Station Name: DUNHAM MASSEY

[Source: Paul Wright]

Date opened: 1.11.1853
Location: On the south side of Henshall Lane
Company on opening: Warrington and Stockport Railway
Date closed to passengers: 10.9.1962
Date closed completely: 10.9.1962
Company on closing: British Railways (London Midland Region)
Present state: The station building which incorporated the station house is still standing as a private residence. The platforms have been demolished.
County: Cheshire
OS Grid Ref: SJ728885
Date of visit: 10.4.2005

Notes: Dunham Massey was situated on what was to become known as the Ditton Junction to Skelton Junction line. It was opened on 1.11.1853 as part of the Warrington and Stockport Railway which ran from a temporary terminus at Wilderspool in Warrington to Altrincham where it connected with the MSJA line into Manchester. At the same time the St. Helens Railway (formerly the St. Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway) opened a line from Garston Dock to a temporary terminus at Warrington Whitecross. On the 1.5.1854 the two lines were joined together at a new joint station Warrington Arpley. This now created an alternative Liverpool to Manchester route to that of the LNWR. However by 1860 the LNWR had a lease on the Warrington and Stockport line and on 1.1.1861 bought it out completely. It was only then a matter of time and on 1.8.1864 the St. Helens Railway was absorbed also. This was to seal the lines fate as from this point forward it would always be a secondary route as far as passenger services were concerned.

The station was originally named Warburton; it was renamed Warbuton & Dunham in June 1856, renamed Dunham in October 1856 and finally renamed Dunham Massey in April 1861.

A number of local services used various parts of the line with most through trains being between Ditton Junction and Manchester Oxford Road. Some trains did run from Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester but they were not very frequent. This was the service that continued up to the end of passenger services and in later years it was provided by a tank engine and push/pull sets of coaches. There was a brief interlude when DMU's were tried in the late 1950's but by the early 1960's the service was back in the hands of the push pull sets.

Dunham Massey Station closed to passengers on 10.9.1962 when all regular passenger services on the line ceased. The line continued in use as a busy freight artery particularly for coal heading west towards Fiddlers Ferry Power Station and Garston Docks. Even in the early 1980's there were 60 trains per day booked to use the line east of Warrington. However expensive repairs were needed to the bridge over the Manchester Ship Canal at Latchford and many trains could take alternative routes. The line closed east of Latchford with the last booked trains running on 7.7.1985. In 1988 the line was lifted by a demolition train.

Today the route east of Latchford bridge forms part of the Trans Pennine Trail cycleway and footpath.

To see the other stations on the Ditton Junction to Skelton Junction Line click on the station name: Ditton, Widnes South, Cuerdley, Fidlers Ferry & Penketh, Sankey Bridges, Warrington Bank Quay Low Level, Warrington Arpley, Latchford, Thelwall, Lymm,
Heatley & Warburton
& Broadheath.



Dunham Massey Station in May 1952. 42606 is working the afternoon local
from Manchester (London Rd).





Dunham Massey signal box on 7th July 1985, the last day of the line, the site of the station is seen on the far side of the level crossing.
Photo by Keith Tanner



Looking west from the site of Dunham Massey Station in April 2005
P
hoto by Paul Wright

Dunham Massey Station house in April 2005
P
hoto by Paul Wright

Click on thumbnail to enlarge


 

 

 

[Source: Paul Wright]


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