Hiking in Denton Trail: trails, map and practical info

Denton railway station is a station in Denton, Greater Manchester, on the Stockport-Stalybridge line, famous for having one train a week in one direction only (currently calling on Friday mornings at 9:32am), christened the "Denton Flyer". With 30 passenger entries and exits between April 2011 and March 2012, Denton is the third-least used station in Great Britain. On the platform, as of 2007, only one or two signs remain that bear the station name to the public. The Network/National Rail website (as of 2011), in its "Station Plan" shows a bench as the sole passenger facility at the station. There is no working lighting. North of here the line divides, with the single track branch to Guide Bridge diverging from the "main line" to Ashton Moss at Denton Junction. The latter route is normally used only by freight and empty stock transfer workings but is used also for diversions if the main line between Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly is closed for engineering work. A further direct line to Droylsden diverged from this (34 chains (680 m) further on at Ashton Moss Junction), which at one time was used by direct trains from the East Lancashire Line to London Euston as well as local trains from Manchester Victoria to Stockport. That line was closed in 1969 and subsequently lifted. The station is a request stop, having two platforms in an island layout. In theory, prospective passengers must flag down the train as it approaches the station. However, in practice the train usually stops at every station on the line even if no passenger is waiting.