The Oldham Loop

Revisiting the Oldham Loop on the tram route that replaced it with a short walk around the abandoned section of railway around Oldham itself.

The Oldham Loop between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale via Oldham was closed in 2009 and converted into a tramway as part of Manchester's Metrolink system, reopening in 2012. The section where the line ran to the south of Oldham's town centre was replaced with a section of street running through the main Union Street. I travelled around the Oldham Loop in 1999, a decade before it's closure as a suburban railway route though the conversion to a tramway was already on the cards at that point. In 2024 I revisited the route by tram.

RailMapOnline

Rochdale

1930 Map (top left of map)

Below - The Oldham Loop trains used to depart from the Platform 2 bay at Rochdale. The bay platform is still there but just sees occasional use in the event of engineering work or service disruption resulting in services from the east turning back at Rochdale rather than Manchester Victoria.

Below - Since Platform 2 lost its regular Oldham services a new bay on the west side of the station has been added for services turning back from the Manchester direction. 

Below - The current Rochdale station is about half of the station that used to be there. Currently the station is an island platform with bays at either end, originally there were two island platforms with the original Manchester facing bays on the abandoned one. Here the subway can be seen passing under the abandoned island platform.

Below - A southern entrance to the station has been reinstated recently opening up this previously blocked off view of where the subway passed under the abandoned island platform. Where the red fencing can be seen was the southern most platform of the station.

Below - Looking towards where the Manchester facing bays were located on the abandoned island platform.

Below - The reinstated southern entrance to the station.

Below - Stairs up to the abandoned island platform.

Below - The main entrance to the station. Originally there was a station building here but now there is just a canopy with the station buildings being at platform level.

Below - The tram line crosses over the lines through Rochdale station on a single track bridge before descending to street level. A tram stop to connect with the railway station is provided on Maclure Road. This was not the first time trams had operated at this location. The tram line extends in to Rochdale town centre, the route following Drake Street and Smith Street just as the original tram line in to the town centre did.

Below - The town centre stop in Rochdale.

Shaw & Crompton

1930 Map

Below - A Pacer at the original Shaw & Crompton station.

Below - A footbridge was provided at the level crossing at the station.

Below - The site of the station today

Below - The signal box across the road from the station. The tram stop for Shaw and Crompton has been built in this location, across the road from the original station.

Below - The tram stop seen from the site of the signal box.

Oldham Mumps

Disused Stations page about Oldham Mumps

Below - Here the tram route through the centre of Oldham diverges from the original rail route. The masts of the tram line can be seen on the left at the other side of the road. The rails are still set in the road towards the original rail route. When the line reopened as a tram route it originally ran to a temporary tram stop built at the site of Oldham Mumps station.

Below - The trackbed looking towards Oldham Mumps.

Below - View from the site of Oldham Mumps station looking towards Rochdale

Below -  A similar viewpoint when still in use as a railway station.

Below - The station building on the platform. On the left the subway to the station entrance can be seen.

Below - A train heading to Rochdale. The subway entrances on the platform and at the station entrance can be seen. Originally a building was provided at the entrance and this was replaced with a more modern building in 1957 but it was demolished in the 1990s with just a canopy over the steps to the subway replacing it, all station facilities then being provided in the buildings on the platform similar to the situation seen at Rochdale.

Below - A Pacer heading towards Manchester.

Below - A train heading to Shaw. Some trains were turned back at Shaw, the crossover just beyond Shaw station can be seen in the earlier picture. This practice continues with Metrolink but a third platform is provided for trams turning back there.

Below - Another couple of Pacers heading to Manchester.

Below - A Pacer heading towards Manchester seen from a footpath bridge over the site. The west facing bay platform can be seen. This was taken out of use in the 80s, the bay at the other end of the station was taken out of use in the 1970s but was filled in.

Below - A Pacer approaching Oldham Mumps from the Manchester direction.

Below - The former entrance to the station site today.

Below - There were remnants of a yellow sign for the temporary tram stop provided at Oldham Mumps before the street running section opened.

The footbridge across the western end of the station site from which a couple of the shots above were taken.

Below - A shot looking west from the above bridge of a Pacer heading towards Manchester.

Below - And a Pacer arriving from the Manchester direction.

Below - Bridges over Waterloo Street. The furthest bridge is Oldham Way, the middle bridge is the former railway, the missing span is the former line to Clegg Street station which diverged south towards Ashton under Lyne and the bridge I am on is the former rail access in to Clegg Street goods yard.

Oldham Central

Disused Stations page about Oldham Central

Oldham Central was the most convenient station for the centre of Oldham but despite this it closed in 1966. It also connected with Clegg Street station on the line to Ashton under Lyne.

Below - The site of Oldham Central station today.

Below - Remnants of the retaining wall for the station.

West of Oldham Central the line went in to a tunnel, emerging at Oldham Werneth station. The tunnel is not visible on the photo above for the vegetation. I went to the Oldham Central tram stop on Union Street to continue my journey on tram.

Below - The Oldham Central Metrolink stop on Union Street.

Oldham Werneth

Disused Stations page about Oldham Werneth

For a few years after the tram was diverted through the town you could clearly see where the line once went in to a tunnel just beyond Werneth Station at the tight bend in the tramline where it rejoins the former railway west of Oldham. Industrial units have since been built on the station site, you just get a glimpse of the tunnel behind them as you pass on the tram now.

Below - A Pacer heading towards Manchester at Oldham Werneth.

Dean Lane / Newton Heath

Disused Stations page about Dean Lane

I got off the tram at Newton Heath, this tram stop is at the site of Dean Lane station. Here a stub of the railway survives to serve a waste terminal. It appears to be double track but is in fact a bi directional single track tram line and platform with the head shunt from the freight terminal alongside. Originally there were platforms on both tracks but the other platform was removed when the line was converted to a tramway.

Below - A tram at Newton Heath heading towards Manchester.

1936 Map

The Oldham Loop joined the mainline in to Manchester Victoria alongside Newton Heath depot. Now the tram line crosses over the line again on another bridge to use the trackbeds of the former Newton Heath Loop and Collyhurst Connecting Loop to join with the Metrolink line from Bury which was one of the first lines converted to tramways in Manchester. Metrolink has its depot on the site of the former sidings at Cheetham Hill Junction.

I continued into Manchester on the tram. The tram stop at Manchester curves across the site of several former bay platforms that were largely once used for local services that are now part of the Metrolink network.

 

Isle of Man: Foxdale

Starting Point - Crosby Station site, Finishing Point - St John's Station site, Distance 7.5 Miles.

The Foxdale branch on the Isle of Man was built by the Foxdale Railway Co and operated by the Manx Northern Railway from opening in 1886. It was mainly built for freight from the mines at Foxdale, though a couple of passenger stations were provided. More information about the line, and the others on the island, as well as details of the stations I visit on this walk can be found on the Disused Stations website.

Rail Map Online

Open Street Map

I started from the site of Crosby station (right hand side on the above map where Old Church Road meets the Steam Heritage Trail). I walked to Ballacurry Farm, about half way between Crosby and St John's. From Ballacurry Farm a path called Ballacurry Road runs to the site of Cornelly Mine. The "Road" in the name Ballacurry Road is a bit of a delusion of grandeur, it seems to be a dried up stream bed with rocks underfoot and thick vegetation.

Cornelly Mine

Cornelly Mine was at the northern edge of the mines of Foxdale and some of the buildings of the mine survive.

Below - The surviving buildings of Cornelly Mine. The buildings seem to include two engine houses and chimneys, this is the one on the western edge of the site.

Below - An information plaque on the chimney.

Below - Chimney and engine house on the eastern edge of the site.

Below - Behind the buildings a footpath leads in to an area of mine waste. The area around the mine buildings was quite overgrown with brambles so I wasn't able to get much closer to the mines buildings.

Below - Another view of the engine house and chimney from the west of the site.

Below - Another view of the buildings at the east of the site.

Below - A view from the corner of Ballacurry Road

Ballacurry Road continues after its dog leg at the site of the mine, emerging on to Ballavar Road. Another footpath connects from Ballavar Road to Lhoobs Road. Across Lhoobs Road it passes Kionsleiu Plantation and Kionsleiu Reservoir. Kionsleiu Reservoir is a man made reservoir with an earth bank as a dam and is a remnant of the mining industry in the area.

Below - Kionsleiu Reservoir, the dam can be seen on the far side.

The footpath emerges on to East Foxdale Road which heads in to the village of Foxdale. In Foxdale a clock tower is another remnant of the local mining industry.

Below - The clock tower in Foxdale.

Below - Information board at the clock tower. Click to enlarge.

Below - Remnants of the Miners Institute building behind the clock tower.

Below - This building across the road from the clock tower is the former mines office.

Below - The Clock Tower Industrial Park occupies the site of mines buildings in Foxdale. Railways entered the mines site here from the railway station across the road.

Below - Another information board in Foxdale village.

Foxdale

Below - The former station building at Foxdale, now a visitor centre which unfortunately wasn't open at the time of my visit. The station opened in 1886 and closed to passengers in 1943 but goods trains continued until 1960.

Below - Information board at the station.

Below - Another view of the station. The middle section of the front wall would originally have been wooden but has been replaced with brickwork that blends in with the rest of the building. There were originally plans to extend the line to Castletown but the Foxdale branch was never more than a short branch primarily for freight. The passenger service was just a couple of trains a day with a single coach (which is still in use on the Isle of Man Steam Railway).

Below - Another information board at the site of the railway.

Below - The former trackbed is now a footpath most of the was to St John's. The railway follows the Foxdale River, at this point on the right in a deep valley. The river was utilised by the mining industry.

Below - Information board describing the route of the line.

Waterfall

Below - The low bridge over the Foxdale Main Road has been removed. After crossing the road the wooden steps up the embankment at the other side have been condemned so the trackbed is next accessed at Ballamoar Farm Lane. This was originally the access for Waterfall station.

Below - Farm access bridge near at the site of Waterfall station.

Below - The site of Waterfall station, the road is on the left and the station was on the embankment in the centre of the picture. The station was just a wooden shelter which no longer survives.

A bridge across Gleneedle Stream is missing so the path joins the road to cross the stream but is back on the railway route at the other side.

Below - Bridge under Ballanass Road.

Below - Another bridge not shown on the map.

Below - Approaching St John's, remains of the drainage for the line.

Below - A sleeper seen next to the route near St John's. The track was removed around 1970.

On the approach to St John's the line crossed Foxdale Road on a large two span metal viaduct. The metal spans have been removed but the abutments and centre pier survive. With the bridge removed the footpath takes a left turn to emerge on to Slieu Whallan Road which can be followed in to St John's. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the remains of the bridge over Foxdale Road.

Below - I did get a picture of the bridge over the Douglas to Peel route from my walk on that line. The trackbed of the Foxdale branch on top of the bridge is not accessible at this point.

Below - Station Road in St John's crosses over the former Foxdale branch on a bridge. This is the view east from the bridge where the cutting of the railway can be seen.

St John's (MNR)

Below - Looking west from the bridge the Manx Northern Railway's St John's station can be seen, now in use as a house but remarkably intact with the platform, station building and water tower surviving.

Below - The station building can just be seen through the trees, this was built to the same design as that at Foxdale. The centre wooden section has again been replaced but in this case with a rendered finish. The base of the water tower can just about be made out covered with Ivy to the right of the station building.

 The MNR originally had its own station for Ramsey across the road from the IoMR station on the Douglas to Peel route, thought to have just been a wooden building. When construction started on the Foxdale branch this was abandoned and MNR trains from Ramsey used the above station. When the IoMR took over the MNR the Ramsey trains were diverted in to the IoMR station. From 1927 the Foxdale branch train was also diverted in to the IoMR station, running through the MNR station and reversing in to the IoMR station.

From St John's I got the bus onwards to Ramsey before returning to Douglas on the Manx Electric Railway.

I have done earlier walks of the Douglas to Peel line and St John's to Ramsey Line as well as the Laxey Mines Trail.