Cadishead Rail Bridges

The scruffy state of the low level Cadishead bridge does not do justice to its history. It carried the original Glazebrook to Stockport railway line over Liverpool Road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Alan Lane of Lanes Landscape, for the generous donation of shrubs and trees. They have been replanted on the south embankment.

Opening in 1873 along with the first Cadishead Station. It carried mainly goods but, passenger services also ran between Stockport and Liverpool central station. With the opening of the Manchester ship canal company the line was deviated slightly to the west and elevated. This required a new high level bridge over the road. The old line was taken over by the Manchester Ship Canal company and used as a rail link to the Partington Coaling basin (North) and connected to the canal railway system. For many years it delivered coal to the canal coaling basin and steel works. British Tar Products were the last company to use  the siding . It finally closed in the 1990s. A similar bridge was in use at Irlam but, was removed in the 1960’s. This bridge is one of the few remaining structures that brought the railways to the district and started the industrialisation of the area.

 

1. Cadishead Station

The first Cadishead station opened in 1873 with the original line from Glazebrook east Junction to Skelton Junction near Altrincham. The line was principally a goods line. The station struggled for passengers as Irlam Station was only half a mile away and Industry in Irlam and Cadishead  in 1873 was in its infancy. The first station closed on 1.8 1879 . With the coming of the canal in 1895 there was a need to deviate the line to the West. A new high level bridge and embankment were constructed. It was also decided to build a new station which opened with the line in 1895. This time at a much higher level due to the elevated embankment. The station remained open for nearly 70 years. The Station closed on the 30.11 1964.  The line remained in use for goods traffic until 1984 when  it closed along with the canal Viaduct   Today little evidence of the station can be seen from the road. Standing under the imposing Liverpool rd bridge looking North the entrance to the Liverpool platform  was to the left . The entrance has been lost to the garden of the adjacent house. The entrance to the Stockport platform was between the bridges. If you climb to the top of the now disused embankment , though you can still see the concrete remains of the old platforms.