Anniversary Of When Local Stations Closed

A train approaches the site of the old Saddleworth Station, with Diggle in the background.

It’s 42 years since both Diggle and Saddleworth railway stations closed. The last services stopped at the stations late in the evening of 5 October 1968 as they were shut as part of widespread rail cutbacks following the controversial Beeching Report.

Perhaps surprisingly, the following week’s Mossley and Saddleworth Reporter didn’t give the station closures much attention, only devoting a few paragraphs to the story. The paper carried a few quotes from the Saddleworth Station porter Alfred Fidler, who said: “It is tragic. It is the way of the times. I am very sorry we have to go.”

The Beeching Report, published in 1963, recommended the end of stopping services on the Huddersfield Line, and the closure of all the branch stations. Eventually a compromise was agreed, and Mossley, Greenfield and Marsden stations survived along with a limited service, while other stations were forced to close.

As well as Diggle and Saddleworth, the stations at Golcar, Longwood and Milnsbridge, and Slaithwaite also shut. However, Slaithwaite Station was reopened in 1982.

These days Saddleworth Station is a private house, and a lack of proper access roads means there’s no chance it’ll ever reopen. However, local campaigners still hope a new station will be built at Diggle.

Network Rail wants to reopen the two closed tunnels at Standedge to allow extra rail traffic to pass through, which would allow fast trans-Pennine trains to overtake slower stopping services. Its report on the matter, revealed earlier this year, mentions the prospect of a new station at Diggle. No government decision on whether to back the plans is expected before 2012.

Cllr Royce Franklin, who has been a longstanding supporter of a new Diggle Station, told last week’s meeting of Saddleworth Parish Council: “Currently there is virtually no prospect of having a station at Diggle. If implemented the opening of the tunnels could pave the way for a more fruitful outcome.” You can read more about Network Rail’s plans from Saddleworth News here.

These days there’s only one station in Saddleworth, at Greenfield. A total of ten have closed over the years, with Diggle and Saddleworth the most recent to shut. The old Delph Donkey line closed to passengers in 1955, which meant the end for Grotton and Springhead, Grasscroft, Moorgate, Dobcross, Measurements and Delph stations. There were also stations at Uppermill and Friezland on the old Stalybridge and Diggle Loop Line, but they closed in 1917.

Author: Jude Gidney - Editor

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