Manchester (MBTA station)

Manchester is a commuter rail station on the MBTA Commuter Rail Newburyport/Rockport Line, located in downtown Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts. Although the official name is 'Manchester', the station is signed as "Manchester by the Sea'.A small parking area is provided for local commuters. The station is fully handicapped accessible, with mini-high platforms at the outbound end of the platform.HistoryThe Gloucester Branch opened from Beverly to Manchester in August 1847. It was extended to Gloucester in December 1847, and Rockport in November 1861. The line later passed to the Eastern Railroad, which itself was absorbed by the Boston and Maine Railroad.The original passenger station was replaced by a newer station in 1895. Neither survive, but the original freight house is present and used as a community center.When the MBTA was formed in August 1964 to subsidize suburban commuter service, Manchester was the northeast limit of its funding district. On January 18, 1965, the Boston & Maine cut Gloucester Branch service back to Manchester. After Gloucester and Rockport reached funding deals to subsidize out-of-district operations, full service was returned to Rockport on June 28, 1965.