How the vision for tram-train on disused railway line would work

It has been 33 years since Denton and Reddish South train stations had a regular passenger service. But a new vision could see tram-trains rattling along the line in the near future.

The lonely railway line through Denton is currently underused, only offering a ‘ghost train’ service. Denton and Reddish South train stations see two trains weekly, coming through every Saturday – one to Stalybridge, the other to Stockport.

This is a minimum service simply to keep the line, which is strategically important, open as it’s mainly used by freight trains and acts as an alternative route in case of a blockage between Stockport and Manchester.

The Victorian-era stations are two of the least used in the country. There were just 54 entries and exits at Denton between April 2023 and March 2024, according to the Office of Road and Rail.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has now devised a new purpose for the line – to run tram-trains. Tram-train technology would see services run on both tram and train tracks.

This scheme, if signed off by transport bosses, would see the tram-trains run between Manchester and Stockport along the Denton rail line.

This vision would include links to Ashton-under-lyne and Manchester Airport. If the idea were brought to life, it could connect thousands more residents to the integrated Bee Network.

The Friends of Reddish South Station (FORSS), who incorporated the Friends of Denton Station group back in 2023, have been campaigning for two decades to get regular services back on these tracks. They are all for the new tram-trains, if they do go to Manchester, and say ‘the sooner the better’.

FORSS are anxious to move things along quickly as they fear the railway line could be shut down, like it was touted in the 2000s, if there are no concrete plans to futureproof it.

Credit: LDRS

A spokesperson for FORSS said: “Tram-train has long been suggested to us for ‘our’ line – for the past ten years or so in fact. Last January, it was admitted to us by TfGM that tram-train is still a ‘concept’ and could take years to put into practice.

“The current heavy-rail line runs from Manchester Victoria to Stockport, Victoria’s only line that runs south. The plan we were given was that a proposed tram-train would run from Stockport to Ashton Moss, and we’re not sure what advantage that would be at all.

“We would welcome any rail that would bring desperately needed additional public transport to Denton & Reddish. If tram–train was viable soon and ran from Manchester Victoria to Stockport – the sooner the better please.

“It would be of a much greater benefit to many more than just Denton and Reddish residents. The main problems with Tram-train for us are the years it will take to realise (if ever) and the route – it has to be to Manchester Victoria.”

The group added that people using the line could actually walk to their nearest station rather than adding to congestion and environmental damage in areas around Denton Island and Reddish.

Speaking in detail about how the new transport system could work, Andrew Gwynne, MP for Gorton and Denton, said: “The line will connect to Manchester Piccadilly in two ways. The proposal is for a spur from the Manchester-Ashton Metro line down onto the Denton rail line; then a spur from Heaton Norris up onto the A6 for a short section of onstreet running into Stockport interchange, which links to Manchester via the East Didsbury extension.

“That means you can run a circular service from Piccadilly to Ashton Moss onto the Denton line through Reddish South up into Stockport and back to Manchester via East Didsbury.

“There’s also an opportunity for a cross south-east Manchester service from Ashton, down onto the Denton line, up into Stockport interchange and then a spur onto the mid-Cheshire line to Manchester Airport linking the Ashton Mayoral Development Zone to the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation to Airport City Business Development Zone.

“All of that is transformational for Denton and Reddish South and opens both communities to the city centre, to Ashton and Stockport and eventually to the Airport too.”

Currently the idea is just that, an idea. The plans to extend Metrolink from East Didsbury to Stockport would need to come to fruition first.

TfGM is already working with Stockport council to develop a business case for bringing trams to Stockport, exploring a ‘core’ extension from the existing Metrolink stop at East Didsbury to Stockport town centre. As part of the work on the business case strategy, transport bosses are also considering how this may unlock future extensions, such as tram-trains through Denton.

The line that runs through Denton features in TfGM’s Transport Strategy 2050 for tram-trains, with the original plan to connect Stockport to Oldham and then onto Victoria. But this idea of linking the disused train line to the Stockport tram service business case is the first sign of progress on the scheme to date.

Significant progress has already been made on the first stage of the Stockport Metrolink extension business case. TfGM is working hard to complete the required technical work this year, ahead of submission to the Department for Transport in early 2026.

When the new vision was launched last week, mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “We’ve a bold plan to deliver a decade of good growth for Greater Manchester, one that benefits every part of the city region. Developing the Bee Network and delivering better bus, tram and train connections will be fundamental to our growth story.

“For too long, Denton has been overlooked and by working up the tram-train option to connect Denton and the wider area to the Metrolink is a big step toward unlocking opportunities for local residents and businesses.

“We’re committed to extending Metrolink to Stockport and beyond as part of our efforts to connect all our districts to the tram network and delivering a truly integrated transport network for everyone.”

Credit: LDRS