Todmorden Triangle
 Todmorden
triangle junctions : David Taylor
Diagram of Todmorden Triangle. When the 'Copy Pit' line opened in 1849
Yorkshire trains had to reverse on and off it until opening of the spur
between Hallroyd Junction and Stansfield Hall Junction in 1862 but that
then resulted in trains from Yorkshire to the North West, particularly
Blackpool, by-passing Todmorden so to overcome this a station was built
at Stansfield Hall in 1869. |
Stansfield Hall junction (2013) : David Taylor
Stansfield Hall Jnct. Either side of the tracks the approx site of
Stansfield Hall platforms, opened 1869, closed 1944.
 The
disconnected Stansfield Curve (now seemingly re-named the Todmorden
Curve) going off to the right. As of October 2013 work not yet started
on this section of the curve which is due to re-open Sunday 18 May 2014.
The new through service Blackburn to Manchester Victoria via the
re-opened Curve will call at Accrington, Rose Grove, Burnley Manchester
Road,Todmorden, Rochdale and Manchester Victoria.
On Sundays the service
will additionally call at Church & Oswaldwistle. |
Stansfield Hall Station
 Opened
1869. Closed 1944
Stansfield Hall Station (2013) : David Taylor
Site of Stansfield Hall Station eastbound.
To the left the remains of
the stone pier of the original footbridge which would have lead down to
the eastbound platform. |
 Stansfield
Hall Station (2013) : David Taylor
Site of Stansfield Hall Station eastbound building. |
 Stansfield
Hall Station (2013) : David Taylor
Original cobbled path from the town up to the footbridge at Stansfield
Hall. |
 Stansfield
Hall Station (2013) : David Taylor
Street sign on the corner just below the footbridge. |
Cornholme station
 Opened
1878. Closed 26-09 1938
Cornholme station (2013) : David Taylor
Cornholme Station. Opened 1878, closed 1938. Image courtesy Pennine
Horizons Digital Archive. |
 Cornholme
station (2013) : David Taylor
Cornholme - 'Station Road'; the only surviving evidence there was once a
station here. |
 Cornholme
station (2013) : David Taylor
Cornholme - looking up the short Station Road to the track. |
Portsmouth station
 Opened
1849. Closed 07-07-1958
Portsmouth station (2013) : David Taylor
Portsmouth Station 1910 looking towards Burnley. Opened 1849, closed
1958. Image courtesy Pennine Horizons Digital Archive. |
 Portsmouth
station (2013) : David Taylor
Portsmouth 'Station Parade'; again the only evidence there was once a
station. |
 Portsmouth
station (2013) : David Taylor
Portsmouth - site of platforms looking towards Todmorden. |
Chatham
Bridge (2013) : David Taylor
 Chatham Bridge SE face. Under the right hand arch was either a siding or
a loop and the site clearly visible.
What with Portsmouth and Chatham someone locally must have had an RN
connection!
Note : Norman Sutcliffe
My recollection is that it was a loop and this seems to be confirmed by
this website (not least by the signal box diagram):
www.hall-royd-junction.co.uk/Hall_Royd_Prototype/Copy_Pit_prototype.html |
 Chatham
Bridge & Portsmouth : Norman Sutcliffe
I was reminded of David Taylors "What with Portsmouth and Chatham
someone locally must have had an RN connection!” comment earlier today
when reading a small booklet entitled ‘Cornholme A Border Village’ by
Winnie Marshall. Copyright © 1984, W. Marshall.
There is in it a paragraph headed: - “How Portsmouth got its name"
A family by the name of Clegg lived at the Roebuck Inn. The farm and inn
were situated at the bottom of Green’s Clough, near to its junction with
the Calder. Thomas Clegg and his wife had a son who left home to become
a mariner. He was stationed at Portsmouth and other naval stations
around the south coast.
He returned home after the termination of his service. At that time
farms had a homestead, barn and one or two outside laithes, where cattle
were kept during
the winter. One such laithe stood beside the footroad to the Brown Birks
farm, and was called the ‘milking house’. The ‘joiners-house’ and barn
stood higher up the road leading to Dean farm. The young sailor likened
these three places to a three-legged stool, the home farm, the
‘milking-house’ and the ‘joiners-house’, naming them as follows:
Portsmouth, Whitehaven and Chatham.”
Earlier in the booklet, there is a map, which shows the various places
mentioned above and marks the rivers but no roads or railway. |
Copy Pit bank
 Copy
Pit : Bernard Coomber
4th Aug.1968 2 black 5's storming Copy Pit. |
 Copy
Pit : Bernard Coomber
4th Aug. 1968 double-headed black 5's on Copy Pit bank, commemorating
the end of steam on BR. |
 Copy
Pit : Bernard Coomber
4th Aug. 1968 double-headed black 5's on Copy Pit bank, commemorating
the end of steam on BR. |
 Copy
Pit : Bernard Coomber
Summer of '68 2 8F's give a helping hand banking a freight up Copy Pit. |
 Copy
Pit : Bernard Coomber
Summer of '68 3 8F's 1 leading, 2 banking, get to grips with Copy Pit. |
 Copy
Pit : Bernard Coomber
Summer of '68 8F Copy Pit banker returns downhill to Todmorden. |
 Copy
Pit : Bernard Coomber
Summer of '68 8F on freight storms Copy Pit bank. |
 Copy
Pit : Bernard Coomber
Summer of '68 8F on freight storms up Copy Pit bank. |
Copy Pit summit
 Copy
Pit summit (2013) : David Taylor
The eponymous 'Copy Pit' at the line's summit looking NW.
The people are on what is now the A646 with the covered way over the
road to take coal to the siding.
Image courtesy Pennine Horizons Digital
Archive. |
 Copy
Pit line (2013) : David Taylor
The 'Copy Pit' looking SE. The A646 overbridge is just visible beneath
the farm track bridge. Image courtesy Pennine Horizons Digital Archive. |
 Copy
Pit : Bernard Coomber
After banking a heavy freight up from Todmorden loco class 8F takes a
break along side Copy Pit box. |
 Copy
Pit : Bernard Coomber
Summer of '68, class 8F banking engine crew take a well earned break and
a few words with the signalman at Copy Pit box. |
 Copy
Pit line (2013) : David Taylor
Looking NW from the A646 overbridge to the site of the signal box and
siding which were just beyond the girder bridge, which now only carries
power cables. |
  Copy
Pit (1984) : Philip Hardaker
The Age of the Train 1984. These are two pictures
from early 1984.
We took a full HST unit over to Copy Pit over in Lancashire for the filming of "The Age of the train".
The driver was the
Late Ken Downing of Holbeck MPD. Brings back great memories! |
