Middlewood railway station

Middlewood railway station serves the village of High Lane in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It is a stop on the Buxton Line between Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport and Buxton. The station is managed and served by Northern Trains; it is the last station on the line within the Transport for Greater Manchester ticketing area.

Middlewood
National Rail
The station in 2013
General information
LocationHigh Lane, Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
England
Grid referenceSJ945848
Managed byNorthern
Transit authorityTransport for Greater Manchester
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeMDL
ClassificationDfT category F2
History
Original companyLondon and North Western Railway
Key dates
2 June 1879 (1879-06-02)Opened as Middlewood for Norbury[1]
1 July 1899Renamed Middlewood for High Lane[1]
25 July 1951Renamed Middlewood Lower[1]
6 May 1968Renamed Middlewood[1]
Passengers
2018/19Increase 32,386
2019/20Decrease 30,876
2020/21Decrease 7,784
2021/22Increase 21,116
2022/23Decrease 18,758
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

There is no vehicular access to the station. Access is only by woodland paths, with the nearest road being some 870 yards (800 m) away. It is one of the three stations that provide access to the Middlewood Way rail trail.

History

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The station was opened in 1879 by the London and North Western Railway on the Stockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway, which they had acquired in 1866. The construction and opening of the station was concurrent with the construction and opening of the adjacent Middlewood Higher station on the Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway to provide an interchange for passengers wishing to travel between Macclesfield and Buxton with the two stations linked by a flight of steps.[2] Originally called Middlewood for Norbury, the station was renamed three times. In 1899, it became Middlewood for High Lane; then it was retitled Middlewood Lower in 1951, before becoming simply Middlewood in 1968.[1]

In July 2009, Poynton Town Council announced their intention to install a bicycle rack and improve signage in and around the station, partly funded with the aid of a grant from the High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership. These improvements were implemented, along with the installation of additional lighting, a new PA system and a Hearing Induction Loop.

 
Work to repair the 2016 landslip just past the station's platforms

In June 2016, a landslip at the station following heavy rain meant that all services were suspended between Hazel Grove and Buxton until 25 June. Parts of the track and platform were both affected.[3]

Service

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There is generally a two-hourly service in each direction, Mondays-Sundays; services run to Manchester Piccadilly northbound and to Buxton southbound. There are additional services at peak periods. Other trains pass through the station without stopping.[4][5]

Preceding station     National Rail   Following station
Northern Trains

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Quick, Michael (2022) [2001]. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (PDF). version 5.04. Railway & Canal Historical Society. p. 314. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2022.
  2. ^ Jeuda, Basil (1983). The Macclesfield, Bollington & Marple Railway: The Great Central and North Staffordshire Joint Railway. Eaton Press. pp. 16–17. ISBN 0904532-04-6.
  3. ^ "Flash floods close Buxton and Hazel Grove railway line until Sunday". BBC News. 13 June 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  4. ^ Table 86 National Rail timetable, Dec 2023
  5. ^ "Timetables and engineering information for travel with Northern". Northern Railway. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
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53°21′36″N 2°04′59″W / 53.360°N 2.083°W / 53.360; -2.083