Northern Rail announces timetable changes affecting Rochdale borough stations

Northern Rail will be putting timetable changes into effect from 15 December, some of which impact local train stations.

From the new timetable for the Leeds to Manchester Victoria via Bradford Interchange/Brighouse service, and Manchester to Blackburn route, departure times of trains leaving Rochdale station have changed slightly.

Richard Greenwood, chairman of local rail campaign group STORM (Support the Oldham and Rochdale Manchester rail line) said: “We find that many of the departure times of the trains serving the Rochdale area stations will change on 15 December 2019.

“Most of the alterations will be no more than eight minutes, usually less. Some trains will be earlier and some later. There will no longer be through trains to Southport, these trains will instead terminate at Wigan.

“For example, on Monday – Saturday, instead of the current 1026 service from Rochdale to Manchester, there will be a 1018 train instead. It also seems that instead of the 1124 and 1126 trains, there will be one service at 1122. The timetable will see the addition of a 1334 service to Manchester Victoria between the 1326 and 1339.

“Services around rush hour times have stayed relatively the same."

He continued: “The trains serving Littleborough and Smithy Bridge stations will continue to be those travelling between Manchester and Blackburn via Todmorden and Burnley and those travelling between Manchester and Leeds via Brighouse.

“Castleton and Mills Hill will continue to be served by the trains running between Rochdale, Manchester Victoria, Bolton, Blackburn and Clitheroe.

“The ‘missing’ train from Castleton to Manchester Victoria around 1640 in the afternoon seems to be re-instated.

“STORM hopes to be able to provide clearer information nearer the 15th.”

The current timetable can be viewed at:

• Timetable until 14 December 2019

The new timetable, effective from 15 December, can be viewed at:

• Timetable from 15 December 2019