Glossop to Woodley Junction Service

[railfan100]

Researching the Woodhead route in the 1950s there are pictures of a direct steam passenger service from Glossop to Woodley via Godley Junction. It was certainly running at the same time the Class 506 units were around. Does anyone know when this service finished, what year approx? Also any information about the frequency?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Believe the two miles of track from Godley Junction to Apethorne Junction (which was located just north of Woodley station) closed to passenger services on 5th March 1962 so presumably it wouldn't have been much later than then, if not earlier.

 

[RT4038]

Looking in my timetable for 1956 there does not appear to be any trains that did that.

 

[railfan100]

Hard to find much information on the subject, there is a picture of the service in action dated October 1956. Maybe it did end in 1962? https://www.flickr.com/photos/28083...-2aJMEoL-29GG3io-VWo6rx-dFmaMt-2bdV8DA-Sn6wZG

 

[RT4038]

Hard to find much information on the subject, there is a picture of the service in action dated October 1956. Maybe it did end in 1962? https://www.flickr.com/photos/28083...-2aJMEoL-29GG3io-VWo6rx-dFmaMt-2bdV8DA-Sn6wZG

Nothing in the 1956 passenger timetable, so presumably some kind of unadvertised workmans service, probably only once per day?

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Woodley Junction seems an odd destination - if it had run through to Stockport (TD) it would have been a useful commuter link (as it would today). All the collieries in the area had closed by the 1920s - there was a sand (emery) paper works (now flats) near the station and a mill, but justifying the 3 coach train we see in the picture? The Liverpool portions of GC trains (split / joined at Godley Junction) had pretty much ceased by the 1950s, so perhaps it was to maintain a parliamentary service.

 

[RT4038]

As now, the railways were not so good at responding to commercial pressures in those days - probably still used by a few people (one to a carriage). There was less imperative to reduce train lengths, as old carriages cost little to maintain, compared to the complex vehicles of today.

 

[Springs Branch]

Hard to find much information on the subject, there is a picture of the service in action dated October 1956. Maybe it did end in 1962? https://www.flickr.com/photos/28083...-2aJMEoL-29GG3io-VWo6rx-dFmaMt-2bdV8DA-Sn6wZG

I've been intrigued by this train too, for the reasons already articulated - not shown in public timetables (I checked several other year's issues through the 1950s, including from before electrification, when Glossop's steam services were more sporadic and some worked by a 2-coach push-pull shuttle between Glossop and Dinting. No clues in any of those.

The photographer seems to have assiduously recorded details of the train, so presumably he knew what he was talking about and it really was heading for Woodley, and not some residual peak-hour steam working to/from Manchester amongst the Class 506s.

Woodley certainly is an odd final destination. I wondered whether there had been something like a World War 2 Royal Ordnance Factory in the vicinity, which might merit an unadvertised workers' train (like the ROFs at Chorley and Risley). It seems not - or it was extremely secret!

Since the picture was taken post-electrification, Mottram Yard would've been in operation. I know the staff halt at Mottram Yard had unadvertised staff trains (Class 506 EMUs) running hourly all through the night to & from Guide Bridge and Manchester. Maybe at certain times of day there was a smattering of demand for a train for railway staff in the Apethorne Jn direction (or the union managed to negotiate one, given Mottram Yard was in a not-all-that-accessible spot)? It would make sense to start or terminate such a train at Glossop, rather than faff about reversing it on the main Woodhead line.

As @Sir Felix Pole says, you'd really expect such a train to continue to Stockport Tiviot Dale, or maybe to Romiley and one of the Marple stations, and not 'run out of steam' at Woodley.

Without a Working Timetable from that era, I guess we can speculate, but won't know.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Looking at the picture further, the Woodley train is casting a shadow on the EMU, which given the orientation of the station and it is late October would suggest it is around midday / very early afternoon. The day in question is a Tuesday so it is not some weird Saturday 'half-day' working, and Glossop is in Derbyshire and Woodley was then in Cheshire so a school train doesn't fit either. Intriguing!

 

[jfollows]

Without a Working Timetable from that era, I guess we can speculate, but won't know.

For what it's worth, I have a working timetable for 11/9/61 to 17/6/62 and the only non-EMU departure from Glossop is 3H11 5:54pm parcels to Manchester Mayfield from which the engine returned as 0Z00 7:18pm Mayfield-Glossop; I attach the timetable for 3H11 for interest.

 

[railfan100]

Not sure how to obtain more information on the subject. Is it known when the last timetabled passenger service operated between Godley Junction and Apethorn?

 

[Taunton]

Believe the two miles of track from Godley Junction to Apethorne Junction (which was located just north of Woodley station) closed to passenger services on 5th March 1962 so presumably it wouldn't have been much later than then, if not earlier.

The 1963 Branch Line Society publication Passenger Services over Unusual Lines for 1963 shows one occasional service still over this line, the 0738 Summer Saturdays only Sheffield Victoria to Liverpool Central. Presumably changed locomotives at Godley Junction.

There were multiple ways from Woodhead to Liverpool, passing Manchester, one is this route through Stockport, more commonly used was closer in from Fairfield through Chorlton.

Looking at the photo there's a tank loco has brought the train in. My guess is it was a staff working, possibly stopping at Mottram yard, which was in the middle of nowhere in those times