Latchford Station

[algy]

A while back someone requested photos of Latchford Station, here they are!.

 

The first image is of the original station on the low level prior to the Manchester Ship Canal being built, the later ones are the 'new' station a few hundred metres north of the old one built on the deviation banking which I believe is to be removed along with the Grammar School Road bridge to flatten the area to build apartments on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Dizzy]

Do you know when the second newer station closed Algy and why.

As for the current embankment and what remains of the line being flattened to build flats, they recently cut down all the trees along that section so looks like it might all go ahead.

Ridiculous to build all along there especially as it was a wildlife corridor and has been for years since becoming a redundant line.  Cutting all the trees down has removed the 'wildlife' obstacle though but that's developers for you grrr !!

[Dizzy]

Great photo's by the way....sorry I got a little sidetracked with my moan

[algy]

The main sad point to their intention of removing the embankment is that it has put paid to any chance of linking the Manchester tramway with Liverpool via Warrington Dizz.

[Dizzy]

Never thought of that Algy and what a shame as that could have been a great thing to have. 

Just wondering but is the railway embankment all made from all the soils excavated when they dug the Manchester Ship Canal?  

 

[Latchford Locks]

The pictures are of two different stations.

The first one was on the ship canal bank at the top of Grammar School Rd

And the rest are the high level station which closed courtesy of Dr Beaching in 1962.

I was was born and raised on the lower level station which was demolished in 1971.To make more room for the timber yard that was there at the time.

The rail crossing in the first photo was a road that joined Latchford and Grappenhall before the canal was built.

After the canal was dug the higher level became the only way to keep the railway open.

 

 

[Dizzy]

How fab and not many people can say they were born and raised in a Railway Station Latchy.  How old were you when you moved from there ?

Algy did mention in his opening post that the photo's were of the two different stations and how the building of the MSC led to the diversion and new station.

Who was Dr Beaching that you mention?

I was born in 1964 so don't really remember either station although I do vaguely remember seeing a building higher up on the embankment when we used to go to the Cantilever Garden Centre.  It didn't look much really but then I probably never really took much notice.  Would that have been the higher level station which I would have seen at the rear of the garden centre?

[Latchford Locks]

I left when I got married in 1969.

But to this day I still consider it home.

And can see the large waiting room converted into a wonderful living room complete with large Victorian fireplace.

There were outhouses I used as childhood dens and a driveway up to the station from Grammar School Rd Railway bridge plus a wonderfully stocked large garden which was my Parents pride and joy.

Dr Beaching was the man responsible for closing two thirds of the country's rail network (Locally...Including stations at Latchford/Thelwall/Lymm/Heatley+ the Old Trafford stadium direct link)

He had the misguided idea that motorways with road transportation was the way forward.

And now look at the grid locked system he saw as the bright new future  (end of rant )