History 1880-1978

Manchester Central… a history

The vaulted arches and iconic clock of Manchester Central Convention Complex have been a much-loved feature of the city’s skyline and an integral part of Manchester for nearly 130 years.

The building’s origins date back to the late 1800’s when Manchester was served by two mainline railway stations, Hunt’s Bank (now Victoria) and Store Street (now Piccadilly). During the 1860s, there was demand for a third passenger station and so the Cheshire Lines Committee, a joint venture between the three railway companies at the time, took responsibility for building a third station in Manchester.

Work on Central Station began in October 1875 and continued for 5 years before opening officially on the 1st July 1880. Central Station went on to become one of the North West’s great travel interchanges and at its peak, boasted around 400 arrivals and departures per day. Some 400 staff were employed at the station and, with more than 1 million outgoing passengers recorded in 1959, the station was a buzz of activity. Central Station also hosted the early Pullman Trains, considered to be the height of luxurious transportation, including the famous Blue Pullman. With the lavish Midland hotel opposite, Central Station is rumoured to have welcomed a host of big names in business, politics and entertainment to Manchester.

The station operated successfully for almost 90 years. But, then the Beeching report was published, proposing the restructuring of the railway network. Manchester Central Station was deemed surplus to requirements and it was announced that it would close to passengers on Monday 5th May 1969.

Thankfully, the building had been granted Grade ll listed status in 1963, which ensured that the shell would be preserved. In the weeks following the station closure, there was much speculation in the Manchester Evening News about proposed development ideas, which included a sports hall, science museum or an exhibition centre.

At the time, the newspaper reported that the development of Central Station was expected to begin in autumn 1969, but the announcement never came and for many years after its closure this impressive example of Victorian architecture stood empty. The building was sold in 1972 and for some time was used for car parking – now regarded as a low point in the history of this grand building, which had come to symbolise Manchester’s industrial heritage.

In 1978, Greater Manchester County Council purchased the building and plans were announced to develop the station into an exhibition centre, reinventing the old disused structure for an important contemporary use – and symbolising the change in the business and economic landscape. But, nevertheless, it was significant that a building, which had started out as an important hub for travel, would be re-born as a centre for communication and business exchange.