Warrington and Altrincham Junction Railway
Encyclopedia
The Warrington and Altrincham Junction Railway railway was created by act of parliament on the July 3 1851 to build a line between Timperley Junction on the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway
(MSJAR), to provide a through route to Manchester, and Warrington Arpley
on the St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway
providing a link with Liverpool
.
A bill to build an extension, designed by Thomas Brassey
, to Stockport was authorised on the 4 August 1853 also renamed the railway company to the Warrington and Stockport Railway.
The Warrington and Stockport Railway (W&SR) was opened on 1 November 1853 from a temporary station at Wilderspool in Warrington to a station at Altrincham which later became Broadheath
. Delays in the delivery of iron work for the bridges over the Mersey
and Bridgewater Canal
meant that the line was initially isolated from the rest of the railway network. The line was opened throughout from 1 May 1854 although passenger trains terminated at Broadheath until the W&SR and MSJAR could agree on charges for passengers travelling beyond there to Manchester via Timperley.
A link with Stockport was achieved when the Stockport, Timperley and Altrincham Junction Railway (ST&AJ) opened its line on 1 February 1866 from Broadheath Junction on the W&SR to Skelton Junction
on the newly opened line from Deansgate Junction to Stockport.
The LNWR
operated the line from opening and on 1 January 1861 bought it. On 9 July 1893 the line was re-routed to allow for the Manchester Ship Canal
, which would open in 1894, the canal being crossed by the high level Latchford Viaduct.
Passenger trains on the line ended on 10 September 1962. The line to the east of Latchford closed completely on 7 July 1985. The line was still busy at this time but extensive (and costly) repairs would have been needed to the Latchford Viaduct for continued operation - these were deemed not to be economically justifiable given that the remaining traffic could be diverted via alternative routes.
The trackbed between Latchford and Broadheath now forms part of the Trans Pennine Trail
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), to provide a through route to Manchester, and Warrington Arpley
Warrington Arpley railway station
Warrington Arpley railway station was a station located on the south side of Wilson Patten Street, Warrington, England at the junction of St Helens Railway and Warrington and Stockport Railway. It opened on the 1 May 1854; and it closed to passengers on 5 September 1958. Both railways were absorbed...
on the St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway
St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway
St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway, later known as St Helens Railway, was an early railway company in Lancashire, England, which opened in 1833. It ran originally from the town of St Helens to the area which would later develop into the town of Widnes. Branches were opened to Garston, Warrington...
providing a link with 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...
.
A bill to build an extension, designed by Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey was an English civil engineering contractor and manufacturer of building materials who was responsible for building much of the world's railways in the 19th century. By 1847, he had built about one-third of the railways in Britain, and by time of his death in 1870 he had built one...
, to Stockport was authorised on the 4 August 1853 also renamed the railway company to the Warrington and Stockport Railway.
The Warrington and Stockport Railway (W&SR) was opened on 1 November 1853 from a temporary station at Wilderspool in Warrington to a station at Altrincham which later became Broadheath
Broadheath railway station
Broadheath railway station was a station that served Broadheath and the northern part of Altrincham in Cheshire, England between its opening in 1853 and closure in 1962.-Station construction, opening and ownership:...
. Delays in the delivery of iron work for the bridges over the Mersey
Mersey
Mersey may refer to:* River Mersey, in northwest England* Mersea Island, off the coast of Essex in England * Mersey River in the Australian state* Electoral division of Mersey in the state of Tasmania, Australian...
and Bridgewater Canal
Bridgewater Canal
The Bridgewater Canal connects Runcorn, Manchester and Leigh, in North West England. It was commissioned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, to transport coal from his mines in Worsley to Manchester...
meant that the line was initially isolated from the rest of the railway network. The line was opened throughout from 1 May 1854 although passenger trains terminated at Broadheath until the W&SR and MSJAR could agree on charges for passengers travelling beyond there to Manchester via Timperley.
A link with Stockport was achieved when the Stockport, Timperley and Altrincham Junction Railway (ST&AJ) opened its line on 1 February 1866 from Broadheath Junction on the W&SR to Skelton Junction
Skelton Junction
Skelton Junction is a complex of railway junctions to the south of Manchester in Timperley, near Altrincham. Both the Cheshire Lines Committee's Liverpool to Manchester line and the LNWR's Warrington and Altrincham Junction Railway fed into the junction from Liverpool in the west...
on the newly opened line from Deansgate Junction to Stockport.
The LNWR
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
operated the line from opening and on 1 January 1861 bought it. On 9 July 1893 the line was re-routed to allow for the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
, which would open in 1894, the canal being crossed by the high level Latchford Viaduct.
Passenger trains on the line ended on 10 September 1962. The line to the east of Latchford closed completely on 7 July 1985. The line was still busy at this time but extensive (and costly) repairs would have been needed to the Latchford Viaduct for continued operation - these were deemed not to be economically justifiable given that the remaining traffic could be diverted via alternative routes.
The trackbed between Latchford and Broadheath now forms part of the Trans Pennine Trail
Trans Pennine Trail
The Trans Pennine Trail is a long distance path running from coast to coast across northern England entirely on surfaced paths and using only gentle gradients ....
Stations
- Warrington Arpley railway stationWarrington Arpley railway stationWarrington Arpley railway station was a station located on the south side of Wilson Patten Street, Warrington, England at the junction of St Helens Railway and Warrington and Stockport Railway. It opened on the 1 May 1854; and it closed to passengers on 5 September 1958. Both railways were absorbed...
- Latchford railway stationLatchford railway stationThe first station was called Latchford and Grappenhall Road and opened in 1853 but closed in 1893 when a new alignment was opened in connection with the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal...
- Thelwall railway stationThelwall railway stationThelwall railway station was a station to the south of Stockport Road A56 road, Thelwall, England at the junction of St Helens Railway and Warrington and Stockport Railway. It opened on the 1 November 1853; and it closed to passengers on 17 September 1956...
- Lymm railway stationLymm railway stationLymm railway station was a station to the west of Whitebarrow Road, Lymm, England on the Warrington and Stockport Railway. It opened on the 1 November 1853; and it closed to passengers on 10 September 1962. The railway was absorbed by the LNWR. The station was on the southern most railway line...
- Heatley & Warburton railway stationHeatley & Warburton railway stationHeatley & Warburton railway station was located in Heatley near Warburton, Greater Manchester. It opened in 1854 and closed in 1962.-Construction and opening:...
- Dunham Massey railway stationDunham Massey railway stationDunham Massey railway station served the village of that name between 1854 and closure in 1962.-Construction and opening:The Warrington and Altrincham Junction Railway built its railway line from Warrington Arpley via Latchford and Lymm to Skelton Junction near Altrincham during 1852/53 and...
- Broadheath railway stationBroadheath railway stationBroadheath railway station was a station that served Broadheath and the northern part of Altrincham in Cheshire, England between its opening in 1853 and closure in 1962.-Station construction, opening and ownership:...