New Mossley rail station to be built while current facility remains open

MOSSLEY’S new train station will be built while the existing one remains open, rail bosses hope.

But commuters in the town will face disruption because of other work in the area as part of the multi-billion pound TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU).

An accessible facility, with lifts to and from the Huddersfield-bound platform, will be constructed about 300 metres further along Manchester Road.

The current car park will be extended to incorporate disabled spaces, with a new entrance being put in as well as the one there at the moment, at the junction with Stamford Road.

But Mark Ashton, leading the Stalybridge to Diggle stretch of the project that will see 70 miles of track from Manchester to York electrified, revealed the new station – which will have longer platforms – will be put in place while the current one is in use.

He said: “The ambition is to build the new Mossley station to have an almost seamless closure of the current station and opening of the new one.

“That will keep disruption for passengers as minimal as possible.”

While Mossley’s station may cause little disruption, other work on the line is likely to affect people’s journeys.

Stalybridge and Scout Tunnels will see the track lowered so larger freight trains and equipment needed can go under them.

While bridges at Heyrod Hall, Spring Bank Lane in Heyrod and Roughtown Road in Mossley also need work.

Heyrod Hall’s arch will be replaced, with the private road over it being temporarily closed, while Spring Bank Lane will see its walls raised and new coping stones installed, while the track is lowered.

Roughtown Road will be closed while its coping stones are replaced, with diversion routes provided for both vehicles and pedestrians.

The hope is much of that work can be done at the same time as the more major tunnel schemes but Mr Ashton told The Correspondent some disruption is likely.

He added: “At the moment, the tunnels are not big enough, so the proposal is to lower the track in both and we anticipate that will take a period of time.

“A lot of material will have to be taken out of the tunnels as we lower the tracks, so that may impact how we can undertake works on nearby structures.

“It may mean we have to do different interventions at different times. It may seem that it’s not efficient but it’s the most efficient for the work we need to undertake.

“Unfortunately, for a scheme of this scale and complexity, there will be times when we’ll have to shut the railway down. We appreciate, acknowledge and understand that will cause disruption to passengers.

“There will be times when we do works where there is no viable diversion because of how the railway has been constructed, Unfortunately, at Mossley there is no alternate train diversion but there will be bus replacements.

“We know they’re not ideal for passengers but that will be the method we’ll ensure people can continue their journey.

“We’ll advertise alternate methods of transportation. The primary purpose is to keep people on the train for as long as possible – that’s one of our key values but there will be bus replacement services.

“Once we know how long we’ll have to shut the railway, we’ll make public how we’ll keep people moving.”

Northern are already running electric services between Manchester and Stalybridge. Transpennine Express will begin running electric services from December.

Northern may look to use others in future and it is hoped lines beyond the city – to Wigan. Bolton and Southport – will be electrified in the future.

And it is believed the stretch known as Mossley Cottages, close to the station and directly behind properties on Manchester Road, will not have gantries to carry the wires piled in.

Instead, it is likely a system known as ‘gravity piling’ may be used for that area. Further screens, however, may be placed between the line and buildings.