2019

SJ9694 : Sustrans Milepost at Godley

taken 5 years ago, near to Gee Cross, Tameside, England

Sustrans Milepost at Godley
Sustrans Milepost at Godley
A National Cycle Network Milepost of the "Fossil Tree" design placed by Sustrans near the Godley Turntable SJ9694 : Godley Turntable. At present The National Cycle Network Route 62 leaves the trackbed of the former Godley Junction to Apethorn railway at Green Lane SJ9694 : Green Lane footpath junction. The footpath east from here leads over Brookfold Bridge and comes to a dead end where it meets the Glossop line at Godley East SJ9694 : Godley Junction. For a time it had been possible to leave the trail by scrambling down the side of Brookfold Bridge SJ9694 : Brookfold Lane from Brookfold Bridge but that access has now been completely blocked off. I understand the Sustrans volunteer team who have been involved in the reclamation work at the turntable are seeking to establish a new route forward from this point.
National Cycle Network Mileposts

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

Godley Junction Turntable

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 LinkExternal link

Godley Turntable on Facebook: LinkExternal link


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Gerald England and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Paths Suburb, Urban fringe Railways Place: Godley Junction Long Distance Path: Trans Pennine Trail other tags: Sustrans Milepost Former Railway Route National Cycle Network Route 62 Fossil Tree Sustrans Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
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SJ9694, 231 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Gerald England   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Sunday, 25 August, 2019   (more nearby)
Submitted
Thursday, 29 August, 2019
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SJ 9651 9467 [10m precision]
WGS84: 53:26.9269N 2:3.2409W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SJ 9652 9467
View Direction
West-southwest (about 247 degrees)
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Image Type (about): geograph 
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