It was constructed next to  Longsight depot in the early 1990s as part of a plan to operate Regional Eurostar international train services from Manchester to Europe via the Channel Tunnel.
ɪt wʌz kənstɹˈʌktᵻd nˈɛkst tə lˈɔŋsaɪt dˈiːpoʊ ɪnðɪ ˈɜːli nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti z æz pˈɑːɹt əvə plˈæn tʊ ˈɑːpɚɹˌeɪt ɹˈiːdʒənəl jˈʊɹɹoʊstˌɑːɹ ˌɪntɚnˈæʃənəl tɹˈeɪn sˈɜːvɪsᵻz fɹʌm mˈæntʃɛstɚ tə jˈʊɹɹəp vˈaɪə ðə tʃˈænəl tˈʌnəl.