A BURST water main in east Manchester near Fairfield station on September 2 resulted in the suspension of local services between Manchester Piccadilly, Rose Hill and Hadfield, as well as services to Stalybridge and Leeds via Guide Bridge. Following the burst at Audenshaw, thousands of gallons of water flooded the tracks and for three days Bessemer Street bridge between Ashburys and Gorton stations become a waterfall.
Thousands of gallons of fast flowing water have fallen from the railway above onto the road below, flooding it and washing away mortar inside the structure. At one point three miles of the railway were underwater.