Knutsford railway station
Encyclopedia
Knutsford railway station serves the town of Knutsford
in Cheshire
, England
. The station is 21+3/4 mi south of Manchester Piccadilly on the Mid-Cheshire Line
to Chester
. The line is referred to as the Chester
via Altrincham
line at Manchester Piccadilly, but as the Manchester
via Stockport
line at Chester station.
Knutsford station opened to passengers on 12 May 1862 with a service between Knutsford and Altrincham
. Trains to Northwich
commenced from 1 January 1863. Services were operated by CLC
until nationalisation on 1 January 1948. Passengers numbers at Knutsford are currently increasing by as much as 27% per annum. Knutsford is also the most used station between Mouldsworth and Navigation Road (not including Metrolink
figures at Altrincham and Navigation Road.) Also, more passengers board and alight Mid Cheshire line services at Knutsford station than at Stockport station or Chester station. Knutsford has poorer bus services than other nearby towns which helps to contribute to more rail use.
, Stockport
, Altrincham
and Northwich
, with extra trains to/from Stockport at peak times on weekdays. There is a 2-hourly service on Sundays to Chester
, Manchester Piccadilly and Southport
.
In December 2008 services were revised with the additional morning Chester to Manchester peak services terminating at Stockport, and the additional Manchester to Chester evening peak services starting instead at Stockport, which has prompted an online petition. The revision was necessary to allow the operation of additional services between Manchester and London Euston over the already congested Stockport railway viaduct. The 15:49 Chester to Manchester service was lost altogether, as was the Saturday 07:30 Chester to Manchester service. However, the Sunday service was significantly improved, increasing to a 2-hourly service that runs from Chester to Southport via Manchester Piccadilly, rather than a 3-hourly service between Chester and Altrincham.
The average journey time to and from Manchester in the current timetable is between 38 and 49 minutes. This is due to Northern Rail timetabling trains to take longer than expected, to meet punctuality targets. Times to and from Chester take between 41 and 46 minutes, for the same reason.
Re-opening the line between Northwich
and Sandbach
has been proposed. This will allow direct trains to Crewe
from Knutsford, giving a better connection to the Midlands
and the South of England.
Proposals for a direct link to Manchester Airport from Knutsford were first put forward in the 1990s, not much had seemed to materalise from this. However, in 2009 Network Rail
stated that the creation of the third platform has meant that the capacity at Manchester airport will become constrained by the layover of the trains and congestion at the throat. To solve this issue they have recommended building a line underneath the Airport towards Northwich in the 2019 to 2024 period.
The running of tram-train
s directly in to Manchester
, in addition to the existing rail service, has been estimated as being able to cut about 10 minutes off the overall journey time. Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT) have indicated that they are keen to carry out a trial for tram-trains in the UK, which will be between Rotherham and Sheffield. Carrying out the trial would provide the information Network Rail and the DfT require on reliability, frequency and costs.
Requests have been made to improve the station facilities at Knutsford, including more CCTV and the provision of live train running information screens.
Knutsford
Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The station is 21+3/4 mi south of Manchester Piccadilly on the Mid-Cheshire Line
Mid-Cheshire Line
The Mid-Cheshire Line is a railway line in the north-west of England, between Chester and Manchester.- History :The Mid Cheshire line has its origins in railways promoted by three separate railway companies in the 19th century. The Cheshire Midland Railway was opened to passengers between...
to Chester
Chester railway station
Chester railway station is a railway station in Newtown in the city of Chester, England. It is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although Merseyrail, Northern Rail and Virgin Trains also run services from the station. It is situated to the north-east of the city centre...
. The line is referred to as the Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
via Altrincham
Altrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
line at Manchester Piccadilly, but as the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
via Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
line at Chester station.
Knutsford station opened to passengers on 12 May 1862 with a service between Knutsford and Altrincham
Altrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
. Trains to Northwich
Northwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
commenced from 1 January 1863. Services were operated by CLC
Cheshire Lines Committee
The Cheshire Lines Committee was the second largest joint railway in Great Britain, with 143 route miles. Despite its name, approximately 55% of its system was in Lancashire. In its publicity material it was often styled as the Cheshire Lines Railway...
until nationalisation on 1 January 1948. Passengers numbers at Knutsford are currently increasing by as much as 27% per annum. Knutsford is also the most used station between Mouldsworth and Navigation Road (not including Metrolink
Manchester Metrolink
Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...
figures at Altrincham and Navigation Road.) Also, more passengers board and alight Mid Cheshire line services at Knutsford station than at Stockport station or Chester station. Knutsford has poorer bus services than other nearby towns which helps to contribute to more rail use.
Station facilities
The station has a ticket office and two car parks but no taxi rank. Both platforms are step-free. Buses call at Adams Hill, adjacent to the car park next to the Chester bound platform. (Note: half of this car park is private office parking, and is not available to rail users.) Station facilities were improved in March 2009 with the addition of a cold drinks and snacks vending machine in the station ticket office.Services
Monday to Saturday, there is an hourly service to Manchester Piccadilly, ChesterChester railway station
Chester railway station is a railway station in Newtown in the city of Chester, England. It is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although Merseyrail, Northern Rail and Virgin Trains also run services from the station. It is situated to the north-east of the city centre...
, Stockport
Stockport railway station
Stockport railway station is in Greater Manchester, England, 8 miles south-east of Manchester Piccadilly station on the West Coast Main Line from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston. It was opened on 15 February 1843 by the Manchester and Birmingham Railway, following completion of the large...
, Altrincham
Altrincham railway station
Altrincham Interchange serves the town of Altrincham in Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It was originally named Altrincham and Bowdon railway station and is located on Stamford New Road, adjacent to the Altrincham Ice Dome—home to the Manchester Phoenix ice hockey team...
and Northwich
Northwich railway station
Northwich railway station serves the town of Northwich in Cheshire, England. The station has two platforms and is located on the Mid-Cheshire Line.-Services:...
, with extra trains to/from Stockport at peak times on weekdays. There is a 2-hourly service on Sundays to Chester
Chester railway station
Chester railway station is a railway station in Newtown in the city of Chester, England. It is currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although Merseyrail, Northern Rail and Virgin Trains also run services from the station. It is situated to the north-east of the city centre...
, Manchester Piccadilly and Southport
Southport railway station
Southport railway station serves the town of Southport, Merseyside, England. It is at the end of one of the branches of the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network, and at the end of the Manchester-Southport Line which runs via Wigan...
.
In December 2008 services were revised with the additional morning Chester to Manchester peak services terminating at Stockport, and the additional Manchester to Chester evening peak services starting instead at Stockport, which has prompted an online petition. The revision was necessary to allow the operation of additional services between Manchester and London Euston over the already congested Stockport railway viaduct. The 15:49 Chester to Manchester service was lost altogether, as was the Saturday 07:30 Chester to Manchester service. However, the Sunday service was significantly improved, increasing to a 2-hourly service that runs from Chester to Southport via Manchester Piccadilly, rather than a 3-hourly service between Chester and Altrincham.
The average journey time to and from Manchester in the current timetable is between 38 and 49 minutes. This is due to Northern Rail timetabling trains to take longer than expected, to meet punctuality targets. Times to and from Chester take between 41 and 46 minutes, for the same reason.
Station Security
Knutsford station has had more than its fair share of crime. There have been many calls for CCTV at the station. In November 2008, CCTV cameras have been installed at the station by Northern Rail, with a total of 3 cameras covering the ticket office, and the 2 platforms.Proposed future developments
A campaign was set up by the Knutsford Guardian in 2007 for a later train from Manchester Piccadilly to Knutsford on Friday and Saturday evenings than the current last train which leaves Manchester Piccadilly at 23:17. The 00.38 Manchester Piccadilly to Chester train currently runs non-stop through Knutsford (and all other stations on the Mid Cheshire line), thus a stop at Knutsford (and Northwich) could be facilitated relatively easily.Re-opening the line between Northwich
Northwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
and Sandbach
Sandbach
Sandbach is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The civil parish contains four settlements; Sandbach itself, Elworth, Ettiley Heath and Wheelock....
has been proposed. This will allow direct trains to Crewe
Crewe railway station
Crewe railway station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. Built in fields near to Crewe Hall, it originally served the village of Crewe with a population of just 70 residents...
from Knutsford, giving a better connection to the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
and the South of England.
Proposals for a direct link to Manchester Airport from Knutsford were first put forward in the 1990s, not much had seemed to materalise from this. However, in 2009 Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
stated that the creation of the third platform has meant that the capacity at Manchester airport will become constrained by the layover of the trains and congestion at the throat. To solve this issue they have recommended building a line underneath the Airport towards Northwich in the 2019 to 2024 period.
The running of tram-train
Tram-train
A tram-train is a light-rail public transport system where trams run both on an urban tramway network and on main-line railways to combine the tram's flexibility and availability and the train's greater speed...
s directly in to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, in addition to the existing rail service, has been estimated as being able to cut about 10 minutes off the overall journey time. Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT) have indicated that they are keen to carry out a trial for tram-trains in the UK, which will be between Rotherham and Sheffield. Carrying out the trial would provide the information Network Rail and the DfT require on reliability, frequency and costs.
Requests have been made to improve the station facilities at Knutsford, including more CCTV and the provision of live train running information screens.