Media centre

Monday 5 Apr 2004

PENDLETON STATION IS NO MORE

Region & Route:

The fire-damaged Pendleton station, which has stood derelict on the Manchester to Atherton line for over a decade, has finally been demolished in a seven-month project that started last August and cost £260,000 to complete. Working mainly at weekends so as to cause the least amount of disruption to passengers, Network Rail contractors Serco Rail Property took on the job of demolishing the station building, which formed part of the road-over-rail bridge spanning the railway line. Having removed the building they then had to lift out several steel girders using a 70 tonne road crane and renew the bridge parapet, which was finished in a grey brick to blend in with the rest of the bridge. At track level the lengthy island platform, with its canopy supported by an intricate web of steelwork on iron pillars, was completely removed and the only clue to its former existence is where 80 tonnes of topsoil was brought in to level off the site. A Network Rail spokesman said: “The building has been empty and unusable for a number of years following a fire that burnt through the floor and rendered the building unusable. Given the small number of passengers using the station since Salford Crescent station was built nearby, the decision was taken to close it. In fact, when British Rail was privatised, the station was never included in the operational property portfolio transferred to the then Railtrack. - more - Pendleton – 2 “Now that it has gone, the area looks much better and there is no danger of anyone getting inside and hurting themselves or causing any more damage.”