Delph Donkey, a point in history for our beautiful path
Saddleworth Places
Reporter: Judith Grinter
The Delph Donkey Railway Line was closed this day (4 Nov) in 1963. The rail was taken up a year later, the remenants of the line removed including the station masters house in Delph, and since then the local people have used it as a recreational path and enjoy taking in the air of Saddleworth along it.
The area of Saddleworth is well known as a beautiful place to live in, work in and to visit and this is one that is a must.
The Delph branch railway opened to Greenfield on 1 September 1851 with some of it’s earlier services from Greenfield to Delph being horse operated by Michael Stancliffe of Delph who later sold coal at Delph station. The 
use of a horse on some trains led to the line being nicknamed The Delph Donkey. When the line opened from Greenfield to Oldham in 1856, steam power then became viable, but the name stuck.
The Delph Donkey is now a much used path from Uppermill , passing through Dobcross to Delph and is used by dog walkers, runners, power walkers, horse riders, cyclists and sightseers. During the different seasons of the year it undergoes lots of changes from frog spawn in the puddles, to grown frogs croaking in the hedges, a plethora of fungi and wildflowers growing in the sidings and deer often seen in the fields flanking the path to mention just a few sights.
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
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