Manchester Victoria
Station frontage of Manchester Victoria, constructed in 1909
General information
Location	Manchester city centre,City of Manchester England
Coordinates	53°29′14″N2°14′33″W / 53.4872°N 2.2424°W /53.4872; -2.2424
Grid reference	SJ839989
Managed by	Northern
Transit authority	Greater Manchester
Platforms	6 National Rail 4 Metrolink
Other information
Station code	MCV
Fare zone	City (D)
Classification	DfT category B
Key dates
1 January 1844	Opened
1902	Extended
1993–96	Northern portion reconstructed
2014–15	Renovated
Passengers
2019/20	9.571 million
2020/21	1.542 million
Interchange	0.254 million
2021/22	5.820 million
Interchange	0.811 million
2022/23	7.003 million
Interchange	0.866 million
2023/24	7.662 million
Interchange	0.875 million
Listed Building – Grade II
Feature	Victoria Station including concourse to rear with restaurant and booking hall
Designated	20 June 1988
Reference no.	1254725[1]
Location
Notes Passenger statistics from theOffice of Rail and Road

Manchester Victoria station inManchester, England, is a combined mainline railway station andMetrolink tram stop. Situated to the north of thecity centre on Hunts Bank, close toManchester Cathedral, it adjoinsManchester Arena which was constructed on part of the former station site in the 1990s. Opened in 1844 and part of theManchester station group, Manchester Victoria is Manchester's second busiest railway station afterPiccadilly, and is the busiest station managed byNorthern.^[2]

The station hosts local and regional services to destinations inNorthern England, such asBlackburn,Rochdale,Bradford,Leeds,Newcastle,Huddersfield,Halifax,Wigan,Southport,Blackpool (Sundays only) andLiverpool using the originalLiverpool to Manchester line. Most trains calling at Victoria are operated by Northern.TransPennine Express services call at the station from Liverpool to Newcastle/Scarborough and services towards Manchester Airport (via the Ordsall Chord) from Middlesbrough/Redcar/Newcastle.

Manchester Victoria is amajor interchange for theMetrolinklight rail system. Two former railway lines into the station have been converted totram operations: theline to Bury was converted in the early 1990s, in the first phase of Metrolink construction, and the linethrough Oldham to Rochdale was converted during 2009–2014. In the other direction, trams switch to on-street running when they emerge from Victoria Station and continue southwards through the city centre to Piccadilly or Deansgate-Castlefield.

In 2009, Victoria was voted the worstcategory B interchange station in the United Kingdom.^[3] The station underwent a two-year £44 million modernisation programme which was completed in August 2015.^[4][5] Renovation entailed electrification of lines through the station, renewed Metrolink stop with an additional platform, restoration of listed features, upgraded retail units, and a new roof.^[6][7] TheOrdsall Chord directly linking Victoria to Oxford Road and Piccadilly was completed in December 2017.^[8]

TheManchester and Leeds Railway (M&LR) was founded in 1836 and the company began building its line between Manchester andLeeds in 1837. Originally its line terminated atManchester Oldham Road, which opened on 3 July 1839. The company realised it would be advantageous to join its line to theLiverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR), creating a through route from Liverpool to Yorkshire with a joint station serving the centre of Manchester.^[9] In 1839,Samuel Brooks, vice-chairman of the M&LR, bought land at Hunt's Bank close to the cathedral and presented it to the company for the new station. The site was on the north bank of theRiver Irk, between theworkhouse to the north which had opened in 1793 and Walker's Croft Cemetery to the south. After several years of negotiations between the companies, work started in 1842. The M&LR built an extension fromMiles Platting to the station which opened on 1 January 1844. On this date, the Oldham Road terminus was closed to passenger services and became a goods station. The new station had a 852 ft (260 m) long single platform which handled M&LR trains to Leeds and elsewhere at its eastern end. The L&MR extended its line fromOrdsall to Victoria and its trains operated from the western end from 4 May 1844, on which date itsLiverpool Road station terminus became a goods station.^[10][11]

The station was named Victoria in 1843. Its long, single-storey building, designed byGeorge Stephenson and completed byJohn Brogden, was approached by a wooden footbridge over the River Irk before the river wasculverted.^[12][13] Most of the original 1844 station buildings are standing including part of the original façade on Hunt's Bank.^[14]

The L&MR became part of theGrand Junction Railway in 1845, which in turn amalgamated with other railways to create theLondon and North Western Railway (LNWR) in 1846; the M&LR amalgamated with other railways to create theLancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) the following year. The headquarters of the L&YR were based alongside Victoria.^[15]

By the mid-1840s six railway companies operated from the station connecting Manchester to London,Glasgow,Liverpool,Leeds andSheffield. Victoria Station dominated the Long Millgate area and was one of the biggest passenger stations in Britain.

Victoria underwent several phases of expansion as traffic grew. In 1865, four bay platforms were built on the eastern side on land reclaimed from the cemetery, and another was built on the western side, a second through platform was built at the northern side, and the station's facilities were expanded by the construction of a new east wing of the station building.^[16] Two decades later, the L&YR purchased and demolished the workhouse north of the station, and its site was used to build another bay and five through platforms which came into use in 1884.^[17] That same year, the LNWR opened its own station,Manchester Exchange immediately to the west on the opposite side of theRiver Irwell, and vacated Victoria.^[18]

Victoria reached its maximum extent of 17 platforms in 1904 when the station was enlarged with extra bay platforms to the south. The present station façade, designed by William Dawes, was built in 1909.^[19] The cast-irontrain sheds behind the façade were 700 yards (640 m) long.

Because the station handled large amounts of parcel and newspaper traffic, an overhead parcels carrier system was constructed in 1895. It consisted of an overhead track which ran in a circuit around the station, upon which electrically powered trolleys ran suspended from the track, operated by airborne attendants. A large basket could be raised and lowered from the trolleys to distribute parcels and newspapers across the station. The system operated until 1940.^[20][21]

The L&YR merged with the LNWR on 1 January 1922. A year later, the merged company became the largest constituent of theLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS). From 16 April 1929, Victoria and Exchange station were linked by the westward extension of platform 11 over the Irwell bridge, known as platform "11 Middle", which joined to Exchange's platform 3 to create Europe's longest platform at 2,238 feet (682 m). Crossovers enabled it to accommodate three trains arriving and departing independently.^[22][23] Exchange Station closed in 1969 and its services were transferred to Victoria.^[24] The Exchange Station site opposite the cathedral was for many years used as a car park, until redevelopment of the site began in 2015.^[25]

The station suffered bomb damage during theManchester Blitz inWorld War II. On 23 December 1940, several bombs hit the station destroying the parcels office, and a large part of the roof over platforms 12 to 16. The parcels office was rebuilt, but the damaged parts of the roof were taken down and not replaced.^[26] The station came into the ownership ofBritish Railways in 1948.

Proposals to build an underground station,Victoria Low Level as part of thePicc-Vic tunnel project emerged in the early-1970s.^[27] The scheme proposed creating a direct rail link between Victoria andManchester Piccadilly via a tunnel and creating several underground stations inManchester city centre. Platforms 1–4 at Victoria were taken out of use in 1973 in anticipation of the tunnel coming to the surface in that part of the station.^[28]

The tunnel project was cancelled in the late 1970s because of high costs, and in the 1980s transport planners turned tolight rail as a lower-cost option. As a result, the stations were linked by theManchester Metrolink system which opened in 1992. A street-leveltramway was built across the city centre linking the stations and two converted rail lines toAltrincham andBury.^[29] Thetram stop at Victoria replaced the former Bury Line platforms and the tram line was extended into the streets through a new entrance in the side of the station.^[30]

In the 1980s and 90s, British Rail adopted a policy of concentrating Manchester services intoManchester Piccadilly. In 1989, theWindsor Link chord inSalford opened, enabling many of Victoria's services from the north to be diverted to Piccadilly and in the same year, trans-Pennine services were also transferred.^[31][32] Victoria was reduced to six platforms, and part was sold for development. Between 1992 and 1994, theManchester Arena was built over the northern part of the station site. Three of the five through tracks between platforms 11 and 12 were removed, along with platforms 12–17. The station was reduced to four through tracks and four through platforms, three of which were built to replace the removed platforms 12–14. They are covered by the Arena which was joined to the station by means of a raft above them. The Arena is accessed via stairs on Hunts Bank and from the station concourse. Following reconstruction, the platforms were renumbered; platforms 1 and 2 are bay platforms facing east (formerly platforms 9 and 10), and the through platforms are 3 to 6 (platform 3 was formerly platform 11). The through platforms are used by mid-distance services.^[24][33]

In 2009, Victoria was identified as the worstcategory B interchange station because of its dilapidated fabric and environment. The-then Transport Secretary,Lord Adonis, announced that, with nine others, it would receive a share of £50 million for a refurbishment programme.^[34] Victoria's £5 million share of the 'Better Stations' Network Rail funding for improvements was cancelled in the June 2010 budget cuts,^[35] but replacement funding was arranged.^[36] On 16 February 2010, Network Rail announced its intention to refurbish the station as part of the Northern Hub improvement proposals turning it into an interchange for local and regional services throughout north-west England.^{[citation needed]} In August 2010, Network Rail announced the work would go ahead, despite the withdrawal of the £5 million funding.^[37] Station improvements included anETFE roof, restoration of its walls, exterior canopy and period features, new platforms for additional services, improved access to theManchester Arena and improved retail and dining facilities.^[38]

Work to refurbish the station began in April 2013.^[39] The old roof was dismantled in autumn 2013.^[40] Installation of the £17 million roof began in May 2014 and final roof beam was lifted into position on 13 October 2014. Installation of the ETFE sheeting was completed in spring 2015, and the station upgrade was completed in August 2015,^[5] with the official reopening that October.^[41]

TheOrdsall Chord was finished in 2017 and links Victoria to Piccadilly.^[42] It is anticipated that, after re-routeing services, passenger numbers would increase to 12 million by 2019, compared with 6.6 million in 2011/12.^[43] The chord allows trains to run directly between Piccadilly and Victoria, shortening journey times onTransPennine Express routes between Manchester Airport and Newcastle, Redcar, Hull and Scarborough. An express service fromLiverpool Lime Street toNewcastle via Victoria is operated by TransPennine Express. Reinstatement of the south and west curve atTodmorden on theCaldervale Line facilitated a direct service between Victoria andBurnley Manchester Road Station for the first time in almost fifty years.

In the 1900s theBury Line, a busy commuter line which served the suburbs of north Manchester from Victoria, was losing passengers totramway competition, in response to this, in 1914 the L&YR decided toelectrify this line using a unique 1,200 volt side-contactthird rail system, in an effort to win back passengers. Electrification of this route was completed in 1916. As the scheme was a success, in the early 1920s the L&YR drew up plans to extend electrification to theOldham Loop Line using the same system. The scheme progressed to an advanced stage, however with the reorganisations of railway companies in the 1920s, the new management had no interest in pursuing the scheme and it was dropped. This meant that the Bury Line remained as the only electrified line into Victoria, and it remained as such until 1991 when it was closed to be converted into part of the Metrolink system.^[44]

No further electrification came to Victoria until the 21st century, when as part ofNetwork Rail'sNorthern Hub scheme, overhead electric wires have been erected to Victoria fromManchester to Liverpool in 2015,^[45] andManchester to Preston and through toBlackpool in 2019.^[46]

Manchester Victoria has six railway platforms and the Metrolink stop has four (four platform faces on three tracks). Two railway platforms are bays numbered 1 & 2 for terminating trains arriving from the east and four are through platforms numbered 3–6 at the northern side of the station. The Metrolink platforms are parallel to, and south of, the bay platforms. Only the bay and Metrolink platforms are under the new roof, the through platforms 4, 5 and 6 are mostly covered byManchester Arena.

The original M&LR single-storey offices facing Hunt's Bank Approach were built in theItalianate style in sandstoneashlar with slate roofs in 1844. They were later enlarged and given a second storey. William Dawes built the station's larger extension for the L&YR in 1909. It is at right-angles to the north end of the old station giving the enlarged station an L-shaped plan. Facing Victoria Station Approach, its façade is in theEdwardian neo-Baroque style, four storeys high and 31bays to the rounded corner at the south-east end. The ground floor windows have rounded heads and those on the floors above are square. The ornate glass and iron canopy along the façade displays the names of destinations that the station served inArt Nouveau lettering.^[1] The canopy was damaged by theProvisional IRA's1996 bomb placed in a street adjacent to theArndale Centre and was restored four years later.^[47]

Heritage features in the concourse were restored during the 2013-15 renovation, they include the café with its glass dome and mosaic lettering which was originally the first-class dining room, the adjacent bookstall, and the original 1909 wood-panelled booking hall. In the entrance is a large, white glazed tiled map showing the former network of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.^[1][48]

Underneath the map is a bronzeWorld War Iwar memorial with effigies ofSaint George andSaint Michael at each end which was installed in 1923.^[48][49] At the south end of the concourse is the 'soldier's gate' which opened to the former fish docks from where thousands of soldiers departed for World War I and where a bronze plaque was erected to commemorate them. The gateway was restored in 2015 and a steel screen inserted featuring a map of World War I Commonwealth grave cemeteries in Northern France and Belgium.^[50]

The station received Grade IIlisted building status in 1988.^[1]

Manchester Victoria is served by twotrain operating companies,Northern andTransPennine Express. It is occasionally used byCrossCountry services during engineering works. The Chat Moss route to Liverpool is operated by TransPennine ExpressClass 185s DMUs andNorthernClass 769 BMMUs (peak time & early morning only). TheRibble Valley Line to Blackburn and Clitheroe is operated byClass 156 andClass 150.Leeds Calder Valley services are usually operated byClass 158 Sprinter DMUs, thoughClass 195 Civity units are now used on many Chester trains. New stock was introduced on TPE routes in 2019–20, includingClass 68Nova 3 push-pull sets andClass 802Nova 1 bi-mode multiple units, although the former were withdrawn from December 2023.^[51]

Since the May 2018 timetable change, all express services on the North TransPennine route call at the station. These services are run byTransPennine Express. Westbound, two trains an hour run express toLiverpool Lime Street (one calling atLea Green and the other calling atNewton-le-Willows). The other pair of services run westbound toManchester Airport via theOrdsall Chord andManchester Piccadilly. Eastbound, there are 4 trains per hour running viaHuddersfield,Leeds andYork. After York, one train an hour ran to each ofEdinburgh,Newcastle,Redcar Central andScarborough.

From the winter 2023 timetable change, the service was somewhat reduced (due to ongoing staffing issues at the TOC), with only the hourly Liverpool - Newcastle and Manchester Airport -Saltburn calling here. However, as of the December 2024 timetable changes, the former service pattern was restored, and 4 trains per hour operate between Manchester Victoria and Leeds via Huddersfield.

Also since the May 2018 timetable change, services along theCalder Valley line have been significantly sped up. Stations betweenRochdale and Manchester are now served by Blackburn services. This means that Calder Valley services now run non-stop between Rochdale and Manchester. As a result, there are now 6 trains an hour to Rochdale.

• 1tph toSouthport (viaBolton andWigan Wallgate)
• 2tph toWigan Wallgate viaAtherton; 1tph continues toHeadbolt Lane
• 1tph toChester viaWarrington Bank Quay
• 2tph toBlackburn via Bolton, 1tph continues toClitheroe
• 2tph toLiverpool Lime Street (via Chat Moss line, express - limited stopping service also operates during peak hours)
• 1tph toManchester Airport

• 2tph toRochdale (stopping)
• 3tph toLeeds via Rochdale, of which 2 operate viaBradford Interchange, & 1 viaBrighouse
• 1tph toBlackburn via Rochdale &Todmorden
• 1tph toStalybridge (stopping)
• 1tph toHull viaLeeds
• 1tph toScarborough via Leeds
• 1tph toNewcastle via Leeds
• 1tph toRedcar Central via Leeds

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Manchester Oxford Road		TransPennine Express North TransPennine		Stalybridge
Newton-le-Willows
				Huddersfield
Lea Green
Terminus		Northern Calder Valley line		Moston
				Rochdale
Terminus		Northern Huddersfield line		Ashton-under-Lyne
Salford Central		Northern Ribble Valley line		Terminus
Terminus				Moston
Salford Central		Northern Manchester to Preston Line		Terminus
		Northern Manchester to Southport Line
		Northern Kirkby branch line
Eccles		Northern Liverpool to Manchester Line		Terminus
Newton-le-Willows		Northern Chester to Leeds		Rochdale
	Historical Railways
Terminus		L&YR Caldervale Line		Miles Platting
		L&YR Huddersfield Line
Manchester Exchange		London and North Western Railway Manchester-Liverpool Line		Terminus

Victoria
Victoria tram stop in October 2015
General information
Location	Manchester city centre,City of Manchester England
Coordinates	53°29′16″N2°14′30″W / 53.48774°N 2.24171°W /53.48774; -2.24171
Grid reference	SJ840990
System	Metrolink station
Line	Bury Line
Platforms	4
Other information
Status	In operation
Fare zone	1
Key dates
6 April 1992	Conversion to Metrolink operation
Route map Legend toBury toOldham &Rochdale Zone 1 Victoria Shudehill Exchange Square Market Street Piccadilly Gardens St Peter's Square Piccadilly Deansgate-Castlefield ( Deansgate) New Islington Cornbrook to Ashton- under-Lyne stop in bothZone 1 and 2   to MediaCityUK,Eccles &The Trafford Centre Trafford Bar toAltrincham to East Didsbury &Manchester Airport This diagram: view talk edit
Location

Manchester Victoria is an interchange with the city'sMetrolinklight rail system. The stop is at the northern edge of the system'sZone 1 and the start of theBury Line.

The tram platforms opened on 6 April 1992 for services to Bury which replaced the long-established heavy rail service. The tram platforms were built on the site of the former railway platforms 5 to 8, the terminus of the Bury line. The line was extended into the city-centre streets via a sharp curve south from the platform ends and out through a new entrance in the wall at the side of the station;^[30][52] The system operates on someBritish Rail lines that have been converted to light rail operation and on-street tram tracks. In October 2009 theOldham Loop Line was closed for conversion to a Metrolink line. It was completed in March 2014 after reopening in stages toRochdale town centre.^[53][54]

The 1992 Metrolink platforms consisted of an island platform containing platforms B and C, and a side platform for Bury bound trams lettered A, which was later taken out of use due to leaks in the station roof.^[52]

The Metrolink platforms at Victoria closed on 21 February 2014 and were rebuilt in a different configuration to allow for increased services.^[55] The rebuilt stop reopened on 18 February 2015. The new configuration has two island platforms serving three tracks, with platform faces lettered A, B, C and D; the outer platforms A and D are for through trams, city-bound and northbound respectively, and the centre platforms B and C, which both serve the same track, accommodate terminatingManchester Airport services as of 2024.^[56][57][58] The stop is one of the most used on the Metrolink network.^[59]

As of 2024, Metrolink services run through Victoria toAltrincham,Bury,East Didsbury,Manchester Airport,Rochdale viaOldham, andPiccadilly. Services run every twelve minutes on each route at most operating times.^[60][61]

Preceding station	Manchester Metrolink			Following station
Shudehill towardsManchester Airport		Manchester Airport–Victoria		Terminus
Shudehill towardsAltrincham		Altrincham–Bury (peak only)		Queens Road towardsBury
Shudehill towardsPiccadilly		Piccadilly–Bury
Exchange Square towardsEast Didsbury		East Didsbury–Shaw (peak only)		Monsall towardsShaw and Crompton
		East Didsbury–Rochdale		Monsall towardsRochdale Town Centre
Proposed
Shudehill towardsAltrincham		Altrincham–Bury (peak only)		Sandhills towardsBury
Shudehill towardsPiccadilly		Piccadilly–Bury

• On 19 August 1918, an electric train collided with thebuffers, injuring 29 people.^[62][63]
• On the early morning of 10 December 1947, a train of 20 tank wagons loaded withpetrol ran out of control while descending the bank towards Victoria. To avoid a collision with another train, it was diverted into the empty bay at platform 7, where it crashed through the buffers at 25 mph (40 km/h), mounted the concourse, and came to a rest just short of the booking office. Swift action was taken to prevent an outbreak of fire. The train driver was killed in the collision, the fireman was injured and the guard suffered from shock.^[64][65]
• On 25 April 1994, two vehicles of a freight train derailed while passing through new platform 6, which had opened that day. The derailed vehicles damaged the platform edging stones along most of its length, putting it out of use until it was repaired.^[66]
• On 15 June 1996, alarge truck bomb was detonated about 400 metres (1,300 ft) from the station by theProvisional IRA. The blast shattered many windows along the station's façade, and glass fell onto the glass canopy causing it serious damage. The station was closed for several days. The blast also damaged the glass and steel roof over the concourse and platforms, which resulted in the removal of much of the glasswork and cladding.^[47][67]
• On 18 October 2016, a panel of the roof, which had been built the year before, collapsed under the weight of rain water, causing minor injury to two people.^[68] The damage was blamed onseagulls weakening the structure by pecking at the roof.^[69]
• On 22 May 2017, the station was evacuated and closed and services were cancelled followingthe bombing atManchester Arena which is partially above the station.^[70] The explosion took place in the public area linking the station to the arena immediately above the station's through platforms,^[71] causing structural damage to the station which was closed, resulting in significant disruption to train and tram services.^[72] The station reopened to traffic on 30 May 2017, following the police investigation and repairs to the fabric of the building.^[73] A memorial space created following the bombing exists adjacent to the 'Soldier's Gate' Memorial.^[74]
• On 31 December 2018,three people, including a police officer were stabbed at around 20:50 GMT. A man was held on suspicion of attempted murder.^[75]

• Listed buildings in Manchester-M3

• "Manchester Victoria rebuild is approaching completion".RAIL. No. 341. EMAP Apex Publications. 7–20 October 1998. p. 11.ISSN 0953-4563.OCLC 49953699.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toManchester Victoria station.

• Train times andstation information for Manchester Victoria station fromNational Rail
• Tram times and station information for Manchester Victoria station fromManchester Metrolink
• Victoria area map

v t e Manchester railways
Legend
City Centre and North Past, present and future
Manchester Metrolink Main line services to Rochdale to Oldham Moston Newton Heath to Bury Newton Heath and Moston Bowker Vale to Tameside Crumpsall Clayton Bridge Abraham Moss Park Woodlands Road to Tameside Queens Road Central Park Monsall Edge Lane Miles Platting Clayton Hall Velopark Oldham Road Holt Town Manchester Victoria Etihad Campus Exchange New Islington toOrdsall Chord andto Salford Ardwick Shudehill Ashburys High Street │ Manchester Piccadilly Mayfield Market Street │ Piccadilly Gardens to South Manchester Exchange Square Gorton Mosley Street Manchester Oxford Road St Peter's Square to Belle Vue Manchester Central │ Deansgate- Castlefield Deansgate Liverpool Road to Hyde Road toOrdsall Chord andto Salford to Tameside Cornbrook Cornbrook Pomona to Eccles Trafford Bar to Trafford to Trafford Firswood to Altrincham to Chorlton

• Railway stations in Manchester
• Grade II listed buildings in Manchester
• DfT Category B stations
• Former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway stations
• Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1844
• Railway stations served by Northern
• Railway stations served by TransPennine Express
• Tram stops in Manchester
• Tram stops on the East Didsbury – Rochdale route
• Tram stops on the East Didsbury – Shaw route
• Tram stops on the Manchester Airport – Victoria route
• Tram stops on the Bury – Piccadilly route
• Tram stops on the Altrincham – Bury route

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