Report - Tiviot Dale Eastern Tunnel - Stockport - July 2013

[Nickindroy]

Tiviot Dale Eastern Tunnel - Stockport July 2013

I recently met up with Stopford_lad, to visit a mutual friends exhibition at Bankley Studios & Gallery, in sunny Longsight. Now I know what you're thinking...Stopford in an Art Gallery!?? During a cheeky one in the pub round the corner beforehand, we decided to pop down the road to Stockport, later on and jump into this fine tunnel. There are two of them, as can be seen on an early 1900's map in the first picture, but I guess this is the one which is nicer, feature wise. Both ends of this one have been backfilled to a stoop, but it opens up in the middle to reveal a row of steel supports, wedged all round with timber. This whole section is 252 Yards long and passes underneath Dodge Hill Air-raid shelters.

During the 1950s competition from road transport began to take its toll on the services at Stockport Tiviot Dale. The overall roof over the bay platforms at the east end of the westbound platform was removed. Passenger trains had ceased to use these platforms anyway by the 1940s. In 1962 the station was left with one service per day to London St Pancras; a Liverpool Central to Nottingham express; only five local trains in each direction between either Liverpool Central or Warrington Central and Tiviot Dale via Skelton Junction; five services to Sheffield; and five to Derby. A more regular service, but nothing like it had been in the past, continued to link Stockport Tiviot Dale and Manchester Central.
On 30th November 1964 the Liverpool Central / Warrington Central and Stockport Tiviot Dale service was withdrawn. In 1966 main line services stopped operating from Liverpool Central, and Stockport Tiviot Dale lost its Nottingham service. With only a handful of services left Stockport Tiviot Dale station was closed completely on 2nd January 1967.

Yes I've got an annoying blue torch! Thanks Stop for the help mate and thanks all for looking. ​