Place Ashton-under-Lyne Station code AHN DfT category E Number of platforms 2 | Grid reference SJ938993 Managed by Northern 2011/12 0.581 million | |
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Address Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 6JP, United Kingdom Original company Ashton, Stalybridge and Liverpool Junction Railway Pte Transport for Greater Manchester Similar Stalybridge railway station, Flowery Field railway st, Guide Bridge railway st, Mossley railway station, Hyde North railway station | ||
Ashton under lyne railway station
Ashton-under-Lyne railway station serves Ashton-under-Lyne, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the Huddersfield Line 6½ miles (10 km) east of Manchester Victoria and is operated by Northern. It is the only station between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge.
Contents
The station is a short walk from Ashton-under-Lyne bus station and Ashton-under-Lyne tram stop which opened in 2013, and is served by trams to Droylsden, Manchester, and Eccles.
History
The station, known originally as Ashton, was opened by the Ashton, Stalybridge and Liverpool Junction Railway (AS&LJR) on 13 April 1846. The AS&LJR was absorbed by the Manchester and Leeds Railway in 1847, which was then renamed the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (LYR). The LYR renamed it Ashton (Charlestown) in 1874. The LYR amalgamated with the London and North Western Railway at the start of 1922, and these in turn amalgamated with several other companies on 1 January 1923, to form the London, Midland and Scottish Railway during the 1923 Grouping. It then passed to the London Midland Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948. It was renamed Ashton-under-Lyne on 6 May 1968.
When Sectorisation was introduced in the 1980s, the station was served by Regional Railways under arrangement with the Greater Manchester PTE until the Privatisation of British Railways. Usage at this time was relatively low and trains called only rarely (see BR timetable 1974, 1975 et seq.). The train service was not regular and in essence operated at peak times only.
Other stations in Ashton
There were once three stations in the town: Charlestown, Park Parade and Oldham Road. Also, Guide Bridge, a few miles away, was known as Ashton & Hooley Hill and then Ashton in its earliest years.
Charlestown Station — the present Ashton-under-Lyne station — was owned by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, who ran services between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge. The London and North Western Railway also ran services along the line, most only calling at Ashton and Stalybridge before continuing to Leeds. The station once sported a large booking hall, where the car park is currently, as well as a substantial canopy.
Park Parade Station was located on the Guide Bridge–Stalybridge line; the only remains of the station is the "Station Inn", a short stroll away.
Oldham Road Station was located on the line to Oldham (originally owned by the Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge Railway), which continued to Park Bridge before reaching Clegg Street, Oldham.
Facilities
Ashton-under-Lyne station consists of a single island platform, accessible via a ramp from the underpass at street level, it is wheelchair accessible and also has a passenger lift. This was installed due to the 1-in-8 gradient between street level and platform level Facilities of the station include a waiting room, ticket desk, wheelchair-accessible toilet and a hot-drinks vending machine.
Services
Monday to Saturdays, there are regular links (currently two trains per hour, though not at even intervals) from Ashton-under-Lyne to and from Manchester Victoria westbound and to Stalybridge eastbound during daytime hours (reduced from three per hour since the May 2014 timetable change). One Stalybridge train each hour continues through to Huddersfield and one Manchester-bound service to Wigan Wallgate (with some peak period extensions to Southport). Passengers can also change at Stalybridge onto TransPennine Express services to Leeds, York and Scarborough.
During the evenings and on Sundays there is an hourly service to both Manchester Victoria and Huddersfield.