Salford Central railway station

The station as it appeared in 1989

The railway station opened on 29 May 1838 as a terminus on the Manchester and Bolton Railway and was originally named Salford railway station.[1] In 1843, a connection to Manchester Victoria was built, carried on iron columns. The roof suffered from corrosion caused by the sulphurous emissions of locomotives passing through the station and one was replaced after only four years.[2] Between April 1858 and August 1865, to avoid confusion with Salford (Oldfield Rd),[3] the station was named Salford (New Bailey Street), after which it reverted to its original name of Salford.[1]

To avoid confusion with the newly built Salford Crescent station, in 1988 it was renamed Salford Central.[1] For many years the station was served at peak times only.[4]

Graffiti mural on Platform 1, 2018

Eastbound ECS entering the station in 1959

Down local train passing through the station in 1959

Westbound empty stock train passing Salford Station in 1963

With only platforms 1 and 2 currently in use (platforms 3 and 4 have been disused since the early 1990s), the station is now managed by Northern Trains and has undergone a major transformation involving construction of a new ticket office as well as making the station building fully accessible by the use of ramps from the entrances to the ticket office and lifts and ramps from the ticket office to the platforms,[5] however ramped access to the trains was not possible until the second renovation to the platforms in 2023.

Manchester city centre is accessible either on foot or by a short ride on public transport. Salford is also served by Salford Crescent railway station, close to the University of Salford and Salford Precinct. The £700m Middlewood Locks development will be served by Salford Central.[6]

The ticket office is staffed from 06:25 to 19:35, six days per week (closed late evenings and on Sundays, so tickets must be purchased on the train at these times). The ticket hall is connected to the platforms via inclined ramps that are suitable for mobility-impaired users. There are shelters and snack/drink vending machines at platform level, along with timetable posters, digital display screens and automated announcements to provide train running information.[7]

The station has a frequent service on weekdays and Saturdays (typically 5 tph each way), with all trains to and from Victoria calling here. Destinations served include Wigan Wallgate and Headbolt Lane (via Atherton) and Southport, Blackburn and Clitheroe (via Bolton) westbound, Leeds and Blackburn (via Todmorden), Rochdale and Stalybridge eastbound (some services also terminate at Victoria).[8]

The station was formerly closed on Sundays, but since the summer 2018 timetable change was introduced on 20 May all trains between Salford Crescent and Victoria now call here.

Services were suspended from this station on 2 January 2023 until Summer 2023 so Network Rail can carry out improvement works, raising the canopies and platforms due to accessibility issues,[9] as well as upgrading the track and the signalling system.[10][11]

A Network Rail report suggests building platforms on the line to Liverpool (via Newton-le-Willows), the lines of which run through the station but are not provided with platforms.[12] This scheme has since been adopted by Transport for Greater Manchester and included in their Capital Works Programme for 2015–16 to 2020–21.[13] This will see an additional platform built and the old platforms 3 & 4 reopened, at a cost of £20.5 million and will allow Liverpool, Chester & Manchester Airport-bound trains (using the Ordsall Chord) to call here.[14]

All lines through the station have now been electrified and electric working on the Preston via Bolton route commenced on Monday 11 February 2019 utilising Class 319 Electric Multiple Units.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Salford Central railway station.

• Train times and station information for Salford Central railway station from National Rail

Railway Lines in Salford
Past, present and future
to Wigan Wallgate   to Bolton Great Moor Street to Wigan North Western   Little Hulton Ellenbrook Walkden Low Level Walkden High Level to Liverpool Lime Street Moorside to Bolton Barton Moss Worsley Swinton Dixon Fold Patricroft   Monton Green Pendlebury to Bury Irlams-o'-th'-Height Eccles Eccles   Clifton Junction Ladywell   Agecroft Bridge Weaste Weaste Brindle Heath Jct Agecroft Jct Langworthy Seedley Pendleton Pendleton Bridge Broadway Cross Lane MediaCityUK Harbour City   Salford Crescent Anchorage Salford Docks Salford Quays Windsor Link Exchange Quay Ordsall Lane   Oldfield Road Metrolink to Manchester Ordsall Chord Salford Central to Manchester Deansgate to Manchester Victoria

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Salford Crescent		Northern Trains Manchester-Preston Line		Manchester Victoria
		Northern Trains Ribble Valley Line
		Northern Trains Manchester-Southport Line
		Northern Trains Manchester-Headbolt Lane Mondays-Saturdays only
	Future services
Deansgate		Northern Ordsall Chord		Manchester Victoria
Eccles		Northern Liverpool to Manchester Line
	Historical railways
Oldfield Road Line open, station closed		Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Manchester and Bolton Railway		Manchester Victoria Line and station open