Station Road, Swinton
Game Date Result Attendance Notes
1 30 November 1929 Swinton def Australasia 9-5 9,000 1929-30 Kangaroo Tour
2 4 November 1933 Swinton def Australia 10-4 13,341 1933-34 Kangaroo Tour
3 24 November 1937 Swinton def Australia 5-3 4,113 1937-38 Kangaroo Tour
4 17 November 1948 Australia def Swinton 21-0 5,849 1948-49 Kangaroo Tour
5 18 October 1952 Australia def Swinton 31-8 10,269 1952-53 Kangaroo Tour
6 25 November 1959 Australia def Swinton 25-24 5,021 1959-60 Kangaroo Tour
7 23 November 1963 Swinton drew with Australia 2-2 11,947 1963-64 Kangaroo Tour
8 25 November 1967 Australia def Swinton 12-9 5,640 1967-68 Kangaroo Tour
International venue
In its heyday it boasted a capacity of 60,000 , although with a record attendance of 44,621 for Warrington v Wigan in the 1951 Challenge Cup semi-final this was never really tested . All in all 19 internationals ( including 15 test matches ) , 5 Championship finals , 17 Lancashire County Cup finals , 4 Premiership finals and 30 Rugby League Challenge Cup semi-finals were played at the ground . In addition two World Cup matches were played at Station Road . The biggest win in any international match at Station Road was when Australia defeated Great Britain by 50-12 in the second Ashes test during the 1963 Kangaroo tour . Played in front of 30,843 fans , the match became known as the `` Swinton Massacre '' as the Kangaroos ran riot . Winger Ken Irvine crossed for 3 tries giving the British fans ( and his opposite , Lions winger Mick Sullivan ) a taste of his legendary speed , while other stars for Australia were Reg Gasnier and Peter Dimond who crossed for 2 tries each , and Gasnier 's Centre partner Graeme Langlands scored 2 tries and kicked 7 goals . After winning the first test 28-2 at Wembley , the victory saw Australia regain the Ashes they had lost to the Lions at home in 1962 . 1960 Rugby League World Cup 1 October 1960 Great Britain 33–7 France Station Road , SwintonAttendance : 22,923Referee : Edouard Martung Britain 's comprehensive victory over the French at Swinton was marred by the first double sending-off in World Cup annals , France 's skipper Jean Barthe and Britain 's second-rower Vince Karalius being despatched by Edouard Martung , a police inspector from Bordeaux . 1970 Rugby League World Cup 31 October 1970 Great Britain 27–17 New Zealand Station Road , SwintonAttendance : 5,609 Britain eliminated New Zealand from the tournament , cruising to victory with five tries to three . [ 1 ] List of Great Britain matches played at Station Road Date Result Competition Attendance 6 November 1948 Great Britain 16–7 Australia 1948 Ashes series 36,354 10 November 1951 Great Britain 20-19 New Zealand 1951 Great Britain vs New Zealand Test series 29,938 8 November 1952 Great Britain 21–5 Australia 1952 Ashes series 32,421 8 October 1955 Great Britain 25–6 New Zealand 1955 Great Britain vs New Zealand Test series 21,937 15 December 1956 Great Britain 19–0 Australia 1956 Ashes series 17,542 17 October 1959 Great Britain 14–22 Australia 1959 Ashes series 35,224 4 November 1961 Great Britain 35–19 New Zealand 1961 Great Britain vs New Zealand Test series 22,536 9 November 1963 Great Britain 12–50 Australia 1963 Ashes series 30,843 23 January 1965 Great Britain 17–7 France 1965 Great Britain vs France Test 9,959 25 September 1965 Great Britain 9–2 New Zealand 1965 Great Britain vs New Zealand Test series 8,497 9 December 1967 Great Britain 3–11 Australia 1967 Ashes series 13,615 Also seven England internationals were played at Station Road Date Result Competition Attendance 4 January 1930 England 0–0 Australia 1929–30 Ashes series 35,000 7 October 1933 England 4–0 Australia 1933 Ashes series 34,000 16 December 1933 England 19–16 Australia 1933 Ashes series 10,990 13 November 1937 England 13–3 Australia 1937 Ashes series 31,724 8 November 1947 England 7–10 New Zealand 1947 Great Britain vs New Zealand Test series 29,031 23 February 1946 England 16–6 France 1945–46 European Championship 20,500 12 October 1946 England 10–13 Wales 1946–47 European Championship 20,213 Station Road also saw Swinton playing various Australian international touring sides .
Station Road was a stadium in Pendlebury, near Manchester, England. It was the home of Swinton Rugby League Club between 1929 and 1992 and was widely recognised as one of the finest grounds in the Rugby League. Swinton moved to Station Road when they were at their peak, having won all four major trophies (All Four Cups) the previous season, one of only three clubs (the others being Hunslet and Huddersfield) ever to do so. The decision to purchase the land, which stood alongside the railway line and Swinton railway station, was made after a breakdown in negotiations with their existing landlord at their Chorley Road ground, their home since 1887.