This is excellent. As a child, and living in Middleton, one of the frequent trips out I had with my parents was by bus to Healey Dell, even in those days,60 years ago, rather a beauty spot. The viaduct looked as big as Blackpool Tower to me as a small boy, and of course there was no nature trail in those days. I think trains were still running to Bacup then but it was only a goods line. We never saw one. Thank you for the video-it brings back long lost memories.
Fabulous walk and talk. I have lived in the Rossendale Valley all my life and some of the areas you show I have never seen! I did work in one of the factories (the last factory you walked down E Sutton & Sons) so pleased to know I did indeed work on the "Railway".
I Lived at Whitworth, Shawforth (in the railway cottages) and then Stacksteads in the 1980 - 1990s. Loved this railway line and the track from Bacup to Rawtenstall. Sadly none of it was in use but during those years you could walk across where the "new" estates are now. The landscape between Shawforth and Britannia changed dramatically when they filled in the quarry. It was allegedly dangerous but the infill caused no end of flooding in winter as the water cascaded from the old quarry site across the road. Thank you for this video.
Brilliant - very informative - you don't realise till you see this video how much beautiful countryside, walkways we have. Thank you for taking the time to put this on. It will have changed again due to various new building going on 13.4.19
Great video. Love stuff like this. And what a nice surprise to see Nick doing this walk. Always remember Nick from when I lived in Rhodes in Middleton. Top bloke. Subscribed as well. Hope to see more like this 😊
There isn't any trace of the viaduct at rochdale any more, it was blown up with explosives in 1972 and it went badly wrong, as they tried blowing up one arch as a test to start with but it set off a chain reaction and the whole lot fell down and blocked entwistle road which passes the public baths which have now been demolished too and replaced with new. And it's great to see that some pictures of the old viaduct do actually exist which I've never seen before. Does anyone know if they're posted anywhere online or published in any books? And at facit, also known as halfway, there's an old incline where the wagons used to be lowered down from the quarry to the main railway, it looks like you missed that, and it's still clearly visible. And the old metal bridges at 26:36 are gone now and replaced by a new concrete one at a different position away from the rail route.
What a shame this line was removed. I believe they had a terrible time demolishing the viaduct because it was so solidly built. They seem to have been almost vindictive in their haste to remove all traces of the line. Surely cost couldn't have been the driving force, surely it would have been cheaper just to leave it. Many a time struggling up this Whitworth valley road at 30mph (if you're lucky) I'd wished that they had kept this line intact so that commuters to Rochdale and Manchester could have used it, especially when you see how many new house developments have been built in the valley and no improvement to the road. And especially when you see how monumentally solid this railway line was built.
Absolutely fascinating walkthrough. Really enjoyed watching this. I live on the old railway line and have always wondered how it looked and where it went.
Great little video, Nick. Always wondered what the countryside was like up and around Bacup. It was interesting hearing the name Bacup pronounced as it should be. I was never sure if it was Bah or Bay.
Another excellent video Im shure I know this fella from the East Lancashire Railway? Facinating stuff always wanted to know were the line from Bacup went.😊
Baxenden! Home of Hollands Pies! Mm I love the way the viaduct curves away at Stubbins. What a shame the two lines to Bacup are no more( apart from Ramsbottom section)
Great to rail at least replaced with nature trail As a Londoner I have no old lines to explore except for in the London Docklands where most has been redeveloped or in case of Rails being reused for Docklands Light Railways which reuses much of the various routes along with bit now used by Crossrail
Great Video i find interesting that you are more positive not all laments of whats gone but describe has taken over sites and cutting... As a London my main ecperience of dereliction is London Docklands much of which is being reused for example Docklands Light Railway uses old trackbeds and bridges of Blackwall Rsilway and bits of huge docks railwsy where possible.. What was good instead of engine shed works area was Industrial site hopefully including light engineering...
A good video but it could have been better if you had just done a bit more research, as it is littered with minor detail errors. For example at 2:46 the track bed is actually some 15 to 20 feet below the surface you see in this video. That was a cutting but it was used as landfill some time in the 1990's. I used to walk down the old track bed on my way to All Saints Primary school as a kid in the late 70's - early 80's. Same goes for the grassed area at 2:22 in that it was a cutting that was tunnelled under Taylor Street.
The track bed on healey dell viaduct has been raised to cover a large pipe which was laid across it in the late 70's, that's why it has railings along the sides to make it safer. And I remember it before that was done. And the road at 11:10 is cowm park way which is built along the track bed for quite some distance. And why didn't you edit out that EXCRUCIATING DOG noise? It totally ruins an otherwise excellent video.
Gentleman, hey that's a bit strong :-) but yes your correct of course, passenger trains were withdrawn from the line in 1947, although the section from Rochdale to Facit remained open to goods trains until 1963 and to Whitworth until 1967.
This is my favourite video. Merry Christmas!
This is excellent. As a child, and living in Middleton, one of the frequent trips out I had with my parents was by bus to Healey Dell, even in those days,60 years ago, rather a beauty spot. The viaduct looked as big as Blackpool Tower to me as a small boy, and of course there was no nature trail in those days. I think trains were still running to Bacup then but it was only a goods line. We never saw one. Thank you for the video-it brings back long lost memories.
Hope u subscribed, footage from middy jct and chadderton coming soon!
Fabulous walk and talk. I have lived in the Rossendale Valley all my life and some of the areas you show I have never seen! I did work in one of the factories (the last factory you walked down E Sutton & Sons) so pleased to know I did indeed work on the "Railway".
I Lived at Whitworth, Shawforth (in the railway cottages) and then Stacksteads in the 1980 - 1990s. Loved this railway line and the track from Bacup to Rawtenstall. Sadly none of it was in use but during those years you could walk across where the "new" estates are now. The landscape between Shawforth and Britannia changed dramatically when they filled in the quarry. It was allegedly dangerous but the infill caused no end of flooding in winter as the water cascaded from the old quarry site across the road. Thank you for this video.
Brilliant video Nick! As you know I've only seen the Healey Dell section, so it was great to see the rest of the line!
Brilliant - very informative - you don't realise till you see this video how much beautiful countryside, walkways we have. Thank you for taking the time to put this on. It will have changed again due to various new building going on 13.4.19
My in laws were born in Ramsbottom and lived in Summerseat..lovely part of the world. Thank you
Great video. Love stuff like this. And what a nice surprise to see Nick doing this walk. Always remember Nick from when I lived in Rhodes in Middleton. Top bloke. Subscribed as well. Hope to see more like this 😊
Nick is on a few videos
There isn't any trace of the viaduct at rochdale any more, it was blown up with explosives in 1972 and it went badly wrong, as they tried blowing up one arch as a test to start with but it set off a chain reaction and the whole lot fell down and blocked entwistle road which passes the public baths which have now been demolished too and replaced with new. And it's great to see that some pictures of the old viaduct do actually exist which I've never seen before. Does anyone know if they're posted anywhere online or published in any books? And at facit, also known as halfway, there's an old incline where the wagons used to be lowered down from the quarry to the main railway, it looks like you missed that, and it's still clearly visible. And the old metal bridges at 26:36 are gone now and replaced by a new concrete one at a different position away from the rail route.
Superb Video shame to see disused Railways but great to suvh lovely nature walks and cycle pathways in place of the railway..
What a shame this line was removed. I believe they had a terrible time demolishing the viaduct because it was so solidly built. They seem to have been almost vindictive in their haste to remove all traces of the line. Surely cost couldn't have been the driving force, surely it would have been cheaper just to leave it.
Many a time struggling up this Whitworth valley road at 30mph (if you're lucky) I'd wished that they had kept this line intact so that commuters to Rochdale and Manchester could have used it, especially when you see how many new house developments have been built in the valley and no improvement to the road. And especially when you see how monumentally solid this railway line was built.
Not at all! They did a test explosion on one arch and the whole viaduct came down!
Absolutely fascinating walkthrough. Really enjoyed watching this. I live on the old railway line and have always wondered how it looked and where it went.
Great little video, Nick. Always wondered what the countryside was like up and around Bacup. It was interesting hearing the name Bacup pronounced as it should be. I was never sure if it was Bah or Bay.
Another excellent video Im shure I know this fella from the East Lancashire Railway? Facinating stuff always wanted to know were the line from Bacup went.😊
nablicman yes, nick is a local who often visits ELR with his camera.... he was also a volunteer working on the track
Baxenden! Home of Hollands Pies! Mm I love the way the viaduct curves away at Stubbins. What a shame the two lines to Bacup are no more( apart from Ramsbottom section)
Watch this channel. Coming soon!
@@onemanc yaaaay
Many days before the rise of youtube and the rise of many disused railway channels :) Good stuff! :)
Great to rail at least replaced with nature trail
As a Londoner I have no old lines to explore except for in the London Docklands where most has been redeveloped or in case of Rails being reused for Docklands Light Railways which reuses much of the various routes along with bit now used by Crossrail
Great Video i find interesting that you are more positive not all laments of whats gone but describe has taken over sites and cutting...
As a London my main ecperience of dereliction is London Docklands much of which is being reused for example Docklands Light Railway uses old trackbeds and bridges of Blackwall Rsilway and bits of huge docks railwsy where possible..
What was good instead of engine shed works area was Industrial site hopefully including light engineering...
A good video but it could have been better if you had just done a bit more research, as it is littered with minor detail errors. For example at 2:46 the track bed is actually some 15 to 20 feet below the surface you see in this video. That was a cutting but it was used as landfill some time in the 1990's. I used to walk down the old track bed on my way to All Saints Primary school as a kid in the late 70's - early 80's. Same goes for the grassed area at 2:22 in that it was a cutting that was tunnelled under Taylor Street.
What's on the site of old Shawforth station today?
Houses..... only the underpass survived.
The building is a church in whitworth
The track bed on healey dell viaduct has been raised to cover a large pipe which was laid across it in the late 70's, that's why it has railings along the sides to make it safer. And I remember it before that was done. And the road at 11:10 is cowm park way which is built along the track bed for quite some distance. And why didn't you edit out that EXCRUCIATING DOG noise? It totally ruins an otherwise excellent video.
Good film.... I'm unsure why the gentlemen kept saying 30 yrs ago.... more like 50 yrs ago.
Gentleman, hey that's a bit strong :-) but yes your correct of course, passenger trains were withdrawn from the line in 1947, although the section from Rochdale to Facit remained open to goods trains until 1963 and to Whitworth until 1967.