41-539: MSDR may refer to: Manchester South District Railway , a former railway line in Manchester, UK Mississippi Delta Railroad , a railroad company in Mississippi, United States Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title MSDR . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
82-599: A joint railway , the Sheffield and Midland Railway Companies' Committee on 11 August 1877. The Midland was also a partner in another joint railway, the Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC) which was building its own railway terminus, Manchester Central . A new junction was constructed at Throstle Nest near Cornrook, connecting the new MSDR to the CLC's Liverpool–Manchester lines ; this would enable trains from
123-515: A branch. Thus railway politics deprived what was (particularly at that time) the largest town in the Peak District of a through main-line station. The Midland's line proceeded to the east of, but parallel to, the LNWR's line until it reached a summit at Peak Forest . It then plunged under the LNWR through Dove Holes Tunnel with stations at Chapel-en-le-Frith , Buxworth and Chinley joining
164-489: A current distance of 4 miles (6.4 km) in length. There are plans to extend to Bakewell via the site of Rowsley railway station and a Proposed Haddon halt as part of the Buxton extension project. It will involve reinstating the whole section and Bakewell railway station to their former use once planning permission has been granted, plus full restoration of the old Haddon Tunnel and both Coombs Road and Rowsley Viaducts (along
205-596: A junction with the Midland Railway at Ambergate to Rowsley north of Matlock and thence to Buxton . In time it would become part of the Midland Railway's main line between London and Manchester, but it was initially planned as a route from Manchester to the East of England, via the proposed Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway which would meet it a little further north along
246-576: A new line from New Mills through Disley Tunnel and Heaton Mersey . The line from Matlock to Buxton was closed in June 1968 by the Labour Minister for Transport, Barbara Castle , not, as is often thought, by the Beeching reforms . Continuing support is being given by a heritage group Peak Rail who have restored the section from Matlock to Rowsley. The line from Matlock to Ambergate, plus
287-511: A phase 2 candidate for reopening. In March 2020, a bid was made to the Restoring Your Railway fund to get funds for a feasibility study into reinstating the line between Matlock and Buxton. This bid was unsuccessful. In March 2021, the bid was re-submitted as part of the third round of the Restoring Your Railway fund. In June 2022 it was announced that funding would not be allocated at this time. The proposal to reinstate
328-541: A problem. Matlock Bath had long been a tourist town. Since the station at Ambergate had been opened, tourists had been brought in by coach and canal. Around thirty coaches had passed that way each day, with sixty or seventy thousand visitors going on to Chatsworth House . The aim then was to develop the trade further. The Midland Railway had held shares in the line since it had been first proposed in 1845, its interest being an extension onto its route to London. The Manchester and Birmingham had for some time been looking for
369-605: A railway line from Old Trafford to Heaton Mersey , passing through the suburbs of Old Trafford , Hough End and longside the River Mersey via Church of St James, Didsbury to a junction with the Stockport, Timperley and Altrincham Junction Railway . This proposal was eventually aborted, but the Manchester South District Railway's 1873 scheme emerged as a viable plan. To build the line,
410-459: A relief line for passenger express trains until the line was fully closed in 1969. After closure, the suburban stations fell derelict and were eventually demolished. Manchester Central was mothballed and eventually repurposed as an exhibition centre, the G-Mex in 1986. The Manchester South District Line lay derelict for several decades. In 1984, Greater Manchester Council and GMPTE announced
451-624: A route of its own, and had considered a line through the Churnet Valley (later built by the North Staffordshire Railway ), but had instead supported the alternative Matlock route with a substantial shareholding. However, in 1846 it had merged with other lines to become the LNWR , which clearly could not contemplate a competing London line. In 1852 the two companies agreed to lease the line jointly for 19 years, In addition,
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#1732780594209492-475: A scouting trip around the area, and came by chance upon a party of MS&LR directors riding in a dog cart. The upshot was that Allport who had previously worked for the latter company should arrange a deal. Since it was clear that the Midland was determined to go ahead, it would be better not to have two lines running side by side. On 7 November 1861 it was formally agreed therefore that the Midland would join
533-463: A temporary Free Trade Hall Station until the main station opened in July 1880. The new route proved successful, and the Midland ran express trains from Manchester Central to London St Pancras calling at Didsbury . The Great Northern commenced a passenger express from Manchester Central to London King's Cross in 1899. On 1 October 1901 a new line was opened enabling the Midland to run trains along
574-938: The Monsal Trail for cycling, horse riding and walking. The initial plan was for "An Act for making a Railway from the Manchester and Birmingham Railway at Cheadle in the County of Chester to or near to the Ambergate Station of the Midlands Railway in the County of Derby, to be called "The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midlands Junction Railway" The bill received royal assent as the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. cxcii). The line opened as far as Rowsley on 4 June 1849, but went no further, having run out of money giving its promoters something of
615-664: The Project Light Rail scheme to develop a new light rail / tram system by re-opening a number of disused railway lines in the region, including part of the former MSDR line as far as East Didsbury . The first phase of the Manchester Metrolink system opened in 1992, but conversion of the MSDR line to light rail did not begin until the early 2010s. Tram tracks were laid along the former trackbed , and new trams stops were constructed, mostly at new locations, as
656-561: The River Wye as far as Bakewell , with the complication of the cut and cover Haddon Tunnel , and reached Hassop in 1862 There then followed two viaducts – at Millers Dale and Monsal Dale – and eight tunnels, reaching Buxton in 1863 at almost the same time as the LNWR reached it from Whaley Bridge . In 1884 John Ruskin complained of the effect on the dales, saying, "your railway drags its close clinging damnation". All this time passengers were having to change at Ambergate, but in
697-460: The MR was forced to share the congested Manchester London Road railway station with the LNWR for several years. In 1876, the Midland was served notice on its access to London Road, and faced with eviction, the company was compelled to develop a new route into the city. In its quest for its own independent line into the city, the MR considered an 1864 scheme of the Manchester and Cheadle Railway to build
738-582: The MS&;LR at New Mills to run into Manchester London Road , opening in 1867. This section of route is still open for stone freight trains serving the Buxton lime industry as the Great Rocks Line . The Midland at last had its route into Manchester from London. Over the years it made some improvements. The route from Romiley through Hyde entailed a long detour, so in 1875 a new more direct line
779-483: The MS&LR partner's Marple, New Mills and Hayfield Junction line at New Mills, an agreement which was put into statutes, later including the Sheffield and Midland Railway Companies' Committee in the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (Additional Powers) Act 1872 ( 35 & 36 Vict. c. clxxviii) of 6 August 1872. To do this, it built a junction at Millers Dale , which effectively left Buxton on
820-463: The MS&LR's manager Edward Watkin had his own plans to reach London through Sheffield . It seemed the Midland's only chance was a circuitous route with the help of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway , except that it transpired that latter had an agreement with the LNWR not to handle other companies' trains. In 1861, the Midland sent their manager James Allport and some of the directors on
861-403: The MSDR line to run into central Manchester and terminate at Central Station. The Manchester South District Line opened on 1 January 1880. More importantly for the Midland, this development opened up a new long-distance route to the south, and the Midland Railway closed its operation at London Road station on 1 August 1880, moving all its services to Central Station. Initially, trains terminated at
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#1732780594209902-545: The MSDR via Cheadle Heath , Hazel Grove , Bugsworth and Chinley , and opening a new southern route for its London express trains. By 1910, the Midland was also operating additional services to Derby and Sheffield . From 1923, the MR was absorbed into the LMS , and after 1948 the line became part of British Rail . In the postwar period , suburban services on the South District Line declined in frequency. In
943-502: The Manchester South District Railway to develop a line through the local area. By creating a new rapid link to the economic centre of Manchester they hoped to attract prosperity to the growing outer districts. Their intended route would run from a planned junction at Cornbrook in central Manchester to Alderley, Cheshire , passing through the southern Lancashire villages of Chorlton-cum-Hardy , Withington and Didsbury , and on into Cheshire through Gatley and Styal . The MSDR company
984-470: The Midland tried to set up a joint venture with the Great Northern and the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railways , but disagreements over funding delayed the project. The Midland eventually took the decision to take over the entire MSDR scheme alone. Powers to build the line were transferred to the Manchester & Stockport Railway in 1876, and an Act of Parliament vested the MSDR in
1025-519: The Midland would work the line and pay a rent on it, and also take over the Cromford Canal . In 1853, a junction was made to the southern end of the Cromford and High Peak Railway now LNWR-owned, at High Peak Junction , and with the latter's support, the Stockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway connected Manchester to the northern end. In 1857, with the LNWR's barely concealed support,
1066-697: The North Midland line at Ambergate. The act of Parliament, Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway Act 1846, for a line from just south of Stockport to Ambergate was passed in 1846. Currently, the section north of Millers Dale is open as the Great Rocks freight line , Derby to Matlock still holds passenger services as the Derwent Valley line , Matlock to Rowsley is the Peak Rail heritage line, and Rowsley to Buxton has become
1107-516: The SD&;WBR at Buxton. Work started in September 1860, under Frederic Campion, the Midland Railway's Southern Division engineer, then under Alfred Andrew Langley (from 1883 Midland's Chief Engineer). It was the first time the Midland Railway had built in such difficult terrain, with steep hills and deep valleys, Buxton itself being some 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level. The line followed
1148-504: The SD&WBR then gained permission to extend to Buxton. It did so by a roundabout route along a massive escarpment to the east of the Goyt Valley , such that it could never become a through express route. Despite an LNWR petition against the bill and opposition from the SD&WBR, the Midland Railway (Rowsley and Buxton) Act 1860 ( 23 & 24 Vict. c. lxvi) of 25 May 1860 authorised a 15 miles (24 km) line from Rowsley to meet
1189-464: The branch could be extended to Rowsley, avoiding the section to Ambergate, being unsure about what might occur when joint lease expired in 1871. However, the LNWR gave up its share of the line when the lease expired. It was, after all, remote and isolated from the company's main system. The Midland Railway was therefore relieved of the necessity of extending from Wirksworth over a very difficult piece of terrain. The branch opened to Wirksworth in 1867 but
1230-652: The former Midland Railway stations had been demolished. The new Metrolink South Manchester Line opened as far as St Werburgh's Road on 7 July 2011, and the extension to East Didsbury on 23 May 2013. From its opening in 1880, local services were operated on the Manchester South District Line between Manchester and Stockport: Lost Railways of South Manchester: South Manchester District Railway on YouTube Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from
1271-505: The late 1950s, British Rail introduced the new Blue Pullmans Manchester-London express train which called at Cheadle Heath . When the former LNWR line from Manchester Piccadilly became the principal route for London express trains, the South District Line lost its importance; the route and its stations were listed for closure in the Beeching cuts . Passenger services on the Manchester South District Line ceased on 2 January 1967, although it continued to be used for freight trains and as
MSDR - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-434: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MSDR&oldid=967151492 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Manchester South District Railway The Manchester South District Railway (MSDR)
1353-424: The same year, the Midland added a south-facing junction and moved the station to allow through travel from Derby and the south. However, there was still the problem of the joint control of the line. For many years, the town of Wirksworth had been campaigning for a branch line from Duffield . The C&HPR was interested, but had insufficient funds. The Midland was initially unenthusiastic, but then realised that
1394-705: The section of the Midland Main Line to Derby , are now referred to as the Derwent Valley Line . Although the track has been lifted between Rowsley and Buxton and is now part of the Monsal Trail , plans to re-open it are still proposed from time to time, and the Derbyshire County Council has pledged to keep the trackbed free of development. Part of the line has been re-opened by the heritage railway organisation Peak Rail who run services from Matlock to Rowsley , at
1435-470: The two cities had been opened in 1840 by the Manchester and Birmingham Railway , and the company was absorbed six years later into the LNWR . The LNWR's competitor, the Midland Railway (MR) sought to capture the profitable Manchester-London market by opening up its own railway line. Its route through the Peak District proved difficult to construct, and lacking its own line into central Manchester,
1476-520: The way between both Bakewell and Rowsley themselves). Four tunnels (Headstone, Cressbrook, Litton and Chee Tor) between Great Longstone and Peak Forest and Blackwell Mill were re-opened to walkers and cyclists in May 2011. In March 2018, it was announced that a consortium of quarry companies and the heritage railway Peak Rail is investigating reopening the line between Matlock and Buxton. This section has been identified by Campaign for Better Transport as
1517-426: Was a British railway company that was formed in 1873. It was formed by a group of landowners and businessmen in the south of Manchester , England, with the purpose of building a new railway line through the city's southern suburbs. After some commercial difficulties, the MSDR line was eventually built by the Midland Railway and opened in 1880. A section of the line became part of the Cheshire Lines Committee and it
1558-596: Was later absorbed into British Rail in 1948. The line was closed in the 1960s as part of the Beeching cuts . In the 2010s the line was partially reopened as part of the Manchester Metrolink network, and today forms the South Manchester Line . The mid-19th century was a time of rapid expansion of Britain's railway network and new lines were being planned around major cities such as Manchester. A group of landowners in South Manchester formed
1599-485: Was not carried further. In the shifting alliances and rivalries between the various companies, the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway also wished to keep the Midland away from the coalmines which it served and, in 1859, was planning a line from Hyde just outside Manchester to New Mills and Hayfield . The company was also being courted by the GNR that planned to run London trains through Retford . Meanwhile,
1640-404: Was opened through Reddish . In 1865 the Midland had become a partner of the Cheshire Lines Committee which opened Manchester Central railway station in 1880. Therefore, the Midland transferred most of its trains there, at first reaching it through Stockport Tiviot Dale . However the route became increasingly congested and was hardly suitable as an express route, so in 1897, the Midland opened
1681-498: Was sanctioned by act of Parliament , the Manchester South District Railway Act 1873 ( 36 & 37 Vict. c. ccxxii), on 5 August 1873, but progress on the new line stalled for years. Development of the delayed MSDR line was eventually made possible as a result of the fierce competition between two railway companies on the lucrative long-distance Manchester-London route. The first line between