Denton railway station

Denton railway station is a station in Denton, Greater Manchester, on the Stockport-Stalybridge line, famous for having one train a week in one direction only (currently calling on Fridays at 09:31), christened the "Denton Flyer". This means it is technically still open.

In the past couple of years almost all of the signage on the platform has disappeared. On the platform, as of 2007, only one or two signs remain that bear the station name to the public. The Network/National Rail website (as of 2011), in its "Station Plan" shows a bench as the sole passenger facility at the station.

North of here the line divides, with the single track branch to Guide Bridge diverging from the "main line" to Ashton Moss at Denton Junction. The latter route is normally used only by freight and empty stock transfer workings but is used also for diversions if the main line between Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly is closed for engineering work.

A further direct line to Droylsden diverged from this (34 chains (680 m) further on at Ashton Moss Junction), which at one time was used by direct trains from the East Lancashire Line to London Euston as well as local trains from Manchester Victoria to Stockport. That line was closed in 1969 and subsequently lifted.

The station is a request stop, having two platforms in an island layout. In theory, prospective passengers must flag down the train as it approaches the station. However, in practice the train usually stops at every station on the line even if no passenger is waiting.

Closure

Network Rail, in their Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) for the North West, were proposing closure of Reddish South and Denton stations and withdrawal of the remaining passenger service. The line itself would remain open for freight and diverted passenger workings. However, a new open-access operator called Grand Union had proposed using the line for services between London and Bradford via the West Coast Main Line, using Guide Bridge station as a stop. That proposal has since been dropped.

Denton has now been saved from closure. A more frequent service was considered for the 2008 timetable shakeup, which was designed to implement major changes to service patterns on the West Coast Main Line; however, because of the track layout the proposed regular service to Manchester Victoria via Denton and Ashton Moss Junction has been postponed. When trains start operating to Manchester, the future of the service to Stalybridge is uncertain.

The Stalybridge (Denton) Line uses part of the WCML from Stockport to Heaton Norris Junction.

External links

• Denton Train Station - Get Denton Train Station back on Track!
• Denton station - Tims Gallery
• Pictures of Reddish South and Denton stations on Flickr