A little of Chorlton's railway history, something about Morrisons and the new tram line to Didsbury

Chorlton Railway Station, circa 1900

It is one of those sad facts that if you can remember travelling from Chorlton railway station into the heart of the city or out in to the Hope Valley you will be on the wrong side of 45.

Not of course that 45 is old but it is just about the length of time that we have been missing a fast rail connection to Manchester.

And before the purists object the last train ran in 1967 and the first tram in 2011 which if you have done the sums is 44 years and to my reckoning  is still  a big chunk of anyone’s time.

But because shunting engines and goods waggons are even less interesting I doubt that few now are bothered with the fact that running alongside Albany Road was Chorlton’s own depot for coal and anything else that could be delivered by rail.

Weighing machine and hut, circa 1910

Now that I think is sad, especially as during the 50s my old friend Oliver Bailey remembers walking the newly arrived pigs from the goods yard through the roads of Chorlton to the family farm on Sandy Lane.

And likewise Ida can tell me which coal merchant she was sent to when the coal bill needed paying.

At any one time from the end of the 19th century well into the 20th century there were four or five coal merchants operating from Albany Road site along with builders and nurserymen. In 1911 there were five of them working from the yard by the railway line along with J. Duckett & Sons, building merchants, and J. A. Bruce Alexander, nurseryman.

It closed in November 1964 although a private siding stayed open for a while.

But with the closure of the railway link it all came to an end.  The coal merchants went, the rail tracks were pulled up to be replaced by a small business park and  a supermarket.

All of which brings us pretty much up to today.  The business park is still there and so is the supermarket which is now owned by Morrisons.

Morrisons, 2013, © Peter Topping

And I rather like the idea that Morrison’s are on the site of our old railway station.

After all the company was founded by William Morrison in 1899 just under twenty years after the railway arrived.

It began as an egg and butter stall in Rawson Market, Bradford and grew from there.

For most of its trading history it was based in the north but its purchase of Safeway in 2004 not only allowed it to expand across the country but brought it here to Chorlton.

At Morrisons with a story

In turn it has asked to be part of the Chorlton History trail and you can see part one of the story of the site along with paintings by Peter Topping in the store.

This as many will know is part of the GLAD TO BE IN CHORLTON initiative which now has 12  venues where you can read more about the history of where we live and something special about each place.

And as if on queue this comes along side the exciting news that from May 23rd you will be able to head out from the metro station next to Morrisons south to Didsbury, calling at Withington, Burton Road, West Didsbury, Didsbury Village and East Didsbury.

Metro stop, Chorlton, 2013 © Peter Topping

This 4.4km (2.7 miles) extension to the existing South Manchester line has been finished several months ahead of schedule.

So there you have it. A little of our railway history, something about Morrisons and the new tram line to Didsbury.

Pictures; Chorlton Railway Station circa 1900, from the Lloyd Collection, Morrisons supermarket and tram,© Peter Topping 2013 www.paintingsfrompictures.co.uk