Watching Manchester Railways in the 1980s

Until 1989, the British State ran the country's railways. David Rostance watched the trains come and go

David Rostance began taking railway photographs in 1963, initially with a Kodak Brownie 44A using size 127 film. His passion for railways continues. On these pages David has shared his fabulous photographs of British cities – London in the mid-1970s; Wolverhampton 1975-1985; and Birmingham 1976-1987 – and now we get to see trains around Manchester in the 1980s.

 

 

Manchester trains railways 1980s

Stockport Viaduct, July 1984
The street beneath is Heaton Lane and the pub is the Pineapple.

 

“I Graduated to 35mm in January 1965 using a Russian ‘Cosmic 35’ rangefinder followed, in early 1967, by a Zenit SLR,” he tells us. “My interest waned following the demise of BR steam in August 1968 but I returned to the hobby in 1975 when I bought a Pentax Spotmatic. This was replaced by a Pentax MX in 1978 which I used together with a Pentax K1000 on a frame until May 1990 when I purchased a second-hand medium format Mamiya 645. I tentatively took up digital photography in 2007 using a Pentax 10D while continuing to use the Mamiya as well until 2008. Since December 2009 I have been using a Canon 5D Mk.II. All photos are my own unless indicated otherwise.”

– David Rostance

 

Manchester Victoria, October 1986
Mail bags being loaded on to the 13.53 Scarborough – Liverpool Lime Street, headed by 47563, at Manchester Victoria on 4th October 1986.

Manchester trains railways 1980s

Brush Type 4 No. 47489 heads the 07.17 Harwich Parkestone Quay – Glasgow Central past Kearsley Junction on 5th January 1985.
Kearsley power station closed in 1980 and the five cooling towers, two of which are visible here, were demolished during the week of 14th May 1985. Kearsley Junction signal box was closed on 7th September 1986 and was destroyed in an arson attack a month later on the 7th October. The junction referred to in the name of the box was with the line to Linnyshaw Moss where there were colliery workings. The branch closed north of Kearsley Branch Sidings on the 15th August 1971 but the sidings remained in use until the CEGB power station branch closed in 1977.

Manchester trains railways 1980s

English Electric Type 4 No. 40082 passes Mottram yard with the ‘Humberside Envoy’, a Hull – Dinting enthusiasts special organised by the Humberside Locomotive Preservation Group on 14th April 1979.

 

Trains helped delivered Manchester’s once-booming manufacturing industry to the world. The Manchester Liverpool Road was the world’s first purpose-built passenger and goods railway station and served as the Manchester terminus on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway – the world’s first inter-city passenger railway. It is still extant and its buildings form part of the Museum of Science and Industry.

 

Manchester trains railways 1980s Manchester trains railways 1980s

Manchester trains railways 1980s

Kearsley Junction, January 1985.
I imagine that the incompliant exhaust resulted in the shots produced by my three colleagues ending up in the bin. I think, however, that there are sufficient ancillary features in this view to justify inclusion here. LNER Gresley Class A4 4-6-0 No. 4498 SIR NIGEL GRESLEY passes Kearsley Junction signal box with the Thames-Trent Express on 5th January 1985.

Manchester trains railways 1980s

Longsight, February 1984
English Electric Type 4 No. 40174 inside Longsight shed on 25th February 1984

Manchester trains railways 1980s

Manchester Red Bank Sidings, February 1984
It is a source of great sadness that the parcels and newspaper traffic, for which vehicles were provided here, has all been lost. Red Bank carriage sidings, Manchester, 25th February 1984

Manchester trains railways 1980s

Cheetham Hill Junction, February 1984
40155 runs into the DMU stabling point at Cheetham Hill Junction with 4M12 ex Perth empty newspaper vans prior to setting back into Red Bank carriage sidings. 25th February 1984.

Manchester trains railways 1980s

Type AL5 ac electric 85020 waits to leave Manchester Piccadilly with empty stock for Longsight carriage sidings on 23rd June 1984.

Manchester trains railways 1980s

Manchester trains railways 1980s Manchester trains railways 1980s

Manchester trains railways 1980s

Mossley, January 1987
BR Sulzer Type 4 No. 45128 rolls downhill towards Scout Tunnel with the 10:53 Scarborough – Holyhead on 17th January 1987. The spire of St. John’s church is visible on the skyline.

Manchester trains railways 1980s

Soon after leaving Manchester Victoria, BR Sulzer Type 4 No. 45105 heads the 07:10 Newcastle – Liverpool Lime Street past Ordsall Lane Junction on 7th February 1987.

Manchester trains railways 1980s

Manchester trains railways 1980s

40154 passes Hartshead power station on the climb from Stalybridge to Standedge with the 13:42 SO Llandudno – York on 14th July 1979.
The power station was opened in 1926 by the Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Transport and Electricity Board and was closed on 29th October 1979.

Manchester trains railways 1980s

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