SJ9694 : Sustrans Milepost at Godley
taken 5 years ago, near to Gee Cross, Tameside, England
1000 Millennium cast iron mileposts were funded by the Royal Bank of Scotland to mark the creation of the National Cycle Network, and found along the cycles routes through the UK.
There are four different types of posts, "Fossil Tree" by John Mills, "The Cockerel" by Iain McColl, "Rowe Type" by Andrew Rowe, and "Tracks" by David Dudgeon. The four artists are from each country of the UK though all posts can be found in all four countries.
Read the National Cycle Network article Link
Just west of the former Godley Junction station beyond the bridge over Brookfold Road was a small marshalling yard and a turntable.
Here is where trains heading for Fiddler's Ferry power station via Warrington Arpley would exchange locomotives. The whole point of the Godley Junction to Apethorn railway was to carry Yorkshire coal to Lancashire for burning in one way or another. Originally the trains were steam hauled but after electrification of the Woodhead line in the 1950s the class 76 electric locos would draw the train onto the branch and un-couple before running around and departing; subsequently, a diesel loco would appear and hook-on for the remainder of the trip. Freight services over Woodhead ended in 1981 and this line became redundant.
The only passenger service was the overnight from Marylebone which divided here, with its Liverpool portion headed off down the Cheshire Lines tracks to Woodley and Stockport Tiviot Dale.
The turntable was left for nature to take over with trees growing through it. In 2015 Sustran volunteers started work on clearing the undergrowth and renovating the site.
Photographs of the turntable in use can be found on Old Hyde Link
Godley Turntable on Facebook: Link