[10] Designed by Sir John Fowler, the station was opened in July 1880 by the Cheshire Lines Committee.

The station served as the terminus for Midland Railway express trains to London St Pancras.

[13] In 1978, the structure was acquired by Greater Manchester County Council to redevelop as a concert venue.

[15] Initial construction work concentrated on repairing the derelict structure and re-pointing brickwork which took 18 months.

[16] In 2001, the Manchester International Convention Centre (MICC) was added, comprising an 804-seat auditorium and breakout rooms and the Great Northern Hall.

[17] In January 2007, the venue was renamed Manchester Central, evoking the memory of the former station[18][19] and converted into an exhibition and conference centre.

[20] The second phase, completed towards the end of 2009, included an extended foyer to the Grade II listed Central Hall.

[23] After a nine-year break, it was again used for concerts by Snow Patrol in December 2006 with Morrissey, the Verve, Marilyn Manson, Franz Ferdinand, Manic Street Preachers, Arctic Monkeys,[24] Bloc Party and Hard-Fi holding concerts in 2007.

National Rail local train services serve Deansgate railway station whilst Manchester Piccadilly is a 20-minute walk away.