An attempt at a tube style diagram for the Manchester area suburban services of British rail in October 1983. This is a later style and with some revisions most notably to the lettering; here it is 'courser' with, for example, Handforth squeezed in at an odd angle unlike earlier editions, suggesting a degree of re-drafting despite the generally similar appearance.
A few interesting lines. The Bury - Manchester line would in time form the initial stages of the Metrolink system along with the Altrincham 'local' line and most recently the Oldham Loop. I suppose the 'great survivor' is the Stockport - Guide Bridge - Stalybridge line famous for its one train a week to avoid formal closure leaving Denton and Reddish South with the dubious honour of propping up the table of UK passenger station useage figures. Also clear was the 'north - south' divide of Manchester's central area rail services - a gap once intended to be bridged by the underground Picc-Vic line but now joined by both Metrolink and the changes to the heavy rail network around Salford and the Ordsall Curve. Equally several of the PTE inspired reopening, such as Smithy Bridge between Rochdale and Littleborough, have yet to appear and there is still no mention of the PTE on this diagram.
