Old Trafford Metrolink Station - History

History

See also: History of Manchester Metrolink

A station, situated just to the north of the present station, was opened by the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJAR) in May 1857. It was known as Manchester Art Treasures Exhibition, being built to serve the exhibition of that name, which was open between 5 May 1857 and 17 October 1857. The station closed in October 1857. It was adapted and reopened as Old Trafford Cricket Ground in 1862 for use every year thereafter until 1866, on match days only.

The station opened for special events, such as the Royal Agricultural Society Exhibition in 1869, and again between May and October 1887 for the Royal Jubilee Exhibition in Stretford Royal Botanical Gardens, held to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria, during both of which the station was known as Exhibition; additional platforms were constructed for the latter. From 1887 until 1963 it operated as a four-platform station. It was renamed Cricket Ground (Old Trafford) and continued to open on match days only; in 1910 it became Cricket and Football Grounds following the opening of Manchester United's ground on 19 February 1910.


On 11 May 1931, following the electrification of the MSJAR, the station was renamed Warwick Road and was open daily. It was also referred to as Warwick Road (Old Trafford) on early tickets, timetables, etc. Warwick Road closed as a British Rail station on 25 December 1991 (the last trains having run on 24 December 1991) for conversion to light rail operation, and reopened as a Metrolink station on 15 June 1992, at which point it was renamed Old Trafford.

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