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Three types of electrification on the Altrincham Line

Altrincham MSJ&AR units 1960s     Altrincham BR     Altrincham Metrolink     Brooklands 1960s     City Centre Metrolink     Metrolink Upgrades 2009

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Altrincham MSJ&AR units 1960s

Carriage Sidings 1968
View from Moss Lane near the bridge. The gantry sign reads “MEN ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE COACH ROOFS THIS SIDE OF THIS STRUCTURE”. For a short distance the ex–Cheshire Lines Committee route to Chester, swinging away to the left, was electrified at 1500V DC. This section, platforms 3 & 4 and the carriage sidings were not converted to 25kV AC.
Photo – J. D. Darby
Station 1968
View from Moss Lane, showing both station and site of former Goods Yard. A 3–car unit waits at platform 1. Altrincham South Signal Box, on platform 4, was closed during 1968.
Photo – J. D. Darby
Station 1968
BR blue livery unit with full yellow end panel running into platform 1.
Photo – J. D. Darby
Station 1968
A unit in BR blue, including motor coach M28578, stands in platform 1. Note the plain panels of the electrical equipment compartment.
Photo – J. D. Darby

Altrincham BR units 1971 to 1991

Ex-Glasgow Blue Train 303 048
Approaching Altrincham from Navigation Road in February or March 1985.
From Wikipedia:
This unit was returned to Glasgow and retained in unrefurbished condition for special trains. It had been intended to preserve this unit, but due to asbestos contamination it was subsequently scrapped.
Photo – Andrew Macfarlane
Ex-Glasgow Blue Train 303 082
At platform 1 in GMPTE livery   June or July 1986.
Photo – Andrew Macfarlane
Class 304 no. 036
Platform 1 at Altrincham; early morning on a Saturday in November or December 1988.
Photo – Andrew Macfarlane
Altrincham North signal box
Early morning view on a Saturday in November or December 1988.
After layout alterations for Metrolink in 1991; the line to Chester runs through the site of this box.
Photo – Andrew Macfarlane
Class 304 no. 014
At platform 1 on the last night of BR operation of the Altrincham line — 24th December 1991.
Photo – Andrew Macfarlane

Altrincham Metrolink 1992

Two T68s at Altrincham
The tram in platform 1 is showing Bury Direct so this will be before the opening of the branch to Piccadilly Undercroft. It could well be on the first day of public service on the Metrolink Altrincham line — 15th June 1992.
Photo – Andrew Macfarlane
Night time scene at Altrincham
A T68 awaiting departure on 27th October 1992. Note the old bookstall on the right.
Photo – John Robinson

Brooklands 1960s

Brooklands Signal Box 1960
Located at the south end of the Manchester bound platform. It closed on 1 February 1971, along with Warwick Road, Stretford, Mersey Bridge and Sale signal boxes. London Road Power Signal Box control was extended to Timperley, with Deansgate Junction as fringe SB.
Photo – J. D. Darby
Altrincham Train 1966
Front 3–car unit of a 6–car train. Platform lamp post, with totem name plate, was a gas light converted to an incandescent electric light fitting. Fluorescent tube type platform lights were subsequently installed, not necessarily in the same places.
Photo – J. D. Darby
Platform View 1960
The passengers waiting and the shadow positions suggest that this picture was taken around 10am (GMT)
Photo – J. D. Darby

City Centre Metrolink 1992

Tram 1010 on 17th July 1992
Flying the Royal Standard on the ramp alongside G–Mex
After formally opening Metrolink, the Queen travelled on this tram from St Peter’s Square to Bury.
Photo – Andrew Macfarlane
Tram 1008 on 17th July 1992
At the foot of the G-Mex ramp. This was the standby tram for the Royal Opening of Metrolink. 1008 was standing behind tram 1010 in image above.
Photo – Andrew Macfarlane

Metrolink Upgrades 2009

Altrincham Level Access Route 2009
Platform 1 has been shortened slightly and a level access route to platforms 2 and 3 built.
Photo – D. Walton
Old Trafford 2009
Alongside Lancashire County Cricket Ground, on the site of former slow lines and sidings and south of the new track level foot crossing, a new 120 metre long platform with match & event day gated queuing system.
Photo – D. Walton
Timperley lifts & stairs 2009
Lifts were provided on conversion to Metrolink. The concrete stairs replaced the old railway style stairs and footbridge in 2001. In 2009 the British Rail 25kV overhead line equipment was replaced by that shown in the picture. The two additional parallel feeders per track were retained. A short shelter was installed along with the longer one on the inbound platform.
Photo – D. Walton
Timperley large shelter 2009
This replaced the old railway style shelter on the inbound platform.
Photo – D. Walton

Text including captions by Tony Williams.
Thanks to Andrew Macfarlane for information about the 1980s and 1990s pictures.