East Didsbury railway station of British Rail, rail services were operated by the London Midland Region of British Railways, then North-Western Regional Railways. The station was rebuilt in the 1960s by the architect to the London Midland section of British Rail, William Robert Headley. Services to Manchester Airport began in 1993 upon the opening of the Manchester Airport spur. Upon privatisation of rail services in 1996/7, East Didsbury was served by the North Western Trains franchise. Before the Beeching Axe of the 1960s, the Didsbury area was served by three railway stations: East Didsbury, Didsbury, and Withington and West Didsbury. Didsbury opened in 1880
Didsbury conservation area now known as Didsbury St James, about half a mile (1 km) to the south of what is today's village centre. The old village green is now the beer garden of The Didsbury public house. The traditional independent retailers are gradually being replaced by multi-national firms, raising fears that Didsbury may lose its individual identity and become a "clone town". However, independent traders continue to thrive, especially in West Didsbury, which celebrates its independent spirit each year with the two-day Westfest festival. The 200-year-old Peacock's Funeral Parlour, one of the few pre-Victorian buildings in the village and regarded