Stockport to Stalybridge Line

The Stockport to Stalybridge Line is a short railway line in Greater Manchester, running from Stockport north east to Stalybridge. Although it once received a frequent service, for over a decade it has been served by a single train run by Northern Rail, once a week in one direction.

This minimal service, termed a parliamentary train for historical reasons, is often seen in the case of this line as to avoid the official procedures involved in terminating the passenger service. In this case, the re-routing of Trans-Pennine express services from Leeds and points east to Manchester Piccadilly from Manchester Victoria in May 1989 removed the main reason for its existence. Following the changeover, passengers who formerly used the Stalybridge - Stockport shuttle to avoid the need to change stations in Manchester (if heading from Yorkshire to Stockport and beyond or vice-versa) could travel via Manchester Piccadilly and change there instead. Ironically the northern part of the route (from Guide Bridge to Stalybridge) is now busier than ever, as it is used by the re-routed express services between Leeds & 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:
 * Stockport
 * Reddish
 * Denton
 * Guide Bridge
 * Stalybridge

This service operates on a Friday morning, leaving Stockport at 10:13 and arriving at Stalybridge at 10.35 (with the headcode 2J45 ).

Creation
The line was built by the Manchester and Birmingham Railway, at around the time of its merger into the London and North Western Railway. The contract was let to John Brogden and Sons in October 1845.

Closure
Network Rail, in their Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) 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 (closure notices, dealing with objections, etc.) would be greater than the costs of operating the weekly service (Network Rail, in their North Western RUS, noted that the cost of each trip was just £96). The line itself would have remained open for freight and diverted passenger workings. The threat was withdrawn, possibly temporarily, in May 2007 when GMPTE suggested it was to support three trains per hour between Stockport and Manchester Victoria.

Grand Union, a new open access train operating company, had proposed using the line for passenger services between London and Bradford via the West Coast Main Line, using Guide Bridge station as a stop. These proposals have since been withdrawn, however another company Alliance Rail, proposed a similar service from London to Leeds calling at Stockport and Stalybridge.