of architects and engineers employing over 1200 staff in the UK and internationally.-Foundation:The firm was founded in 1961 by George Grenfell Baines with architects Bill White and John Wilkinson, quantity surveyor Arnold Towler and eight associate partners:...
, increasing the size of the concourse and improving road access. The station's undercroft (the two levels below the main rail platforms) were converted to provide two platforms for the Manchester Metrolink
Manchester Metrolink
Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...
tram system, which opened in 1992.
Future
Network Rail's 'Northern Hub' plans, at a cost of over £560 million, which aim to improve the heavily congested rail network around Manchester were revealed in 2011. Two new platforms would be constructed at Piccadilly and the station linked to Manchester Victoria via the Ordsall ChordOrdsall Chord
The Ordsall Chord is a short proposed railway line in the Ordsall area of Greater Manchester. When constructed, it will provide a direct rail link between and...
, a new line costing £85 million, cutting journey times on Trans-Pennine routes.
Architecture
The train shedTrain shed
A train shed is an adjacent building to a railway station where the tracks and platforms are covered by a roof. It is also known as an overall roof...
roof which is 105 metres wide between platforms 1 and 12, has four spans, two spans 185 metres in length over the eastern part of the station date from the 1860s while the other two at the western side measuring 150 metres long were built in the early 1880s. The roof is supported by masonry walls alongside platforms 1 and 12 and rows of cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s. The roof spans have wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
truss
Truss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
es with cast iron strut
Strut
A strut is a structural component designed to resist longitudinal compression. Struts provide outwards-facing support in their lengthwise direction, which can be used to keep two other components separate, performing the opposite function of a tie...
s on girder
Girder
A girder is a support beam used in construction. Girders often have an I-beam cross section for strength, but may also have a box shape, Z shape or other forms. Girder is the term used to denote the main horizontal support of a structure which supports smaller beams...
s between the columns. The original roof was covered with slate tiles with some glazing. The slates were subsequently replaced with boarded felt. Between 1997 and 1999 the roof was refurbished and 10,000 panes of toughened glass ‘float’ above the wrought iron trusses.
George W. Buck
George W. Buck
George Watson Buck was Engineer of the Montgomeryshire Canal in the early 19th Century, and was responsible for the unique lock paddle design....
designed the original skew arch
Skew arch
A skew arch is a method of construction that enables an arch bridge to span an obstacle at some angle other than a right angle. This results in the faces of the arch not being perpendicular to its abutments and its plan view being a parallelogram, rather than the rectangle that is the plan view of...
bridge over Fairfield Street with ten cast iron arch ribs as part of a long brick arch viaduct topped with open stonework parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
s. The bridge was widened by adding wrought iron plate girders and transverse girders, supporting longitudinal joists with iron arch plates. As part of reconstruction in the 1960s the cast iron arches and spandrel
Spandrel
A spandrel, less often spandril or splaundrel, is the space between two arches or between an arch and a rectangular enclosure....
s were encased in concrete. Platforms 13 and 14 are situated on the bridge.
Below the train shed is an area once used as a goods station. Its cast iron columns and brick arches support the non-through platforms above. The area is now used by the Metrolink station, its tracks and siding
Siding
Siding is the outer covering or cladding of a house meant to shed water and protect from the effects of weather. On a building that uses siding, it may act as a key element in the aesthetic beauty of the structure and directly influence its property value....
s. The columns were encased in concrete for protection against collision. The station's approach constructed in 1969 along with the "wavy" fronted Gateway House, façade and facilities were modernised in 2003.
Description
National Rail station
The terminal consists of 12 platforms, which house terminating/originating services with a longer stopover, while the busiest part of the station consists of platforms 13 and 14, the former MSJAR platforms, now used by through services via Manchester Oxford RoadManchester Oxford Road railway station
Manchester Oxford Road Railway Station is a railway station in the city of Manchester, England. The station is located at the junction of Whitworth Street West and Oxford Street, on an elevated line between Deansgate and Piccadilly stations....
to North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, North-Western England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, including through services from Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport railway station
Manchester Airport railway station is the railway station that serves Manchester Airport and is built into the airport's terminal buildings. The station was opened together with the second airport terminal in 1993.- Description:...
and split into a and b sections to allow more than one train to stand at a time. These through services have shorter dwell times.
Metrolink station
Manchester Piccadilly station is currently the terminus for Manchester MetrolinkManchester Metrolink
Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...
services to Bury
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
, Altrincham
Altrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
, and Eccles
Eccles, Greater Manchester
Eccles is a town in the City of Salford, a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England, west of Salford and west of Manchester city centre...
. A service to St Werburgh's Road commenced in March 2011. The Metrolink station, in a vaulted undercroft underneath the mainline station, is one of eight serving Manchester city centre
Manchester City Centre
Manchester city centre is the central business district of Manchester, England. It lies within the Manchester Inner Ring Road, next to the River Irwell...
, within the system's City Zone. Trams from Piccadilly Gardens
Piccadilly Gardens Metrolink station
Piccadilly Gardens Metrolink station is a Manchester Metrolink station located in Piccadilly Gardens, adjacent to Piccadilly Bus Station. The station can be used for Interchange between the Bury service and Altrincham and Eccles services. The station is in the City Ticketing Zone.The station was...
run down Aytoun Street, cross on to London Road and run a short distance on segregated track, before crossing the road and entering the undercroft through a tunnel entrance.
The station is the busiest on the Metrolink network. Under current arrangements, there are separate arrivals and departures platforms; after arriving passengers disembark, the empty tram runs into a reversing siding in a tunnel, where it reverses and runs up to the departure platform. Previously one platform was used for arrivals from Altrincham/departures to Bury, and the other for arrivals from Bury/departures to Altrincham and all services to/from Eccles, with a crossover inside the station to allow access to and from either platform.
The tram station has been refurbished, and was the first to display the new Metrolink corporate identity unveiled in 2008. Station signage bears the yellow and silver livery as applied to the new generation of trams since 2009.
Piccadilly is the eastern terminus of the Metrolink system, but the track was constructed with eastward extension in mind. Proposals have been approved for a six-mile extension to Ashton-under-Lyne. The reversing sidings will form part of this line, which will run out of the north side of the station through Ancoats, Sportcity, Clayton, and along Ashton New Road to Droylsden
Droylsden Metrolink station
Droylsden Metrolink Station is a future station under construction as part of Phase 3a of the Manchester Metrolink, and will serve the town of Droylsden in Greater Manchester...
and Audenshaw
Audenshaw Metrolink station
Audenshaw Metrolink Station is a future station proposed in Phase 3b of the Manchester Metrolink. The station is scheduled to open in the winter of 2013/14 and will be located on Droylsden Road at the junctions of Lumb Lane and Manchester Road.-Services:...
. Trams terminating at Piccadilly from the city centre will use a new reversing siding being built to the east side of Sheffield Street.
In the early 1980s, proposals for a light rail system were based on converting existing railway lines to light rail operation (as with the Altrincham and Bury
Bury Interchange
Bury Interchange is an interchange in Bury, Greater Manchester, England. The interchange was opened in 1980, incorporating a new bus station and the northern terminus of the Bury to Manchester railway line.-History:...
lines). Under these plans, eastward extensions from Piccadilly would have involved running Metrolink trams along the Glossop Line (to Hadfield
Hadfield railway station
Hadfield railway station serves the village of Hadfield in Derbyshire, England. The station is one of the twin termini at the Derbyshire end of the Manchester-Glossop Line, the other being Glossop. It was opened by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway in 1844.The line formerly...
and Glossop
Glossop railway station
Glossop railway station serves the town of Glossop in Derbyshire, England and is the third busiest railway station in the county of Derbyshire after Derby and Chesterfield, with an estimated 700,000 people using the station in 2009/10....
) and along part of 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...
(to Marple
Rose Hill Marple railway station
Rose Hill Marple railway station is one of two stations serving Marple, in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, the other being Marple railway station....
and Rose Hill). These plans are no longer being pursued; however, the alignment this route would have used is still protected in 2010, with BRB Residual land disposals being altered by the ORR after a year-long consultation.
Facilities
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
First Class Lounge. On the main concourse, glass doors within a large glass screen lead to platforms 1 to 12. A travelator
Moving walkway
A moving walkway or moving sidewalk is a slow moving conveyor mechanism that transports people, across a horizontal...
leads to the upper concourse linked by footbridge, steps and lift to platforms 13 and 14. The island lounge contains retail outlets, toilets and a departure lounge. There are vending machines, waiting areas and snack bars on platforms 13 and 14.
Manchester Piccadilly is accessible for disabled people and has escalators and lifts to all levels, wide access doors and gates, braille
Braille
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing.Braille was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character, or cell, is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two...
signs and hearing loops and disabled toilet facilities.
Cycle racks are available on Fairfield Street, the long stay car park and next to the tower block at the station front. In March 2010, Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
and Network Rail unveiled plans for a 'Cycle Centre' to provide secure facilities, with maintenance and hire facilities.
There is a taxi rank and short stay car park allowing limited free parking for pick up and drop off passengers and a multi-storey car park to the rear of the station
Services
Manchester Piccadilly is currently served by six train operating companiesTrain operating company
The term train operating company is used in the United Kingdom to describe the various businesses operating passenger trains on the railway system of Great Britain under the collective National Rail brand...
.
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...
- Local train services to stations in the Manchester area, primarily to destinations to the south and east of the city in Cheshire or Derbyshire and beyond. These include HadfieldHadfield railway stationHadfield railway station serves the village of Hadfield in Derbyshire, England. The station is one of the twin termini at the Derbyshire end of the Manchester-Glossop Line, the other being Glossop. It was opened by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway in 1844.The line formerly...
, MarpleMarple railway stationMarple railway station serves Marple, in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The other station serving Marple is Rose Hill railway station....
, Rose Hill MarpleRose Hill Marple railway stationRose Hill Marple railway station is one of two stations serving Marple, in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, the other being Marple railway station....
, New Mills CentralNew Mills Central railway stationNew 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...
, Sheffield via New Mills Central, Hazel GroveHazel Grove railway stationHazel Grove railway station is on the Stockport to Buxton / Sheffield line, serving the village of Hazel Grove, Greater Manchester, England. It was built for the Stockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway by the London and North Western Railway and opened on 9 June 1857...
, BuxtonBuxton railway stationBuxton 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:...
, CreweCrewe railway stationCrewe railway station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. Built in fields near to Crewe Hall, it originally served the village of Crewe with a population of just 70 residents...
via StockportStockport railway stationStockport railway station is in Greater Manchester, England, 8 miles south-east of Manchester Piccadilly station on the West Coast Main Line from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston. It was opened on 15 February 1843 by the Manchester and Birmingham Railway, following completion of the large...
or Manchester AirportManchester Airport railway stationManchester Airport railway station is the railway station that serves Manchester Airport and is built into the airport's terminal buildings. The station was opened together with the second airport terminal in 1993.- Description:...
, Stoke-on-TrentStoke-on-Trent railway stationStoke-on-Trent Railway Station is a main-line railway station in central England. It is located on the Stafford to Manchester branch of the West Coast Main Line and serves the Staffordshire city of Stoke-on-Trent...
via MacclesfieldMacclesfield railway stationMacclesfield railway station is a main line station serving the Cheshire town of Macclesfield. It lies on the Stafford to Manchester branch of the West Coast Main Line, in the United Kingdom....
, and ChesterChester railway stationChester railway station is a railway station in Newtown in the city of Chester, England. It is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although Merseyrail, Northern Rail and Virgin Trains also run services from the station. It is situated to the north-east of the city centre...
via AltrinchamAltrincham railway stationAltrincham Interchange serves the town of Altrincham in Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It was originally named Altrincham and Bowdon railway station and is located on Stamford New Road, adjacent to the Altrincham Ice Dome—home to the Manchester Phoenix ice hockey team...
and NorthwichNorthwich railway stationNorthwich railway station serves the town of Northwich in Cheshire, England. The station has two platforms and is located on the Mid-Cheshire Line.-Services:...
Services also operate to the north and west of the city, via the towns to the north and west of Manchester to places such as Liverpool
Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
via St Helens Junction
St Helens Junction railway station
St Helens Junction railway station is a railway station serving the town of St Helens, Merseyside, England. It is situated in Sutton, south of St.Helens town centre. The station is on the northern route of the Liverpool to Manchester Line east of Liverpool Lime Street...
, Preston
Preston railway station
Preston railway station serves the city of Preston in Lancashire, England and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line.It is served by Northern Rail, Virgin Trains, and TransPennine Express services, plus First ScotRail overnight sleeper services between London and Scotland.-Station layout...
via Bolton
Bolton railway station
Bolton Interchange is a transport interchange combining the railway station and a four stand bus station in the town of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. The station is located on the Manchester spur of the West Coast Main Line and is managed by Northern Rail...
and Southport
Southport railway station
Southport railway station serves the town of Southport, Merseyside, England. It is at the end of one of the branches of the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network, and at the end of the Manchester-Southport Line which runs via Wigan...
via Wigan
Wigan Wallgate railway station
Wigan Wallgate railway station is one of two main railway stations serving the town of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. The station is on 2 lines, the Manchester-Southport Line and the Manchester-Kirkby Line. It is north west of Manchester Victoria...
.
These are operated by a variety of trains of Class 142
British Rail Class 142
The British Rail Class 142 is a class of Pacer diesel multiple units used in the United Kingdom. 96 units were built by BREL in Derby between 1985 and 1987. They were a development of the earlier Class 141 which were introduced in 1984....
, Class 150
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
and Class 156
British Rail Class 156
The British Rail Class 156 Super Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train . 114 of these units were built from 1987 to 1989 by Metro-Cammell at its Washwood Heath Works in Birmingham...
Sprinter DMU
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s, Class 180
British Rail Class 180
The Class 180 is a type of British diesel multiple unit train built by Alstom between 2000 and 2001 for use on then-new express services by First Great Western . They were built at Washwood Heath in Birmingham and are part of the Coradia 1000 family along with the Class 175. FGW stopped using the...
or 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 units.
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
- Hourly services via ChesterChester railway stationChester railway station is a railway station in Newtown in the city of Chester, England. It is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although Merseyrail, Northern Rail and Virgin Trains also run services from the station. It is situated to the north-east of the city centre...
and the North Wales Coast LineNorth Wales Coast LineThe North Wales Coast Line is the railway line from Crewe to Holyhead. Virgin Trains consider their services along it to be a spur of the West Coast Main Line. The first section from Crewe to Chester was built by the Chester and Crewe Railway and absorbed by the Grand Junction Railway shortly...
to LlandudnoLlandudno railway stationLlandudno railway station serves the town of Llandudno and is the terminus of a branch line from Llandudno Junction on the Crewe to Holyhead North Wales Coast Line. It is managed by Arriva Trains Wales....
, calling at Manchester Oxford Road, Newton-le-Willows, Earlestown, Warrington Bank Quay, Runcorn East, Frodsham, Helsby, Chester, Shotton, Flint, Prestatyn, Rhyl, Abergele & Pensarn, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Junction, Deganwy and Llandudno
- Hourly services via ShrewsburyShrewsbury railway stationShrewsbury railway station is the railway station serving Shrewsbury, county town of Shropshire, England. It is the only remaining railway station in the town; Shrewsbury Abbey, as well as other small stations around the town, having long closed. The station was built in 1848 and has been extended...
and the Welsh Marches LineWelsh Marches LineThe Welsh Marches Line , known historically as the North and West Route, is the railway line running from Newport in south-east Wales to Shrewsbury in the West Midlands region of England by way of Abergavenny, Hereford and Craven Arms, and thence to Crewe via Whitchurch...
to Cardiff CentralCardiff Central railway stationCardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
, with many services continuing to CarmarthenCarmarthen railway stationCarmarthen railway station is situated south of the River Towy on the edge of the town of Carmarthen. It is located on the West Wales Line and is managed by Arriva Trains Wales, who operate most of the passenger trains serving it...
or Milford HavenMilford Haven railway stationMilford Haven railway station serves the town of Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Opened on 7 September 1863, it was originally known as Milford, becoming Old Milford by January 1902, and finally being renamed Milford Haven by April 1910....
. Class 175 Coradia units operate almost all of Arriva Trains Wales' services out of Manchester, with Class 158 and Class 150 units occasionally substituting.
- Daily services to Birmingham and CardiffCardiff Central railway stationCardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
via , WrexhamWrexham General railway stationWrexham General railway station is a main line railway station and the main railway station serving Wrexham, north-east Wales. It is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales, but services are also provided by Virgin Trains who operate a service to London Euston...
and .
CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
- Hourly services to BournemouthBournemouth railway stationBournemouth railway station, originally known as Bournemouth East and then Bournemouth Central , is the main railway station serving the town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth...
, calling at Stockport, Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International, Coventry, Leamington Spa, Banbury, Oxford, Reading, Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton Airport (Parkway), Southampton Central, Brockenhurst and Bournemouth.
- Hourly services to Bristol Temple Meads, calling at Stockport, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Cheltenham Spa, Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads, with some trains extended to destinations in DevonDevonDevon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. All CrossCountry services operate using Voyager DMUs, except in the summer when there is one HST per day to NewquayNewquay railway stationNewquay railway station is the terminus of the Atlantic Coast Line that runs from Par railway station. It is operated by First Great Western and is situated close to the town centre and beaches in Newquay, Cornwall, England, UK.-History:...
.
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...
- Hourly service from Liverpool Lime StreetLiverpool Lime Street railway stationLiverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
via Piccadilly to SheffieldSheffield Midland stationSheffield station, formerly Pond Street and later Sheffield Midland, is a railway station in Sheffield, England and is the busiest station in South Yorkshire...
and Nottingham, with most trains continuing to NorwichNorwich railway stationNorwich is a railway station serving the city of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk. The station is the northern terminus of the Great Eastern Main Line from London Liverpool Street. It is also the terminus of railway lines from Ely, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.-History:At one...
. Class 158 Express units are used for these services. Class 222 units are also occasionally used for additional capacity at times of special events.
First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...
operate services on three routes.
- The North TransPennine route has a quarter-hourly service to LeedsLeeds City railway stationLeeds railway station is the mainline railway station serving the city centre of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England...
via HuddersfieldHuddersfield railway stationHuddersfield 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...
, with one train per hour continuing to each of HullHull Paragon railway stationHull Paragon Interchange is a transport complex in the centre of the city of Kingston upon Hull , England, which opened in September 2007. It integrates the city's railway station with the formerly separate bus and coach station...
, Newcastle, MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough railway stationMiddlesbrough railway station serves the large town of Middlesbrough in the borough of Middlesbrough and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. The station is managed by First TransPennine Express and has two platforms...
and ScarboroughScarborough railway stationScarborough railway station serves the seaside town of Scarborough in North Yorkshire, England. It lies east of York and is one of the eastern termini on the North TransPennine route operated by First TransPennine Express...
. In the opposite direction, one train per hour continues from Piccadilly to Liverpool Lime StreetLiverpool Lime Street railway stationLiverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
and two to Manchester AirportManchester Airport railway stationManchester Airport railway station is the railway station that serves Manchester Airport and is built into the airport's terminal buildings. The station was opened together with the second airport terminal in 1993.- Description:...
. A two-hourly service to Leeds and YorkYork railway stationYork railway station is a main-line railway station in the city of York, England. It lies on the East Coast Main Line north of London's King's Cross station towards Edinburgh's Waverley Station...
operates after midnight, providing a 24-hour service.
- The South TransPennine route runs from Manchester Airport via Piccadilly to SheffieldSheffield Midland stationSheffield station, formerly Pond Street and later Sheffield Midland, is a railway station in Sheffield, England and is the busiest station in South Yorkshire...
and CleethorpesCleethorpes railway stationCleethorpes railway station is a rail terminus serving the seaside town of Cleethorpes in North East Lincolnshire. The station is operated by First TransPennine Express, and is also served by Northern Rail and East Midlands Trains....
, operating every hour.
- The TransPennine North West services run from Manchester Airport via Piccadilly to PrestonPreston railway stationPreston railway station serves the city of Preston in Lancashire, England and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line.It is served by Northern Rail, Virgin Trains, and TransPennine Express services, plus First ScotRail overnight sleeper services between London and Scotland.-Station layout...
via BoltonBolton railway stationBolton Interchange is a transport interchange combining the railway station and a four stand bus station in the town of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. The station is located on the Manchester spur of the West Coast Main Line and is managed by Northern Rail...
and ChorleyChorley railway stationChorley railway station serves Chorley in Lancashire, England. Since 2004 it has been linked with its "interchange" bus and coach station.The railway station is a modern 1980s built on top of the original station, the level of which can be seen under the existing station's two platforms connected...
every half-hour, with trains continuing to Blackpool NorthBlackpool North railway stationBlackpool 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....
every hour, and each of Barrow-in-FurnessBarrow-in-Furness railway stationBarrow-in-Furness railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, England. It is located on the Furness Line to Lancaster and the Cumbrian Coast Line to Workington and Carlisle...
and WindermereWindermere railway stationWindermere railway station is the railway station that serves Windermere in Cumbria, England. It is just south of the A591, about 15 min walk or a short bus ride from the lake. The station is located behind a branch of the Booths supermarket chain, which occupies the site of the original station...
every two hours, as well as continuing to Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central, some of which are combined with services to Windermere, Blackpool North and Barrow-in-Furness.
Class 185
British Rail Class 185
The Class 185 Pennine Desiro is a diesel multiple-unit passenger train of the Desiro type built by Siemens in Germany for the British train operating company First TransPennine Express.51 units were acquired, representing an investment of £250 million....
Desiro units now work the majority of these services, replacing the class 158s on the North and South services, and the class 175s on the North West services. Most of the Manchester-Hull services are operated by Class 170 Turbostar units.
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
- Three trains per hour to London EustonEuston railway stationEuston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
via Stoke-on-TrentStoke-on-Trent railway stationStoke-on-Trent Railway Station is a main-line railway station in central England. It is located on the Stafford to Manchester branch of the West Coast Main Line and serves the Staffordshire city of Stoke-on-Trent...
or CreweCrewe railway stationCrewe railway station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. Built in fields near to Crewe Hall, it originally served the village of Crewe with a population of just 70 residents...
as part of the West CoastWest Coast Main LineThe West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
franchise, operated with PendolinoBritish Rail Class 390The Class 390 Pendolino is a type of train used in Great Britain. They are electric multiple units using Fiat's tilting train pendolino technology and built by Alstom. Fifty-three 9-car units were originally built for Virgin Trains from 2001 to 2004 for operation on the West Coast Main Line , with...
trains. - Limited services to Birmingham New Street operated by Super VoyagersBritish Rail Class 221The Class 221 Super Voyager is a class of British diesel-electric multiple-unit express trains built by Bombardier Transportation between 2001 and 2002, entering service on 12 April 2002....
.
External links
- Station information on Manchester Piccadilly station from Network RailNetwork RailNetwork Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...