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Significant Dates in the History of the MSJ&AR Line

Map of MSJAR line (37.5KB)
1845 to 1923
21 July 1845Manchester South Junction & Altrincham Railway Act of Incorporation gets Royal Assent.
28 May 1849First train on Altrincham Branch (Oxford Road Altrincham and return) — carrying Company Officials and builders.
2 July 1849First train on South Junction Line (London Road – Ordsall Lane – Castlefield Junction – Altrincham – Manchester) carrying Company Officials and builders.
20 July 1849First Passenger trains 0800 from both Oxford Road and Altrincham stations. Intermediate stations at Old Trafford, Edge Lane, Sale and Timperley opened.
1 August 1849London Road – Oxford Road and Castlefield Junction – Ordsall Lane opened
20/2/3 September 1849Altrincham – Bowdon opened.
1 June 1856Cornbrook station opened.
1857Exhibition station in use.
1 December 1859Brooklands station opened.
31 May 1865Cornbrook station closed.
1869Exhibition station in use.
3 April 1881Altrincham & Bowdon station opened between Altrincham and Bowdon stations which closed.
16 May 1882New MSJ&AR island platform opened at London Road station.
1887Exhibition station in use.
1 January 1923Grouping. Joint ownership of MSJ&AR passes to LMS and LNER.

1928 to 1991 — Electric Railway
1928LMS/LNER Joint Committee recommends MSJ&AR be electrified.
Ministry of Transport "Pringle & Weir" Committee recommends 1500 V dc electrification as standard.
11 May 19311500 V dc electric operation London Road – Altrincham & Bowdon commences. Warwick Road station opened for daily use.
20 July 1931Dane Road and Navigation Road stations opened.
1 January 1948MSJ&AR becomes part of British Railways (London Midland Region).
15 September 19581500 V dc electrics terminate at Oxford Road.
12 September 196025 kV ac electric operation London Road – Oxford Road commences. London Road station renamed Manchester Piccadilly.
1 February 1971Warwick Road, Stretford, Mersey Bridge, Sale and Brooklands signal boxes closed.
30 April 1971Last day of 1500 V dc electric operation Altrincham & Bowdon – Oxford Road.
3 May 1971First day of 25 kV ac electric operation Altrincham – Oxford Road.
July 1991Altrincham North and Navigation Road signal boxes closed, part of preparations for Metrolink.
24 December 1991Last day of 25 kV ac electric operation Altrincham – Oxford Road.

1992 to 2020 — Metrolink, into the city centre and beyond
5 January 1992Altrincham line disconnected from BR at Cornbrook.
15 June 1992First day of Metrolink 750 V dc electric operation Altrincham–Manchester.
20 July 1999MSJ&AR 150th Anniversary plaque unveiled at Altrincham station.
August 2009Level access between Altrincham platforms 1 and 2 created.
August 2009New auto–tensioned catenary and contact wires installed, replacing BR 25kV overhead lines.
21 December 2009Official launch event for M5000 trams.
26 May 2014Farewell tour for T68s, Greater Manchester’s iconic trams.
19 October 2014New station footbridge in use (initially between platforms 1 and 4).
9 November 2014Altrincham station booking office becomes TfGM Travelshop; also sells full range of rail tickets.
7 December 2014New and brighter bus interchange in use; built on site of 1970s bus interchange.
20 October 2015Altrincham footbridge lifts working.
26 February 2017Metrolink second cross city line in use
10 December 2017Ordsall Chord main line railway opened
22 March 2020Metrolink Trafford Park line opened

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