Dawg
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I haven't seen the former Exchange site for some time - so it's completely gone?
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Manchester Victoria - room/need for expansion?
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Xenophon PCDGS
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In the supposedly used words from the Startrek series, with my added apology:-
"It's Manchester Exchange, Jim, but not as we know it"
Bullfield WEst
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I passed the site today. It is one enormous hole in the ground.
So it's farewell Manchester Exchange.
I've never walked your platforms, neither have I ever climbed into a compartment under your cool arched trainshed.
Yet, your footbridge was like a tantalizing portal into a different age. Something to stir the interest on a trip from Victoria. I shall miss you.
I've never walked your platforms, neither have I ever climbed into a compartment under your cool arched trainshed.
Yet, your footbridge was like a tantalizing portal into a different age. Something to stir the interest on a trip from Victoria. I shall miss you.
If you'd ever had to dash from its platform 3 to Victoria's platform 11 with two heavy suitcases, dodging barrows laden with mailbags and parcels, you might not be waxing quite so lyrically!
andyb2706
Member
If you'd ever had to dash from its platform 3 to Victoria's platform 11 with two heavy suitcases, dodging barrows laden with mailbags and parcels, you might not be waxing quite so lyrically!
An interesting feature of the two stations was that there was no normal facility for running passenger trains from a platform at Exchange to a platform at Victoria. In the opposite direction it could be achieved by normal signalled moves along the lengths of Platform 11 & Platform 11 (Middle) at Victoria and Platform 3 at Exchange.
There is often doubt as to whether trains were ever scheduled to call at both Victoria and Exchange. To set the record straight this did occur. Reference to the London Midland timetable dated Sept. 25th 1950 shows three Sunday trains from the east (635am Leeds City to Liverpool Lime Street; 828am Scarborough Central to Manchester Exchange & 440pm Leeds City to Manchester Exchange) making calls at both Victoria and Exchange. This arrangement is explicitly confirmed by a footnote.
If you'd ever had to dash from its platform 3 to Victoria's platform 11 with two heavy suitcases, dodging barrows laden with mailbags and parcels, you might not be waxing quite so lyrically!
Nor if you had to trudge out to the Turnback siding at 5am in the January rain knowing there would probably be tramps sleeping under the bridge footsteps!
Also it got dangerously iced over in the freezing weather, and the steps on the old platform 11 side were overgrown with buddleia so thick in the summer you felt like David Attenborough.
That's interesting. Thank you.
Certainly, back in the day, a journey from Halifax to North Wales always involved a trek along platform 11, unless you could catch the one, dated holiday train from Bradford to Llandudno.
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Dawg
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Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
Oh to have been around in 1957...
In the immortal words of Max Boyce....."I was there".
In 1957, I was 12 years of age and was often making rail journeys from both Manchester Exchange station and Manchester Victoria station.
If you'd ever had to dash from its platform 3 to Victoria's platform 11 with two heavy suitcases, dodging barrows laden with mailbags and parcels, you might not be waxing quite so lyrically!
I'll wager it wasn't as tortuous as a four minute connection from platform 1 to platform 17A at Leeds - including either the worlds slowest lift or a long diversion in the opposite direction along platform 16
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The next poet laureate?
I'll happily take the annual barrel of plonk
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Indeed - it would have been nice to be able to get a train direct to Leigh as well !
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Viscount702
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So was I. I remember making a trip from Exchange to North Wales. Not sure when but prior to 1959
Dawg
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A fortunate man, Paul; I was only born in '71 and missed everything... Did you take many photos of the NW network in the late '50's early/mid '60's before Ernest Marples right hand man, Beeching got his mittens on the controls?
Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
In those days, much to my eternal regret, not even as much (or little as may be the case) as a Kodak Brownie 127 was ever found upon my personage, but usually a bag of sports equipment was...
I was also there and have similar regrets regarding a having a camera, never mind one to hand, at that early part of my life.
I also have a picture in my mind of at least two of the first TransPennine DMUs in their later years and shortened to four cars, stabled in those bays at Exchange.
I also have a picture in my mind of at least two of the first TransPennine DMUs in their later years and shortened to four cars, stabled in those bays at Exchange.
table38
Established Member
Track diagram of former Exchange and Victoria (including Victoria Platform 17) here: http://www.table38.steamrailways.com/images/Exchange-Victoria.jpg
Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
On this track diagram, you can clearly see the line from the east running into the fish dock on the other side of the retaining wall to platform 1, but there appears to be quite a lengthy back-shunt line running from there under the bridge on Cheetham Hill Road. Does anyone know why this should be the length it appears to be.
table38
Established Member
I just noticed the "Overhead Electric Traveller" which runs in a loop from the New Bridge Street entrance right down to Platform 1 and back via 17 - I'd love to find out a bit more about that!
Sir Felix Pole
Established Member
http://www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=Horwich&objid=1997-7059_HOR_F_2709
http://www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=Horwich&objid=1997-7059_HOR_F_3665
http://images.manchester.gov.uk/web/objects/common/webmedia.php?irn=59892&reftable=ecatalogue&refirn=60662
Two shots of the overhead luggage carrier - third shot shows the 'track'.
Destroyed in 'Christmas Blitz' 22/23 Dec 1940.
http://www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=Horwich&objid=1997-7059_HOR_F_3665
http://images.manchester.gov.uk/web/objects/common/webmedia.php?irn=59892&reftable=ecatalogue&refirn=60662
Two shots of the overhead luggage carrier - third shot shows the 'track'.
Destroyed in 'Christmas Blitz' 22/23 Dec 1940.
table38
Established Member
Great pictures, many thanks!
Dawg
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Superb photos. Thank you.
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