The Stockport–Stalybridge line is a railway line in Greater Manchester, England, running from northeast to, via Guide Bridge. The line is today mostly used by freight and empty stock workings, although it once had a frequent passenger service; since 1992, it has been served by a single train run by Northern, now once a week in both directions, usually a Pacer. This minimal service, termed a parliamentary train for historical reasons, avoids the official procedures of terminating a passenger service. The re-routeing of TransPennine Express services from to station and in May 1989 removed the main reason for its passenger service, with passengers who formerly used the Stalybridge–Stockport shuttle avoiding the need to change stations in Manchester, travelling via Manchester Piccadilly and changing there instead. The service was initially reduced to five trains per day but, by 1992, had been cut to its present minimal level. The northern part of the route is now used by the re-routed express services between Leeds and Manchester Piccadilly. The scarcity of services on the line has led to it becoming popular with rail enthusiasts, as well as real ale connoisseurs visiting the station buffet at Stalybridge. The line serves the following places:
Congestion around Guide Bridge led to the LNWR building a new line to avoid Guide Bridge station. Known as the Stalybridge Junction Railway, it ran from Denton Junction, then under the MS&LR main line east of Guide Bridge, and then ran parallel to the existing Guide Bridge-Stalybridge line, before joining the main line again just west of Stalybridge station. As well as relieving congestion, it also had the advantage of allowing LNWR trains to bypass MS&LR tracks altogether. The line was completed in 1893, with stations at and. A local Stockport-Stalybridge passenger service ran on this line until 25 September 1950. The line was closed completely in 1968 and was dismantled in the early 1970s. As it ran mostly on brick viaducts, which have since been demolished, little physical trace now remains of the line.
Closure proposal
, in their Route Utilisation Strategy for the North West, proposed closure of Reddish South and Denton stations and withdrawal of the remaining passenger service. The report noted however that the cost of withdrawing the service would be greater than the costs of operating the weekly service. The line itself would have remained open for empty stock transfers, freight and diverted passenger workings. The threat was withdrawn in May 2007, possibly temporarily, when GMPTE suggested it was to support three trains per hour between Stockport and Manchester Victoria. In September 2006, Grand Central, an open access train operating company, had proposed using the line for passenger services between London Euston and Bradford Interchange via the West Coast Main Line, using Stockport, Guide Bridge and Stalybridge stations as a stop. These proposals were withdrawn in August 2008.
Metrolink proposal
It has been proposed that the line become a part of the Manchester Metrolink network.
Service
This service previously operated on a Friday morning, leaving Stockport at 09:22 and arriving at Stalybridge at 09:42. In the 20 May 2018 timetable changes, Northern introduced a second journey on the line, as well as shifting the day of operation to Saturday. The first train departs Stalybridge at 08:46 to arrive into Stockport at 09:09, this train will have the reporting number 2J44. The train then makes a return journey leaving Stockport at 09:45 and arriving into Stalybridge at 10:06, with the original train reporting number, 2J45. These services operate every Saturday from 26 May 2018, instead of Fridays as in previous years, and will call at the intermediate stations on both journeys. This means that Reddish South and Denton are now receiving two passenger services per week in the timetable for the first time since 1992.
