Salford Central  | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The station platforms in June 2023 after refurbishment | |||||
| General information | |||||
| Location | Salford,City of Salford England | ||||
| Coordinates | 53°28′58″N2°15′21″W / 53.48278°N 2.25583°W /53.48278; -2.25583 | ||||
| Grid reference | SJ831984 | ||||
| Managed by | Northern Trains | ||||
| Transit authority | Transport for Greater Manchester | ||||
| Platforms | 2 | ||||
| Other information | |||||
| Station code | SFD | ||||
| Classification | DfT category E | ||||
| History | |||||
| Original company | Manchester, Bolton and Bury Railway | ||||
| Pre-grouping | Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway | ||||
| Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway | ||||
| Key dates | |||||
| 29 May 1838 | Opened asSalford | ||||
| April 1858 | RenamedSalford (New Bailey Street) | ||||
| August 1865 | RenamedSalford | ||||
| 3 October 1988 | RenamedSalford Central | ||||
| 2 January 2023 | Service suspended | ||||
| 4 June 2023 | Service resumed | ||||
| Passengers | |||||
| 2019/20 |  1.028 million | ||||
| 2020/21 |  0.137 million | ||||
| 2021/22 | 0.464 million | ||||
| 2022/23 | 0.527 million | ||||
| 2023/24 | 0.615 million | ||||
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Salford Central railway station is in the city ofSalford, Greater Manchester,England, close toSpinningfields andDeansgate. It is served by trains to and fromManchester Victoria, towardsRochdale andWigan Wallgate.
Therailway station opened on 29 May 1838 as a terminus on theManchester and Bolton Railway and was originally namedSalford railway station.[1] In 1843, a connection toManchester Victoria was built, carried on iron columns. The roof suffered from corrosion caused by the sulphurous emissions of locomotives passing through the station and one was replaced after only four years.[2] Between April 1858 and August 1865, to avoid confusion withSalford (Oldfield Rd),[3] the station was namedSalford (New Bailey Street), after which it reverted to its original name ofSalford.[1]
To avoid confusion with the newly built Salford Crescent station, in 1988 it was renamedSalford Central.[1] and two platforms fell out of use. For many years the station was served at peak times only.[4]
In the 2000s GMPTE commissioned a refurbishment designed byAustin-Smith:Lord involving a new glazed foyer at street level and step-free access from street to platforms,[5] however ramped access to the trains came in a subsequent renovation in 2023.
Manchester city centre is accessible either on foot or by a short ride on public transport. Salford is also served bySalford Crescent railway station, close to theUniversity of Salford and Salford Precinct. The £700mMiddlewood Locks development will be served by Salford Central.[6]
The ticket office is staffed from 06:25 to 19:35, six days per week (closed late evenings and on Sundays, so tickets must be purchased on the train at these times). The ticket hall is connected to the platforms via inclined ramps that are suitable for mobility-impaired users. There are shelters and snack/drink vending machines at platform level, along with timetable posters, digital display screens and automated announcements to provide train running information.[7]
The station has a frequent service on weekdays and Saturdays (typically 5 tph each way), with all trains to and from Victoria calling here. Destinations served includeWigan Wallgate andHeadbolt Lane (viaAtherton) andSouthport,Blackburn andClitheroe (viaBolton) westbound,Leeds andBlackburn (viaTodmorden),Rochdale andStalybridge eastbound (some services also terminate at Victoria).[8]
The station was formerly closed on Sundays, but since the summer 2018 timetable change was introduced on 20 May all trains between Salford Crescent and Victoria now call here.
Services were suspended from this station on 2 January 2023 until Summer 2023 so Network Rail can carry out improvement works, raising the canopies and platforms due to accessibility issues,[9] as well as upgrading the track and the signalling system.[10][11]
A Network Rail report suggests building platforms on the line toLiverpool (viaNewton-le-Willows), the lines of which run through the station but are not provided with platforms.[12] This scheme has since been adopted byTransport for Greater Manchester and included in their Capital Works Programme for 2015–16 to 2020–21.[13] This will see an additional platform built and the old platforms 3 & 4 reopened, at a cost of £20.5 million and will allow Liverpool, Chester & Manchester Airport-bound trains (using theOrdsall Chord) to call here.[14]
All lines through the station have now been electrified and electric working on the Preston via Bolton route commenced on Monday 11 February 2019 utilising Class 319 Electric Multiple Units.
Railway Lines in Salford |
|---|
Past, present and future |
| Preceding station |  National Rail | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salford Crescent | Northern Trains Manchester–Preston line | Manchester Victoria | ||
| Northern Trains Ribble Valley line | ||||
| Northern Trains Manchester–Southport line | ||||
| Northern Trains Manchester–Headbolt Lane Mondays-Saturdays only | ||||
| Future services | ||||
| Deansgate | Northern Trains Ordsall Chord | Manchester Victoria | ||
| Eccles | Northern Trains Liverpool–Manchester line | |||
| Historical railways | ||||
| Oldfield Road Line open, station closed | Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Manchester and Bolton Railway | Manchester Victoria Line and station open | ||
| Bolton | |
|---|---|
| Bury | |
| Manchester (Manchester station group in italics) | |
| Oldham | |
| Rochdale | |
| Salford | |
| Stockport | |
| Tameside | |
| Trafford | |
| Wigan | |
† stations on theEast Lancashire Railway (heritage) | |
