A forgotten railway station. That’s Oldfield Road for you. Once a bustling hub now silent. Let’s journey back to Oldfield Road’s heyday. Imagine the steam engines chugging. Passengers hurrying to catch trains. This unassuming location in Salford held a vital role. It served the western part of the city. For a short time between 1852 and 1872 Oldfield Road station thrived. It connected Salford to Bolton and Manchester.
Initially named simply Oldfield Road. It was later renamed Oldfield Road Salford. Then it became Salford Oldfield Road. Finally it reverted to Oldfield Road. The station’s life was short-lived. A direct line opened in 1865. This made Oldfield Road redundant. It closed in 1872. House prices in the area reflect this long history. Records show prices as low as £45000 in 1998. They reached £395000 in 2024. This reflects the area’s changing fortunes.
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway built the station. They were the successors to the Manchester Bolton and Bury Railway. This railway line opened in 1838. Salford was initially a terminus. In 1846 a connection was made to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. This bypassed Salford. Oldfield Road station filled this gap. It gave Salford passengers access to Manchester trains. The station was about 1 and 2/8 miles west of Salford’s main station. It stood for 20 years.
Nearby the canal’s history intertwines with the railway’s. Restoration work around Oldfield Road uncovered Lock 3. This lock was buried for fifty years. Its original stonework was remarkably intact. A new winding hole allows boats to turn. The canal’s restoration reflects Salford’s ongoing renewal. Oldfield Road station is gone. But its story remains etched in the area’s landscape. The area whispers of bygone days. A time when steam engines ruled the tracks.