Opinion

Manchester’s chance to better showcase its special place in railway history.

Alistair Lenczner, Useful Simple Projects

With thought and will, it is not too late for Ordsall Chord plans to be modified to allow the world’s first passenger railway station at Liverpool Road in Manchester to remain connected to the network, says Alistair Lenczner.

As a nation we should be proud that Britain was the birthplace of the railways. The city of Manchester has a pivotal role in Britain’s industrial history. Apart from becoming the global centre of the 19th century cotton industry, the world’s first passenger railway was built there in 1830. As Network Rail prepares to build a new rail link around the heart of Manchester, is it too late for this project to allow for creation of Britain’s first operational city-centre heritage railway line and so celebrate the city’s special place in railway history?

The world’s first proper passenger railway (with locomotives hauling passenger wagons on steel rails) was the Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR). The original eastern terminus of the L&MR still exists at Liverpool Road in Manchester and is today included within the Museum of Industry and Science (MOSI). Although MOSI allows the public to take climb aboard heritage L&MT rolling stock at the original Liverpool Road Station the heritage train is restricted to making short shunts rather a proper journey between stations.

"As currently planned, the Ordsall Chord will cut off the historic railway lines into the Grade I listed L&MR station at MOSI. As a result the world’s first passenger railway station will be cut off from the national railway network that it spawned."

It is a great pity that L&MR heritage trains never to venture out from their confines at MOSI. It is a bit like a lion being kept within a cramped cage at a zoo. If only the live exhibit could be allowed to stretch its legs a little!

Current proposals to build a new railway line around central Manchester will cut across the western edge of the MOSI site. This new rail link, known as the Ordsall Chord, will allow through passenger services between Manchester’s  Piccadilly and Victoria stations.  As currently planned, the Ordsall Chord will cut off the historic railway lines into the Grade I listed L&MR station at MOSI. As a result the world’s first passenger railway station will be cut off from the national railway network that it spawned.  However, with a bit of will, it is perhaps not too late for the plans could be modified and be turned to MOSI’s advantage. 

Although the Ordsall Chord plans are already well advanced, with some positive collaboration between stakeholders, the plans could be adjusted so that provision is included for a new rail connection into MOSI in addition to creating the cross-city rail lines. 

An additional track (perhaps built at a later time) could then run from the original L&MR Liverpool Road station at MOSI and continue to run alongside Network Rail’s running lines around central Manchester. Space for such an additional track already exists within the width of railway viaduct that runs all the way through Salford towards Victoria Station. Such a new track could be dedicated to the running of L&MR heritage trains alongside the modern railway.  The site of Manchester’s old Exchange Station could be used to create a new station for heritage trains to run to from MOSI.

"Of course, including for an additional track for a new heritage line into MOSI would require funding beyond that already allocated to the Northern Hub project."

If a significant new tourist attraction could be enabled as part of the Ordsall Chord project this would achieve additional value to Manchester.  MOSI could be transformed to include a proper operational urban heritage railway.  Heritage trains running through the city centre would be a splendid sight that would attract new tourists. Further, a new access to MOSI via a railway station at the old Exchange Station site (adjacent to Manchester’s Victoria Station) would attract more visitors who could then access the museum by rail from the north city centre. 

Of course, including for an additional track for a new heritage line into MOSI would require funding beyond that already allocated to the Northern Hub project.

However, as the current Chancellor of the Exchequer has recently demonstrated with a £30M Government contribution towards the Garden Bridge project in London, he is sometimes prepared to allocate public funds towards infrastructure when he can see that the project will have significant value as a new tourist attraction. Perhaps this is the chance for the Chancellor to show he is prepared to allocate funds towards a new tourist attraction in the North and help showcase Britain’s place in railway history.

Alistair Lenczner is director of Infrastructure, Planning and Design at Useful Simple Projects