Abandoned railway in Stoke on Trent?

[Joshrowlands]

Hi guys, Im a 19 year old living in Stoke since the start of this year I've had a large interest in trains and the rail network

I've lived in Stoke all my life and the place im about to ask about is very close to where I live (just down the road)

There is a place called werrington road (most people from this side of Stoke will know it off by heart) and there's a place called lime kill bank lights and underneath this road there's an abandoned railway line, since I've been born it's never been in use so to me it's normal to see it lying there abandoned in fact I've walked along it many times with friends and is a shortcut for some people to get in to hanley trees are making their way through most of the sleepers in the rails and some places you can barely tell there's track there but there is its a single track and the bit that I've walked on goes from an area near Stoke station (it looked like it may of joined on to the wcml Stoke line at one point) right to the back of buck all park however I looked on Google maps and it runs miles to a place called cauldon for miles and you can walk on all of it none of it is out of bounds to the public.

I've done a bit of research but I can't seem to get a straight answer I wikipedia'd closed lines in England and 2 came up for Stoke, Stoke to leek like and the Stoke to Drayton market line however they don't seem to fit the discription of this line ( I pass it every day almost and have walked along it as a teen) but after doing some more research something called the Staffordshire railway line came up it seems to fit it pretty well and I'm quite sure its that.

If anybody lives in Stoke and knows what this once used line was called and where i can find a bit of history about it let me know or even if you don't live in Stoke but know about it. Thanks

Also sorry for this long thread just for one question but I have passed it every day of my life and always wondered about it even when I had no interest in Trains

 

[EM2]

Does the Wikipedia category 'Disused railway stations in Stoke-On-Trent' help at all?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Disused_railway_stations_in_Stoke-on-Trent

 

[WestCountry]

That is indeed the Stoke-Leek line - it meets the Churnet Valley line at Leekbrook Junction (south of Leek), with a branch continuing on to Cauldon Low as you mentioned.
The section from Leekbrook Junction to Cauldon is currently active as part of the preserved Churnet Valley Railway (which also operates on the CVR route south of Leekbrook), but the entire length from Stoke to Cauldon is owned by Moorland & City Railways who plan to reopen it as a freight (and ultimately passenger too) route in the medium future.

The Biddulph Valley line branched off much nearer (in Stoke), and ran through Biddulph to Congleton. It's mostly in use as a foot/cycle path, and is unlikely to be reopened anytime soon.

As far as I know, all these lines were part of the North Staffordshire Railway.

The excellent New Adlestrop atlas (free huge PDF) is probably best for looking at the old rail network*, but OpenStreetmap shows the sections you're interested in quite clearly (dotted grey abandoned railway for Stoke-Leek, dashed blue cyclepath for the Biddulph Valley).

*EDIT: Just noticed that the New Adlestrop is slightly outdated - Cheddleton to Cauldon Low should be in blue as part of the CVR. Also: Caldon Low? Cauldon Low? Cauldon Lowe? Nothing seems to agree...

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Does this help? The dotted lines are old railways. It looks like it ran to Leek...

http://wikishire.co.uk/map/#/centre=53.019,-2.153/zoom=14

 

[Joshrowlands]

That is indeed the Stoke-Leek line - it meets the Churnet Valley line at Leekbrook Junction (south of Leek), with a branch continuing on to Cauldon Low as you mentioned.
The section from Leekbrook Junction to Cauldon is currently active as part of the preserved Churnet Valley Railway (which also operates on the CVR route south of Leekbrook), but the entire length from Stoke to Cauldon is owned by Moorland & City Railways who plan to reopen it as a freight (and ultimately passenger too) route in the medium future.

The Biddulph Valley line branched off much nearer (in Stoke), and ran through Biddulph to Congleton. It's mostly in use as a foot/cycle path, and is unlikely to be reopened anytime soon.

As far as I know, all these lines were part of the North Staffordshire Railway.

The excellent New Adlestrop atlas (free huge PDF) is probably best for looking at the old rail network*, but OpenStreetmap shows the sections you're interested in quite clearly (dotted grey abandoned railway for Stoke-Leek, dashed blue cyclepath for the Biddulph Valley).

*EDIT: Just noticed that the New Adlestrop is slightly outdated - Cheddleton to Cauldon Low should be in blue as part of the CVR. Also: Caldon Low? Cauldon Low? Cauldon Lowe? Nothing seems to agree...

Thank you so much I can't believe I've lived here all my life always tried to get answers to what it was and have found out in one answer however I do have another question you say from cauldon to Stoke is planned to be re-opened? How would this happen, most of the rail has massive tree's in it, there's no excising stations on the route if I'm to think right and it would have to have all new signalling and everything else it would cost a fortune I'm not sure it would return any profit not many people even know it exist who live in Stoke?

 

[WestCountry]

I do have another question you say from cauldon to Stoke is planned to be re-opened? How would this happen, most of the rail has massive tree's in it, there's no excising stations on the route if I'm to think right and it would have to have all new signalling and everything else it would cost a fortune I'm not sure it would return any profit not many people even know it exist who live in Stoke?

Initially it would be as a low-speed freight route, carrying sand (and other aggregates?) from the quarry at Cauldon. Without frequent services (essentially one single-track line the whole way) signalling would be relatively trivial; the Network Rail connection at Stoke would probably be most of the signalling cost.
Just clearing track and patching it up for low-speed trundling is (relatively) fairly cheap - note that they've already done the Leekbrook-Cauldon section which is a similar length to what's left.

The project website probably has more info.

Since the Adlestrop map is enormous, I cropped out the relevant bit.
Copyright Richard Fairhurst
As I mentioned above, Cheddleton-Cauldon Low is now operational again.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Thank you so much I can't believe I've lived here all my life always tried to get answers to what it was and have found out in one answer however I do have another question you say from cauldon to Stoke is planned to be re-opened? How would this happen, most of the rail has massive tree's in it, there's no excising stations on the route if I'm to think right and it would have to have all new signalling and everything else it would cost a fortune I'm not sure it would return any profit not many people even know it exist who live in Stoke?

I think this reopening which is planned is so Steam trains can take tourists from the West Coast Mainline at Stoke to Alton Towers in the future.

 

[Darren R]

Where Werrington Road crosses over the railway was the site of Bucknall & Northwood station. As has been mentioned this was on the North Staffordshire Railway's Stoke to Leek line. This Wiki page should provide you with the information you require:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucknall_and_Northwood_railway_station


The following link to old maps should help also:

http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/maps/index.php?view=53.01957,-2.14166&map=NPEMap&zoom=13&layer=1

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The Biddulph Valley line branched off much nearer (in Stoke), and ran through Biddulph to Congleton. It's mostly in use as a foot/cycle path, and is unlikely to be reopened anytime soon.

The Biddulph and Leek lines split at Milton Jn.
The Biddulph line ended in Congleton (High Town), with a spur up to the Stoke-Macclesfield line.
Within the Stoke urban area there were many colliery and works branches off these lines.
The last colliery site on the Biddulph line was at Black Bull (Chatterley Whitfield).
The Caldon line split right at the end of the branch, one spur going to the quarry and the other to Waterhouses station next to the A523.
The Leek & Manifold Valley narrow gauge railway continued up the valley to Hulme End.

The last BR train ran over the remaining system in 1988, to Oakamoor Quarry.
The main traffic was sand to Pilkingtons in St Helens.
As a result the whole line was covered in sand which had escaped from the wagons en route.
Limestone from Caldon Quarry was used to build the new Euston station in the 1930s (demolished in the 1960s of course).
At one time the railway took much of the quarry output as ballast.

You can follow the old lines on the local OS maps for various dates here: http://maps.nls.uk/view/101595902

 

[Philip]

There's the Stoke loop line too between Etruria and Kidsgrove via Hanley and Goldenhill, long since closed though. Also the disused Churnet Valley line north of Leek makes a connection with the current North Staffs line at Bosley.

 

[Ash Bridge]

There's the Stoke loop line too between Etruria and Kidsgrove via Hanley and Goldenhill, long since closed though. Also the disused Churnet Valley line north of Leek makes a connection with the current North Staffs line at Bosley.

I think the Junc. was actually at North Rode.

 

[Philip]

I think the Junc. was actually at North Rode.

Technically I suppose. But the locks on the Macclesfield Canal are close to the junction and they are called Bosley so I just think of the whole area as that.

 

[steamybrian]

............. and you can walk on all of it none of it is out of bounds to the public.

.........................

I would like to mention that railways are private property and legally you are trespassing.

 

[Ash Bridge]

I would like to mention that railways are private property and legally you are trespassing.

And just to confirm what you state, this the Google street view at Endon station on the railway in question...

 

[Joshrowlands]

I would like to mention that railways are private property and legally you are trespassing.

Well from berry hill fields to as far as I've been (behind bucknall park) there's no fencing and it's at level with the fields plus there's actually a public footpath that goes on the tracks at level point just before you get to where the old bucknall station used to be. It's even been recently re renovated and there's a sign saying public footpath plus people have been walking on it for years and the council know this, there's no signs saying trespassing or private land and to be honest most people in this area haven't seen a train on the tracks since they've been born it's not like I'm walking across the wcml

 

[Ash Bridge]

Well from berry hill fields to as far as I've been (behind bucknall park) there's no fencing and it's at level with the fields plus there's actually a public footpath that goes on the tracks at level point just before you get to where the old bucknall station used to be. It's even been recently re renovated and there's a sign saying public footpath plus people have been walking on it for years and the council know this, there's no signs saying trespassing or private land and to be honest most people in this area haven't seen a train on the tracks since they've been born it's not like I'm walking across the wcml

Well those trespass warning signs, gates and fencing just up the line at Endon,look as though they've been renewed quite recently in the street view image. I think they have already made a start at clearing the trackbed from the Leekbrook end of the line, so perhaps the idea is to get local folks used to the idea that this is not an official footpath and in a few years time will be a live railway again.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Well those trespass warning signs, gates and fencing just up the line at Endon,look as though they've been renewed quite recently in the street view image. I think they have already made a start at clearing the trackbed from the Leekbrook end of the line, so perhaps the idea is to get local folks used to the idea that this is not an official footpath and in a few years time will be a live railway again.

The line from Leekbrook to Cauldon was cleared first and, after an intense period of special trains, is now used occasionally for trains running through from the CVR. There are stories of the section Ipstones to Cauldon being de-tracked, not sure if this has happened. Nor how this meets with the commitment to keeping the route available to freight.

In the opposite direction, the line from Leekbrook to just past Endon was cleared a couple of years ago, work was meant to continue through to Stoke but no further clearance has happened. There was a big campaign for a section at Endon to be registered as a village green (as people had used it for so many years without objection) which was thrown out following a public inquiry.

Until the clearance activity mentioned, the route was widely fenceless, signless and gateless throughout. I know of people who walked it many times until it became too overgrown - the risk of being arrested for (criminal) trespass was next to nil, as was the risk of being hit by a train - not with a tree trunk that thick in the middle of the four foot! At the village green inquiry, reference was made to 'no trespass' signs at Stoke Station as being adequate to warn people off the whole route (as that is the nearest operational land to which the public had access).

The footpath referred to near Bucknall Station crosses the line at a private level crossing, improved as part of works by the car dealership next door (Holdcroft's?), and is likely to be further improved now that they have planning permission to use land on the other side of the railway.

Elsewhere along the line people have encroached onto the railway formation - I can already see the moaning minnies in the paper with their sad little faces at having to lose part of their garden / industrial premises / retaining walls which they have built (presumably) illegally!

 

[Ash Bridge]

The line from Leekbrook to Cauldon was cleared first and, after an intense period of special trains, is now used occasionally for trains running through from the CVR. There are stories of the section Ipstones to Cauldon being de-tracked, not sure if this has happened. Nor how this meets with the commitment to keeping the route available to freight.

In the opposite direction, the line from Leekbrook to just past Endon was cleared a couple of years ago, work was meant to continue through to Stoke but no further clearance has happened. There was a big campaign for a section at Endon to be registered as a village green (as people had used it for so many years without objection) which was thrown out following a public inquiry.

Until the clearance activity mentioned, the route was widely fenceless, signless and gateless throughout. I know of people who walked it many times until it became too overgrown - the risk of being arrested for (criminal) trespass was next to nil, as was the risk of being hit by a train - not with a tree trunk that thick in the middle of the four foot! At the village green inquiry, reference was made to 'no trespass' signs at Stoke Station as being adequate to warn people off the whole route (as that is the nearest operational land to which the public had access).

The footpath referred to near Bucknall Station crosses the line at a private level crossing, improved as part of works by the car dealership next door (Holdcroft's?), and is likely to be further improved now that they have planning permission to use land on the other side of the railway.

Elsewhere along the line people have encroached onto the railway formation - I can already see the moaning minnies in the paper with their sad little faces at having to lose part of their garden / industrial premises / retaining walls which they have built (presumably) illegally!

Have just read an article in the November issue of The Railway Magazine, that two miles of mothballed track between Kingsley & Froghall have also been lifted and sold for scrap. The idea being that the proceeds of the sale will be invested in the Leekbrook-Ipstones line, which the Churnet Valley Railway is purchasing off Moorland & City Railway. Also looking at the CVR website it seems they are waiting for a government decision on the merger of two of the large aggregate companies that operate in the area. This may be something to do with the apparent stalling on refurbishing the Leekbrook-Stoke Line at the moment, plus the fact that Moorlands Council voted by 11 to 1 against proposals to relay track back into Leek to reopen a station there. Things don't appear to be looking quite so rosy at the moment. Personally speaking, I just can't understand why they would be against Leek being put back on the railmap again?

 

[ilkestonian]

..plus the fact that Moorlands Council voted by 11 to 1 against proposals to relay track back into Leek to reopen a station there. Things don't appear to be looking quite so rosy at the moment. Personally speaking, I just can't understand why they would be against Leek being put back on the railmap again?

That decision has now been reversed following some changes (or greasing of palms in the shape of contributions by the developer towards infrastructure improvements).

The plan was for quite a large development, the railway part being just a small part of it.

 

[Ash Bridge]

That decision has now been reversed following some changes (or greasing of palms in the shape of contributions by the developer towards infrastructure improvements).

The plan was for quite a large development, the railway part being just a small part of it.

Ah good, So if that's the case there's still a chance of it going ahead then? Thankyou for that information.

 

[thenorthern]

The line as people say is the old Stoke-on-Trent to Leek line which closed to Passengers in 1956 (I think) but was used for goods trains for the sand sidings at Oakamoor until 1988. I am not sure when the last train use that line but I know there was an excursion in 1994 and I think I recall something using the line in 2001.

I think that Moorland and City Railways now have the line leased from Network Rail and they want to re-open the line to Alton Towers using that route but I can't see any trains using the line into Stoke-on-Trent from Leek as the stations would need to be re-modelled to accommodate them.

Here are some pictures from the 1980s which are in the same area as Werrington Road when the line was in use.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lickeybanker/6807298631/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lickeybanker/6808260217/

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Elsewhere along the line people have encroached onto the railway formation - I can already see the moaning minnies in the paper with their sad little faces at having to lose part of their garden / industrial premises / retaining walls which they have built (presumably) illegally!

This is what occurs when fully detailed surveyors reports are not accessed when land exterior to that within the boundary of a said property is enclosed without going through the correct channels.

Ignorance of the law is no excuse, so it is said.

 

[ilkestonian]

Just to add to my previous post, here is a link to the report confirming the U-turn:

http://www.leek-news.co.uk/Major-Leek-development-gets-green-light/story-25756090-detail/story.html

 

[Busaholic]

I think this reopening which is planned is so Steam trains can take tourists from the West Coast Mainline at Stoke to Alton Towers in the future.

I believe 'Today's Railways' did an article on this a year or two back, so anyone interested could seek a back-number.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Just done the line top and tailed by a brace of tractors (class 37's) , they don't make em like that anymore. Then the same trip top and tailed by two pairs of class 31's . Unfortunately it was on Youtube and films of the last excursions back in 1994

Also many more recent clips of the re-opening. A nice trip up the bank from Leekbrook to Ipstones from the cab of a 33.