Walkden railway station
Encyclopedia
Walkden railway station is one of the principal stations that lie on the Atherton
line, between Wigan
and Manchester
. The station is located 8¼ miles (13 km) west of Manchester Victoria with regular Northern Rail
services to these towns as well as Salford, Swinton
and Hindley
. It was opened by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
One of the more popular stations on the line (according to Strategic Rail Authority figures), the station was formerly known as "Walkden High Level" to differentiate it from the London and North Western Railway
's Walkden Low Level station
(on the line from Manchester Exchange
to Bolton Great Moor Street
, which was closed to passengers in 1954). Latest figures indicate that over 220,000 passengers use the station annually.
In February 2007 the Friends of Walkden Station community volunteer group was founded to campaign for improvements to the station's facilities and services.
and Kirkby
respectively) northbound.
Evenings there is an hourly service in each direction to Manchester Victoria and Wigan.
A Normal service operates on most Bank Holidays
On 18 December 2009 the GMPTE
voted to approve funding for a one-year trial of Sunday trains from Walkden, starting on 23 May 2010. The new Sunday service consists of hourly trains to Manchester Victoria at 36 minutes past each hour between 09:36 and 17:36 hours, and return departures from Manchester Victoria at 12 minutes past each hour between 10:12 and 18:12 hours. Sunday departures to Wigan Wallgate are at 30 minutes past each hour between 10:30 and 18:30 hours; trains from Wigan Wallgate are at 17 minutes past each hour between 09:17 and 17:17 hours.
Atherton, Greater Manchester
Atherton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire. It is east of Wigan, north-northeast of Leigh, and northwest of Manchester...
line, between Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
and 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...
. The station is located 8¼ miles (13 km) west of Manchester Victoria with regular Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
services to these towns as well as Salford, Swinton
Swinton, Greater Manchester
Swinton is a town within the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. Located on the A6 road it stands on gently sloping ground on the southwest side of the River Irwell, and within the bounds of the orbital M60 motorway. It is west-northwest of Salford, and west-northwest of Manchester...
and Hindley
Hindley, Greater Manchester
Hindley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. Lying three miles east of Wigan it covers an area of 1044 hectares. Historically a part of Lancashire, Hindley which includes Hindley Green borders the towns of Ince-in-Makerfield and Leigh within Wigan...
. It was opened by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
One of the more popular stations on the line (according to Strategic Rail Authority figures), the station was formerly known as "Walkden High Level" to differentiate it from the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
's Walkden Low Level station
Walkden Low Level railway station
Walkden Low Level railway station is a closed railway station in Walkden, Greater Manchester.-History:Walkden Station was opened in 1875 by the London and North Western Railway on the line from Roe Green Junction to Bolton Great Moor Street. It was renamed Walkden Low Level to distinguish it from...
(on the line from Manchester Exchange
Manchester Exchange Station
Manchester Exchange Station was a railway station located immediately to the north of Manchester city centre. It served the city between 1884 and 1969. The main approach road ran from the end of Deansgate near Manchester Cathedral, passing above the River Irwell and Chapel Street; a second approach...
to Bolton Great Moor Street
Bolton Great Moor Street railway station
Bolton Great Moor Street railway station was the first railway station in Bolton, opened on 11 June 1831 by the Bolton and Leigh Railway. Originally named simply Bolton, it was renamed Bolton Great Moor Street in October 1849...
, which was closed to passengers in 1954). Latest figures indicate that over 220,000 passengers use the station annually.
In February 2007 the Friends of Walkden Station community volunteer group was founded to campaign for improvements to the station's facilities and services.
Service
Monday to Saturday daytimes, two trains per hour go southbound to Manchester Victoria and two per hour towards Wigan Wallgate (hourly onwards to SouthportSouthport 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...
and Kirkby
Kirkby railway station
Kirkby railway station is situated in Kirkby, Merseyside, England. The station is an interchange between Merseyrail services from Liverpool Central and Northern Rail services from Manchester Victoria via Wigan Wallgate....
respectively) northbound.
Evenings there is an hourly service in each direction to Manchester Victoria and Wigan.
A Normal service operates on most Bank Holidays
On 18 December 2009 the GMPTE
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
Transport for Greater Manchester is the public body responsible for co-ordinating public transport services throughout Greater Manchester, in North West England. The organisation traces its origins to the Transport Act 1968, when the SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive was established to...
voted to approve funding for a one-year trial of Sunday trains from Walkden, starting on 23 May 2010. The new Sunday service consists of hourly trains to Manchester Victoria at 36 minutes past each hour between 09:36 and 17:36 hours, and return departures from Manchester Victoria at 12 minutes past each hour between 10:12 and 18:12 hours. Sunday departures to Wigan Wallgate are at 30 minutes past each hour between 10:30 and 18:30 hours; trains from Wigan Wallgate are at 17 minutes past each hour between 09:17 and 17:17 hours.