Salford Crescent railway station

Salford Crescent railway station is a railway station in Salford, Greater Manchester, England, opened by British Rail in 1987.

Salford Crescent

for University of Salford
National Rail
Salford Crescent railway station in 2014
General information
LocationSalford, City of Salford
England
Grid referenceSJ818988
Managed byNorthern Trains
Transit authorityGreater Manchester
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeSLD
ClassificationDfT category C2
History
Original companyBritish Rail
Key dates
11 May 1987 (1987-05-11)Station opened
Passengers
2018/19Increase 1.288 million
 Interchange Increase 0.630 million
2019/20Increase 1.442 million
 Interchange Decrease 0.516 million
2020/21Decrease 0.320 million
 Interchange Decrease 0.131 million
2021/22Increase 0.956 million
 Interchange Increase 0.284 million
2022/23Increase 1.121 million
 Interchange Decrease 0.245 million
Location
Map
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

The station is 1 mile (1.6 km) west of Salford Central, 1.75 miles (2.82 km) west of Manchester Victoria and 2.25 miles (3.62 km) west of Manchester Piccadilly. It consists of a single island platform with a ticket office and waiting room.

The station is near the University of Salford, between the Peel Park and Frederick Road Campus.

Salford Crescent is the point of a split in the Manchester–Preston line, with local services running on to Manchester Victoria and long-distance services going to Manchester Piccadilly (via the 1988 Windsor Link to Ordsall Lane Junction), and is also part of the line between Manchester and Southport, frequently being used as an interchange between the two lines. Manchester North signalling centre was formerly located at the station, prior to its closure in April 2015.[1][2] Ticket gates have been in operation at the station since 2016.

Services

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All services are operated by Northern Trains. As of December 2022, the typical weekday off-peak service is:[3]

Northbound

Southbound

Services are significantly reduced on Sundays, with 1 train per hour to each of Blackpool North, Southport, Clitheroe, Wigan North Western, Stalybridge, Blackburn via Manchester Victoria and Manchester Airport.

Engineering work on the heavily delayed Manchester–Preston line electrification project saw all weekend services here suspended (and replaced by buses) for much of 2017-18 (through trains being diverted via Eccles and the West Coast Main Line) - these blockades continued until November 2018. Electric services commenced on Monday 11 February 2019 utilising Class 319 electric multiple units.

Connecting bus routes

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Salford Crescent is served by Stagecoach Manchester's service 50, a cross-city bus service between East Didsbury and MediaCityUK.[4] Services 8, 31, 36, 37, 67 and 100 also stop outside the station and run to Manchester, terminating at either Piccadilly Gardens or Shudehill Interchange. Services also head towards Bolton, Eccles, Swinton, Pendlebury, Trafford Centre, Warrington and Farnworth.[5]

Improvements

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The station in 2010, prior to the improvement works.

In 2007, Network Rail recognised that Salford Crescent could not cope with existing passenger levels, leading to platform overcrowding.[6] It suggested expansion of the station with extra platforms, greater use of it as an interchange and use as a terminus for services from east of Manchester. It also raised the possibility of moving the station.

In 2012, improvement work started at the station, including platform extensions, a new rain canopy and the relocation of the ticket office to street level.[7] The works were completed in October 2013 and officially opened by Mayor of Salford, Ian Stewart.

On 25 May 2023, it was announced that a third platform would be added.[8][9]

Electrification

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The station in early 2018, undergoing electrification works
 
The station in early 2018, undergoing electrification works

Although it does not include the line via Atherton to Wigan, the main line connecting Manchester stations to Preston and Blackpool passing through Salford Crescent has been electrified. The physical-civil engineering work was hit by a number of delays which delayed its completion by two years.[10] The first electric test trains ran on the night of 13 December 2018,[11] and the first electric passenger services commenced in early February 2019, utilising Class 319 electric multiple units.

Facilities

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The station's ticket office is staffed throughout the week (06:30 to 21:45 weekdays and Saturdays, 09:10 to 16:00 on Sundays) and there is a self-service ticket machine in the booking hall. A waiting room, digital information screens and automated announcements are provided at platform level. Step-free access is via a lift from the road bridge and ticket hall (there is also a staircase to the platform).[12]

References

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  1. ^ "Signal Box History". walkdenstation.org.uk. Archived from the original on 24 June 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  2. ^ "Easter closure at Manchester Victoria for signalling transfer". Rail Technology Magazine. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Timetables". Northern Trains. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Stagecoach Bus - CityConnect-50". Stagecoach Manchester. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  5. ^ "Transport for Greater Manchester - Journey Planning - Network Maps". Transport for Greater Manchester. Archived from the original on 16 December 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  6. ^ Network Rail North West RUS Archived 1 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine Network Rail website; retrieved 2009-04-29
  7. ^ "£12m upgrade starts on overcrowded Salford Crescent station". Manchester Evening News. 16 October 2012.
  8. ^ Timan, Joseph (25 May 2023). "Plans for new Piccadilly platforms to solve Manchester rail chaos pulled". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Salford Crescent: Station upgrade and track revamp planned". BBC News. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  10. ^ Cox, Charlotte (11 January 2018). "Plans to electrify Manchester to Preston rail route delayed AGAIN". men. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  11. ^ "First electric test train passes through Bolton as upgrade nears completion"Network Rail, Media Centre press release 14 December 2018; Retrieved 20 December 2018
  12. ^ Salford Crescent station facilities National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 20 December 2016
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Preceding station     National Rail   Following station
Northern Trains
Stalybridge to Southport
Northern Trains
Kirkby to Blackburn via Manchester
Northern Trains
Leeds to Wigan Wallgate
Northern Trains
Northern Trains
Manchester Oxford Road to Southport
Northern Trains
Manchester Airport to Blackpool North

53°29′11″N 2°16′33″W / 53.48639°N 2.27583°W / 53.48639; -2.27583