Manchester Oxford Road railway station

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Oxford Road railway station" redirects here. For the former halt on the Varsity line, see Oxford
Road Halt railway station.

Manchester Oxford Road

The Grade-II listed timber facade of the station

Location

Place

Manchester city centre

Local authority

City of Manchester
53.4739N 2.2422WCoordinates:

Coordinates

53.4739N 2.2422W

Grid reference

SJ840974
Operations

Station code
Managed by

MCO
Northern Rail
Network Rail (from 2016)

Number of platforms 5
DfT category

C1

Live arrivals/departures, station information andonward connections

from National Rail Enquiries

Annual rail passenger usage*

2004/05
2005/06

0.562 million
0.625 million

2006/07

4.331[1] million

2007/08

1.249[1] million

2008/09

5.212[1] million

2009/10

6.650 million

2010/11

7.116 million

2011/12

7.077 million

2012/13

7.149 million

2013/14

7.555 million
Passenger Transport Executive

PTE

Greater Manchester
History

Original company

Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham

Railway

Pre-grouping

Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham

Railway

Post-grouping

Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham

Railway

20 July 1849

Opened

1960

Rebuilt
National Rail UK railway stations
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* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial

year(s) which end or originate at Manchester Oxford Road from Office of Rail and
Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.

UK Railways portal

Manchester Oxford Road railway station is an elevated railway station in the city
centre of Manchester, England, at the junction of Whitworth Street West and Oxford Street. It
opened in 1849 and was rebuilt in 1960. Historically a station for local services, it has undergone
redevelopment in recent years and is the second busiest station in the Manchester station group.
The station serves the southern part of Manchester city centre, the University of
Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, and is on the most-served bus route in
Europe. It has a ticket office, waiting rooms, automatic ticket gates, toilets, a buffet and a
newsagent. It stands on a line from Manchester Piccadilly westwards towards Warrington Bank
Quay, Chester, Llandudno, Liverpool, Preston and Blackpool. Eastbound trains go beyond
Piccadilly to Crewe, Leeds, Sheffield and other towns in Northern England.

The station is notable for its laminated wood structures and was Grade II listed in 1995. English
Heritage describes it as a "building of outstanding architectural quality and technological interest;
one of the most dramatic stations in England."[2] The station will undergo major renovation from
2016 as part of the Northern Hub plan, and its management is expected to be taken over
by Network Rail.[3]
The station's cats help prevent problems caused by pigeons, rats and mice and are popular with
passengers and regular commuters. They have been described as the "most photographed" cats
in Manchester.[4]
Contents
[hide]

1 History
o

1.1 Future

2 Architecture

3 Service pattern

4 References

5 External links

History[edit]
The station was opened as Oxford Road on 20 July 1849 by the Manchester, South Junction and
Altrincham Railway (MSJAR).[5] The station was the headquarters of the MSJAR from its opening
until 1904. It had two platforms and two sidings, with temporary wooden buildings. To allow for
extra trains in connection with the Manchester Art Treasures Exhibition in 1857, extra platforms
and sidings were built. In 1874 the station was completely rebuilt providing two bay platforms and
three through platforms. Further reconstruction took place during 1903-04. From 1931 it was
served by the MSJAR's 1500V DC electric trains between Altrincham andManchester Piccadilly.
From July 1959, Altrincham electric trains were cut back from Piccadilly to terminate at Oxford
Road in two new bay platforms. The station's other lines were re-electrified at 25 kV AC. The
whole station was again rebuilt and reopened on 12 September 1960. When Manchester Central
railway station closed in 1969, further rebuilding took place: one of the bay platforms was taken
out of use and a new through platform provided (platform 1), the others being renumbered
accordingly. The track layout was changed so that there were four through and one bay
platforms. In 1971 the Altrincham line was re-electrified at 25 kV AC and the 1930s DC trains
withdrawn; from then on, local trains from Altrincham ran through to Piccadilly and on to Crewe.
Oxford Road thus became predominantly a through station.
Use of the station increased from May 1988 when the Windsor Link was inaugurated between
Deansgate and Salford Crescent, connecting lines to the north and south of Manchester. This led
to further investment in the station, including the installation of computer screens.
In 1992 the station's original raison d'etre as the terminus for Altrincham disappeared when the
Altrincham line stopping service was converted to light rail operation for the Manchester
Metrolink. Oxford Road, once served almost entirely by suburban stopping trains, now has many
more longer-distance services.
The station, a Grade II listed structure, requires frequent maintenance. In 2004 the station roof
was partially refurbished to prevent leaking. In 2011, facilities such as platform shelters, seats and
toilets were refurbished at a cost of 500,000.[6] In 2013 the station received a 1.8 million
renovation to improve access, including lifts and an emergency exit. [7]

Future[edit]
In the Northern Hub plans, the platforms will be extended to allow use by longer trains. The bay
platform will be removed to allow the other platforms to be extended. [8]

Architecture[edit]

Manchester Oxford Road station platforms with the distinctive canopies

The station had become dilapidated by the 1950s, and in connection with the electrification and
modernisation programme of the Manchester to London line in 1960, the old buildings were
replaced by the current structure by architects W.R. Headley and Max Glendinning and structural
engineer Hugh Tottenham. It was designed in a distinctive style in concrete and wood with curves
bringing to mind the Sydney Opera House.
The station is a grade II listed building. In Pevsner's Architectural Guide - Manchester it is
described as
One of the most interesting and innovative buildings of the period ... the most ambitious example
in this country of timber conoid shell roofing.
Clare Hartwell, Pevsner's Architectural Guide - Manchester, p.36
and
One of the most remarkable and unusual stations in the country both for the architectural form
and the technological interest...it is the most dramatic and it is an important example of the
deployment of timber to achieve large roof spans incorporating clerestory lighting.
Clare Hartwell, Pevsner's Architectural Guide - Manchester, p.178
The choice of timber was forced by the weak viaduct on which the station is situated; anything
heavier could have compromised its structural strength. The station has three overlapping conoid
structures although they are only viewable from above. The light conoid roofs allow for a columnfree interior space, maximising space and reducing load. [9]
Despite its architectural acclaim, the structure began to deteriorate within ten years. The roof
started to leak and for years the station's platform buildings were encased in scaffolding and
other metalwork (partially to support the structure and prevent material falling on the platforms
and passengers). Partial remedial refurbishment was completed in 2004.