Salford Central railway station is in the city of Salford, Greater Manchester, England, close to Spinningfields and Deansgate. It is served by trains to and from Manchester Victoria, towards Rochdale and Wigan Wallgate.
Salford Central  | |||||
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 The station platforms in June 2023 after refurbishment | |||||
| General information | |||||
| Location | Salford, City of Salford England | ||||
| Coordinates | 53°28′58″N 2°15′21″W / 53.48278°N 2.25583°W | ||||
| Grid reference | SJ831984 | ||||
| Managed by | Northern Trains | ||||
| Transit authority | Transport for Greater Manchester | ||||
| Platforms | 2 | ||||
| Other information | |||||
| Station code | SFD | ||||
| Classification | DfT category E | ||||
| History | |||||
| Original company | Manchester, Bolton and Bury Railway | ||||
| Pre-grouping | Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway | ||||
| Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway | ||||
| Key dates | |||||
| 29 May 1838 | Opened as Salford | ||||
| April 1858 | Renamed Salford (New Bailey Street) | ||||
| August 1865 | Renamed Salford | ||||
| 3 October 1988 | Renamed Salford Central | ||||
| 2 January 2023 | Service suspended | ||||
| 4 June 2023 | Service resumed | ||||
| Passengers | |||||
| 2019/20 |  1.028 million | ||||
| 2020/21 |  0.137 million | ||||
| 2021/22 | 0.464 million | ||||
| 2022/23 | 0.527 million | ||||
| 2023/24 | 0.615 million | ||||
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History
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The railway station opened on 29 May 1838 as a terminus on the Manchester and Bolton Railway and was originally named Salford railway station.[1] In 1843, a connection to Manchester Victoria was built, carried on iron columns. The roof suffered from corrosion caused by the sulphurous emissions of locomotives passing through the station and one was replaced after only four years.[2] Between April 1858 and August 1865, to avoid confusion with Salford (Oldfield Rd),[3] the station was named Salford (New Bailey Street), after which it reverted to its original name of Salford.[1]
To avoid confusion with the newly built Salford Crescent station, in 1988 it was renamed Salford Central.[1] and two platforms fell out of use. For many years the station was served at peak times only.[4]
In the 2000s GMPTE commissioned a refurbishment designed by Austin-Smith:Lord involving a new glazed foyer at street level and step-free access from street to platforms,[5] however ramped access to the trains came in a subsequent renovation in 2023.
Location
editManchester city centre is accessible either on foot or by a short ride on public transport. Salford is also served by Salford Crescent railway station, close to the University of Salford and Salford Precinct. The £700m Middlewood Locks development will be served by Salford Central.[6]
Facilities
editThe ticket office is staffed from 06:25 to 19:35, six days per week (closed late evenings and on Sundays, so tickets must be purchased on the train at these times). The ticket hall is connected to the platforms via inclined ramps that are suitable for mobility-impaired users. There are shelters and snack/drink vending machines at platform level, along with timetable posters, digital display screens and automated announcements to provide train running information.[7]
Services
editThe station has a frequent service on weekdays and Saturdays (typically 5 tph each way), with all trains to and from Victoria calling here. Destinations served include Wigan Wallgate and Headbolt Lane (via Atherton) and Southport, Blackburn and Clitheroe (via Bolton) westbound, Leeds and Blackburn (via Todmorden), Rochdale and Stalybridge eastbound (some services also terminate at Victoria).[8]
The station was formerly closed on Sundays, but since the summer 2018 timetable change was introduced on 20 May all trains between Salford Crescent and Victoria now call here.
Services were suspended from this station on 2 January 2023 until Summer 2023 so Network Rail can carry out improvement works, raising the canopies and platforms due to accessibility issues,[9] as well as upgrading the track and the signalling system.[10][11]
Future development
editA Network Rail report suggests building platforms on the line to Liverpool (via Newton-le-Willows), the lines of which run through the station but are not provided with platforms.[12] This scheme has since been adopted by Transport for Greater Manchester and included in their Capital Works Programme for 2015–16 to 2020–21.[13] This will see an additional platform built and the old platforms 3 & 4 reopened, at a cost of £20.5 million and will allow Liverpool, Chester & Manchester Airport-bound trains (using the Ordsall Chord) to call here.[14]
All lines through the station have now been electrified and electric working on the Preston via Bolton route commenced on Monday 11 February 2019 utilising Class 319 Electric Multiple Units.
References
edit- ^ a b c Butt 1995, p. 204
- ^ Crookes 1874, p. 213
- ^ Railway Magazine September 1957 p. 615
- ^ British Railways Timetable 95, 1973
- ^ Station's £5 million transformation unveiled, GMPTE, 22 February 2008, archived from the original on 31 July 2012, retrieved 18 November 2008
- ^ "Middlewood Locks".
- ^ Salford Central station facilities National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 22 December 2016
- ^ Table 82 National Rail timetable, December 2022
- ^ "Platform leap is step too far for stretched Salford Central passengers". Manchester Evening News. 2 October 2010.
- ^ "Major £7.3m station overhaul for Salford Central passengers in 2023". Network Rail.
- ^ "Salford Central station closure". Northern Trains.
- ^ Route Utilisation Strategies (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 1 October 2008, retrieved 17 September 2008
- ^ Transport for Greater Manchester Greater Manchester Transport Plan 3 – Capital Programme 2015–16 to 2020–21 (PDF), retrieved 10 June 2016
- ^ "Salford Central Expansion". Seed Architects.
Bibliography
edit- Butt, R.V.J. (1995), The Directory of Railway Stations, Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd, ISBN 1-85260-508-1, R508
- Crookes, William, ed. (1874), "Proceedings of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, 7 April 1874", The Chemical News and Journal of Physical Science, XXIX (755), London: Henry Gillman
External links
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- Train times and station information for Salford Central railway station from National Rail
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Past, present and future
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| Preceding station |  National Rail
|
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salford Crescent | Northern Trains Manchester–Preston line |
Manchester Victoria | ||
| Northern Trains Ribble Valley line |
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| Northern Trains Manchester–Southport line |
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| Northern Trains Manchester–Headbolt Lane Mondays-Saturdays only |
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| Future services | ||||
| Deansgate | Northern Trains Ordsall Chord |
Manchester Victoria | ||
| Eccles | Northern Trains Liverpool–Manchester line |
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| Historical railways | ||||
| Oldfield Road Line open, station closed |
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Manchester and Bolton Railway |
Manchester Victoria Line and station open | ||