Ashton-under-Lyne railway station

Infobox UK station
name = Ashton-under-Lyne
code = AHN

---

manager = Northern Rail
locale = Ashton-under-Lyne
borough = Tameside
start =
platforms = 2
usage0405 = 0.325
usage0506 = 0.338
usage0607 = 0.338

Ashton-under-Lyne railway station serves Ashton-under-Lyne, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the Huddersfield Line 10 km (6½ miles) east of Manchester Victoria and is operated by Northern Rail..

History

There were once three stations in the town: Charlestown, Park Parade and Oldham Road. Also, Guide Bridge, a few miles away, was known as "Ashton & Hooley Hill" and then "Ashton" in its earliest years.

Charlestown Station — the present Ashton-under-Lyne station — was owned by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, who ran services between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge. The London North Western Railway also ran services along the line, most only calling at Ashton and Stalybridge before continuing to Leeds. The station once sported a large booking hall, where the car park is currently, as well as a substantial canopy. [http://http://buffetbar.i8.com/photo.html - A selection of useful photographs showing this booking hall, as well as the platform.] .

Park Parade Station was located on the Guide Bridge–Stalybridge line; the only remains of the station is the "Station Inn", a short stroll away.

Oldham Road Station was located on the line to Oldham (originally known as the Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge Railway), which continued to Park Bridge before reaching Clegg Street, Oldham.

The current station

Ashton-under-Lyne station consists of a island platform, is wheelchair accessible and also has a passenger lift. This was installed due to the 1-in-8 gradient between street level and platform level. Features of the station include a waiting room, ticket desk, wheelchair-accessible toilet and a hot-drinks vending machine(which never works).

ervices

Monday to Saturdays, there is a half-hourly link from Ashton-under-Lyne to and from Manchester Victoria eastbound and an hourly service to Huddersfield (westbound). Passengers can change at Stalybridge to join Transpennine Express services to Leeds and beyond.

Sundays there is an hourly service to Manchester Victoria.

References

*The Manchester and Leeds Railway by Martin Bairstow
*The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society, LYR Branchiline 14 - "The Ashton and Stalybridge Branch", by Robert F Hartley.

External links

* [http://www.rhodesfamily.org.uk/yesterdays/1901/07dec01.html "SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST BOYS AT ASHTON": Placing Obstructions on the Railway"] (news story from 1901, describing vandalism at Oldham Road)

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