Rochdale area unidentified railway location.

[nicktamarensis]

Hello,

I wonder if anyone can help me to identify the railway location captured in these two photographs taken by Clifford C. Ashton, the well-known Rochdale area press photographer?

The content (especially the cars!) seems to suggest the early to mid-1960's with industrial buildings in the foreground.

Many thanks in advance.

Nick..

Apologies for the stance of the photo's - I seem unable to get them satisfactorily rotated for this site!

[Guest Bri.s]

It’s not near guide bridge is it

There looks to be overhead electrification

 

 

Brian

P.s I’d say is somewhere around Ashton moss south junction

There was a triangle there

Edited December 19, 2018 by Bri.s

[woodenhead]

Yes it looks like Ashton Moss. The shape of the building in the foreground is familiar to me.

Edited December 19, 2018 by woodenhead

[Red Devil]

It’s not near guide bridge is it

There looks to be overhead electrification

 

 

Brian

P.s I’d say is somewhere around Ashton moss south junction

There was a triangle there

 

I think you're right Ashton Moss sidings. Position and style of gantry look the same.

[TheSignalEngineer]

I think that was a factory in Wellington Road.

Lord Sheldon Way and the Metrolink go across the middle of where the sidings were and the road to the left of the second picture is Richmond Street. The line in the foreground has gone but the one to the left is still there. I think a couple of the OLE structures are still there at the end of Sainsburys car park, which now occupies the site of the sidings by the top line in the picture.

 

See

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16&lat=53.4912&lon=-2.1069&layers=10&right=BingHyb

[Red Devil]

Richmond St A-U-L? click on 'birds eye'

https://www.bing.com/maps?q=richmond+street+ashton+under+lyne&FORM=HDRSC4

Edited December 19, 2018 by Red Devil

[TheSignalEngineer]

Yes it looks like Ashton Moss. The shape of the building in the foreground is familiar to me.

Possibly part of National Gas Engine Co. which was on both sides of Richmond St. The part to the West side is still standing. It amalgamated with Mirrlees Bickerton & Day in 1961 and became Mirrlees National Ltd.

[nicktamarensis]

Thanks very much for the Sherlocking gentlemen.  I'm vastly in your debt.

I'll try to confirm your location from a squint of the material on the 'Old Maps' site - but I'm sure you're correct.

If the photo's get used in any of the Irwell Press publications I'll be sure to credit you with the identification.

Nick. 

[nicktamarensis]

PS - from the height at which the views were taken I imagine the photographer was positioned some way up a factory chimney!

[TheSignalEngineer]

PS - from the height at which the views were taken I imagine the photographer was positioned some way up a factory chimney!

I did think he could be on top of the church nearby (All Saints?) but the angles don't look right.

Also they are taken from two different places, so perhaps he was well-in with the Fire Brigade and they had a turntable ladder handy.

Edited December 20, 2018 by TheSignalEngineer

[nicktamarensis]

Thank you gents.

Any idea when the sidings and the southern part of the triangle were removed?   Looking at Google Earth it would appear that M&S and Waitrose now occupy the sidings site with IKEA a little to the east.  There appear to be no surviving parts of the factory as seen in the photo's although there are some in the eastern section of Wellington Road. 

Nick

[johnd]

Thank you gents.

Any idea when the sidings and the southern part of the triangle were removed?   Looking at Google Earth it would appear that M&S and Waitrose now occupy the sidings site with IKEA a little to the east.  There appear to be no surviving parts of the factory as seen in the photo's although there are some in the eastern section of Wellington Road. 

Nick

Waitrose in Ashton U Lyne ! The supermarket is a Sainsburys,

 

The retail outlets occupy the north end of the site alongside the Manchester to Ashton/Stalybridge line. The new by pass ( Lord Sheldon (ex MP) way and the metrolink pass through the middle of the site and an office block  at the southern end of the site.

Edited December 27, 2018 by johnd

[SHMD]

Here's a view looking towards the then photographer but as it is today. (slightly different angle too.)

 

 

 

I agree with all above, definitely Ashton-Under-Line where the OAGB line joins the L&Y line from Manchester to Stalybridge.

(My dad's first job, after leaving school, was at the National Gas Engine Co. here.)

 

Perhaps a change of Thread Title is in order?

 

 

Kev.

 

[TheSignalEngineer]

Here's a view looking towards the then photographer but as it is today. (slightly different angle too.)

 

NationalGasEngine.png

 

 

I agree with all above, definitely Ashton-Under-Line where the OAGB line joins the L&Y line from Manchester to Stalybridge.

(My dad's first job, after leaving school, was at the National Gas Engine Co. here.)

 

Perhaps a change of Thread Title is in order?

 

 

Kev.

That's the bit to the other side of Richmond Street to the OP pictures.

[nicktamarensis]

Thanks again gents for all the info.

The two photo's came to me as subjects photographed 'in the Rochdale area' hence the thread title.

Nick.