The GCR Waterside Branch

[Stirling O]

Firstly, let me just say what a great site this is. I've been viewing as a visitior for some time now, but have been so impressed that I've just registered as a member.

Right, having got the plaudits out of the way, I have a question regarding the Waterside Branch of the GCR, which I believe left the Woodhead route at Mottram. I have come across a couple of references to it's existence but beyongd that nothing at all. With a view to a possible Scale7 model being constructed, can anyone out there provide any information whatsoever about the Branch, such as when built, what the typical traffic was and what locomotives operated it.

[9E]

E.M. Johnson's Woodhead Part One (Scenes from the Past 29 in the Foxline Publishing series) is a good starting point. There is a simple map showing the relationship of the branch to the surrounding roads and railways plus an aerial view showing Waterside Mills and the sidings at the end of the branch. There are also a couple of other views of the branch.

The Heyday of Steam Around Manchester by Tom Heavyside (Ian Allan) has a nice colour photo of a J11 0-6-0 on the branch, although the train fills the bulk of the shot.

[52D]

Come on guys lets have some more on this one. I hadnt known about it till the posting.

[Stirling O]

Hi 9E,

Many thanks for the information about this seemingly obscure branch line. Having spent many hours on the internet and having turned up little information you have set me on the road to discovery.

Dave

[9E]

A bit of general info taken from Woodhead Part 1.

The Waterside branch was a 2 mile 16 chain branch leaving the Woodhead route at the old Dinting station and was built to serve the complex of mills at Waterside next to the River Etherow between Hadfield and Tintwistle. Opened in 1879 by the MSLR and with the rump of the branch closed on 20 July 1965.


Motive power depends on the period of interest, but for many years it was worked by Gorton's 0-6-0s. In the 1950s that was the J11s. The branch wasn't electrified.

[thesectionalappendix]

The following link to my website might be of interest: http://britishrailways1960.co.uk/MIDDBWM03.html

I have the closing date as 2.3.1964, but I am unsure of the reliability of my source. Can someone tell me where the 1965 date comes from?

Much of the trackbed has been converted to paths. At one point the crossing gates for a road cossing are largely still intact. I would post pics but they are on a USB device and for some reason all of my USB ports have decided to stop working!

I used to work with drivers who fired over this branch. Apparently, in its final years, there was a canning factory at Waterside and discount goods could be had from the factory shop. This was Maconochie Bros. The mills were owned by Gartside and Co in 1956.

A good place to research the route is the somewhat 'clunky' www.old-maps.co.uk. I think they make it hard to use to stop people stealing the maps. It is still a fabulous research tool though.

Brian.

[Stirling O]

Hi Brian,

Many thanks for the information.

Dave

[john_s]

The connections to the main line are shown in this plan:

http://www.lymmobservatory.net/railways ... st_q40.jpg

NB: This is a large file, about 2.4 Mb.

[thesectionalappendix]

That's a really interesting map and proves something that I sort of knew, but wasn't sure enough to mention in a place crawling with people who know more than me lol The branch was a running line with a block system (One train working, no staff), but the entrance and exit from it was not controlled by a signal box as such. The signal box simply unlocked a ground frame.

I must walk/cycle what remains of this line in the near future. I might combine it with a trip over the top from Hadfield to Pennistone.

Brian.

[wehf100]

Interesting stuff. There are so few branch-line modelling possibilities for GCR modellers. Here's a link to the modern aerial photos of Waterside Mill (the cross-hair is over the old mill building itself)

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.46672 ... =0&src=msl

Will

[wehf100]

Useful info from Wikipedia article on Hadfield;

''While the Howards were responsible in the 1810s for the development of Glossop, it was the Sidebottom family who developed Hadfield. They bought the Waterside and Bridge Mill complex from John Turner and John Thornley in 1820.

For three generations they developed these mills, as a large spinning and weaving combine. They built their own branch railway to the mill, and in 1880 ran 293,000 spindles and 4800 looms. In 1896 the Sidebottoms went into liquidation. Bridge Mill was destroyed by fire in 1899, but Waterside Mill was bought by John Gartside and Co, of Ashton-under-Lyne. Gartsides re-equipped the mills with automatic looms from the United States and installed new engines and electric lighting.[2]

During the first world war (1914–18) the mill was taken over by the Greenfield mill company, who described themselves as bleachers, but parts were used for munitions. After the war the company faded away. In 1940, the mill housed Maconochie's Foodstuffs Ltd who had been bombed out of their previous premises. In 1954, about half of the original building had been demolished, more was to go. In 1976 the site was redeveloped and renamed as the Hadfield Trading Estate.[3]''

[52D]

Re Maconochies ISTR that they were suppliers of either bully beef or tins of jam during the first war and before grenades were readily available Tommy used the tins to improvise bombs for trench warfare.

[9E]

I have the closing date as 2.3.1964, but I am unsure of the reliability of my source. Can someone tell me where the 1965 date comes from?

I just quoted the information given in E.M. Johnson's book. I don't have the book to hand, but the date I quoted was for the remainder of the branch being closed after first being cut back at an earlier point. It's possible that the earlier date corresponds with the closure of the end of the branch. I'll check Woodhead Pt1 and see if the earlier date tallies.

[9E]

Woodhead Part One quotes 1962 as the year in which the branch was cut back by over a mile. Sadly that gets us no closer to the actual closure date of the line!

[thesectionalappendix]

When did George Dow write his epic history of the GC? I did read it years ago, but I can't remember if it was pre or post Beeching that it was written. If it was post then it might have the date in. My local library has all three volumes, but it would be a big job to read again just to find one date lol

Anyone interesting in meeting up one day to walk the line, maybe visit the route to Woodhead and possibly put some pints of real ale to sleep afterwards?

Brian.