Tag Archives: transport

Stockport’s 21st Century Trams and Transport for Greater Manchester’s Plans for the Future.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has indicated that it is considering a plan to extending the already proposed East Finsbury to Stockport extension of the Metrolink tram network. The extension would utilise the underused railway line between Stockport and Denton.

Talk is of utilising tram-train technology on this possible new extension.

An extension to Metrolink could use the under-exploited Denton line, © Transport for Greater Manchester. [1]

Should this proposal be approved it would link Stockport to Tameside and could also provide a link to Manchester Airport

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham spoke of bold plans to deliver a decade of growth for Greater Manchester. He said that “developing the Bee Network and delivering better bus, tram and train connections will be fundamental to [that] growth story.” [2]

He continued: “For too long, Denton has been overlooked and by working up the tram-train option to connect Denton and the wider area to the Metrolink is a big step toward unlocking opportunities for local residents and businesses. … We’re committed to extending Metrolink to Stockport and beyond as part of our efforts to connect all our districts to the tram network and delivering a truly integrated transport network for everyone.” [2]

TfGM is already working with Stockport Council to develop a business case for bringing trams to Stockport. The Strategic Outline Case [4] – the first step in the process – is exploring a ‘core’ extension from the existing Metrolink stop at East Didsbury to Stockport town centre. The extension through Denton is not part of those ‘core’ proposals but, “as part of the work on the business case, TfGM is also considering how this may unlock future extensions. One option being worked up includes using tram-train technology – where services can run on both tram and train tracks – to run beyond Stockport town centre along the Denton rail line, connecting the area firmly into the wider Metrolink network including links to Tameside and Manchester Airport.” [2]

Good progress has been made on the first stage of the Stockport Metrolink extension business case, with TfGM now working to complete all required technical work ahead of submission to the Department for Transport in early 2026. Construction on the ‘core’ element of the project could begin by the end of the decade, if approvals and funding are acquired.

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Gorton & Denton, said: “For years I’ve campaigned, alongside the local community, for improved transport links to Denton and across the constituency. I’m delighted that as part of the Metrolink extension plans, TfGM are looking seriously at using the rail line as an option for tram-train services. … Improved connectivity is key to opening up opportunities for our people and communities, and supporting the growth ambitions across the city region.”

Navendu Mishra, MP for Stockport, said: “Since my election to the House of Commons in December 2019, I have been pushing the Government to fund the extension of Manchester’s Metrolink tram network into my constituency of Stockport, and I thank the Secretary of State for Transport, the Chancellor and Transport for Greater Manchester for backing the extension to our town centre. … This will be a significant boost for Stockport’s connectivity and local economy, helping people to get to work, school and healthcare appointments more easily and sustainably as well as unlocking new homes and jobs.” [2]

Leader of Tameside Council, Cllr Eleanor Wills, said: “The options being developed to utilise the Denton rail line to expand Metrolink and better connect Ashton to Manchester Airport via Stockport have the potential to be truly transformational. …  The Ashton Mayoral Development Zone is an exciting and vital opportunity to unlock Ashton’s potential, providing new homes and quality jobs. With even better transport links we can set ourselves up to for good growth for many years to come.” [2]

Leader of Stockport Council, Cllr Mark Roberts, said: “I’ve always said when it comes to MetroLink that it should be ‘Next Stop Stockport not Last Stop Stockport’ to the help deliver the ambition we have -the delivery of Metrolink and improving public transport connectivity across the borough and Greater Manchester is something we can all get behind.” [2]

TfGM says: “With Greater Manchester embarking on a decade of good growth, the city region is committed through the Greater Manchester Strategy to developing a transport system for a global city region – with 90% of people within a five-minute walk of a bus or tram that comes at least every 30 minutes.” [2]

In June 2025, the government awarded Greater Manchester £2.5 billion through Transport for the City Regions funding for a pipeline of projects including a tram line to Stockport and tram-train services connecting Oldham, Rochdale, Heywood and Bury, new Metrolink stops and modern new interchanges. … The £2.5 billion is part of a package of investment Greater Manchester is seeking to deliver its growth ambitions in full – with the city region seeking to work collaboratively with Government on exploring new funding models for major transport and other infrastructure projects. [3]
As of December 2025, Metrolink is the UK’s largest light rail network, with 99 stops connecting seven of the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester. Record numbers of people are also getting onboard, with 45.6 million trips made in 2024 – up from 33.5m trips in 2022. [2]

The £2.5 billion investment for the Greater Manchester city-region is targetted at enabling the Bee network become fully-electric, zero-emission public transport system by 2030. Local rail lines will be brought into the Bee Network by 2030, fully integrated bike, bus, tram and train travel for the first time outside London. New electric buses, tram lines, tram stops and transport interchanges are among pipeline of projects which will deliver far-reaching benefits across Greater Manchester. Mayor Andy Burnham said that further progress on the next phase of the Bee Network will now be delivered at an unrelenting pace.

Greater Manchester will create an all-electric local public transport network:

“A thousand new EV buses will form a 100% electric fleet serving its communities. Alongside trams powered by renewable energy and e-bikes for hire, it will deliver an emission-free network. This will build on progress already made to cut CO2 emissions and improve air quality.” [3] (Image, © Transport for Greater Manchester.)

Greater Manchester will bring rail into the Bee Network. “Local rail lines will be integrated with the Bee Network, … the move will see major improvements to stations, including making more fully accessible, as well as capped fares.” [3]

Greater Manchester will deliver major projects to drive green growth. “A pipeline of transport projects – including a tram line to Stockport and tram-train services connecting Oldham, Rochdale, Heywood and Bury, new Metrolink stops and modern new interchanges – will support the delivery of thousands of new homes, skilled jobs and green growth.” [3]

Greater Manchester’s current transport strategy is made up of a number of documents, including:

  • Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040.
  • A Five-Year Transport Delivery Plan 2021-2026 (including 10 local implementation plans).
  • Several supporting sub-strategies that all contribute to meeting regional transport ambitions and building the Bee Network.

In 2025, Greater Manchester are currently working on a new strategy – the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2050 – that will replace the current documents. [5]

You can find out more about the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 using these links:

Download the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040. [6]

Download the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040: Executive Summary. [7]

The Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2050 has been promoted by Mayor Andy Burnham. [8]

Plans for a subway network in the city centre could become reality by 2050 if Greater Manchester makes good on ambitions set out within its latest rail strategy. … The 48-page strategy sets out a roadmap for the city region’s rail network, which needs to expand to keep pace with a growing population. … Among the highlights is the intention to develop an underground network by 2050.” [8]

Starting at Piccadilly, where the city wishes to create a subterranean through-station as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail, the underground would provide increased network capacity without significant land take. … Taking Metrolink below ground [could] also minimise the disruption that would be caused if works were to take place at street level and push Manchester towards its target of doubling the number of intercity trips made by rail.” [8]

The ripple effects of taking the network underground include easing the pressure on the Castlefield Corridor, ‘one of the most overburdened rail routes in the country’, according to the strategy.” [8]

The underground plan is just one part of the strategy for the city-region strategy that also includes upgrading stations, introducing tram-train technology on existing rail lines to widen the Metrolink’s reach, and delivering the Northern Arc – a new line between Manchester and Liverpool that would ultimately form part of Northern Powerhouse Rail. Land around rail hubs in the city region, including a huge development opportunity at Piccadilly similar in scale to that at Kings Cross, could support the delivery 75,000 new homes and unlock £90bn in economic uplift across the North West by 2050.

According to Andy Burnham,  “Greater Manchester’s rail network plays a vital role in supporting [its] communities, powering [its] economy, and opening doors to opportunity – but for long has been held back from its true potential. … The way projects and services are planned and delivered is changing, with long needed reform giving the city-region a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape rail for Greater Manchester.” [8]

A year after the rail vision was unveiled a more simplified fare system on the Bee Network was announced. Andy Burnham said: “Simplifying rail fares is a key first step in making train travel easier and more accessible and the key to bringing local rail services into the Bee Network from December 2026. … Greater Manchester has a proud railway heritage, and our vision, developed with the industry, is about ensuring that everyone in our city-region can benefit from better connections, more reliable services, and a transport network that meets the needs of future generations.” [8]

Sitting beneath the city-region strategy is the more local SEMMMS (South-East Manchester Multi-Modal Strategy) which was settled in 2001 and the much later SEMMMS Refresh (2018) which identified measures required to meet future transportation needs in the Southeast of the city region centred on Stockport. These measures included: Metrolink/tram-train routes to Marple, Stockport town centre, the airport and Hazel Grove; segregated bus routes and bus priority schemes; improved rail services and new/ improved rail stations; new roads e.g. A6 to M60 Relief Road; new and improved walking and cycling routes and facilities on and off the highway; improved public realm in the district and local centres; creation of connected neighbourhoods that encourage the use of more sustainable forms of transport; the provision of transportation infrastructure needed to be supported by the introduction of smarter choices to encourage the use of sustainable transport. [9][10][11]

An extract from the TfGM plan for transport, looking forward towards 2040. It is intended that a tram-train service will run North from Stockport through Reddish, Denton and Guide Bridge to Ashton-under-Lyne. A similar service is planned to connect from Manchester Airport through Cheadle to Hazel Grove with a link North into Stockport to connect with the line through Denton. This schematic plan also shows the link from East Didsbury into Stockport. [12]

And finally …

Railway-News.com reported on 10th December 2025 that on 9th December 2025, TfGM Launched a Consultation on Future of Public Transport. The consultation invites people who live, work, travel, visit or study in Greater Manchester to help shape the future of the city region’s travel network by giving their views on the new GM Transport Strategy 2050, as well as the GM Transport Delivery Plan (2027-37). [13]

The proposed Plan will set out a framework “for how the Bee Network might be utilised to help Greater Manchester continue to become the growth capital of the UK through to 2050, whilst also addressing inequality and creating a greener city region.” [13]

The Consultation will run until 9th March 2026.

Backed by 2.5 billion GBP in government funding; TfGM’s plans “aim to deliver a number of transport projects through to the 2030s, resulting in what TfGM intends to be a world-class transport system. They will support both overall economic growth and the delivery of the new £1 billion Greater Manchester Good Growth Fund, which will in turn pump-prime a set of projects, drive growth and generation and ensure equal spending across the city region as a whole.” [13]

Additional development of the Bee Network, as well as a more reliable highways network, are set to underpin the new approach, which aims to better connect communities with locations, jobs and services. (Image, © Transport for Greater Manchester.) [13]

The Bee Network is set to begin incorporating rail services by 2028, with TfGM aiming to provide 90% of the city region with five-minute access to a bus or tram that arrives at least every 30 minutes.” [13]

GM transport strategy and delivery plans include keeping the local transport network safe and reliable via the renewal and maintenance of roads, Metrolink network and rail facilities; simplifying of fares, ticketing, bus services and introduction of new stops and services, as well as interchanges, Metrolink lines and expanded walking, wheeling and cycling networks; and the transformation of all local rail lines by incorporating them into the Bee Network.” [13]

A detailed delivery programme listing schemes is set out in the GM Transport Delivery Plan 2027 – 2037, which is split into three phases, along with works in the regional centre and a wider ongoing set of works across the city region.” [13]

In addition to online feedback; a series of face-to-face drop-in sessions are planned to take place across Greater Manchester. The documents which are available to read online through clicking on these links:

https://www.gmconsult.org/transport/transport2050/user_uploads/gm-transport-strategy-2050—–final-consultation-draft.pdf [14]

and

https://www.gmconsult.org/transport/transport2050/user_uploads/gm-transport-delivery-plan—–final-consultation-draft.pdf [15]

For an overview of both documents, please click here. [16]

TfGM want to hear from anyone with an interest in the future of transport in Greater Manchester. They outline how you can respond here. [17] The deadline for participation is 9th March 2026.

Returning to where this article started, this is what the consultation draft of the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2050 document says about Stockport:

Stockport town centre: Over the last decade, Stockport Council has spearheaded a £1bn transformation of its town centre. One of the UK’s largest town centre regeneration programmes, it has enabled the town to buck the trend of decline, with successful schemes across leisure, commercial and residential uses. Since 2019 Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) has played a powerful role in accelerating this transformation, delivering a residential led masterplan for Stockport Town Centre West. The MDC is a radical new approach to tackling future housing need and the changing role of town centres, delivered through a unique collaboration between the GM Mayor and Stockport Council. It brings together powers devolved to the Greater Manchester Mayor, combined with strong local leadership from Stockport Council and the long-term commitment of the government’s housing agency, Homes England, to deliver an ambitious vision for the future of Stockport town centre. Over the past 6 years in collaboration with its many partner organisations the MDC moved from innovative concept to proven delivery vehicle, with over 170,000 sq. ft. new Grade A offices at Stockport Exchange, 1,200 new homes completed or on site and a state-of-the-art new transport Interchange with two-acre rooftop park. Reflecting this success and the Council’s continued growth ambitions, in 2025 the Council and GMCA agreed to expand the boundary of the MDC to cover the whole of the town centre and doubling its housing target to 8,000 homes by 2040.” [14]

References

  1. https://railway-news.com/tfgm-exploring-plans-to-bring-trams-to-stockport, accessed on 4th December 2025.
  2. https://news.tfgm.com/press-releases/c956a710-e894-49ab-b1de-1b8fb97e7859/underused-denton-rail-line-being-considered-as-part-of-case-to-take-trams-to-stockport, accessed on 4th December 2025.
  3. news.tfgm.com/press-releases/897ce680-87a9-4349-a632-b477b1a8330f/greater-manchester-s-2-5-billion-funding-boost-to-unlock-uk-s-first-fully-integrated-zero-emission-public-transport-network, accessed on 4th December 2025.
  4. A Strategic Outline Case (SOC) is the first part of developing a business case for major infrastructure projects. The two further stages are the Outline Business Case (OBC) followed by the Full Business Case (FBC). In the case of extending Metrolink to Stockport approval is required from the Department for Transport (DfT) to progress through each stage.
  5. https://tfgm.com/strategy, accessed on 4th December 2025.
  6. https://assets.ctfassets.net/nv7y93idf4jq/01xbKQQNW0ZYLzYvcj1z7c/4b6804acd572f00d8d728194ef62bb89/Greater_Manchester_Transport_Strategy_2040_final.pdf, accessed on 4th December 2025.
  7. https://assets.ctfassets.net/nv7y93idf4jq/6tfus0lbLRvTlR64knc3g7/db49b54dc2e8f3dd29416ab560e1a6fe/21-0003_2040_Transport_Strategy_Exec_Summary.pdf, accessed on 4th December 2025.
  8. https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/burnham-sets-target-of-2050-for-manchester-underground, accessed on 4th December 2025.
  9. http://www.semmms.info, accessed on 4th December 2025.
  10. https://consultation.stockport.gov.uk/policy-performance-and-reform/semmms/supporting_documents/SEMMMS%20Report.pdf, accessed on 4th December 2025.
  11. http://www.semmms.info/wp-content/uploads/SEMMMS-Consultation-Report.pdf, accessed on 4th December 2025.
  12. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/new-metrolink-map-tram-manchester-29510064, accessed on 6th December 2025.
  13. https://railway-news.com/tfgm-launches-consultation-on-future-of-public-transport/?dtt=&email_address=rogerfarnworth@aol.com&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=RN-week50b-2025, accessed on 11th December 2025.
  14. https://www.gmconsult.org/transport/transport2050/user_uploads/gm-transport-strategy-2050—–final-consultation-draft.pdf, accessed on 11th December 2025.
  15. https://www.gmconsult.org/transport/transport2050/user_uploads/gm-transport-delivery-plan—–final-consultation-draft.pdf, accessed on 11th December 2025.
  16. https://www.gmconsult.org/transport/transport2050/user_uploads/gm-transport-strategy-and-delivery-plan-summary—consultation-draft.pdf, accessed on 11th December 2025.
  17. https://www.gmconsult.org/transport/transport2050, accessed on 11th December 2025.

Genoa – Casella Narrow Gauge Railway Part 2 – Sardorella to Casella

This article covers the northern half of the line and has a quick look at the motive power and rolling-stock used.

Another article covers the history of the Line and the southern half of its route. It can be found here. [18]

This article covers the length of the line from Sardorella to Casella. [1]
A topographical map of the route. [1]
Perhaps a little clearer than the topographical map. [2]

We restart our journey from Genoa to Casella at Sardorella Halt. …

Sardorella Halt. [Google Maps, November 2024]
Sardorella Halt seen from a Genoa-bound train, © Al*from*Lig and authorised for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [3]
From Sardorella, the line drops South for a short distance before turning to the East. [Google Maps, November 2024]
It then heads Northeast towards Ponte Sul Sardorella. [Google Maps, November 2024]
At Ponte Sul Sardorella the line turns sharply round through 180° to run West. [Google Maps, November 2024]
The Ponte sul Sardorella (the bridge over the River Sardorella), authorised for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [4]
The line continues to the West beneath the village of Vicomorasso, before turning North into Vicomorasso Railway Station. [Google Maps, November 2024]

Vicomorasso Railway Station is a more substantial site than those already encountered since leaving Genoa.

Vicomorasso Railway Station, © Jeremy Segrott and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY 2.0). [5]
Vicomorasso Railway Station, © AlfromLig and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [6]
Vicomorasso Railway Station, © AlfromLig and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [6]
An aerial view from the East across the village to Vicomorasso Railway Station. [Google Earth 3D, November 2024]
a1-1990vicomorasso
This image is embedded from Flickr and shows an A1 Class (ex FEVF) electric locomotive at Vicomorasso in 1990, © prazene, August 2010. [7]
A.2 in manovra a Vicomorasso.
This image is embedded from Flickr and shows an A2 Class electric locomotive of 1929, about to resume its journey towards Casella after a stop in Vicomorasso, © Andrea Catzeddu, June 2024. [11]
An aerial view from the Southwest of Vicomorasso Railway Station. [Google Earth, November 2024]
An aerial view of the railway immediately to the North of Vicomorasso Station. After a short length travelling North the line turns West, crossing Via Vicomorasso at level. [Google Earth 3D, November 2024]
Looking back towards Vicomorasso Railway Station from the junction of the Via Sant’Olcese (SP2) and Via Vicomorasso. [Google Streetview, December 2020]
Looking ahead from the junction of the SP2 and Via Vicomorasso, the line can be seen entering another tunnel. [Google Streetview, December 2020]
The tunnel at Vicomorasso. [Google Maps, November 2024]
The railway turns North and runs alongside the SP2 at a higher level than the road. [Google Maps, November 2024]
A tight S-bend takes the railway along the contours above the SP2 and to Sant’Olcese (Chiesa) Halt. [Google Maps, November 2024]
Sant’Olcese Halt. [Google Maps, November 2024]
Sant’Olcese Halt looking North. [9]
Looking Northeast this aerial view across Sant’Olcese (Chiesa) Halt shows the railway disappearing into a tunnel just to the Northeast of the Halt. [Google Earth 3D, November 2024]
The tunnel under Via A. de Gasperi in Sant’Olcese. The East portal of this tunnel is hidden by the tree canopy. [Google Maps, November 2024]

The railway is on three different levels on the hillside at Sant’Olcese. The first accommodates the Chiesa Halt, the tunnel above opens out onto the second level. The third level hosts the Tullo Halt.

Loco B52 in charge of a train heading towards Genova with the village of Sant’Olcese in the background. Something of the track arrangement here is visible. Another section of the line runs at a higher level off to the right of this image and runs into Sant’Olcese Tullo Halt, © Alberto Perego and authorised for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [30]
Both the lower level (adjacent to the SP2) and the middle level of track (which includes the tunnel marked by the red dots) can be seen in this satellite image. The North portal of this tunnel is hidden by the tree canopy. The South Portal is shown below. [Google Maps, November 2024]
The South Portal of the tunnel shown on the satellite image above. [Google Earth, November 2024]
Leaving the tunnel the line runs South for a short distance before swinging round through close to 270° before entering another tunnel and then heading North. [Google Maps, November 2024]
The East portal of the tunnel on the above satellite image is shrouded in the shadow of the adjacent tree. [Google Earth, November 2024]
The Northwest portal is a little clearer. [Google Earth, November 2024]
The line turns West again, crosses the SP2 by means of a level crossing and enters Sant’Olcese Tullo Halt which offers a loop for trains to pass. [Google Maps, November 2024]
Looking back East along the line from the level crossing on Via A. De Gasperi (SP2). [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Looking ahead into Sant’Olcese Tullo Halt from the level crossing on Via A. De Gasperi (SP2). [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Sant’Olcese Tullo Halt. [Google Maps, November 2024]
Sant’Olcese Tullo Halt. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Sant’Olcese Tullo Halt, looking back towards Genoa, © Eugenio Merzagora. [13 – Structurae.net]
Sant’Olcese Tullo Halt, © Andrea Martinelli and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [12]
Leaving Sant’Olcese the line winds northwards following the contours, first alongside Via Rino and then switching over to the North side of Via Busalletta. [Google Maps, November 2024]
The railway alongside Via Ronco. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The railway alongside Via Ronco. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The line runs alongside Via Busalletta at a lower level before rising to cross the road at a level crossing. The route of the line is obscured by the Google Maps superimposed line of the SP2. [Google Maps, November 2024]
The railway on the North side of Via Busalletta. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The railway crosses Via Busalletta at a level crossing. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The same crossing from above. [Google Earth, November 2024]
Looking back along the line towards Sant’Olcese from the level crossing on Via Busalletta. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Looking forward from the level crossing towards Busalletta. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Via Busalletta runs beside the railway towards Busalletta Halt. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Looking back from Via Brigata Balilla at the South end of Busalletta Halt towards Sant’Olcese. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Looking forward from Via Brigata Balilla at the South end of Busalletta Halt. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
A closer view of Busalletta Halt. [Google Maps, November 2024]
A wide angle view of Busalletta Halt from the South. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Busalletta Halt from the South. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Busalletta Halt from the South. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Busalletta Halt from the Northwest. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Busalletta Halt, © Al*from*Lig and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [14]
Busalletta Halt © Giorgio Stagni and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [14]
Busalletta Halt, © Giorgio Stagni and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [14]
Busalletta Halt, © Giorgio Stagni and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [14]
Busalletta to Molinetti Halt. [Google Maps, November 2024]
To the North of Busalletta Halt, the line runs on the East side of Via Molinetti. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Further along the line towards Molinetti. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
And again, further still towards Molinetti Halt. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Much closer now to Molinetti Halt. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Heading North still and closing in on Molinetti Halt. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Molinetti Halt seen from the South on Via Molinetti (SP2). [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Molinetti Halt. [Google Earth, November 2024]
Molinetti Halt to Niusci Halt. The line is further from the SP2 and at a higher level. [Google Maps, November 2024]
Niusci Halt seen from the East. [Google Earth, November 2024]
Niusci to Crocetta D’orero. Google Maps, November 2024]
West and North of Niusci Halt, the SP2 and the railway run in parallel. Initially the railway is too far from the road to be seen. Later the two run immediately adjacent to each other. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The line crosses the road on the level. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Looking back towards Niusci from the level crossing. [Google Streetview, January 2021]
Looking ahead towards Liggia Halt. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Beyond the crossing, the SP2 begins to rise above the railway. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Liggia Halt. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Liggia Halt, looking North. [Google Earth, November 2024]
Crocetta D’orero Halt seen from the SP2 to the South of the Halt. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Crocetta D’orero Halt seen from the South. [Google Earth, November 2024]
North of the Halt, the line tunnels under Crocetta D’orero village. The southern tunnel.mouth is towards the bottom of this image. [Google Earth, November 2024]
A better view of the tunnel entrance can be seen in this picture. [Google Earth 3D, November 2024]
The tunnel at Crocetta D’orero.[Google Earth, November 2024]
The North tunnel mouth in shadow. [Google Earth 3D, November 2024]
Canova Crocetta Halt sits immediately to the North of the tunnel under the village. [Google Maps, November 2024]
Canova Crocetta Halt. [Google Earth, November 2024]
Canova Crocetta Halt, seen from the South on the SP3. [Google Streetview, 2011]
North of Canova Crocetta Halt, the line headed North-northeast above Via Pianogrande. [Google Maps, November 2024]
The line continues into Casella Depositi Halt. [Google Maps, November 2024]
As the line curved into Casella Deposito it crossed this stone arched viaduct. The image is of quite poor quality. [Google Earth 3D, November 2024]
Casella Deposito and Halt. [Google Maps, November 2024]
An early view of the first station at Casella, now known as Casella Deposito. Steam was employed during construction. This view looks Northeast across the site of the station and across the River Scrivia. © Public Domain. [16]
Casella Station, now Casella Deposito, on the South bank of the River Scrivia. The town of Casella is on the North bank.  The bridge over the Scrivia is in the right background, © Public Domain. [8]
The final run into Casella requires trains to reverse at Casella Deposito Halt. The line curved round to the North, crossed the River Scrivia (Flume Scrivia) on a bridge shared with the SP3. [Google Maps, November 2024]
Looking East through the site of Casella Deposito. [Google Earth 3D, November 2024]
Looking West through the site of Casella Deposito. [Google Earth 3D, November 2024]
The line from Casella Deposito curves round towards Casella Paese. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The curve from Casella Deposito to the bridge over the River Scrivia seen from the Southeast. [Google Earth 3D, November 2024]

A photograph of a later elettromotrice travelling on this curve can be found here. [17] In the linked image, unit A12 is shown on the curve from Casella Deposito to the Vittorio Veneto bridge (over the River Scrivia). It was shared by Gian-Paolo Codebo on the Sei de Casella se… Facebook Group on 7th May 2020.

The Vittorio Veneto bridge over the Flume Scrivia. [Google Earth 3D, November 2024]
The construction of the bridge over the River Scrivia at Casella © Public Domain. [15]
Looking North across the Ponte Vittorio Veneto. The railway runs along the East side of Via Ponte Vittorio Veneto over the bridge. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Approaching the roundabout at the North end of the bridge. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The railway crosses the SP226 immediately adjacent to the roundabout and then runs down the East side of Viale Europa. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Looking back South over Ponte Vittorio Veneto. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The railway heads Into the centre of Casella on the East side of Viale Europa. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The line remains on the East side of Viale Europa right through to its terminus. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The station throat, Casella Paese. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The terminus at Casella Paese. [Google Earth 3D, November 2024]
The end of the line: Casella Paese Station seen from Via Aldo Moro to the North of the buffers. [Google Streetview, May 2022]

Locomotives and Rolling Stock

During Construction steam power was employed by the contractor and there are images around which show at least one excursion event that was steam hauled prior to the Line’s formal opening.

Two pictures can be found on the first article in this series, here. [18]

In that first article, we noted that the electric supply was originally 2400V DC. “The first electric locomotives were supplied by Breda, numbered 1 to 3. They were 360 horsepower Bo-Bo locomotives with an innovative Breda-Somarini energy recovery system, unique in Italy. In addition to the motive power, 4 third-class carriages (Nos. 50-53); 3 mixed first-third class carriages (Nos. 20-22) and 16 freight wagons of various types were delivered in 1926, well before the railway opened.” [1]

Unless noted otherwise, the paragraphs below are translated/paraphrased/amended from the Italian Wikipedia page about the Genoa (Genova) to Casella Railway. [21]

Locomotives

At the commencement of the service on the railway, the three locomotives mentioned above were supplied by Breda and numbered 1 to 3. [21]

The first electric train to arrive at Casella (now Casella Deposito). This image has already appeared in this article. It shows one of the first three locomotives supplied by Breda at the head of the train, © Public Domain. [21]
At the same location one of the three elettromotrices runs round its train of three coaches, © Public Domain. [21]

On 23rd August 1937, two of the locomotives were destroyed in an accident near Vicomorasso in which five people lost their lives. [22: p67] 

This accident meant that replacement locomotives were required. Three electric locomotives were purchased from the Società Veneta. They had been built by MAN in 1913 for the Montebelluna – Asolo and Montebelluna – Valdobbiadene tramways in Veneto which closed in 1931. [21]

One of the locomotives mentioned in the paragraph above at Stazione di Caerano sometime between 1913 and 1931 in Montebelluna, at  [23]

These locomotives entered service in 1939, initially maintaining the original numbering (053, renumbered 055 in 1943, 054 and 056), after conversion of the original power supply system from 975 V DC to 2400 V DC.” [1]

Locomotive 28 and 29 were built in 1924 for the Adriatic-Appennino Railway. The electrical equipment was supplied by TIBB of Vado Ligure; the body and bogies were made by Carminati & Toselli of Milan. Originally, they were part of a 1922 order for 14 locomotives of 950 mm gauge for the Sangritana Railway. Two (Nos. 28 and 29) were sold to Ferrovia Genova Casella (FGC) – No. 28 in 1956 and No. 29 in 1960. [22: p98 & 184] Conversion was necessary as the locomotives required a gauge change and modification from freight/baggage locomotives to passenger locomotives.

Locomotive No. 29 can be seen here. [24]

The two locomotives entered service in 1962. No. 29 is currently the oldest electric locomotive still in operation in Italy and is used in composition with three carriages (C22-C103-C104) as a historic train used on charters. No. 28 was placed in storage in 1975 and finally decommissioned and dismantled in 1998. [21][22: p184]

Electtromortices A1, A2 and A3 were built in 1929 for the Ferrovia della Val di Fiemme (Ora – Predazzo), similarly by TIBB and Carminati & Toselli. These were transferred on the closure of the Ora – Predazzo line in 1963 to the Ferrovie Genoa Casella. [21][1]

Elettromotrice A1 while employed by Ferrovia della Val di Fiemme (Ora – Predazzo) at Ora depot. [25]

A1 was painted blue/cream in 2011 with AMT logos. It was used for ordinary trains until 2019 and in 2022 it was set aside awaiting significant maintenance. [21]

A2 was reconditioned and returned to its 1929 condition. It re-entered service in June 2018.  In that December it was involved in an accident but emerged with little damage. In September 2019, further restoration work was completed and from February 2020 it was undertaking a regular historic train service, usually being timetabled for Saturday running. [21][26]

Elettromotrice A2, © Ale Sasso, June 2006. [20]
Elettromotrice A3 in charge of a Genoa-bound train at Ponte Rovena. [27]

A3 was built by Gleismac/EAA, after having suffered serious damage in an accident at Sardorella in 1974. It returned to service in 1983. It remained in service until 1999. After it was withdrawn, it doesn’t 12 years in storage before ultimately being dismantled in 2011. [21]

Elettromotrices, A1, A2 and A3 were part of a batch of about thirty electric locomotives which were built by Carminati and Toselli of Milan. Twenty-three of these were very similar to each other. being produced between 1924 and 1940. Three of this batch of locos (A1-A3) were deployed on the Ora-Predazzo line and on its closure came to the FGC. [21]

In addition, two 420 horsepower locomotives (max. speed 45 km/hr), B51 and B52 with Bo-Bo running gear were also transferred to the FGC in the early 1960s. [1]

Locomotive B52 at Niusci in the 1960s. The bogies of B51 and B52 were reused on the A8 and A9 elettromortrices of 1993, still in service. Locomotive B51 was restored/rebuilt and is preserved as a historic vehicle on the Trento-Malè Railway. That railway purchased it in 2008 and in 2009 the restored loco was in use pulling a single carriage on the Trento-Malè Railway, © Alberto Perego and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [30]

Also from Val di Fiemme came six bogie-carriages, two longer coaches numbered C101 and C102 and four of shorter carriages, numbered from C103 to C106. [1]

Elettromotrices A4-A7 were built in 1957 on the chassis and bogies of locos built by TIBB/Carminati & Toselli in 1926 for the Spoleto-Norcia railway. That reconstruction was undertaken by Casaralta-TIBB. It saw the application of new electrical equipment and the adoption of a new rounded body, typical of the mid-20th century. These elettromotrices transferred to Genoa in 1970 with the closure of Spoleto-Norcia line. They entered regular service, re-numbered A4-A7, between 1971 and 1973 after gauge-conversion from 950mm to metre-gauge. [21]

This monochrome image shows A4 climbing into Sant’Olcese Tullo Halt, © Georgio Stagni and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [28]
This image shows A4 in a later colour scheme at Torrazza, © Georgio Stagni and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [28]
A5 crossing Ponte Vittorio Veneto in the days prior to the railway being moved to the side of the road. In early days the railway ran along the road into Casella, © Georgio Stagni and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [28]
A5 leaving Casella and approaching Ponte Vittorio Veneto in a later guise, still in the days prior to the railway being moved to the side of the road, © Georgio Stagni and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [28]

Units A6 and A7 were visually the same as units A4 and A5.

Elettromotrice A6 at work on the line before it was set aside. [10]

Units A4 and A7 were scrapped (in 2014 and 2016 respectively), while A5 was restored to running order in February 2010, with the installation of fully electronic speed measuring devices and a dead man’s device, the application of a cream/blue anti-graffiti film and new AMT logos. It was taken away for restoration in 2022, and finally A6 has been shelved for over 10 years awaiting restoration. [21][22: p191]

Electric locomotives A8-A10 were built in 1993 by Firema-Officine di Cittadella at the request of Ferrovia Genova-Casella, they have identical bodies to the decommissioned A3. However, A8 uses the TIBB bogies from B51, the A9 those from B52 and the A10 those from A3. This last unit also has a body slightly different from the others due to the lower window line. [21]

This image shows A8 (on the left) and A12 (on the right) at Genova Manin Railway Station, © Al*from*Lig and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [21]
A9 in the snow at Crocetta, © Georgio Stagni and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [29]
We have seen this image before. Its value here is to allow Elettromotrice A10 on the right, to be compared to Elettromotrice A5 on the left, © Andrea Martinelli and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [1]

Elettromotrices A11-A12 were built in 1998 by FiReMa-Officine di Cittadella at the request of Ferrovia Genova-Casella. They have a body identical to the A10. A11 underwent a restyling in 2011 with the application of cream/blue anti-graffiti film and new AMT logos and is currently used in regular service. A12 is also back in service after an extraordinary overhaul of the bogies. [21][22: p198]

Elettromotrice A11 at Sant’Olcese Tullo, © Andrea Martinelli and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [31]

A12 can be seen on Flickr here. [32]

Locomotive D1 was built in 1964 on behalf of the German railways by the manufacturer Gmeinder & Co. by adapting the MaK V100 standard-gauge locomotive to metre gauge, it was numbered V52 902 (later 252 902) and used on the 28 km long Mosbach-Mudau metre-gauge line. When it’s service on that line came to an end (2nd June 1973), it was first converted to standard-gauge by Gmeinder and used by Sudwestdeutsche Eisenbahngesellschaft (SWEG) which put it to work on the Breisach-Endingen-Riegel line (numbered VL46-01). In 1986, it was sold to the Gleismac company which converted it to metre-gauge and then sold it to the FGC. It was used to haul construction and passenger trains during the renovation of the overhead line. It was then set aside at Casella Deposito for over 10 years until in 2008 it was sent to Monopoli where it was rebuilt by 2014 and it returned to service on the line in November 2015. [33][34]

Locomotive D1 responsible for a single coach. [9]
And here with two coaches. [9]
And here, escaping from a tunnel portal. [19]

Other Rolling Stock

We have already picked up some snippets of information about coaching stock and wagons. …

When the line opened there were “4 third-class carriages (Nos. 50-53); 3 mixed first-third class (Nos. 20-22) and 16 freight wagons of various types (delivered in 1926, well before the railway opened).” [1]

We also noted that, along with the B51 and B52 locos “from Val di Fiemme came six bogie-carriages, two longer coaches numbered C101 and C102 and four of shorter carriages, numbered from C103 to C106.” [1]

The following information is gleaned from H Rohrer’s detailed website about Italian railways. That website can be found here. [35]

Coaches C20-C22 were built by Breda and supplied in 1926, of which C22 was renovated by FGC in 1960 and C21 was renovated by Gleismac in 1979-1980. An image of Coach 22 can be found here. [36]

Coaches C50-C53 were built by Breda and supplied in 1926. An image of Coach C50 can be found here. [37] An image of refurbished Coach C53 can be seen here. [38]

Coaches C101-C102 were long-wheelbase bogie coaches, built by Carminati Toselli and supplied in 1929. These were later renovated by Gleismac between 1980 and 1983. An image of Coach 101 in original condition can be found here. [39] The renovated Coach 101 can be seen here. [40]

Coaches C103-C106 were short-wheelbase bogie coaches built by Conti (?) and supplied in 1929 (?). Of these C105 and C106 were later renovated by Gleismac between 1980 and 1983. The original Coach 104 can be seen here. [41] A refurbished Coach C106 can be seen here. [42]

Coaches C60-C62 were built by Citadella Firema and supplied in 1996/1997. An example can be seen here. [43]

References

  1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genova%E2%80%93Casella_railway, accessed on 11th November 2024.
  2. https://www.bimbeinviaggio.com/en/italy/liguria-en/genoa/genoa-casella-train-route-timetable, accessed on 19th November 2024.
  3. https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stazione_di_Sardorella#/media/File%3AStaz.Sardorella.jpg, accessed on 21st November 2024.
  4. https://www.stagniweb.it/foto6.asp?File=fgc19&Inizio=11&Righe=10&InizioI=1&RigheI=100&Col=5 , accessed on 21st November 2024.
  5. https://www.flickr.com/photos/126337928@N05/47033340152, accessed on 21st November 2024.
  6. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Vicomorasso_train_station, accessed on 21st November 2024]
  7. https://www.flickr.com/photos/prazene/4889371810, accessed on 21st November 2024.
  8. https://www.ferroviagenovacasella.it/geca/il-primo-decennio, accessed on 19th November 2024.
  9. https://www.ferroviagenovacasella.it/geca/la-seconda-guerra-mondiale, accessed on 19th November 2024.
  10. https://www.ferroviagenovacasella.it/geca/dagli-anni-settanta-ad-oggi, accessed on 19th November 2024.
  11. https://www.flickr.com/photos/188768670@N06/53771228353, accessed on 21st November 2024.
  12. https://m.wikidata.org/wiki/Q56371269#/media/File%3AFCG_A11_Sant_Olcese_Tullo_20111228.jpg, accessed on 21st November 2024.
  13. https://structurae.net/en/structures/sant-olcese-tullo-station, accessed on 21st November 2024.
  14. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Busalletta_train_station, accessed on 22nd November 2024.
  15. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/rHqZdscSXSdCuAKT, accessed on 22nd November 2024.
  16. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/hcrJ3NCNeUdQFZxX, accessed on 22nd November 2024.
  17. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/a1WSMYTtU7vbsyjT, accessed on ,22nd November 2024.
  18. https://rogerfarnworth.com/2024/11/21/genoa-casella-narrow-gauge-railway-part-1-genova-to-sardorella.
  19. https://www.mentelocale.it/genova/57212-ferrovia-genova-casella-dal-6-settembre-il-servizio-avverr-con-bus-sostitutivo.htm, accessed on 23rd November 2024.
  20. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elettromotrice_A2_della_Ferrovia_Genova_Casella.JPG, accessed on 23rd November 2024.
  21. https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrovia_Genova-Casella, accessed on 23rd November 2024.
  22. Corrado Bozzano, Roberto Pastore and Claudio Serra; Illustrated History of the Genoa-Casella Railway; Recco (GE), Il Geko Edizioni, 2016.
  23. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caerano.jpg, accessed on 23rd November 2024.
  24. https://passionetrasporti.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/fgc-29-campi-2008-11-22-cerizzamatteo-1.jpg?w=1110&h=, accessed on 23rd November 2024.
  25. https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrovia_della_Val_di_Fiemme, accessed on 23rd November 2024.
  26. https://www.ferroviagenovacasella.it/geca/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/VOLANTINO-viaggio-storica-AGGIORNATA-al-11.02.-2020.psd.pdf, accessed on 23rd November 2024.
  27. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115360290908?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=Fbvtwm00Q0S&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=afQhrar7TGK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY, accessed on 23rd November 2024.
  28. https://www.stagniweb.it/foto6.asp?File=casella2&Inizio=2&Righe=10&InizioI=1&RigheI=150&Col=5, accessed on 24th November 2024
  29. https://www.stagniweb.it/foto6.asp?File=fgc21&InizioI=1&RigheI=100&Col=5, accessed on 24th November 2024.
  30. https://www.stagniweb.it/foto6.asp?File=fgc19&Inizio=66&Righe=10&InizioI=1&RigheI=100&Col=5, accessed on 24th November 2024.
  31. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FCG_A11_Sant_Olcese_Tullo_20111228.jpg, accessed on 24th November 2024.
  32. https://api.flickr.com/photos/188768670@N06/50009526478, accessed on 24th November 2024.
  33. Maria Vittoria Cascino; Il trenino di Casella arranca in ritardo tra guasti e amianto; on ilgiornale.it, 20th March 2008; accessed on 24th November 2024.
  34. Andrea Martinelli, La D1 è tornata!, in iTreni N° 388, January 2016, p24-26.
  35. https://www.hrohrer.ch/railways/carrozze/cap19.htm, accessed on 24th November 2024.
  36. https://www.hrohrer.ch/railways/carrozze/f1904.jpg, accessed on 25th November 2024.
  37. https://www.hrohrer.ch/railways/carrozze/f1901.jpg, accessed on 25th November 2024.
  38. https://www.hrohrer.ch/railways/carrozze/f1905.jpg, accessed on 25th November 2024.
  39. https://www.hrohrer.ch/railways/carrozze/f1902.jpg, accessed on 25th November 2024.
  40. https://www.hrohrer.ch/railways/carrozze/f1906.jpg, accessed on 25th November 2024.
  41. https://www.hrohrer.ch/railways/carrozze/f1903.jpg, accessed on 25th November 2024.
  42. https://www.hrohrer.ch/railways/carrozze/f1907.jpg, accessed on 25th November 2024.
  43. https://www.hrohrer.ch/railways/carrozze/f1908.jpg, accessed on 25th November 2024.

Some East Indian Railway branches and the Kalka to Simla Narrow Gauge Line.

A further article about the East Indian Railway appeared in the July 1906 edition of The Railway Magazine – written again by G. Huddleston, C.I.E. [1]

The first article can be found here. [2]

Huddleston looks at a number of different sections of the network and after looking at what he has to say about each we will endeavour to follow those railway routes as they appear in the 21st century. We will go into quite a bit of detail on the journey along the Kalka to Shimla narrow-gauge line. The featured image at the head of this post was taken at Taradevi Railway Station on the Kalka to Shimla line, (c) GNU Free Documentation Licence Version 1.2. [29]

Shikohabad to Farrukhabad

This branch line had, in 1906, recently been opened. Huddleston describes it as being 65 miles in length, running through the district of Manipuri from Shekoabad [sic] to Farukhabad on the River Ganges. Until 1906, Farukhabad [sic] had “only been served by the metre gauge line which skirts the river to Cawnpore. There was lots of traffic in the district and both the broad and metre  gauge lines completed for it, whilst the river and canals and camels compete with the railways.” [1: p40]

The journey from Shikohabad to Farrukhabad. Indian Railways spellings of the two locations differ from those used by Huddleston in 1906. [4]

We start this relatively short journey (of 63 miles) at Shikohabad Junction Railway Station. “The old name of Shikohabad was Mohammad Mah (the name still exists as Mohmmad mah near Tahsil and Kotwali). Shikohabad is named after Dara Shikoh, the eldest brother of Emperor Aurangzeb. In its present form, the town has hardly any recognisable evidence of that era. Shikohabad was ruled under the estate of Labhowa from 1794 to 1880.” [5] “Shikohabad Junction railway station is on the Kanpur-Delhi section of Howrah–Delhi main line and Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line. It is located in Firozabad district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.” [6] The station opened in1866. “A branch line was opened from Shikohabad to Mainpuri in 1905 and extended to Farrukhabad in 1906.” [7]

Shikohabad Junction Railway Station, Uttar Pradesh. [Google Maps, October 2024]

Trains from Shikohabad set off for Farrukhabad in a southeasterly direction alongside the Delhi to Kolkata main line. In a very short distance as the railway passed under a road flyover (Shikohabad Junction Flyover) the line to Farrukhabad moved away from the main line on its Northside.

The rail bridge carrying the Farrukhabad line over the Lower Ganga Canal seen from a point to the North alongside the canal. [Google Streetview, May 2023]
Looking East-Northeast along the railway towards Farrukhabad from the AH1 Flyover. [Google Streetview, May 2023]
Basdeomai, Uttar Pradesh. The covered way either side of the underpass is typical of many locations where local roads cross railways. This view looks Northwest across the railway. [Google Streetview, May 2023]

The first stopping point on the line is at Burha Bharthara. As can be seen immediately below, it is little more than a ‘bus-stop’ sign!

Very soon after Burha Bharthara, trains pull into Aroan Railway Station which is a little more substantial that Burha Bharthara having a single building with a ticket office.

Takha Railway Station is next along the line.

Takha Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
The view East-northeast from Takha Railway Station, (c) Ketan Gupta. [October 2021 – Google Maps]

A couple of hundred meters short of Kosma Railway Station, the line crosses the Karhal to Ghiror Road at a level-crossing.

The level-crossing which takes the line across the Karhal to Ghiror Road, seen from the South. [Google Streeview, October 2023]
Looking East from the level-crossing towards Kosma Railway Station. [Google Streetview, October 2023]

Kosma Railway Station provides a passing loop to allow trains travelling in opposite directions to cross.

Kosma Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Kosma Railway Station, (c) Rajat Singh, April 2023. [Google Maps, October 2024]
The railway bridges an irrigation canal, (another arm of the Lower Ganga Canal (?)), a little to the East of Kosma Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]

A short distance further to the East is Tindauli Railway Station, after which the line crosses another arm the Lower Ganga Canal.

Tindauli Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Another arm of the Lower Ganga Canal. [Google Maps, October 2024]

Further East the line crosses a number of roads, most now culverted under the line.

This is a view East from one of the more minor crossing points near Auden Padariya (not far West of the junction on the approach to Mainpuri) which has yet to have an underbridge constructed and still had its crossing gates in 2023. [Google Streetview, May 2023]
Passing under the Auden Mandal- Kharpari Bypass, the line meets the line from Etawah before running into Mainpuri Junction Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Mainpuri Junction Railway Station. [Google Earth, October 2024]
Mainpuri Railway Station seen from the level-crossing on the Mainpuri-Kishni Road at the station limits. [Google Streetview, May 2023]

To the East of Mainpuri Railway Station, the next station is Mainpuri Kachehri Railway Station, just to the East of the Sugaon to Husenpur Road.

Mainpuri Kachehri Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]

The next station was Bhongaon Railway Station which had a passing loop to allow trains to cross.

Looking East towards Bhongaon Railway Station from a couple of hundred metres to the West of the Station. [Google Streetview, May 2023]
Bhongaon Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Just at the East end of the station site the Aligarh-Kanpur Road (Grand Trunk Road) crosses the line at level. This is the view from the level-crossing, East towards Farrukhabad. [Google Streetview, May 2023]
A short distance further East the line passes under the newly constructed Bypass. This view looks back under the modern viaduct towards Bhongoan Railway Station. [Google Streetview, May 2023]

Continuing on towards Farrukhabad, it is only a matter of a few minutes before trains pass through Takhrau Railway Station, where facilities are basic, and Mota Railway Station where facilites are a little more substantive.

Takhrau Railway Station building. (c) Pankaj Kumar, August 2017. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Mota Railway Station, (c) Vinod Kumar, May 2023. [Google Maps, October 2024]

The Railway then bridges the Kaali Nadi River and passes through Pakhna Railway Station.

The railway bridge over the (c) Shiv Shankar, January 2020. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Pakhna Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]

The next stop is at B L Daspuri (Babal Axmandaspuri) Station.

Babal Axmandaspuri Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Babal Axmandaspuri Railway Station, (c) Rajat Singh (September 2023). [Google Maps, October 2024]

Another short journey gets us to Nibkarori Railway Station.

Nibkarori Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Nibkarori Railway Station seen from the Northeast, (c) Rakesh Verma (July 2021). [Google maps, October 2024]

The next stop is at Ugarpur Railway Station.

Ugarpur Railway Station. [Google Maps. October 2024]
Ugarpur Railway Station, (c) Desh Deepak Dixit (December 2017). [Google Maps. October 2024]

Not much further along the line we enter Shrimad Dwarakapuri Railway Station.

Shrimad Dwarakapuri Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]

As the line reaches the town of Farrukhabad it turns sharply to the North.

On the South side of Farrukhabad the line turns to the Northwest. [Google Maps, October 2024]

It then enters Farrukhabad Junction Railway Station from the Southeast.

Farrukhabad Junction Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]

Farrukhabad sits on the River Ganges. It is a historic city with a rich culture defined by the traditions of Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb (Ganges-Yamuna Culture), [10] which amalgamates aspects of Hindu and Muslim cultural practices, rituals, folk and linguistic traditions. [11] The city was begun in 1714, and Mohammad Khan Bangash (a commander in the successful army of Farrukhsiyar, one of the princely contenders for the Mughal throne, who led a coup which displaced the reigning emperor Jahandar Shah) named it after Farrukhsiyar. It soon became a flourishing centre of commerce and industry. [12]

Initially, under the colonial state of British India, Farrukhabad was a nodal centre of the riverine trade through the Ganges river system from North and North-West India towards the East. [12] Farrukhabad’s economic and political decline under British rule began with the closure of the Farrukhabad mint in 1824. [11]

Farrukhabad, according to the 2011 census had a population of 1,885,204. This was just under four times its size in 1901. Its population is predominantly Hindu. [13]

At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 94.96% of the population in the district spoke Hindi (or a related language) and 4.68% Urdu as their first language. [14]

Tundla to Agra

From Shekoabad, it is only a matter of 22 miles to Tundla but very few people would ever hear about Tundla, if it was not for the fact that it is the junction for Agra. …Agra would have been on the main line if the East Indian Railway had the original intention been followed of taking the line across the Jumna river at Agra and then following its right bank into Delhi; but, instead of doing this, it was decided … to build only a branch to Agra, and to run the main line on the left side of the Jumna. … If we want to visit Agra, we must change at Tundla and go along the 14 mile of the branch line.” [1: p41]

Huddleston tells us that:

Approaching Agra … from Tundla you see [the Taj Mahal] first on your left-hand side, wrapped in that peculiar atmospheric haze that adds charm to every distant object in the East, a charm even to that which needs no added charm, the marvellous and wonderful Taj Mehal [sic]. As you rapidly draw nearer it seems to rise before you in solitary dazzling grandeur, its every aspect changing as the remorseless train, which you cannot stop, dashes on. Once catch your first glimpse of the Taj and you have eyes for. nothing else, you feel that your very breath has gone, that you are in a dream. All the world seems unreal, and the beautiful construction before you more unreal than all. You only know it is like something you have heard of, something, perhaps, in a fairy tale, or something you have read of, possibly in allegory, and you have hardly time to materialise before the train rattles over the Jumna Bridge, and enters Agra Fort station.

There on one side are the great red walls of the fortress within a few feet of you, and there on the other side is the teeming native city, with its mosques and domes and minarets, its arches and columns and pillars. its thousand and one Oriental sights, just the reality of the East, but all quite different to everywhere else. … There are things to be seen in Agra that almost outrival the Taj itself, such, for instance, as the tomb of Ihtimad-ud-Daula, on the East bank of the river, with its perfection of marble carving, unequalled in delicacy by anything of the kind in the world. There are delightful places nearby of absorbing interest, as, for example, Fatehpur Sikri, and its abandoned city of palaces; there is enough in Agra and its vicinity to glut a glutton at sight seeing, but we must go back to the railway and its work. The Jumna Bridge, of which we have talked, belongs to the Rajputana Railway; the rails are so laid that both broad and metre gauge trains run over it, and above the track for trains there is a roadway.

But this is not sufficient for the needs of Agra, though supplemented by a pontoon bridge which crosses the river half a mile further up the stream. The trade of Agra first attracted the East Indian Railway, then came the Rajputana Malwa, and then the Great Indian Peninsular. Each of the latter two lines wanted a share, and the East Indian had to fight for its rights; to do its utmost to keep to the Port of Calcutta what the rival lines wanted to take to Bombay. Another railway bridge became a necessity, a bridge that would take the East Indian Railway line into the heart of the native city instead of leaving it on its outskirts, and the East Indian Railway began to construct it.” [1: p42-43]


In 1906 the new bridge over the River Jumna was under construction, due to be completed in early 1907. Huddleston describes the bridge under construction thus:

“The bridge will consist of nine soane of 150 ft., and there will be a roadway under the rails; the bridge is being built for a single line, and all the wells have been sunk to a depth of 60 ft , or more. The work … commenced in September [1905], and it is expected that the bridge will be completed in March 1907. It need only be added that the site selected for this new connection is between the existing railway bridge and the floating pontoon road bridge, and the chief point of the scheme is that, when carried out, the East Indian Railway will have a line through the city of Agra, and a terminus for its goods traffic in a most central position, instead of being handicapped, as it now is, by having its goods depôt on the wrong side of the river. Mr. A. H. Johnstone is the East Indian Railway engineer-in-charge of the work.” [1: p43]

We start the journey along this short branch in the 21st century at Tundla Junction Railway Station.

Tundla Railway Station. [Google Earth, October 2024]

We head Northwest out of the station alongside the main line to Delhi.

Looking West towards Tundla Junction Railway Station from the South side of the lines. The closest rail line is the branch to Agra. [Google Streetview, July 2023]

The first station along the branch was Etmadpur Railway Station.

Etmadpur Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Etmadpur Railway Station, (c) Harkesh Yadav, March 2021. [Google Maps, October 2024]

The line to Agra next passes under the very modern loop line which allows trains to avoid Tundla Station.

Looking West, back towards Etmadpur Station under the modern relieving line bridge. [Google Streetview, June 2023]

The next photograph shows the older single track metal girder bridge a little further to the West of Etmadpur with the more modern second line carried by a reinforced concrete viaduct.

Seen from the North side of the line looking South, the older single track metal girder bridge with the more modern second line carried by a reinforced concrete viaduct. [Google Streetview, June 2023]

The line curves round from travelling in an West-northwest direction to a West-southwest alignment and then enters the next station on the line, Kuberpur Railway Station.

Kuberpur Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Kuberpur Railway Station seen from the approach road to the North. [Google Streetview, June 2023]
Kuberpur Railway Station building seen from the platform, (c) sanjeev kumar, May 2018. [Google Maps, October 2024]
A low definition view of the line heading West towards Agra as seen from the modern concrete viaduct carrying what I believe to be Agra’s Ring Road (a toll road). [Google Streetview, June 2023]

As we head into Agra, the next station is Chhalesar Railway Station.

Chhalesar Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]

From Chhalesar Railway Station the line continues in a West-southwest direction towards the centre of Agra. The next station is Yamuna Bridge Railway Station.

Yamuna Bridge Railway Station Agra. [Google Maps, October 2024]

South West of Yamuna Bridge Railway Station a series of bridges cross the River Yamuna.

Bridges across the River Yamuna. [Google Maps, October 2024]

The ‘Yamuna Railway Bridge’ crossing the River Jumna/Yamuna at Agra was opened in 1875, and connected ‘Agra East Bank Station’ to ‘Agra Fort Station’. The bridge carried the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway (BB&CIR) Metre Gauge ‘Agra-Bandikui Branch Line’, the East Indian Railway (EIR) and ‘Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) Broad Gauge lines. [18]

The first bridge over the Yamuna River at Agra. It is the more southerly of the two bridges shown on the 1972 map of Agra below. [17]
A map of Agra in 1962 which shows the two Yamuna River Bridges in place by then. Some of the significant features of the city can be identified clearly on this map: Agra Fort and its adjacent railway station appear close to the first Yamuna Bridge; the Taj Mahal is to the South East of the bridge on the South bank of the river; the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah can be seen to the East of the river just North of the Strachey Bridge; a number of railway stations can also be picked out around Agra City. [20]

The ‘Strachey Bridge’, to the North the older bridge at Agra, was opened in 1908. It was a combined Road and Railway bridge and constructed by the ‘East Indian Railway Company’ (EIR). The bridge was named after John Strachey who planned & designed the bridge. The 1,024 metres (3,360 ft) long bridge was completed in 1908, taking 10 years to complete since its construction commenced in 1898. The ‘Agra City Railway Station’ was thus connected by the bridge to the ‘Jumna Bridge Station’ on the East bank. This Broad Gauge line became the ‘EIR Agra Branch Line’. [18]

The Strachey Railway bridge over the Yamuna River, The two-tiered bridge facilitated simultaneous movement of road traffic at the bottom level and rail transport at the upper level. Though the bridge is still in use today, it’s closed for road traffic and is used only by railways. This bridge appears on the satellite image above, on the South side of the Ambedkar Road Bridge. [19]

Once the Strachey Bridge (this is the one about which Huddleston speaks at length above) was opened in 1908. The EIR had access to the heart of the city and particularly to Agra City Station. We will look at City Station a few paragraphs below. But it is worth completing a look at the bridges over the Yamuna River with the bridge which replaced the first Yamuna River railway bridge.

The replacement Yamuna River Bridge, (c) Ãj Āshish jáykār, October 2023. In October 2023 a second bridge was under construction immediately on the North side of this bridge. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Both the existing bridge and that under construction appear on this satellite image. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Agra city centre immediately to the West of the Strachey Bridge which can be seen bottom-right. [Google Earth, October 2024]
The western end of the Strachey Bridge, seen from the North. [Google Streetview, November 2023]
The bridge over Chhata Road, seen from the North. [Google Streetview, November 2023]
The bridge over City Station Road, seen from the East. [Google Streetview, November 2023]
A little further to the West, this bridge spans a street which Google Streetview does not name. [Google Streetview, November 2023]
The bridge over Freeganj Road. The vegetation over the bridge extends round the site of Agra City Station. [Google Streetview, November 2023]
Agra City Station was the terminus of the Tundla to Agra branch of the EIR. [Google Earth, October 2024]

Delhi

Huddleston comments: “Delhi is one of the most important junctions on the East Indian Railway. The Rajputana Malwa, the North Western, Southern Punjab, Oudh and Rohilkhand and Great Indian Peninsular Railways all run into Delhi. There is a regular network of lines in and around, and the main passenger station is that belonging to the East Indian Railway. All the railways run their passenger trains into the East Indian Railway station, and most of the goods traffic passes through it also. For some years past Delhi has been in a state of remodelling; the work is still going on, and it will be some time before it is completed.” [1: p43]

He continues: “When you alight on one of the numerous platforms at Delhi station, there is a feeling of elbow room; the whole station seems to have been laid out in a sensible way. You are able to move without fear of being jostled over the platform edge, everything looks capacious, and especially the two great waiting halls, which flank either side of the main station building. These are, perhaps, the two finest waiting halls in India; passengers congregate there, and find every convenience at hand, the booking office, where they take their tickets, vendors’ stalls, where they get various kinds of refreshments, a good supply of water, and, just outside, places in which to bathe; a bath to a native passenger is one of the greatest luxuries, and he never fails to take one when opportunity offers.” [1: p44]

Wikipedia tells us that “Delhi Junction railway station is the oldest railway station in Old Delhi. … It is one of the busiest railway stations in India in terms of frequency. Around 250 trains start, end, or pass through the station daily. It was established near Chandni Chowk in 1864 when trains from Howrah, Calcutta started operating up to Delhi. Its present building was constructed by the British Indian government in the style of the nearby Red Fort and opened in 1903. It has been an important railway station of the country and preceded the New Delhi by about 60 years. Chandni Chowk station of the Delhi Metro is located near it.” [21]

Delhi junction Railway Station was the main railway station in Delhi at the time that Huddleston was writing his articles.

Delhi Junction Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Delhi Junction Railway Station as it appears on OpenStreetMap. [21]
Delhi Junction Railway Station. [22]
New Delhi Railway Station is marked on this OpenStreetMap extract with a blue flag, it is just a short distance Southwest of Delhi Junction Railway Station which is marked by a grey train symbol to the top-right of the map extract and named ‘Old Delhi’. [23]

Delhi, Ambala (Umbala) and Kalka

The East Indian Railway proper terminated at Delhi Junction Railway Station but the railway company also operated the independently owned Delhi-Umabala-Kalka Railway.

A railway line from Delhi to Kalka via Ambala was constructed by the Delhi Umbala Kalka Railway Company (DUK) during 1889 and 1890 and operations were commenced on March 1, 1891. The management of the line was entrusted to the East Indian Railway Company (EIR) who were able to register a net profit in the very first year of operation. The Government of India purchased the line in 1926 and transferred the management to the state controlled North Western Railway. After partition, this section became part of the newly formed East Punjab Railway and was amalgamated with the Northern Railway on 14th April 1952.” [3]

The terminus of this line is at Kalka, 162 miles from Delhi. Huddleston tells us that, “In the beginning of the hot weather, when the plains are becoming unbearable, Kalka station is thronged with those fortunates who are going to spend summer in the cool of the Himalayas, and, when the hot weather is over, Kalka is crowded with the same people returning to the delights of the cold season, very satisfied with themselves at having escaped a grilling in the plains. Therefore, nearly everyone who passes Kalka looks cheerful, but, of course, there is the usual exception to the rule; and in this case the exception is a marked one. All the year round there is to be seen at Kalka station a face or two looking quite the reverse of happy, and, if we search the cause, we find it soon enough. The sad faces belong to those who have reached Kalka on their way to the Pasteur Institute, at Kasauli; Kasauli is in the hills some ten miles from Kalka. It is at Kasauli that Lord Curzon, when Viceroy, established that incalculable boon to all the people of India, a Pasteur Institute. Formerly, when anyone was bitten by a mad dog, or by a mad jackal, and such animals are fairly common in the East, he had to fly to Paris, and spend anxious weeks before he could be treated-some, indeed, developed hydrophobia before they could get there, or got there too late to be treated with any hope of success. Now, instead of going to Paris, they go to Kasauli.” [1: p44-45]

The western approach to Deli Junction Railway Station. The station is on the right of this satellite image. The lines to the New Delhi Railway Station leave the image to the South, to the left of centre. The line to Kalka leaves the image towards the top-left. [Google Maps, October 2024]
The view West from the bridge carrying Pul Mithai over the railway. The lines entering the photograph from the left are those from New Delhi Railway Station. Those ahead begin the journey to Kalka. [Google Streetview, February 2022]
Looking West from Rani Jhansi Road/Flyover. It may be difficult to make out, but the line to Kalka curves away to the right. [Google Streetview, February 2022]

The first station beyond the junction shown in the photograph above is Sabzi Mandi Railway Station.

Sabzi Mandi Railway Station. [Google Earth, October 2024]

Heading North-northwest out of Delhi, trains pass through Delhi Azadpur Railway Station, under Mahatma Gandhi Road (the Ring Road), on through Adarsh Nagar Delhi Railway Station and under the Outer Ring Road.

Outside of the Outer Ring Road the line passes through Samaypur Badli Railway Station which is an interchange station for the Metro; across a level-crossing on Sirsapur Metro Station Road; through Khera Kalan Railway Station and out of the Delhi conurbation.

Looking North-northwest from Sirsapur Metro Station Road Level-Crossing. [Google Streetview, April 2022]

The line runs on through a series of level-crossings and various stations (Holambi Kolan, Narela, Rathdhana, Harsana Kalan) and under and over modern highways before arriving at Sonipat Junction Railway Station.

A typical view from another level-crossing looking North-northwest along the line.[Google Streetview, April 2022]

Sonipat Junction Railway Station provides connections to Gohana, Jind and Palwal. [24]

(c) Mohit, March 2022.
(c) Arvind, August 2021.
(c) Rahul Singh, February 2019.

Northwest of Sonipat Railway Station a single-track line diverges to the West as we continue northwards through Sandal Kalan, Rajlu Garhi (North of which a line diverges to the East), Ganaur, Bhodwal Majri, Samalkha, Diwana Railway Stations before arriving at Panipat Junction Railway Station.

Panipat Junction Railway Station was opened in 1891. It has links to the Delhi–Kalka line, Delhi–Amritsar line, Delhi–Jammu line, Panipat–Jind line, Panipat–Rohtak line connected and upcoming purposed Panipat–Meerut line via Muzaffarnagar, Panipat–Haridwar line, Panipat-Rewari double line, via Asthal Bohar, Jhajjar or Bypass by the Rohtak Junction Panipat-Assoti Double line via Farukh Nagar, Patli, Manesar, Palwal. 118 trains halt here each day with a footfall of 40,000 persons per day. [25]

(c) Pintoo Yadav, May 2021.
(c) Sunil j, January 2023.

Just to the North of Panipat Junction Railway Station a double-track line curves away to the West. Our journey continues due North parallel to the Jammu-Delhi Toll Road.

A view North along the line from one of the access roads to the Jammu-Delhi Toll Road. [Google Streetview, June 2023]

North of Panipat the line passed through Babarpur, Kohand, Gharaunda, Bazida Jatan Railway Stations while drifting gradually away from the Jammu-Delhi Toll Road.

Beyond Bazida Jatan Station, the line turns from a northerly course to a more northwesterly direction before swinging back Northeast to a more northerly route. It then passes through Karnal Railway Station before once again swinging away to the Northwest and crossing a significant irrigation canal, passing through Bhaini Khurd, Nilokheri, Amin Railway Stations and then arrives at Kurukshetra Junction Railway Station.

Kurukshetra Junction Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]

North of Kurukshetra Junction the line passes through Dhoda Kheri, Dhirpur, Dhola Mazra, Shahbad Markanda (by this time running very close to the Jammu-Delhi Toll Road again), and Mohri Railway Stations before it bridges the Tangri River.

The Tangri River Railway Bridge seen from NH44, the Jammu-Delhi Road. The photograph is taking facing Northwest. [Google Streetview, June 2023]

Not too far North of the Tangri River the line enters Ambala City and arrives at Ambala Cantt Junction Railway Station.

Ambala Cantt Junction Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]

Ambala (known as Umbala in the past – this spelling was used by Rudyard Kipling in his 1901 novel Kim) is “located 200 km (124 mi) to the north of New Delhi, India’s capital, and has been identified as a counter-magnet city for the National Capital Region to develop as an alternative center of growth to Delhi.” [26] As of the 2011 India census, Ambala had a population of 207,934.

Travelling further North towards Kalka, trains start heading Northwest out of Ambala Cantt Railway Station. and pass through Dhulkot, Lalru, Dappar, Ghagghar Rauilway Stations before crossing the Ghaggar River and running on into Chandigarh.

The Ghaggar River Railway Bridge seen from the Ghaggar Causeway to the Northeast of the railway Bridge. [Google Streetview, June 2022]

Chandigarh Junction Railway Station sits between Chandigarh and Panchkula. it is illustrated below.

(c) Laxman YB (January 2022)
(c) Soniya Thapa (January 2023)
(c) Amit Gamer (July 2022)

North of Chadigarh the flat plains of India give way to the first foothills of the Himalayas. What has up to this point been a line with very few curves, changes to follow a route which best copes with the contours of the land. Within the city limits of Chandigarh, the line curves sharply to the East, then to the Southeast as illustrated below.

The route of the railway between Chandigarh and Kalka to the immediate North of Chandigarh Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]

The line then sweeps round to the Northeast.

The route of the line is again marked by the thick blue line on this next extract from Google’s satellite imagery. [Google Maps, October 2024]
It is possible to glimpse the line from the Chandigarh-Kalka Road (NH5) at various points. This image looks from the road into Chandimandir Military Station. The bridge over the access road which can be seen above the gates carries the line to Kalka. [Google Streetview, June 2022]

The next railway station is that serving the military base, Chandi Mandir Railway Station. The line continues to the Northeast, then the North and then the Northwest before running into Surajpur Railway Station.

A glimpse of the railway North of Surajpur. The camera is facing West across the railway which is on a low metal viaduct. Kalka is some significant distance away off the right of this photograph. [Google Streetview, June 2023]

The line continues to sweep round to the Northeast before crossing the Jhajra Nadi River.

The Jhajra Nadi River Bridge seen from the Southeast on Jhajra Nadi Road. [Google Streetview, June 2023]

The line then runs parallel to the Jhajra Nadi River in a Northeasterly direction on its North bank before swinging round to the Northwest and entering Kalka Railway Station.

Kalka Station. [1: p40]
An East Indian Railway Mail Train leaving Kalka. [1: p43]
Kalka Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Kalka Railway Station as illustrated on the IndiaRailInfo.com website, (c) Shubh Mohan Singh. The train on the right is, I believe, the ‘Himalayan Queen’.

The broad gauge terminates at Kalka and the journey on into the Himalayas is by narrow-gauge train.

Kalka to Shimla

Huddleston comments: “Simla [sic] is full of hill schools, and Kalka often sees parties of happy children returning to their homes; a common enough sight in London, perhaps, but in India quite the reverse. In India, European school children only come home for one vacation in the year, and that, of course, is in the cold season when they get all their holidays at a stretch. Many of them have to journey over a thousand miles between home and school. Needless to say, the railway is liberal in the concessions it grants, and does all it can to assist parents in sending their children away from the deadly climate of the plains. … At Kalka you change into a 2 ft. 6 in. hill railway, which takes you to Simla, the summer headquarters of Government, in seven hours. If you are going up in the summer, don’t forget to take thick clothes and wraps with you, for every mile carries you from the scorching heat of the plains into the delightful cool of the Himalayas, and you will surely need a change before you get to the end of your journey. … Kalka is 2,000 ft. above sea level, Simla more than 7,000 ft., therefore, the rise in the 59 miles of hill railway is over 5,000 ft., and the fall in the temperature probably 30 degrees Fahrenheit.” [1: p45]

Train of Bogie Coaches about to leave Kalka for Shimla. [1: p44]
A portion of the sinuous course of the Kalka-Shimla line’s climb into the Himalayas. [1: p45]

The plan is to try to follow the line of the railway as it climbs away from Kalka Railway Station. First a quick look at the narrow gauge end of Kalka Railway Station.

The North end of Kalka Railway Station is devoted to the narrow-gauge line to Shimla. [Google Maps, October 2024]
The narrow-gauge platforms at Kalka Railway Station seen from the Northwest. [Google Streetview, January 2018]
The Kalka-Shimla Line. Kalka station throat looking Southeast into the station complex. [Google Streetview, January 2018]

The two views above were taken from the rear of a Shimla-bound train. This will be true of many subsequent photographs of the line.

Looking back towards Kalka Station from alongside the Diesel Shed. [Google Streetview, January 2018]
The Kalka-Shimla line winds its way through Kalka. [Google Maps, October 2024]
The line continues to switch back and forth on its way to the first station at Taksal. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Taksal Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
From Taksal Railway Station the line continues to wander around following the contours, gaining height as it does so. The route can relatively easily be picked out on this satellite image. One length of tunnel has been highlighted in red. [Google Maps, October 2024]
The line continues towards Shimla following the contours and continuing to rise into the hills. Its course runs relatively close to National Highway No. 5 (NH5)

Koti Railway Station and tunnel portal just at the northern limits of the station. [Google Maps, October 2024]

Train arriving at Koti from Kalka (c) Meghamalhar Saha. (May 2024)
The tunnel portal at Koti (c) Divyansh Sharma. (April 2021)

Koti Tunnel (Tunnel No. 10) is 750 metres in length. Trains for Shimla disappear into it at the station limits at Koti and emerge adjacent to the NH5 road as shown below.

Koti Tunnel (Tunnel No. 10). [Google Maps, October 2024]
The Northeast portal of Tunnel No. 10(Koti Tunnel). [Google Streetview, January 2018]
Leaving the tunnel the line runs on the West side of the Kalka-Shimla Road (NH5). It can be seen here a couploe of metres higher than the road. [Google Streetview, June 2023]

For some distance the line then runs relatively close to the NH5. on its Northwest side and increasingly higher than the road. The central image below shows road and rail relatively close to each other. The left image shows the structure highlighted in the central image as it appears from the South. The right-hand image shows the same structure from the North. The structure highlighted here is typical of a number along the route of the railway.

For a short distance the line has to deviate away from the road to maintain a steady grade as it crosses a side-valley.

The line runs away North of the NH5 to allow gradients to remain steady. Top0-left of this image is a wayside halt serving the communities in this vicinity and as the line turns to cross the valley and return towards the NH5, there is a bridge carrying the line over the valley floor. [Google Streetview, October 2024]

The Halt and bridge shown in the image above on an enlarged extract from the satellite imagery. [Google Maps, October 2024]

The Halt. [Google Streetview, January 2018]
The stone-arched viaduct to the Northeast of the Halt, seen from the platform. [Google Streetview, January 2018]

The sort tunnels above are typical of a number along the line. Tunnel No. 16 takes the railway under the NH5.

The NH5 climbs alongside the railway line which can be seen on the left of this image. around 100 metres further along the line Tunnel No. 16 takes the railway under the road. [Google Streetview, August 2024]
The line crosses under the NH5 at the bottom left of this satellite image and can be seen following the contours on the Southside of the road across the full width of the image, leaving the photo in the top-right corner. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Looking back down the line towards Kalka through Sonwara Railway Station. [Google Streetview, January 2018]
Again looking back towards Kalka the structure that the train has just crossed is given its own sign board. It appears to be a 4 span stone-arched viaduct. [Google Streetview, January 2018]

The next tunnel on the line (No. 18) is a semi-circular tunnel.

Tunnels No. 21 and No. 22 are shown below. The first image in each of these cases is the line superimposed on Google Maps satellite imagery (October 2024). The other two images, in each case, are from Google Streetview, January 2018.

A short distance North from Tunnel No. 22 is an over bridge which is shown below.

The next station is Dharampur Himachal Railway Station.

Dharampur Himachal Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]

Immediately beyond the station the line is bridged by the NH5 and then enters another tunnel.

The short tunnel to the North of Dharampur Himachal Railway Station which perhaps carried the original road, (c) Balasubramaniam Janardhanan. (Video still, April 2022) {Google Maps, October 2024]
The same bridge and short tunnel. [Google Streetview, January 2018]
The line running North beyond the tunnel. [Google Streetview, January 2018]

After a deviation away to the North, the railway returns to the side of the NH5. Tunnels No. 27 and 28 take the line under small villages. Another tunnel (No. 29) sits just before Kumarhatti Dagshai Railway Station.

Kumarhatti Dagshai Railway Station. [Google Maps, November 2024]
Kumarhatti Dagshai Railway Station building. [Google Streetview, January 2018]

As trains leave Kumarhatti Dagshai Railway Station, heading for Shimla, they immediately enter Tunnel No. 30.

Tunnel No. 30 is a short straight tunnel which takes the railway under the village and NH5. [Google Streetview, January 2018]

Two short tunnels follow in quick succession, various tall retaining walls are passed as well before the line crosses a relatively shallow side-valley by means of a masonry arched viaduct.

A short viaduct to the East of Kumarhatti Dagshai Railway Station. [Google Streetview, January 2018]

Tunnel No. 33 (Barog Tunnel) is a longer tunnel which runs Southwest to Northeast and brings trains to Barog Railway Station.

Barog Railway Station. [Google Streetview, January 2018]

Now back on the North side of the NH5, the line continues to rise gently as it follows the contours of the hillside. Five further short tunnels are encountered beyond Barog (Nos. 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38) before the line runs into Solan Railway Station.

Solan Railway Station. [Google Maps, November 2024]

Immediately to the Eat of Solan Railway Station trains enter Tunnel No. 39 and soon thereafter Tunnels Nos. 40, 41 and 42 before crossing the NH5 at a level-crossing.

Level-crossing on the main Kalka-Shimla Road. [Google Streetview, January 2018]

Further tunnels follow on the way to Salogra Railway Station.

Salogra Railway Station was oriented North-South approximately.

Looking North through Salogra Railway Station. [Google Streetview, January 2018]
Salogra Railway Station buildings seen from the South. [Google Streetview, January 2018]
Salogra Railway Station sign, (c) Travel More. (2015)

A further series of relative short tunnels protects the line as it runs on the Kandaghat Railway Station.

Kandaghat Railway Station. [Google Streetview, January 2018]
The stone-arched viaduct carrying the line over the NH5 (Kalka-Shimla Road) at the North end of Kandaghat Railway Station. [Google Streetview, July 2024]

Tunnels Nos. 56 and 57 sit a short distance to the East of the viaduct above. the line now accompanies a different highway which turns off the NH5 close to the viaduct.

The next significant structure is the galleried arch bridge below.

More tunnels, Nos. 58 to 66 are passed before the line crosses another significant structure – Bridge No. 541 – and then runs through Kanoh Railway Station.

Kanoh Railway Station. [Google Maps, November 2024]
Kanoh Railway Station, (c) Saumen Pal. (April 2022). [Google Maps, November 2024]

After Kanoh Station the line passes through a further series of short tunnels (Nos. 67-75) before meeting its old friend the NH5 (the Kalka to Shimla Road) again.

The Kalka to Shimla Railway line viaduct seen from the Southwest on the adjacent NH5 (Kalka-Shimla Road). [Google Streetview, July 2024]

Beyond this point the line passed through Tunnels Nos. 76 and 77 before arriving at Kathleeghat Railway Station.

Kathleeghat Railway Station.

Kathleeghat Railway Station. [Google Streetview, January 2018]
Kathleeghat Railway Station. [Google Streetview, January 2018]
Kathleeghat Railway Station. [Google Streetview, January 2018]

Immediately the Northeast of Kathleeghat Station the line enters Tunnel No. 78 under the Kalka-Shima Road (NH5) and soon heads away from the road plotting its own course forward toward Shimla through Tunnels Nos. 79 and 80, before again passing under the NH5 (Tunnel No. 81). Tunnels Nos 82 to84 follow and the occasional overbridge before the next stop at Shoghi Railway Station.

Shoghi Railway Station. [Google Maps, November 2024]

North East of Shoghi Station the line turns away from the NH5 and passing though a series of short Tunnels (Nos. 85-90) finds it own way higher into the hills before passing through Scout Halt and into a longer Tunnel (No. 91).

The North Portal of Tunnel No.91. [Google Streetview, December 2017]

North of Tunnel No. 91, the line enters Taradevi Railway Station which sits alongside the NH5.

Taradevi Railway Station.

Taradevi Railway Station, (c) William Matthews. (2023)
Taradevi Railway Station, (c) Gokul Gopakumar. (2021)
Taradevi Railway Station, (c) Iqbal Singh. (August 2019) [Google Maps, November 2024]

Immediately North of the station the line passes under the NH5 in Tunnel No. 92 and then runs on the hillside to the West of the road. It turns West away from the road and passes through Tunnels 93 to 98 before entering Jutogh Railway Station.

Jutogh Railway Station. [Google Maps, November 2024]

Leaving Jutogh Railway Station, the line turns immediately through 180 degrees and runs along the North side of the ridge on which the town sits. Tunnel No. 98 is followed by a short viaduct.

This viaduct sits just east of Tunnel No. 98, above the Shima-Ghumarwin Road. Just a short distance towards Shima, the same road climbs steeply over the railway which passes under it in Tunnel No. 99. [Google Streetview, January 2018]

east of the road, Tunnel No. 100 is followed by a long run before an overbridge leads into Summer Hill Station.

Beyond Summer Hill Station, the line immediately ducks into Tunnel No. 101 which takes it under the ridge on which Summer Hill sits and then returns almost parallel to the line whch approached Summer Hill Station but to the East of the ridge. It runs on through Tunnel No. 102 to Inverarm Tunnel (No. 103) which brings the line into Shimla.

Shimla Railway Station. [Gpgle Streetview, January 2018]
Shimla Railway Station. [Google Maps, November 2024]

Shimla is the end of this journey on first the East Indian Railway and its branches and then the line to Kalka before we travelled the narrow gauge Kalka to Shimla Line.

Wikipedia tells us that “the Kalka–Shimla Railway is a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow-gauge railway. … It is known for dramatic views of the hills and surrounding villages. The railway was built under the direction of Herbert Septimus Harington between 1898 and 1903 to connect Shimla, the summer capital of India during the British Raj, with the rest of the Indian rail system. … Its early locomotives were manufactured by Sharp, Stewart and Company. Larger locomotives were introduced, which were manufactured by the Hunslet Engine Company. Diesel and diesel-hydraulic locomotives began operation in 1955 and 1970, respectively. On 8 July 2008, UNESCO added the Kalka–Shimla Railway to the mountain railways of India World Heritage Site.” [28]

References

  1. G. Huddleston; The East Indian Railway; in The Railway Magazine, July 1906, p40-45.
  2. https://rogerfarnworth.com/2024/10/16/the-east-indian-railway-the-railway-magazine-december-1905-and-a-journey-along-the-line/
  3. https://hillpost.in/2005/01/kalka-shimla-railway/30, accessed on 24th October 2024.
  4. https://indiarailinfo.com/train/map/train-running-status-shikohabad-farrukhabad-passenger-485nr/6070/903/2192, accessed on 24th October 2024.
  5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikohabad, accessed on 25th October 2024.
  6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikohabad_Junction_railway_station, accessed on 25th October 2024.
  7. https://web.archive.org/web/20130728090858/http://mainpuri.nic.in/gaz/chapter7.htm, accessed on 25th October 2024.
  8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=1ehvDEs2pt4, accessed on 25th October 2024.
  9. http://64.38.144.116/station/blog/2193/0, accessed on 25th October 2024.
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganga-Jamuni_tehzeeb, accessed on 26th October 2024.
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrukhabad_district, accessed on the 26th October 2024.
  12. C.A. Bayly; Rulers, Townsmen and Bazaars: North Indian Society in the Age of British Expansion, 1770–1870; Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2012.
  13. “District Census Handbook: Farrukhabad” (PDF). (censusindia.gov.in). Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
  14. “Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Uttar Pradesh”. (www.censusindia.gov.in). Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
  15. Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901. (www.censusindia.gov.in)
  16. “Table C-01 Population by Religion: Uttar Pradesh”. (www.censusindia.gov.in). Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
  17. https://www.irfca.org/gallery/Heritage/JUMNA+BRIDGE+AGRA+-+1.JPG.html, accessed on 27th October 2024.
  18. https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Yamuna_Railway_Bridge(Agra), accessed on 27th October 2024.
  19. https://cityseeker.com/agra/723275-stretchy-bridge, accessed on 27th October 2024.
  20. https://www.etsy.com/no-en/listing/235077088/1962-agra-india-vintage-map, accessed on 27th October 2024.
  21. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi_Junction_railway_station, accessed on 27th October 2024.
  22. https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/now-swachh-drive-at-delhi-railway-station/articleshow/47754817.cms, accessed on 27th October 2024
  23. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Delhi_railway_station, accessed on 27th October 2024.
  24. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonipat_Junction_railway_station, accessed on 28th October 2024.
  25. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panipat_Junction_railway_station, accessed on 28th October 2024.
  26. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambala, accessed on 29th October 2024.
  27. https://st2.indiarailinfo.com/kjfdsuiemjvcya0/0/1/8/2/933182/0/7226151664bda48a8152z.jpg, accessed via https://indiarailinfo.com/station/map/kalka-klk/1982 on 29th October 2024.
  28. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalka%E2%80%93Shimla_Railway, accessed on 2nd November 2024.
  29. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:KSR_Steam_special_at_Taradevi_05-02-13_56.jpeg, accessed on 2nd November 2024.

The Border Counties Railway – Part 2 – Chollerton to Redesmouth Junction

This is the second article in a series about the Border Counties Railway. The first can be found here. [3]

An online acquaintance pointed me to a film made in the mid-1980s, ‘Slow Train to Riccarton’ which records something of the lives of people associated with this railway line:

https://youtu.be/cUOVM8ENOIg?si=f4sjHHSNsjn6qYm2 [2]

The film shows different lengths of the line and records a number of people speaking about their life on and around the line.

This first image is a still from the film which denotes where we are starting this next length of the journey along the line. A few more ‘stills’ will help to locate us as we travel along the line.

Chollerton Railway Station name-board. [2]
Chollerton Station Waiting Room on 25th August 1959. By then, the railway lines at Chollerton were becoming overgrown with weeds and grass. What was once the station waiting room was now the village Post Office. Media ID 21635767 © Mirrorpix [1]
Chollerton Railway Station and St. Giles’ Church. [5]
The same area in the 21st century. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Chollerton Railway Station building in the 21st century, now a private dwelling. [Google Streetview, July 2021]

The line travelled on, Northwest from Chollerton, much of the time in deep cutting as far as Dallabank Wood, by which time it was running on a northerly course. Soon after the wood, the line turned towards the Northwest, passed under the local road (Dalla Bank), crossed a short but high embankment under which Barrasford Burn was culverted, and entered Barrasford Railway Station.

The red line shows the route of the old railway immdiately to the North of Chollerton Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
The cutting South of Dalla Bank, Facing towards Chollerton in 2013, (c) Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [15]
The line continued on as marked by the red line under Dalla Bank and on to Barrasford Station which was located at the top left of this extract from Google’s satellite imagery. [Google Maps, October 2024]
The view along the old railway line North-northwest from Dalla Bank. [Google Streetview, August 2023]
Barrasford Railway Station name-board. [2]

Barrasford Railway Station opened on 1st December 1859 by the North British Railway. The station was situated on a lane to Catheugh, around “200 yards northeast of the centre of Barrasford village. A siding adjoined the line opposite the platform and there was a further loop to the northwest. Both of these were controlled by a signal box, which was at the northwest end of the platform. The station was host to a camping coach from 1936 to 1939.” [4]

Barrasford station was closed to passengers on 15th October 1956 but remained open for goods traffic until 1st September 1958, although it was downgraded towards an unstaffed public siding.” [4]

The trackbed of the old railway looking back to the Southeast close to Barrasford Railway Station in December 2013, (c) Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [11]
Barrasford Railway Station in 1962, 4 years after the final closure of the line, © Ben Brooksbank and authorised for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [4]
Barrasford Railway Station building in the 21st century – in private hands. [Google Streetview, August 2023]
Barrasford Railway Station was just a few hundred yards to the Northeast of the village of Barrasford. [6]
The same location in the 21stcentury. [Google Maps, October 2024]
The former Barrasford Station building seen from the East in 2013, (c) Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [10]
Barrasford Railway Station in 2010, (c) Steve Wright and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0) [12]
Looking back Southeast towards Chollerton. A footpath follows the line of the old railway. [Google Streetview, August 2023]
The line ahead to the Northwest is marked by the red line. [Google Streetview, August 2023]

A short distance Northwest of Barrasford Railway Station, was Barrasford Quarry which was provided with its own siding.

The line Northwest of Barrasford Railway Station. [Google Maps, October 2024]
The track bed of the old railway a little to the Northwest of Barrasford Railway Station, looking back along the line towards the station in December 2013, (c) Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [12]
Looking back towards Barrasford Station from Chishill Way. The line was carried at high level over the road. Only the embankments remain. [Google Streetview, August 2023]
A wintertime view along the old railway to the West from the East side of Chishill Way, in December 2013, (c) Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [13]
Looking West from Chishill Way. The railway embankment is to the right of the trees. [Google Streetview, August 2023]
The track bed further West from Chswell Way, in December 2013, (c) Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [14]
Barrasford Quarry Sidings and Tramway. [7]
Tarmac’s quarry at Barrasford is a much larger affair in the 21st century. [Google Maps, October 2024]
The entrance to Barrasford Quarry. The red line indicates the approximate route of the old railway which is treelined to the West of the quarry road and through open fields to the East of the quarry road. The siding was on the North side of the line. [Google Streetview, August 2023]
Just to the Northwest of Barrasford Quarry Siding was a branch line to Camp Hill, Gunnerton Quarry.This branhc was about 2 miles in length and is recorded on some maps as an old Waggonway. [8]
The same location in the 21st century with the old railways superimposed. [Google Maps, October 2024]

The Camp Hill Branch as shown on satellite imagery from Railmaponline.com. The branch was a short industrial line serving a relatively small quarry to the North of Barrasford Quarry. It appears to have been disused by 1920 as one of the local OS Map sheets across which the line travels shows the line lifted by that time and referred to as an ‘Old Waggonway”. The line is present on map sheets surveyed in 1895.

A short section of the Camp Hill Branch Line as shown on the 1920 25″ Ordnance Survey which was published in 1922. [18]
The view South along the line of the Clay Hill Branch towards the Border Counties Railway in February 2023, © Les Hull and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [30]
The Border Counties Railway to the Northwest of the junction with the Camp Hill Branch. [17]
The road overbridge on the road South from Gunnerton as shown in the Google Streetview image below. There was an adjacent siding with a crane at this location in 1920. This is an extract from the 1920 25″ Ordnance Survey. [19]
Looking to the Southwest along the road South from Gunnerton at the point where it bridged the Border Counties Railway in December 2013, (c) Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [16]
The view Southeast from the bridge in the image above in December 2013, (c) Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [22]

A little further to the Northwest, the access road to Short Moor crossed the old railway. Just before that lane there was another stone bridge which gave access between fields either side of the line.

Stone bridge Southwest of the Short Moor access road in December 2013, (c) Mike Quinn and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [28]
Two bridges crossed the line close to Short Moor. [29]

A distant view from the Southwest of the bridge carrying the access road to South Moor which is on the left of this image. The stone-arched bridge is just to the right of centre. [Google Streetview, April 2011]

Further to the Northwest, the line as shown on the railmaponline.com satellite imagery. {17}
The line ran on to the Northwest and this is the next significant point on the old railway. Close to Chipchase Castle the line was bridged by a minor road. [20]
The view across the old railway bridge from the Northeast. [Google Streetview, June 2009]
This next roadoverbridge carries an access road over the Border Counties Railway close to Kiln Plantation shortly before the highway turns away from the railway to the West along the North side of the plantation. [21]
The view from the South of the road bridge in the map extract above. [Google Streetview, April 2011]
The same structure in a photograph taken by Paul Hill and shared by him on the Border Counties Railway Facebook Group on 17th August 2020. [23]

A short distance to the Northwest another access road runs off the highway and crosses the Border Counties Railway.

This map estract shows the lane leading to Comogon in 1920, which was carried over the old railway by means of a private access bridge. [24]
The access road is private and this is the closest view of the old line at this location that is possible. The red lines show its route which was in a slight cutting to the right of the access road and a slight embankment to the left of the road. [Google Streetview, April 2011]
Wark Railway Station as shown on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1895. [25]
The view Southeast along the Border Counties Railway through Wark Railway Station. [Google Streetview, June 2009]
The Goods Shed at Wark Railway Station. [Google Streetview, June 2009]
Wark Signal Box when still in use. It sat just Northwest of the station platforms. This image was shared by Ian Farnfield on the Border Counties Railway Facebook Group on 6th April 2022. The provenance of this image is not known. [26]
Wark Signal Box in the 21st century. This image was taken by Ian Farnfield and shared by him on the Border Counties Railway Facebook Group on 6th April 2022. [26]

A short distance Northwest from Wark Railway Station the Border Counties Railway passed under another minor road.

This next extract from the 1895 25″ Ordnance Survey shows that bridge mentioned above crossing the old railway. [27]
The bridge mentioned above. [Google Streetview, July 2023]

From this point, the line turns to a more northerly direction as this next extract from the railmaponline.com satellite imagery shows. An accommodation track and Blind Burn next passed under the line of the railway. The image below shows the location.

The view Northeast along Piper Gate towards what was a bridge carrying the Border Counties Railway over the Burn and road. [Google Streetview, Aril 2011]

Northwest of Piper Gate a private access road follows the track bed to a private dwelling. Further North another access track passed underneath the line (shown in the first map extract below)

The access road to what is now R.D. Archer & Son. [31]
Over the next length of the line it ran quite close to the River North Tyne swinging to the East and then relatively sharply to the West Much of this length of the line was on embankment and a series of cattle-creeps were needed for access between farm fields. [17]
Close to Heugh, the line bridged a track which led West towards Countess Park at the river’s edge. [32]
The bridge adjacent to Heugh seen from the West in November 2020, © Andrew Curtis and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [35]
A second access road to Countess Park ran North-South and was also bridged by the old railway. [33]
The bridge shown on the map extract immediately above, seen from the North in May 2019, © Russel Wills and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [34]

Continuing North from Countess Park alongside the River North Tyne, the Border Counties Railway reaches Redesmouth Railway Station which was a junction station.

Redesmouth as shown on the OS Explorer Map Sheet. The dismantled railways can easily be seen. The Border Counties Railway bears Northwest from the Station and crosses the River North Tyne.

The two images immediately above focus on the railway infrastructure at Redesmouth which spreads over quite a large site surrounding the hamlet of Redesmouth. [Google Maps, October, 2024] [36]

The Signal Box and Waiting Room/Water Tower at Redesmouth Junction. [39]
The Signal Box and Water Tank (with waiting room beneath) at Redesmouth Station, seen from the South in May 1975 after closure and before renovation as a private home, © pt and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [37]
The renovated signal box and waiting room at Redesmouth as seen in May 2007, © Les Hull and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [38]
Redesmouth Railway Station seen from the North. The waiting room and signal box can be seen on the right of this image. [Google Streetview, April 2011]
A postcard image of Redesmouth Station in the very early years of its existence before the Signal Cabin was rebuilt to give a better view of the lines approaching the station. This image was shared on The Whistle Stop Facebook Page on 9th July 2017, (c) Public Domain. [40]

We finish this segment of our journey on the Border Counties Railway here at Redesmouth.

References

  1. https://shop.memorylane.co.uk/mirror/0300to0399-00399/railway-lines-chollerton-rapidly-overgrown-weeds-21635767.html
  2. https://youtu.be/cUOVM8ENOIg?si=f4sjHHSNsjn6qYm2, accessed on 24th September 2024.
  3. https://rogerfarnworth.com/2024/09/16/the-border-counties-railway-part-1-hexham-to-chollerton
  4. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrasford_railway_station, accessed on 4th October 2024.
  5. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.6&lat=55.04171&lon=-2.11022&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 4th October 2024.
  6. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.3&lat=55.05695&lon=-2.12850&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 4th October 2024.
  7. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.3&lat=55.06153&lon=-2.14428&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 4th October 2024.
  8. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.1&lat=55.06274&lon=-2.14638&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 4th October 2024.
  9. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2270834, accessed on 21st October 2024
  10. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3788974, accessed on 21st October 2024.
  11. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3788972, accessed on 21st October 2024.
  12. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3788954, accessed on 21st October 2024,
  13. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3788955, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  14. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3788956, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  15. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3579114, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  16. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3800747, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  17. https://railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  18. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.3&lat=55.06702&lon=-2.14178&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  19. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.3&lat=55.06677&lon=-2.15418&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  20. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.3&lat=55.07628&lon=-2.18538&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  21. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.3&lat=55.08081&lon=-2.19234&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  22. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3785588, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  23. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=176492280689846&set=pcb.2762530180657885, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  24. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.3&lat=55.08364&lon=-2.19673&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  25. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.3&lat=55.08580&lon=-2.20367&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  26. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10166275293725524&set=gm.4430757023690820&idorvanity=1005511202882103, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  27. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.3&lat=55.08941&lon=-2.21047&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  28. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3801813, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  29. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.3&lat=55.07066&lon=-2.16799&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  30. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7404692, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  31. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.3&lat=55.10369&lon=-2.21770&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  32. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.3&lat=55.11812&lon=-2.20251&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  33. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.3&lat=55.12010&lon=-2.20643&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  34. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6160483, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  35. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6691232, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  36. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.4&lat=55.13241&lon=-2.21384&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  37. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/697704, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  38. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1699167, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  39. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.4&lat=55.13217&lon=-2.21256&layers=168&b=ESRIWorld&o=100, accessed on 22nd October 2024.
  40. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1871550826442636&set=pcb.1871554073108978&locale=en_GB, accessed on 23rd October 2024.

The Manchester and Leeds Railway – The Railway Magazine, December 1905 – Part 1

An article in the Railway Magazine in December 1905 prompted a look at the Manchester and Leeds Railway. For a number of years my parents lived in sheltered housing in Mirfield which is on the line. Looking at the line as it appeared in 1905 and again in the 21st century seemed a worthwhile exercise! Part 1 of this short series provides a short history of the line and takes us from Manchester to Sowerby Bridge.

The featured image at the head of this article shows the Manchester & Leeds Railway locomotive ‘Victoria’, in about 1878-80. This locomotive was designed by Edward Bury and built at his works in Liverpool. It was one of a batch of 0-4-0 engines ordered in 1845, and later converted to an 0-4-2 wheel arrangement (c) Public Domain. [65]

In his first article in 1905, about the Manchester and Leeds Railway which was accompanied by a series of engravings included here, Herbert Rake wrote that on 11th September 1830 a committee tasked with improving communications between Leeds and Manchester, emboldened by the success of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, decided to hold a meeting to form a new railway company.

On 18th October 1930, the decision was taken. A board of directors was appointed, a survey was authorised and work was undertaken to prepare for an application to Parliament. It was based on a junction with the Liverpool and Manchester Railway at Oldfield Lane, Salford and at St. George’s Road, Manchester.

The route from Manchester to Sowerby Bridge was easily agreed, that from Sowerby Bridge to Leeds was more difficult to agree. The Bill prepared for Parliament focused on the Manchester to Sowerby Bridge length of the planned line and was presented on 10th March 1831. Opposition from the Rochdale Canal Company and others and then the dissolution of Parliament halted the progress of the Bill.

Resubmission was agreed on 8th June 1830 but once again failed in its progress through Parliament. In the end, the project was revised, the company was reorganised, and the capital fixed at £800,000 in £100 shares in a meeting in October 1935.

Rake tells us that this “new project abandoned the Salford junction line, but embraced a deviated extension beyond Sowerby Bridge, along the lower portion of the Vale of Calder, past Dewsbury and Wakefield, to Normanton, thence to Leeds, in conjunction with the North Midland Railway. … [The line was] intended to form a central portion of a great main line running east and west between Liverpool and Hull.” [1: p469-470]

The prospectus noted a few important facts, particularly:

  • The population density with three miles either side of the proposed line was 1,847 persons per square mile. The average for England was 260 persons per square mile.
  • Within 10 miles of the line there were 29 market towns, twelve with a population greater than 20,000.
  • Within 20 miles of the line there were 48 market towns with more than 10,000 inhabitants.

Rake tells us that “The Act of Incorporation received the Royal Assent on the 4th July 1836, and authorised a joint stock capital to be raised of £1,000,000, with an additional amount by loan of £433,000.” [1: p470]

Construction commenced on 18th August 1837. On 14th February 1838 it was decided to apply to Parliament for an Act authorising branch lines to Oldham and Halifax.

Victoria Station, Manchester, was first known as Hunt’s Bank Station. [1: p468]
Part of the original station at Manchester Victoria, as it appeared in 1989. In around 1860, the single storey station building was extended by the addition of a second floor. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway sensitively incorporated the original building into the new 1904 facade of Victoria station, © Whatlep and authorised for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [2]

Late in 1838, “a modification of the original plan for effecting a junction of the Manchester and Leeds Railway with the Liverpool and Manchester Railway was proposed, by an extension of both to a joint terminus within 500 yards of the Manchester Exchange. … The Act of Parliament for this and other purposes received the Royal Assent on the 31st July 1839, authorising the sum of £866,000 to be raised for the purpose of constructing the Oldham and Halifax branches, for making a diversion in the railway at Kirkthorpe, for enlarging the station in Lees Street, and for constructing the line to join the Liverpool and Manchester extension.” [1: p470]

Rochdale railway Station as shown on the 25″ Ordnance Survey 0f 1908, published in 1910. [21]
View NE from south end of Rochdale Station. On the left, Hughes/Fowler 5P 4F 2-6-0 No. 42724 on the 11.58am Wakefield to Manchester; on the right, Stanier 4MT 2-6-4T No. 42653 on a local to Bolton, © Ben Brooksbank and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [22]

Rake explains that the railway ran through Miles Platting where the Ashton and Stalybridge branch diverges. At Middleton the Oldham branch connected to the main line. Mill Hills embankment (maximum height 75 feet) carries the line towards Blue Pits Station where the Heywood line joins the main line. The line runs on through Rochdale, Littleborough and Todmorden Vale before running in cutting (maximum depth 100 feet) to Summit Tunnel.

During construction, “Six contracts were awarded between the Manchester terminus and the Summit Tunnel and were progressing satisfactorily by August 1838.” [6]

The West Portal of Summit Tunnel is approached from Manchester through a deep cutting. [1: p469]
The same portal of Summit Tunnel in 20th century steam days. [3]

When built, Summit Tunnel was the longest in the world. It opened on 1st March 1841 by Sir John F. Sigismund-Smith.

The tunnel is just over 1.6 miles (2.6 km) long and carries two standard-gauge tracks in a single horseshoe-shaped tube, approximately 24 feet (7.2 m) wide and 22 feet (6.6 m) high. Summit Tunnel was designed by Thomas Longridge Gooch, assisted by Barnard Dickinson. Progress on its construction was slower than anticipated, largely because excavation was more difficult than anticipated. … It … cost £251,000 and 41 workers had died.” [4]

Rake noted that the tunnel is “14 shafts were necessary, and the strata of rock shale and clay was of so treacherous a character that the brick lining of the roof, which is semi circular, consists in places of no less than 10 concentric rings.” [1: p471] He also comments that: the tunnel entrance is if an imposing Moorish design; 1,000 men were employed with work continuing day and night.

Beyond the tunnel, the railway “entered a cutting in silt, which required piling to secure a foundation. Continuing onwards, we pass through the Winterbut Lee Tunnel, 420 yds. in length, and across a viaduct of 18 arches, one of which is of 60 ft. span we then proceed over the Rochdale Canal, on a cast iron skew bridge 102 ft. in span, at a height of 40 ft. above the surface of the water.” [1: p471]

A colourised engraving of the bridge over the Rochdale Canal by A.F. Tait. [6]
The Manchester and Leeds Railway’s castellated bridge over the Rochdale Canal to the South of Todmorden on 16th September 2007, © Tim Green and authorised for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY 2.0 Generic). [5]
The railway bridge illustrated above as it appears on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1905, published in 1907. [9]

Tenders for work on the eastern section were advertised in 1838. … Contractors then worked fastidiously under the threat of heavy penalties should they over-run the set time limits. They were also forbidden to work on Sundays.” [6]

At Todmorden, “the railway is carried over almost the entire breadth of the valley by a noble viaduct of nine arches, seven of which are each of 60 ft. span, and two of 30 ft., at a height of 54 ft. above the level of the turnpike road.” [1: p471]

Todmorden Railway Station on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1905, published in 1907. The viaduct which spans Burnley Road to the East of the Railway Station appears top left on this map extract and below on a more modern photograph. [8]
Todmorden Railway Station, seen from Platform 2, in the 21st century, © Ian Kirk and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC-BY 2.5). [20]
Todmorden – Railway Viaduct over Burnley Road: The railway viaduct reaching the station is a prominent feature and is here seen crossing Burnley Road with the bus station on one side of it and the local market on the other, © David Ward and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [7]
The junction with the Burnley Branch on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1905, published in 1907. [10]
Looking West from Hallroyd Road Bridge in 2023. Hallroyd Road Bridge overlooks Hall Road Junction close to the right side of the map extract above. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Looking East from Hallroyd Road Bridge. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

Quitting Todmorden, where the Burnley branch diverges, the line enters Yorkshire, passes through Millwood Tunnel (225 yards), Castle Hill Tunnel (193 yards), and Horsefall Tunnel (424 yards) and then arrives at Eastwood Station. Some distance further on is Charlestown. Afterwards the railway “crosses river, road, and canal, by a skew bridge of three arches, the canal being separately spanned by an iron bridge.” [1: p471]

Looking back West from Cross Stone Road across the western portal of Millwood Tunnel. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Looking East from the corner of Phoenix Street and Broadstone Street, above the eastern portal of Millwood Tunnel. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

These next few images give a flavour of the line as it travels towards Hebden Bridge.

Lobb Mill Viaduct sits alongside the A646, Halifax Road between Castle Hill Tunnel and Horsefall Tunnel. [Google Streetview, June 2023]
Looking Southwest along the line towards Todmorden from E. Lee Lane. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
A little to the Northeast, Duke Street passes under the railway. This view looks West from Halifax Road [Google Streetview, June 2023]
Eastwood Railway Station as it appears on the 1905 25″ Ordnance Survey. [63]
Thye approximate location of Eastwood Station as it appears on Google Maps satellite imagery in 2024. [Google Maps, October 2024]
A little further Northeast, this is the view Northwest along Jumble Hole Road under the railway. [Google Streetview, June 2011]
The view Northwest from he A646, Halifax Road along the Pennine Way Footpath which passes under the railway at this location. [Google Streetview, June 2023]
Again, looking Northwest from Halifax Road along Stony Lane which runs under the railway. [Google Streetview, June 2023]
The view Southwest along Oakville Road which runs next to the railway. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The view Northeast from the same location on Oakville Road. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

A short distance Northeast, the railway “crosses river, road, and canal, by a skew bridge of three arches, the canal being separately spanned by an iron bridge.” [1: p471] The location is shown on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1905 below.

The bridge mentioned above, as it appears on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1905. [11]
The same location shown on Google Maps satellite imagery in 2024. [Google Maps, October 2024]
Looking Northeast along Halifax Road, the three arches of the viaduct are easily visible. Beyond it there is a girder bridge which Rake does not mention. [Google Streetview, June 2023]

A little further East Stubbing Brink crosses the railway.

Looking West along the railway from Stubbing Brink Bridge. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The view East along the line from Stubbing Brink. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

The line next passes through a short short tunnel (Weasel Hall Tunnel (124 yards)) and arrives at Hebden Bridge Station.

Looking West-northwest from Shelf Road Bridge, it is just possible to make out the mouth of Weasel Hall Tunnel. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The view East-southeast from Shelf Road Bridge towards Hebden Bridge Railway Station. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
This next extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey shows Hebden Bridge Station. [12]
Platelayers at work at Hebden Bridge Station in 1840. [1: p470]
Hebden Bridge Railway Station (Platform 2) in the 21st century, © El Pollock and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [18]

After Hebden Bridge Station, the line proceeds along the South bank of the River Calder, through two small stations (Mytholmroyd and Luddenden Foot) and by a number of riverside mills.

Mytholmroyd Railway Station as it appeared on the 1905 25″ Ordnance Survey. The Station is still open in the 21st century. [13]
The original station building at Mytholmroyd, seen from the North in 2006, with the line crossing New Road at high level, © Ian Kirk and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC By 2.5) . The building has since been renovated. [16]
Mytholmroyd Railway Station in the 21st century, © Rcsprinter123 and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY 3.0,). [19]

East along the line towards Luddendenfoot, Brearley Lane bridges the line.

Looking West from Brearley Lane Bridge towards Mytholmroyd Station. [Google Streetview, July 2009]
Ahead to the East, the line curves round towards the location of Luddendenfoot Railway Station. [Google Streetview, July 2009]
Luddenden Foot Railway Station. The station closed on 10th September 1962. The site has been developed since 2007 and the northern half is now occupied by the Station Industrial Park, which is accessible via Old Station Road. Two gate pillars from the original station flank the entrance to the road. [14][17]
The location of the erstwhile Luddendenfoot Railway Station as seen from Willow Bank, (c) Matt Thornton. [Google Streetview, February 2021]
Looking Southeast from Willow Bank. The arch bridge visible ahead carries Jerry Fields Road over the line, (c) Matt Thornton. [Google Streetview, February 2021]

To the Southeast, Ellen Holme Road passes under the line.

Ellen Holme Road passess under the railway to the Southeast of the old Luddendenfoot Railway Station. [Google Streetview, June 2023]

Passing other mills and traversing a deep cutting the line enters Sowerby Tunnel, (645 yards) and reaches Sowerby Bridge Station.

Class 101 At Sowerby Bridge Tunnel.
This image is embedded her from Flickr. It shows a Class 101 DMU entering Sowerby Bridge Tunnel from the East while working 2M14 10:31hrs York to Southport service on 8th May 1987, (c) Neil Harvey 156. [59]
Sowerby Bridge Railway Station – note the Ripponden Branch emerging from a tunnel and joining the Manchester and Leeds Railway at the East end of the Station. [15]
An early postcard image of Sowerby Bridge with the railway station in the foreground, © Public Domain. [23]
A colourised postcard view of the Station Forecourt at Sowerby Bridge around the turn of the 20th century. [60]
Sowerby Bridge Railway Station in 2006, (c) Ian Kirk and authorised for reuse under a Creative Commons icence (CC BY 2.5). [24]

We complete this first part of the journey along the Manchester and Leeds Railway here at Sowerby Bridge Railway Station.

References

NB: These references relate to all the articles about the Manchester and Leeds Railway.

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The Wenlock Branch from Much Wenlock to Presthope

The featured image shows Presthope Station with the 18.00 hrs Craven Arms – Much Wenlock – Wellington train is leaving on 21st April 1951, heading for Much Wenlock. [30]

This article follows on from four other articles which covered the Wellington to Severn Junction Railway and this line from Buildwas to Much Wenlock. The first three articles can be found on these links:

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/07/07/the-railways-of-telford-the-wellington-to-severn-junction-railway-wsjr-part-1-wellington-to-horsehay

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/07/12/the-railways-of-telford-the-wellington-to-severn-junction-railway-wsjr-part-2-horsehay-to-lightmoor-junction

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/07/18/the-railways-of-telford-the-wellington-to-severn-junction-railway-wsjr-part-3-lightmoor-junction-to-buildwas

The most recent article covers this line between Buildwas and Much Wenlock and can be found here:

The Railways of East Shropshire (and Telford) – the Much Wenlock and Severn Junction Railway, Buildwas to Much Wenlock.

Much Wenlock to Presthope and on to Craven Arms

From the commencement of the building of the line between Buildwas and Much Wenlock, the directors hoped that the line could be extended to Craven Arms via Presthope on Wenlock Edge (linking with the limestone quarries/works at that location).

The directors of the Wellington & Severn Junction Railway were, however, fully occupied with the line from Wellington to Buildwas. Another company was set up to build the ‘Wenlock & Craven Arms and Coalbrookdale Extension Railway‘. The bill went through the parliamentary process unopposed and authorised the ‘Wenlock Railway Company‘ to construct the line. Work started on 23rd October 1861.

By 5th December 1864, the line was open from Much Wenlock to Presthope. At this time, because it was a freight-only line, the Board of Trade saw no need for an inspection of the line. It had already been agreed at a meeting held on 4th December 1863 not to proceed with the line from Presthope to Craven Arms for the time being. It was to be three years after the line reached Presthope before the connection to the Shrewsbury & Hereford Railway close to Craven Arms was completed. It was finally opened on 16th December 1867.

Much Wenlock to Presthope

This article focusses on the length of the line which was completed in December 1864 – Much Wenlock to Presthope. Another article will follow the line to the West of Presthope.

We start at Much Wenlock Railway Station.

The forecourt of Much Wenlock station in the early 1960s. The building was designed by Joseph Fogerty © R.S. Carpenter. [1: p100]
The Wenlock Branch ran across the Northwest side of the town. The railway station was due North of the town centre and was accessed from a loop off  Sheinton Road. Station Road leading up to the Station from close to the railway bridge. [4]
The 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901 shows Much Wenlock Station with its platform on the Northwest side of the running line and a passing-loop to the Southeast. Partially off the left of the map extract is the town brewery. [5]

Much Wenlock Railway Station had a single platform adjacent to the main running line. A passing loop was provided opposing the platform, and beyond it there was a rockery garden, “large limestone boulders [were] interspersed with shrubs and alpine plants flanked by a row of rhododendron bushes. In the centre of the rockery was a fountain.” [1: p97]

Much Wenlock Railway Station in the very early 20th century. The passing-loop and the adjacent rockery garden are on the right of the image. The photograph looks Northeast through the station. [7]
The photographer is standing on the running line a few steps further to the Southwest. This photo was taken on 12th July 1969 by David Hillas and is used here under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED). [8]
The length of the station site as shown on Railmaponline.com. The running line is shown in green with a single line indicating the location of the Goods Yard. [12]
This is a first extract, in this article, from the pre-contract plans of the Much Wenlock line which are held in the Shropshire Archives in Shrewsbury. It shows the full length of the station facilities (passenger and goods) at Much Wenlock. It shows approximately the same length as the RailMapOnline image above. The Station building was on the West side of the line and North of the bridge which carried the line over what became the A4169. The goods yard was South of the bridge on the East side of the line. … As we have noted in the article about the line between Buildwas and Much Wenlock, these precontract plans were orientated in respect to the North point so as to get the greatest possible length of the proposed railway onto each sheet,, © Shropshire Archives Ref. No. 6008/26 copyright reserved, used by kind permission. [9][My photograph of the plan, 5th August 2022]

Trains leaving for Craven Arms crossed Sheinton Road/Street Bridge and passed the goods shed and yard on the left and then the engine shed. When the line terminated at Much Wenlock, the goods facilities used until the final closure of the line were the temporary railway station.

A view Northwest along Sheinton Street taken outside number 19 Sheinton St. It is included here for the view of the railway bridge over the road and was taken in the first half of the 1960s. This image was shared on the Much Wenlock Memories Facebook Group by Lynne Steele on 10th April 2021. [10]
A view Southeast along Sheinton Street showing one of the carnival walks in Much Wenlock probably in the mid-60s. It is included here for the view of the railway bridge which span the road. This image was shared on the Much Wenlock Memories Facebook Group by Colin Onions on 2nd February 2015. [11]
Looking Northeast along the line of the old railway towards the passenger Station from the approximate location of the second abutment of the railway bridge. Just the one abutment remains, the other having been removed to facilitate a road realignment. The road from Buildwas (Sheinton Street) becomes New Road at this point with Sheinton Street heading away to the right of the image. [Google Streetview, August 2023]
This is the view when the camera is turned through 180°. The approximate line of the old railway is marked, in this case, by the red line. New Road and the route of the railway diverged and provided space for what became the Goods Yard and for a coal depot which, in the early 21st century is occupied by a builders merchant (Travis Perkins). [Google Streetview, August 2023]
Looking Southwest along Southfield Road. The hedge line on the left of this image is approximately on the line of the old railway. [Google Streetview, 2009]
Much Wenlock Goods Yard. Centre-left are the cattle pens and grain store. The grain store is attached to the good shed. On the right is the engine shed with the water tank. The water tank was fed by a reservoir further Southwest along the line – about halfway to the next halt, Westwood Halt, © Shropshire Museum Service [1: p101]
The goods yard, viewed from the Southwest the line in the foreground is the main running line which claims along the flank of Wenlock Edge. The good yard was, for a short time, the terminus of the line after the partial opening on 1st February 1862 © Pat Garland. [1: p101]

Trains began the climb towards Wenlock Edge. The pictures above show the climb had already begun alongside the goods yard. Neither the goods shed nor the engine shed remain in the 21st century.

This aerial view is taken looking North across Much Wenlock (EAW046197 © Heritage England). The station goods yard is prominent approximately at the centre of the image, with Sheinton Street and the railway bridge separating the yard from the passenger facilities in the top-right of the image, and the bridge carrying Bridge Road over the line at the bottom-left. [3]
This extract from an aerial image (EAW046196 © Heritage England) shows the full length of the station facilities at Much Wenlock. The passenger Station building is visible top-right, the goods yard and engine stabling facilities, bottom-left. Between the two Sheinton Street passed under the railway. [2]
New Road ran along the Southeast side of the Goods Yard. The Goods Shed and the Engine Shared appear on this additional extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901. A coal depot sat between the road and the sidings in the yard. The road bridge is at the top-right of the map extract. Bottom-left as the running line leaves the map extract it passes under Bridge Road. The bridge here was simply-supported cast iron beams on masonry abutments. [6]
Another extract from the same aerial image centres on the goods yard with the running line to the left and passing under the cast iron bridge carrying Bridge Road. New Road runs down the right side of the picture. [2]
A closer view of the cast iron bridge carrying Bridge Road over the railway. This is an enlargement from the same aerial image. [2]
Looking Southwest from Southfield Road. The main structure of the bridge is still evident in the early 21st century. [Google Streetview, 2009]
Looking Southeast at the other elevation of the cast-iron bridge. The partial infill is much closer to the soffit on this side of the bridge. [Google Streetview, 2009]
Looking North over the bridge parapet from Bridge Road. The old railway ran parallel to Southfield Road in the grass area at the centre of the image. [Google Streetview, 2009]
Looking West over the bridge parapet from Bridge Road. The old railway ran parallel to Southfield Road in the grass area at the centre of the image. [Google Streetview, 2009]
Southwest of Bridge Road, Southfield Road ran parallel to the old railway as it climbed along the Northwest side of the town. Victoria Road can be seen at the bottom of this image. [2]
The line continued in a southwesterly direction. Southfield Road ran alongside it. Victoria Road can be seen at the bottom of this image. It passed under the railway a short distance beyond the edge of the aerial image which is also the left edge of this extract. [2]
The next length of the railway appears on this extract from the 25″Ordnance Survey of 1901. Bridge Road bridge is top-right and the road to Shrewsbury runs East-West across the bottom half of the image. In 1901, this was known as ‘The Causeway’. It became the A458, Victoria Road. [14]
Approximately the same length of the railway as shown in the map extract above, but now on the satellite imagery from ralmaponline.com. The primrose yellow line shows the route of the A458, Victoria Road. [12]
Looking back Northeast towards Much Wenlock Railway Station from High Causeway. Southfield Road is on the left. The housing estate has been built over the Goods Yard. [Google Streetview, 2009]
Looking Southwest along the line of the old railway. Southfield Road is on the right. The railway
This and the next three OS map extracts cover the first part of the climb out of Much Wenlock the bridge over the A458 is at the top-right of this map extract. [15]
The bridge over what is now the A458 in the midst of its demolition at the end of the 1960s. This image looks Northeast along the railway formation towards Much Wenlock Station and Goods Yard. It was shared on the Much Wenlock History Facebook Group by Linda West on 2nd April 2020. [18]
The remaining abutment of the bridge which carried the Wenlock Branch over Victoria Road (A458), © Richard Webb and licenced for use under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED). [20]
These two images are extracts from the pre-contract drawings of the Wenlock Branch. The girder bridge which spanned the road at this location was almost exactly 4 miles from Buildwas Junction and fell, in these drawings at the edges of two drawings. Both are reproduced here because they have something to contribute to local information. Perhaps of greatest significance for the railway was the fact that the bridge was constructed allowing for the possibility of providing an additional line, if traffic volumes made it worthwhile. These pre-contract plans were orientated in respect to the North point so as to get the greatest possible length of the proposed railway onto each sheet, © Shropshire Archives Ref. No. 6008/26 copyright reserved, used by kind permission. [9][My photograph of the plan, 5th August 2022]
The next length of the line continued in a Southwesterly direction. After passing under an accommodation bridge, it began to turn to the South. [13]
The reservoir which appears on this OS map extract on the East side of the line was used to provide water for the column at Much Wenlock Station. [1: p97] [16]
The reservoir which supplied the water column at Much Wenlock Station was around half a mile beyond the bridge over the A458. These pre-contract plans were orientated in respect to the North point so as to get the greatest possible length of the proposed railway onto each sheet, © Shropshire Archives Ref. No. 6008/26 copyright reserved, used by kind permission. [9][My photograph of the plan, 5th August 2022]
The reservoir as it appears in the 21st century. It has been extended and has varying levels over time suggesting that it may be used as a balancing pond to moderate the flow on the stream which follows the old railway line and which appears to now follow the old railways route in an improved channel to the Southwest of the reservoir. The track shown in this extract from Google Maps continues a short distance to the South before crossing both the stream and the old railway route.A footpath continues alongside the old line to the East. [Google Maps, 13th January 2024]
Curving round again towards the Southwest, the line passed Grange Cottages. [17]
This railmaponline.com satellite image covers the same length of line as the last four OS Map extracts. [12]
The first road overbridge to the West of Much Wenlock. This view looks Southwest along the line of the old railway. The bridge carries a track which leaves the B4371, Stretton Road in a southerly direction and provides access in the 21st century to the Cuan Wildlife Centre. [My photograph, 12th January 2024]
The view Northeast from the overbridge. The old railway route is now followed by a line of conifers on its North side. [My photograph, 12th January 2024]
The view Southwest over the parapet of the same bridge. The warehouse is built over the old railway line. [My photograph, 12th January 2024]
Looking Northeast again for a point beyond the warehouse in the last picture. The warehouse sits over the line of the old railway which continued Southwest to the left of the green palisade fencing on the left side of this image. The track in the centre of the image runs parallel to and to the South of the line of the railway. [My photograph, 12th January 2024]
Looking back Northeast along the route of the old railway. The gate towards the back of this photo straddles the centre-line. The gardens associated with Grange Cottages now extend across the line of the railway. [My photograph, 12th January 2024]
Looking Southwest along the line of the old railway from the fence line of Grange Cottages garden. The gate across the line of the old railway indicates that the next length is also in private hands. A public footpath runs to the left of the tree line
This next extract from the OS mapping of 1901 takes the line as far as the location of Westwood Halt which was at the location marked by the blue flag above. [21]
A closer view of the location of the Halt in 1925. The 25″ OS mapping indicates that the Halt was not built by 1925. [22]
The length of the old railway between Grange Cottages and Westwood Halt as shown on the satellite imagery from railmaponline.com. [12]

That length is in private hands with a significant length in use as a paddock for horses and a small holding.

Westwood Halt in around 1960 – seen from the East. The single platform sat on the North side of the line immediately to the East of Westwood Crossing. It was not until 7th December 1935 that the Halt opened. It closed to passenger traffic on 31st December 1951. This picture was shared on the Much Wenlock Memories Facebook Group by Judith Goodman on 8th December 2020. The photographer is not known and the image is used under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [19]
Google Maps image of the site of Westwood Halt. [Google Maps, 12th January 2024]
Westwood Crossing seen from the North. The red line marks the approximate centre-line of the old railway. The Halt would have been off to the left of this image. [Google Streetview, 2009]
Looking Northwest from Westwood Crossing towards the B4371. [My photograph, 12th January 2024]
Looking Southeast from the location of Westwood Crossing. It is not possible to follow the route of the old railway to the West of this location as it is in private hands. To continue following the route requires a diversion along the footpath ahead, across one field to join another track and then heading back Northwest towards the olod line. [My photograph, 12th January 2024]
The line leaving Westwood Crossing and heading towards Presthope. [My photograph, 12th January 2024]
Westwood Crossing to the next overbridge, as shown on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901. [22]
Within a couple of hundred yards, trains passed Westwood Sidings. The sidings served Westwood Quarry. There were ground frames controlling access at each end of the siding. [23]

When the Wenlock Branch opened “limestone was being extracted [at Westwood Quarry] for use in the Madeley Wood Company’s furnaces. Horse-drawn tramways ran from the quarry on to a loading ramp above the sidings.” [1: p97]

The immediate vicinity of the line close to Westwood Quarry. A tramway track ran from the quarry to the old railway. A sharp 90° turn took horse-drawn trams alongside the old railway to a wharf/loading ramp alongside the siding, © Shropshire Archives Ref. No. 6008/26 copyright reserved, used by kind permission. [9][My photograph of the plan, 5th August 2022]
Westwood Sidings as they appear on the pre-contract drawings for the construction of the Wenlock Branch, the tramway serving the Quarry ran alongside the Wenlock Branch from East to West, © Shropshire Archives Ref. No. 6008/26 copyright reserved, used by kind permission. [9][My photograph of the plan, 5th August 2022]
This extract from the 1901 25″ Ordnance Survey shows the length of the old railway immediately to the West of Westwood Sidings. [25]
And a little further to the Southwest. [26]
The 25″Ordnance Survey of 1901 again. Close to Lea Farm the B4371 and the Wenlock Branch run close to each other. [27]
This extract from the pre-contract drawings covers the same length of the Wenlock Branch as the three OS map extracts above, © Shropshire Archives Ref. No. 6008/26 copyright reserved, used by kind permission. [9][My photograph of the plan, 5th August 2022]
The immediate vicinity of the old Westwood Sidings as shown on modern Ordnance Survey mapping (OS Explorer No. 217). The route of the old railway can easily be picked out entering top-right and running across the North side of Lower Farm, a public footpath follows the line as far as the location of Westwood Crossing. The route of the old line is then crossed by an unmetalled track (which, on the North side of the line, was once a horse-drawn tramway) before it encounters the bridge illustrated below which, in the 21st century, is crossed by a metalled track. Westwood Sidings sat between these two tracks. Continuing Southwest, the route of the old line encounters quarry workings which postdated the closure of the railway and which in the 21st century are now flooded. [24]
The length of the old line from Westwood Crossing to the Eastern edge of the flooded workings of Lea Quarry which straddle the old rail route. [12]
Looking back towards Westwood Crossing from the first overbridge to the West. [My photograph 12th January 2024]
The bridge viewed from the top of the cutting to the West of the bridge. [My photograph, 12th January 2024]
The view from the Southeast along the track over the bridge. Westwood Sidings were along the old railway to the left. A tramroad climbed the track in front of the camera towards Wenlock Edge and the B4371. Thetramway served Westwood Quarries which were between the railway and the B4371. [My photograph, 12th January 2024]
The old railway ran ahead towards Presthope in cutting towards the next overbridge. [My photograph, 12th January 2023]
The next accommodation bridge which spanned the line was just a little further to the West, beyond of the Westwood Sidings. This photograph looks South along the road over the bridge. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
The same bridge which This photograph looks South along the road over the bridge. [Google Streetview, August 2021]
Looking back towards Westwood Halt from the next overbridge. Heavy winter rain means that the cutting floor is flooded. Westwood Sidings were between the last overbridge and this one. [My photograph, 12th January 2024]
Each of the bridges on the old line are numbered. It is probably sometime since the stenciled numbers were renewed. Is this Bridge No. 16?
The view to the Southwest from the bridge. A small caravan site occupies the formation here. Immediately beyond the conifers ahead are the flooded workings of Lea Quarry. [My photograph, 12th January 2024]
Lea Quarry was only a short distance from the location of Westwood Quarry. Lea Quarry’s flooded workings appear in full on this extract from the railmaponline.com satellite imagery. The flooded workings to the North of the B4371 sit where once Lea Farm would have been found. It is not obvious when travelling along the road that it is effect on a causeway between two lakes! Edge Renewables was founded in 2011 and is active in the part of Lea Quarry to the North side of the road.[12]
Another extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901. This extract focuses on Presthope Station which sat just to the South of the B4371 accessed by a dedicated approach road. [28]
This next extract from the railmaponline.com satellite imagery shows Presthope Grange Campsite and Residential Park sitting over the route of the old Wenlock Branch on the site of Presthope Station. The branch from Presthope Station into what were Presthope quarries is illustrated leaving the main running line as it continues to climb toward the short tunnel close to the top of Wenlock Edge. [12]
The 18.00 hrs Craven Arms – Much Wenlock – Wellington train leaving Presthope Station on 21st April 1951, heading for Much Wenlock. This image was shared on the Telford memories Facebook Group by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on 8th October 2019. [30]
Presthope Station after the removal of the passenger facilities. This photograph was taken by J. Langford in April 1962, the signal box and presumably the station master’s house remain. This image was shared on the Much Wenlock Memories Facebook Group by Judith Goodman on 9th February 2023. [31]
A view North across Presthope Grange Residential Park which sits on the site of Presthope Railway Station. [32]

References

  1. Ken Jones; The Wenlock Branch; The Oakwood Press, Usk, Monmouthshire, 1998.
  2. https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/EAW046196, accessed on 1st November 2023
  3. https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/EAW046197, accessed on 1st November 2023.
  4. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/salop/vol10/pp399-447, accessed on 25th December 2023.
  5. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.5&lat=52.59954&lon=-2.55716&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 25th December 2023.
  6. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.9&lat=52.59775&lon=-2.56049&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 25th December 2023.
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  8. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2268995, accessed on 25th December 2023.
  9. The photographs of the pre-contract drawings for the line were taken by myself and show extracts from the construction plans held in the Shropshire Archive. There is a standard charge of £10 per visit for taking photographs of their records.
  10. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=871714362892537&set=pcb.1583276891885898, accessed on 13th October 2023.
  11. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Much_Wenlock_railway_station.jpg, accessed on 14th October 2023.
  12. https://railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php, 14th October 2023.
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  20. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6220870, accessed on 27th December 2023.
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  22. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121151366, accessed on 28th December 2023.
  23. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.2&lat=52.58321&lon=-2.59431&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 28th December 2023.
  24. Ordnance Survey Explorer Map No. 217.
  25. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.4&lat=52.58031&lon=-2.59601&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 30th December 2023.
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  29. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.9&lat=52.57503&lon=-2.61667&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 2nd January 2024.
  30. https://scontent.fbhx4-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/72309512_205899980403678_7031472482779398144_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=3ba11c&_nc_ohc=emwNw6dTtOEAX98lstF&_nc_oc=AQltLJN6CydIE1iwVeZIhsh7FebhgpjYSXj4bSzrDzZFN1GkxA9MgvTWDIpb8u77FAIVOOqJDbVO3NSZWciOhtxl&_nc_ht=scontent.fbhx4-2.fna&oh=00_AfBnQj18_fNuJPC8cc8S55O0uoHKcfFj4B4xt0r1e4TwTA&oe=65BB609F, accessed on 2nd January 2024.
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