Manchester Exchange

[deltic]

Has anyone got a link to the layout of the former Manchester Exchange Station? I understand it had 2 bay platforms and 3 through platforms - but I cant understand how the through platforms worked in relation to Man Vic platform 11 which linked the two stations.

Was the layout platforms 1&2, then 11, then 3,4 & 5?

Any ideas?

 

[yorksrob]

I believe Platform 11 at Vic joined on to the first through platform at Exchange North of the bay's. There was an island platform North of that which could be reached via the through lines between platforms 11 and 12 at Vic. Hope that helps !

 

[flymo]

I believe P3 at Exchange joined up with P11 at Victoria if that helps at all

 

[northernrail]

Platform 3 did join up with Platform 11 of Victoria, and most of it still suvives, an annual railtour from victoria only fits in that platform and with the Loco's not viewable from Victoria, station staff allow photographers on to the former exchange station, thats the only reason i go down every year.

 

[deltic]

thanks guys - understand how it worked now

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I remember going to Holyhead from one of the bay platforms very many years ago.

 

[table38]

I stumbled across some photos of the west end of Victoria looking east; not much use as a picture of Exchange, but the last 3 pictures on the first site do show how the common platform worked!

http://www.wbsframe.mste.co.uk/public/Manchester_Victoria_West_Station.html

There are some signal box diagrams below that show the track layout (but I suspect this was after Exchange had closed)

http://www.wbsframe.mste.co.uk/public/Manchester_Victoria_West.html

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


A colleague has sent me the track layout

 

[snail]

There are a number of photos on the Manchester City Libraries website

 

[Nym]

Seems it wasn't a rediculous distance from the main platform faces at Victoria then, wouldn't be that rediculous to put some bays on the former exchange site.

 

[snail]

Seems it wasn't a rediculous distance from the main platform faces at Victoria then, wouldn't be that rediculous to put some bays on the former exchange site.

Not to you, but it probably is to the general public.

Platform 11 joining the two stations was 2194ft. or 669m (according to Wikipedia). It's about 300m from the entrance to Platforms 3-6 to the old Exchange entrance. For comparison that's about the same as from the P3-6 Entrance to the Printworks on Corporation St, or at Piccadilly from the Concourse to Mayfield. A good walk even for fit & healthy people.

 

[Nym]

And how far on moving walkways and on foot is it going to be to get to platform 15 and 16 at Piccadilly?

Moving walkways would cut it down to a 3 - 4 min walk / transfer time.

 

[Welshman]

Seems it wasn't a rediculous distance from the main platform faces at Victoria then, wouldn't be that rediculous to put some bays on the former exchange site.

I suspect it seemed an endless walk years ago to my parents with heavy cases and a screaming child in tow!

And even though I don't scream quite as much now, I'd still prefer the aid of a moving walkway.

 

[snail]

A colleague has sent me the track layout

Interesting how the mind fades over time. I can recall the running lines between P11 and P12 at Victoria and that the outer platforms were on curves, but I didn't realise how much of a curve there was at the west end of P12. It shows just how much land the arena has swallowed up when you compare it to the footprint of the current station.