The new line was built to provide a faster route to the south for express services, avoiding Stockport Tiviot Dale.

From this date, many South District services ran to Cheadle Heath, which was provided as an interchange station so that passengers could transfer between long distance and local trains.

The route between Manchester and Chorlton which formed part of the Fallowfield Loop Line, continued in use by freight trains until 1989, when the track was lifted.

[5] Clearance work started in October 2008, and the first stage; the 1.8 miles (3 km) from Trafford Bar to St Werburgh's Road was opened on 7 July 2011.

However some of it was built on or filled in after closure, making re-opening more difficult, so the proposed line would have included some new infrastructure and street running sections to take it into Stockport.