Mid-Cheshire Line
Encyclopedia
The Mid-Cheshire Line is a railway line in the north-west of England
, between Chester
and Manchester
.
was opened to passengers between Altrincham
and Knutsford
on , then completed to Northwich on . The West Cheshire Railway
opened from Northwich
to West Cheshire Junction in 1869. This railway was extended from Mouldsworth to a new terminus at Chester Northgate
in . The line from Altrincham to Manchester was the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
(MSJAR), opened on and jointly owned by the London and North Western Railway
and the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
(MSLR, later the Great Central Railway
). The line from Chester to Altrincham was vested in the Cheshire Lines Committee
(CLC), a joint committee regulated by the Great Northern Railway
(GNR), MSLR and the Midland Railway
(MR). This committee became an independent company after 1867 and survived the 1923 Grouping
intact. Services were operated by the CLC until nationalisation on 1 January 1948, when the line became part of British Railways London Midland Region. Between 1880 and 1969, CLC trains from Chester via Altrincham terminated at Manchester Central railway station
.
Prior to the Beeching closures
in the 1960s, there were branch lines with services from the Mid Cheshire line (see also the Winsford and Over branch
). Dr. Beeching had no plans to close part or all of the Mid Cheshire line, although in his proposed second phase of closures there were plans to close the line between Chester and Warrington Bank Quay
, which would have increased the number of passengers using the Mid Cheshire line. Although those proposed closures never went ahead, the original termini at Chester and Manchester were closed in 1969 and services were re-routed to Chester General
, via a new junction at Mickle Trafford, and Manchester Oxford Road
.
The route was double track between Chester and Altrincham, although the section between Mickle Trafford and Mouldsworth was reduced to single track after Chester Northgate station closed in 1969. For many years the line had the reputation of being one of the busiest double track routes in the UK.
trains. At that time, a journey between Manchester London Road and Altrincham took 24 minutes, but some peak hour "semi-fast" trains omitted five stops and took 17 minutes. The CLC trains from Chester to Manchester Central over this section usually ran "express", some non-stop, others calling only at Sale
. There were at one time plans to electrify the whole Chester to Manchester line but it was deemed too expensive.
The original electric trains
were withdrawn in 1971 and the system was changed to 25 kV AC
. Some services were extended through Manchester London Road (renamed Piccadilly in 1960) to Alderley Edge / Crewe / Stoke-on-Trent and occasionally Wolverhampton. 1989 saw further changes as Chester trains were diverted via Stockport
. This has increased journey times between Chester and Manchester significantly, although a change at Altrincham, depending upon connections, often resulted in an earlier arrival. In 1992, the system was changed to 750V DC to accommodate the Manchester Metrolink
trams which now exclusively used the trackbed between Deansgate Junction (between Navigation Road and Timperley) and Manchester.
before reaching Chester
. Services follow the Crewe
line from Manchester Piccadilly as far as Stockport
, where the line diverges westwards. The line then curves around the South of Manchester until it meets the Metrolink
line. Metrolink and Mainline services run parallel between Deansgate Junction through Navigation Road railway station
to Altrincham
, where the Metrolink terminates. Part of the route is single track between Stockport and Altrincham. South of Altrincham, the route leaves Manchester's suburbs. Several of the rural stops on the line are request stops. There are no further passenger interchanges on the line until the service reaches Chester
. There is a single track freight only branch to the west of Northwich railway station
which links Northwich to Sandbach
on the Crewe to Manchester Line. There is a campaign for this line to be re-opened as a passenger line, to serve the town of Middlewich
. There is also a curve to access the West Coast Main Line further west, but passenger services do not use this. The line joins up with the line from Chester to Warrington
just east of Chester at Mickle Trafford Junction.
Manchester to Chester: 18 trains per day
Stockport to Chester: 2 additional trains per day
Chester to Manchester: 17 trains per day
Chester to Stockport: 2 additional trains per day
Saturday
Manchester to Chester: 18 trains per day
Chester to Manchester: 17 trains per day
Sunday
Chester to Manchester & Wigan Wallgate/Southport: 7 trains
Southport/Wigan Wallgate & Manchester to Chester: 7 trains
The above shows a cutback in the number of peak services to and from Manchester, which started on December 15, 2008 and has prompted an online petition. It also includes the loss of a daily direct service to Blackpool
from Northwich
and the loss of a limited stop afternoon train from Chester to Manchester. As well as improvements made to the Sunday service, which was previously a 3 hourly Chester to Altrincham service.
As of 17 July 2009, GMPTE (who have since become TfGM) are considering restoration of axed services and/or re-timing of peak services to better fit demand. Consultation with Northern Rail regarding such improvement is "ongoing" .
Passenger numbers for the Mid-Cheshire line show that the station on the line with the highest number of people boarding and alighting Manchester to Chester via Altrincham services is Manchester Piccadilly. Surprisingly the second highest is Knutsford, ahead of Stockport in third place, Chester in fourth and Altrincham in fifth. Ashley is the station which contributes the least passengers to the service.
Passenger services in the off-peak period are better utilised than passenger services on similar lines with Altrincham being in the top 10~ busiest Greater Manchester stations for the morning off-peak period in addition to Hale and Altrincham both performing well in the morning peak period.
~ Excluding Central Manchester stations
steam railmotor
s). From the start of operations, motive power was provided by the MSLR and later the GCR, although locomotives and stock from the other CLC constituent companies could also be seen. This gave the Mid-Cheshire line a very "cosmopolitan" feel until well into the 1960s when older locomotives were replaced by British Railways (BR) standard designs.
Early passenger services were handled by MSLR/GCR class 12A (LNER class E3) 2-4-0 locomotives designed by Charles Sacre
. These were replaced by John Robinson-built GCR class 11B (LNER class D9)
4-4-0, GCR class 11E (LNER class D10)
4-4-0 'Small Directors', GCR class 11F (LNER class D11)
4-4-0 'Large Directors' and GCR class 9K (LNER class C13)
4-4-2 tank locomotives. The 'Directors' and C13s lasted well into the nationalisation era and were eventually displaced by LMS and BR standard tank engines. Dieselisation of passenger services began in the early 1960s with class 108 and later class 101
diesel multiple units displacing the steam locomotives.
The route was a very busy freight artery – especially the section between Greenbank and Deansgate Junction. The I.C.I.
works at Winnington and Lostock attracted much traffic, in particular heavy trains consisting of custom-built bogie hoppers, which carried limestone from Derbyshire. These trains required banking
between Northwich and Winnington works and were the preserve of LMS class 8F 2-8-0 locomotives, later BR class 40, class 47 and class 20 diesels. Other locomotives to be seen included LMS class 4F
, GCR class 8K (LNER class O4)
and class 9H (LNER class J10) steam locomotives. Shunting and trip working was carried out by GCR class 9F (LNER class N5)
steam and BR class 08 diesel locomotives.
. However due to increasing passenger numbers, Class 150 Sprinters
and Class 156 Super Sprinters are becoming a frequent sight on the line, especially on peak time services.
In the past Class 158 Super Sprinter trains
and Class 175 Cordia trains
were used on some journeys on this line. Class 175s have not been used on services on this line since Northern Rail
took over and the small fleet of Manchester based Class 158s, which were used on the line til 2005, were transferred to Leeds to work services in the Yorkshire and North East areas. Class 175 Cordia trains
occasionally travel along the line if engineering work is taking place on the Chester to Manchester via Warrington line.
Goods trains continue to use the line, mainly to carry limestone from quarries near Buxton
Derbyshire to Brunner Mond
’s works at Winnington. These are usually hauled by an EWS Class 60 engine
or a Class 66 engine
.
Reopening the Northwich to Sandbach line to passenger trains
This will allow a direct train service from places on the line to Crewe, which will should reduce journey times to destinations south of Chester, as well as reducing fares to those destinations. It would also allow the former station at Middlewich to re-open, and the possibility of a new station opening at Rudheath
.
Manchester Airport link
Proposals for a link to Manchester Airport from near Mobberley were first put forward in the 1990s, not much had seemed to materalise from this. However, in March 2009 it was mentioned in a Network Rail
document as a possible project in the future. Although, reopening the Northwich to Sandbach line to regular passenger services was not mentioned in that document.
Running tram-trains directly to Manchester
This would allow a faster service to central Manchester, as they would be able to run alongside both the existing trains and the existing trams. The tram-trains would be likely to start and terminate at Northwich.
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...
, between Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
and 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...
.
History
The Mid Cheshire line has its origins in railways promoted by three separate railway companies in the 19th century. The Cheshire Midland RailwayCheshire Midland Railway
An act was passed on 14 June 1860 to build a railway from Altrincham on the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway to Northwich. The line would be 12 miles 65 chains in length...
was opened to passengers between 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 Knutsford
Knutsford
Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...
on , then completed to Northwich on . The West Cheshire Railway
West Cheshire Railway
The West Cheshire Railway was an early railway company based in Cheshire England.-Early Company history:The WCR was incorporated on 11 July 1861. In 1861, the WCR requested powers to construct a line from Northwich to Chester, with a branch to Helsby, but parliamentary approval was received only...
opened from Northwich
Northwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
to West Cheshire Junction in 1869. This railway was extended from Mouldsworth to a new terminus at Chester Northgate
Chester Northgate railway station
Chester Northgate is a former railway station in Chester, Cheshire that was a terminus for the Cheshire Lines Committee and Great Central Railway...
in . The line from Altrincham to Manchester was 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 on and jointly owned 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...
and 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:...
(MSLR, later 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 line from Chester to Altrincham was vested in the Cheshire Lines Committee
Cheshire Lines Committee
The Cheshire Lines Committee was the second largest joint railway in Great Britain, with 143 route miles. Despite its name, approximately 55% of its system was in Lancashire. In its publicity material it was often styled as the Cheshire Lines Railway...
(CLC), a joint committee regulated by the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
(GNR), MSLR and 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....
(MR). This committee became an independent company after 1867 and survived the 1923 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...
intact. Services were operated by the CLC until nationalisation on 1 January 1948, when the line became part of British Railways London Midland Region. Between 1880 and 1969, CLC trains from Chester via Altrincham terminated at Manchester Central railway station
Manchester Central railway station
Manchester Central railway station is a former railway station in Manchester City Centre, England. One of Manchester's main railway terminals between 1880 and 1969, it now houses an exhibition and conference centre named Manchester Central.-History:...
.
Prior to the Beeching closures
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
in the 1960s, there were branch lines with services from the Mid Cheshire line (see also the Winsford and Over branch
Winsford and Over Branch Line
The Winsford and Over Branch Line was a railway line serving the town of Winsford in Cheshire. It was operated by the Cheshire Lines Committee from 1870 until the railways were nationalised under the Transport Act 1947, which took effect on 1 January 1948...
). Dr. Beeching had no plans to close part or all of the Mid Cheshire line, although in his proposed second phase of closures there were plans to close the line between Chester and Warrington Bank Quay
Warrington Bank Quay railway station
Warrington Bank Quay railway station is a mainline railway station serving the UK town of Warrington. The town centre has two stations on opposite sides of the main shopping area, Warrington Central operating a more frequent service to the neighbouring cities Liverpool and Manchester...
, which would have increased the number of passengers using the Mid Cheshire line. Although those proposed closures never went ahead, the original termini at Chester and Manchester were closed in 1969 and services were re-routed to Chester General
Chester railway station
Chester 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 a new junction at Mickle Trafford, 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....
.
The route was double track between Chester and Altrincham, although the section between Mickle Trafford and Mouldsworth was reduced to single track after Chester Northgate station closed in 1969. For many years the line had the reputation of being one of the busiest double track routes in the UK.
Altrincham–Manchester
A large section of the route between Altrincham and Manchester was quadrupled and electrified to 1500 volts DC in 1931. Local services were provided by electric multiple unitElectric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
trains. At that time, a journey between Manchester London Road and Altrincham took 24 minutes, but some peak hour "semi-fast" trains omitted five stops and took 17 minutes. The CLC trains from Chester to Manchester Central over this section usually ran "express", some non-stop, others calling only at Sale
Sale Metrolink station
Sale Metrolink Station is located on Northenden Road in Sale. There is a park and ride facility for passengers using the Manchester Metrolink system. The station is in Ticketing Zone F.-History:...
. There were at one time plans to electrify the whole Chester to Manchester line but it was deemed too expensive.
The original electric trains
British Rail Class 505
British Railways Class 505 were 1,500 V DC electric multiple units introduced in 1931 by the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway...
were withdrawn in 1971 and the system was changed to 25 kV AC
25 kV AC
The 25 kV Alternating current railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially for high-speed rail.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
. Some services were extended through Manchester London Road (renamed Piccadilly in 1960) to Alderley Edge / Crewe / Stoke-on-Trent and occasionally Wolverhampton. 1989 saw further changes as Chester trains were diverted via Stockport
Stockport railway station
Stockport 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...
. This has increased journey times between Chester and Manchester significantly, although a change at Altrincham, depending upon connections, often resulted in an earlier arrival. In 1992, the system was changed to 750V DC to accommodate 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...
trams which now exclusively used the trackbed between Deansgate Junction (between Navigation Road and Timperley) and Manchester.
Present route
The line serves many small, rural settlements in CheshireCheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
before reaching Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
. Services follow the Crewe
Crewe railway station
Crewe 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...
line from Manchester Piccadilly as far as Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
, where the line diverges westwards. The line then curves around the South of Manchester until it meets the 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...
line. Metrolink and Mainline services run parallel between Deansgate Junction through Navigation Road railway station
Navigation Road railway station
Navigation Road station serves the eastern side of Altrincham, Broadheath and Timperley areas of Altrincham in Greater Manchester, England. The station also serves as a Manchester Metrolink station...
to Altrincham
Altrincham railway station
Altrincham 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...
, where the Metrolink terminates. Part of the route is single track between Stockport and Altrincham. South of Altrincham, the route leaves Manchester's suburbs. Several of the rural stops on the line are request stops. There are no further passenger interchanges on the line until the service reaches Chester
Chester railway station
Chester 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...
. There is a single track freight only branch to the west of Northwich railway station
Northwich railway station
Northwich railway station serves the town of Northwich in Cheshire, England. The station has two platforms and is located on the Mid-Cheshire Line.-Services:...
which links Northwich to Sandbach
Sandbach railway station
Sandbach railway station serves the town of Sandbach in Cheshire, England. The station is 8 km north east of Crewe on the Crewe to Manchester Line....
on the Crewe to Manchester Line. There is a campaign for this line to be re-opened as a passenger line, to serve the town of Middlewich
Middlewich
Middlewich is a market town in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is east of the city of Chester, east of Winsford, southeast of Northwich and northwest of Sandbach....
. There is also a curve to access the West Coast Main Line further west, but passenger services do not use this. The line joins up with the line from Chester to Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
just east of Chester at Mickle Trafford Junction.
Current services
Monday to FridayManchester to Chester: 18 trains per day
Stockport to Chester: 2 additional trains per day
Chester to Manchester: 17 trains per day
Chester to Stockport: 2 additional trains per day
Saturday
Manchester to Chester: 18 trains per day
Chester to Manchester: 17 trains per day
Sunday
Chester to Manchester & Wigan Wallgate/Southport: 7 trains
Southport/Wigan Wallgate & Manchester to Chester: 7 trains
The above shows a cutback in the number of peak services to and from Manchester, which started on December 15, 2008 and has prompted an online petition. It also includes the loss of a daily direct service to Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
from Northwich
Northwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
and the loss of a limited stop afternoon train from Chester to Manchester. As well as improvements made to the Sunday service, which was previously a 3 hourly Chester to Altrincham service.
As of 17 July 2009, GMPTE (who have since become TfGM) are considering restoration of axed services and/or re-timing of peak services to better fit demand. Consultation with Northern Rail regarding such improvement is "ongoing" .
Passenger numbers for the Mid-Cheshire line show that the station on the line with the highest number of people boarding and alighting Manchester to Chester via Altrincham services is Manchester Piccadilly. Surprisingly the second highest is Knutsford, ahead of Stockport in third place, Chester in fourth and Altrincham in fifth. Ashley is the station which contributes the least passengers to the service.
Passenger services in the off-peak period are better utilised than passenger services on similar lines with Altrincham being in the top 10~ busiest Greater Manchester stations for the morning off-peak period in addition to Hale and Altrincham both performing well in the morning peak period.
~ Excluding Central Manchester stations
History
The CLC owned its own coaching stock but no locomotives (apart from four SentinelSentinel Waggon Works
Sentinel Waggon Works Ltd was a British company based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire that made steam-powered lorries, railway locomotives, and later, diesel engined lorries and locomotives.-Alley & MacLellan, Sentinel Works, Jessie Street Glasgow:...
steam railmotor
Railmotor
Railmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar.-Overview:William Bridges Adams started building railmotors as early as 1848, but only in small numbers...
s). From the start of operations, motive power was provided by the MSLR and later the GCR, although locomotives and stock from the other CLC constituent companies could also be seen. This gave the Mid-Cheshire line a very "cosmopolitan" feel until well into the 1960s when older locomotives were replaced by British Railways (BR) standard designs.
Early passenger services were handled by MSLR/GCR class 12A (LNER class E3) 2-4-0 locomotives designed by Charles Sacre
Charles Sacre
Charles Reboul Sacré was an English engineer, Engineer and Superintendent of the Locomotive and Stores Department of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway. Samuel Waite Johnson was his assistant between 1859 and 1864...
. These were replaced by John Robinson-built GCR class 11B (LNER class D9)
GCR Class 11B
Although overshadowed by the later and more famous steam locomotives that John G. Robinson would go on to design, the Great Central Railway Class 11B 4-4-0 Express Passenger engines were a successful class which totalled 40. Built from 1901–1903, in later rebuilt form as 11D, some 11Bs would last...
4-4-0, GCR class 11E (LNER class D10)
GCR Class 11E
The GCR Class 11E was a type of 4-4-0 steam locomotive used by the Great Central Railway for express passenger services. Ten were built in the railway's own workshops at Gorton, Manchester during 1913; they remained in service until the mid 1950s.-History:...
4-4-0 'Small Directors', GCR class 11F (LNER class D11)
GCR Class 11F
The Great Central Railway Class 11F or Improved Director Class is a class of 4-4-0 steam locomotive designed by John G. Robinson for passenger work. The LNER classified them as Class D11 from 1923...
4-4-0 'Large Directors' and GCR class 9K (LNER class C13)
GCR Class 9K
The Great Central Railway 9K and 9L classes were two related classes of 4-4-2T Atlantic steam locomotives. They were both intended for suburban passenger services. After the 1923 Grouping, they served the LNER as classes C13 and C14....
4-4-2 tank locomotives. The 'Directors' and C13s lasted well into the nationalisation era and were eventually displaced by LMS and BR standard tank engines. Dieselisation of passenger services began in the early 1960s with class 108 and later class 101
British Rail Class 101
The British Rail Class 101 diesel multiple units were built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in Birmingham from 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units. This class proved to be the most successful and longest-lived of all BR's First Generation DMUs, with the final five...
diesel multiple units displacing the steam locomotives.
The route was a very busy freight artery – especially the section between Greenbank and Deansgate Junction. The I.C.I.
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
works at Winnington and Lostock attracted much traffic, in particular heavy trains consisting of custom-built bogie hoppers, which carried limestone from Derbyshire. These trains required banking
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...
between Northwich and Winnington works and were the preserve of LMS class 8F 2-8-0 locomotives, later BR class 40, class 47 and class 20 diesels. Other locomotives to be seen included LMS class 4F
Midland Railway 3835 Class
The Midland Railway 3835 Class is a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for freight work. The first two were introduced in 1911 by Henry Fowler. After the grouping in 1923 they continued to be built up to 1941 by the LMS as the LMS Fowler 4F....
, GCR class 8K (LNER class O4)
GCR Class 8K
The Great Central Railway Class 8K 2-8-0 is a class of steam locomotive designed for heavy freight. Introduced in 1911, and designed by John G. Robinson, 126 were built for the GCR prior to the First World War...
and class 9H (LNER class J10) steam locomotives. Shunting and trip working was carried out by GCR class 9F (LNER class N5)
GCR Class 9F
The Great Central Railway Class 9F was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotive built between 1891 and 1901. From 1923 the locomotives were redesignated Class N5.-Design and construction:...
steam and BR class 08 diesel locomotives.
The present
The line sees a mix of diesel traction. The majority of passenger trains used on this line are still Class 142 Pacer trainsBritish 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....
. However due to increasing passenger numbers, Class 150 Sprinters
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 Super Sprinters are becoming a frequent sight on the line, especially on peak time services.
In the past Class 158 Super Sprinter trains
British Rail Class 158
British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
and Class 175 Cordia trains
British Rail Class 175
The Class 175 Coradia is a type of diesel multiple unit passenger train used in the United Kingdom. The fleet of 27 sets were built from 1999 to 2001 by Alstom at Washwood Heath in Birmingham. They are part of the Coradia family of trains along with the Class 180.The entire fleet is owned by the...
were used on some journeys on this line. Class 175s have not been used on services on this line since 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...
took over and the small fleet of Manchester based Class 158s, which were used on the line til 2005, were transferred to Leeds to work services in the Yorkshire and North East areas. Class 175 Cordia trains
British Rail Class 175
The Class 175 Coradia is a type of diesel multiple unit passenger train used in the United Kingdom. The fleet of 27 sets were built from 1999 to 2001 by Alstom at Washwood Heath in Birmingham. They are part of the Coradia family of trains along with the Class 180.The entire fleet is owned by the...
occasionally travel along the line if engineering work is taking place on the Chester to Manchester via Warrington line.
Goods trains continue to use the line, mainly to carry limestone from quarries near 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"...
Derbyshire to Brunner Mond
Brunner Mond
Tata Chemicals Europe is a UK-based chemicals company that is a subsidiary of Tata Chemicals Limited, itself a part of the India-based Tata Group...
’s works at Winnington. These are usually hauled by an EWS Class 60 engine
British Rail Class 60
The British Rail Class 60 is a class of Co-Co heavy freight diesel-electric locomotives built by Brush Traction. They are nicknamed Tugs by Rail Enthusiasts.-History:...
or a Class 66 engine
British Rail Class 66
The Class 66 is a six axle diesel electric freight locomotive developed in part from the British Rail Class 59, for use on the railways of the UK. Since its introduction the class has been successful and has been sold to British and other European railway companies...
.
Future Services
The following are proposals for future services to the line.Reopening the Northwich to Sandbach line to passenger trains
This will allow a direct train service from places on the line to Crewe, which will should reduce journey times to destinations south of Chester, as well as reducing fares to those destinations. It would also allow the former station at Middlewich to re-open, and the possibility of a new station opening at Rudheath
Rudheath
right|thumb|200px|Map of civil parish of Rudheath within the former borough of Vale RoyalRudheath is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in the north west of England, approximately 2 miles east of Northwich.This...
.
Manchester Airport link
Proposals for a link to Manchester Airport from near Mobberley were first put forward in the 1990s, not much had seemed to materalise from this. However, in March 2009 it was mentioned in a 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...
document as a possible project in the future. Although, reopening the Northwich to Sandbach line to regular passenger services was not mentioned in that document.
Running tram-trains directly to Manchester
This would allow a faster service to central Manchester, as they would be able to run alongside both the existing trains and the existing trams. The tram-trains would be likely to start and terminate at Northwich.