Bury Line The Bury Line originally operated as a heavy rail route. The earliest section of the line, between Radcliffe and Bury, opened in 1846 under the East Lancashire Railway (ELR), running from Manchester Victoria to Bury Bolton Street via Salford, Clifton Junction, and Radcliffe, before continuing north to Rawtenstall. The ELR later became part of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) in 1859. The remainder of the modern Bury Line opened in 1879. To serve the rapidly growing suburbs of Cheetham Hill, Prestwich, and Whitefield, the L&YR obtained powers in 1872 to build a new route connecting Manchester with the original ELR line at Radcliffe. Construction began in 1876 and was completed three years later. Initially, the route featured five intermediate stations: Crumpsall, Heaton Park, Prestwich, Whitefield, and Radcliffe. Additional stations at Woodlands Road, Bowker Vale, and Besses o’ th’ Barn were added later. Due to growing competition from trams, the route was electrified in 1916 using a unique 1200V DC side-contact third rail system. This unusual system remained in service until conversion to Manchester Metrolink in 1991. From 1959 until closure, services were operated by British Rail Class 504 EMUs, which became synonymous with the route. The line also saw one of its most notable incidents in August 1953 with the Irk Valley Junction rail crash near Manchester Victoria. The accident caused ten fatalities and 58 injuries after an electric train passed a danger signal and collided with a steam train, sending the front carriage into the River Irk. In 1980, the original Bury Bolton Street station closed and was replaced by the more centrally located Bury Interchange. The original station survives today as part of the East Lancashire Railway heritage line. Altrincham Line The Altrincham Line also began as a heavy rail route, originally operated by the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJ&AR). Opened in 1849, it connected Altrincham with Manchester London Road station, now known as Manchester Piccadilly. Some services also ran into Manchester Central via Cornbrook. As tram competition increased, the line was electrified in 1931 using a 1,500V DC overhead system. This significantly modernised operations and improved service efficiency. In 1958, services were shortened to terminate at Manchester Oxford Road after the section between Oxford Road and Piccadilly was re-electrified at 25kV AC. By the late 1960s, the original 1,500V DC system had become outdated, with both infrastructure and rolling stock reaching the end of their operational lives. To address this, British Rail converted the route to the standard 25kV AC overhead system in 1971. At the same time, the ageing fleet was replaced by British Rail Class 304 EMUs. These units would operate the route until conversion to Manchester Metrolink in 1991. Oldham Loop Line The Oldham Loop Line diverged from the Caldervale Line at Thorpes Bridge Junction in Newton Heath, Manchester, before rejoining near Rochdale at Rochdale East Junction. The route measured 12⅛ miles (19.5 km) in length. It was double track between Thorpes Bridge Junction and Shaw & Crompton, with the section onward to Rochdale operating as single track. Two tunnels existed between Oldham Werneth and Oldham Central, and the route included nine intermediate stations. During the early 1970s, the section between Shaw & Crompton and Rochdale was reduced to single-track operation as a cost-saving measure following service reductions. The branch from Royton to Royton Junction was earmarked for closure during the Beeching era. Royton closed to freight traffic in November 1964 and to passenger services in April 1966. Oldham Central also closed in April 1966. Royton Junction, later renamed Royton, remained open until the 1980s when a replacement station was planned. Derker opened in August 1985, and for a short period trains served both stations. Eventually, Royton station closed in May 1987, becoming the final station closure before the line’s conversion to Manchester Metrolink. Unlike the Bury and Altrincham lines, the Oldham Loop was never electrified. Passenger services were therefore operated entirely by diesel multiple units. The most common rolling stock in its final years included British Rail Class 142 Pacers and Class 150 Sprinters, with occasional appearances from Class 153 and Class 156 units. Route Maps Rolling Stock Class 504 (Bury Line) Class 304 (Altrincham Line) Class 142 (Oldham Loop Line) Class 150 (Oldham Loop Line) (1 year before closure)
