The journey time by tram to Altrincham was 27 minutes and the faster diesel service (the Mid-Cheshire line trains) ceased as these trains were diverted via Stockport with considerably extended journey times. The journey time by train from Manchester to Hale, for example, doubled from 17 to 34 minutes. Manchester Metrolink trams now exclusively use the trackbed between Deansgate Junction (between Navigation Road and Timperley) and Manchester. The line serves many small, rural settlements in Cheshire before reaching Chester. Services follow the Crewe line from Manchester Piccadilly as far as Stockport, where the line diverges westwards. The line then curves around the south of Manchester until it meets the Metrolink line. Metrolink and Mainline services run parallel between Deansgate Junction through Navigation Road railway station to Altrincham, where the Metrolink terminates. Part of the route is single track between Stockport and Altrincham. South of Altrincham, the route leaves Manchester's suburbs. There are no further passenger interchanges on the line until the service reaches Chester. There is a single-track freight-only branch to the west of Northwich which links Northwich to Sandbach on the Crewe to Manchester Line. There is a campaign for this line to be re-opened as a passenger line to allow interchange with services at Sandbach or Crewe and serve the town of Middlewich, the railway station of which closed in 1960. There is also a curve to access the West Coast Main Line further west, but passenger services do not use this. The line joins up with the line from Chester to Warrington just east of Chester at Mickle Trafford Junction. Monday to Friday  Manchester to Chester: 18 trains per day  Stockport to Chester: 2 additional trains per day Chester to Manchester: 17 trains per day  Chester to Stockport: 2 additional trains per day  Saturday Manchester to Chester: 18 trains per day  Chester to Manchester: 17 trains per day  Sunday Chester to Manchester: 7 trains Manchester to Chester: 7 trains  The above shows a cutback in the number of peak services to and from Manchester, which started in December 2008 and prompted an online petition. It also included the loss of a daily direct service to Blackpool from Northwich and the loss of a limited stop afternoon train from Chester to Manchester. As well as improvements made to the Sunday service, which was previously a 3 hourly Chester to Altrincham service. However, due to growing numbers of passengers, the new Northern franchise will include increased services (see below).