DMU Operations: London Midland Region
Manchester - New Mills Central
When the New Mills - Hayfield line closed in January 1970, the Manchester - Hayfield service became a Manchester - New Mills service.
First Generation DMUs operated the service until 2003.
Images
23rd March 1973
A Class 100 GRC&W DMU seen at Strines on a Manchester to New Mills service on the 23rd of March 1973. The KDH Archive.
3rd September 1974
A BRC&W class 104 DMU waits at New Mills Central, working the 16.15 to Manchester Piccadilly on 3 September 1974. Kevin Lane.
circa 1978
A two-car Class 108 DMU, M56260 and presumably M50977, in New Mills Central circa 1978. The blind suggests it is working a Manchester - New Mills service via Bredbury. Stuart Mackay Collection.
11th November 1978
M50348 at Strines on 11th November 1978 with a New Mills Central - Manchester Piccadilly service. The second window on the side appears to be missing and boarded over. Robert Chilton.
18th March 1979
A BRCW Class 104 DMU formed of cars M50537 & M56180 was stabled against the block in platform 2 at Manchester Piccadilly, between workings to New Mills Central on March 18th 1979. On the right is a Class 123 TCK. Martyn Hilbert.
15th September 1979
A BRC&W class 104 with a Manchester Piccadilly service sits in Marple station, next to a Gloucester Class 100 dmu which is heading towards the camera, with a service to New Mills Central. 15th September 1979. Andrew J Crowther.
circa 1980
A class 100 D.M.U. at New Mills Central, most probably 1980 or 1981. Arnie Furniss adds - That's the tail lamp from the inbound working. The driver has changed ends in the tunnel that was the sole remnant of the Hayfield branch and has brought the train into the platform for the return working to Manchester. The guard will now place the tail lamp at the other end as it's easier than doing it in the tunnel! Curly42.
26th May 1982
The demise of my beloved Deltics was something of a shock to me. I resolved to buy myself a decent camera and capture as much as I could of the railway network before it all disappeared. This was one of my early attempts….. …..I managed to straighten it up in Photoshop but can’t do much about the composition! Having grown up with the Scottish Gloucesters, I was more than a little pleased to see this arriving at Manchester Piccadilly on the 15:13 ex New Mills, 26th May 1982. M50351 was the leading car - note the partial number on the buffer beam. Brian McDevitt.
27th October 1984
Class 108 DMU 54488+51905 at New Mills Central with the 12.13 to Manchester Piccadilly, 27-10-84. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
27th October 1984
A Class 108 DMU with 54230 closest and 53947 had recessed onto the stub of the Hayfield branch to the otherwise disused tunnel at New Mills Central whilst an express passes, it now returns to the station to form the next local service to Manchester Piccadilly, 27-10-84. On Tour With the Class 13 Army.
7th July 1985
On 7th July 1985, coming out of the New Mills turn back tunnel, as we called it as it was used to turn back the 2 car dmus back to Manchester, is a Buxton "White Roofed" allocated BRC&W dmu BX482 (M53507, M59195, M53429), officially called Hayfield Tunnel it was the start of the 2.5 mile branch to Hayfield which closed to all traffic on 03/01/70, the tunnel is 197 yards long and was only half bricked up at the other end. Today the tunnel is trackless but the tunnel mouth is still there, at the other end of the tunnel is the start of the Sett Valley trail which is on the old track bed to Hayfield. Andrew J Crowther.
9th July 1988
A 2 car Derby Lightweight Newton Heath allocated Class 108 DMU, set N600 (M53934 + presumably M54268), nears its destination whilst working a Manchester Piccadilly - New Mills Central service. Taken from where a public footpath crosses the line on the 9th July 1988. Andrew J Crowther.
10th May 1989
Set N669 (M53528 + M59187 + M53454) departing Romiley on 2H69, the 18:43 New Mills Central to Manchester Piccadilly, 10-5-89. Kevin Dowd.
10th May 1989
Class 104 set N669 (formed of M53454 + M59187 + M53528) arrives at New Mills Central on 10-5-89. Stuart Broome.
10th May 1989
N669 (M53528 + M59187 + M53454) waiting to depart New Mills Central with 2H69, the 18:43 to Manchester Piccadilly on 10-5-89. Stuart Broome.
10th May 1989
N669 (M53528 + M59187 + M53454) seen at Hague Bar on 10/5/89, working 2H69, the 18:43 New Mills Central to Manchester Piccadilly. Kevin Dowd.
27th May 1989
Class 104 set No. N667 (53447 and 53531) stand at Manchester Piccadilly before working a service to New Mills on 27 May 1989. Brian Creasey.
15th August 1989
CH610 M53531 + M53447 pass Romiley box on 2H60 11:00 Man Picc to New Mills Central, 15-8-89, "in the days when I was a train booking lad in the box!" says Kev. Kevin Dowd.
6th March 1990
Having earlier arrived at New Mills Central from Manchester Piccadilly, Class 108 two-car DMU formed of cars M54253 & M53981, had run the short distance beyond the end of the Up platform and run into the siding located on was what once part of the Hayfield branch (Closed in January 1970), a short length being retained inside the 200 Yard Hayfield Tunnel for use as a turnback facility. The unit then crossed over to the Down platform to await departure back to Manchester Piccadilly on a gloomy and overcast March 6th 1990. The unit was finally withdrawn from passenger carrying service in October 1992. Car 54253 was scrapped, but 53981 was transferred to departmental use and renumbered to ADB977838 for use as a Sandite vehicle. It too was eventually withdrawn for a final time in February 1994 and subsequently scrapped. Martyn Hilbert.
28th April 1990
CH261 M51906 + M54496 arrive at New Mills Central on 2H60 the 21:30 ex-Manchester Piccadilly, 28-4-90. Kevin Dowd.