Manchester Airport southern link lifted!

[CosherB]

When the second runway was being built at Manchester Airport in the late 1990s, stone for the foundations was delivered by rail direct to the site, and a short rail link to do this was laid from near Heald Green Juction on the mian airport spur, around the eastern and southern airport perimeters, to the begining of the new runway.

I was travelling by train today from the airport and noticed that the line has been lifted and the cutting where it joined the airport main line has been filled in.

Now I know the line has not been used since contruction of the runway was completed, but it's still sad to see a piece of railway scrapped. I did wonder if at some stage in the future it might have been the basis of a northern rail link from the WCML to the airport via the Mid Cheshire line at Mobberley. That dream has now gone.

CS

 

[Coradia]

Do you mean that single line that goes off to the left (travelling forward to the airport)? I remeber traveling down there in 06, and it had one of those flashing 'stop' signs on the track. I think the filling in has been pretty recent.

 

[adamp]

I think its recently been done due to the construction at the airport station.
Saw it all piled up last week, if its the right stuff.
Shame though
-Adam

 

[Guinness]

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&h...8799,-2.255877&spn=0.003144,0.006909&t=h&z=17

I believe that was going to be demolished to make way for a New Fire Station between the runways.

 

[1D53]

I think its recently been done due to the construction at the airport station.
Saw it all piled up last week, if its the right stuff.
Shame though
-Adam

its been lifted a couple of months now, filled using material from the construction of the new platform.

 

[Nym]

They have been going to lift that for ages, MAG hated that line and the securty risks it posed, anyone who can wander up the perminant way wold be able to get inbetween the runways, not a good idea. The line was started to be lifted months ago, I would have gotten photos of it being lifted, but I was always on my way to work so never had a camera on me to do it...