Station Name: FACIT

[Source: Alan Young]


Facit Station Gallery 3: 12 May 1956 - June 2015



The ‘Old Manchester Rail Tour’ is at Facit on 12 May 1956, at which time goods services on the branch from Rochdale operated as far is this station. The station building is seen on the up platform with the short awning at the north end; this replaced the larger awning which stretched the length of the building and extended most of the way across the platform. One of the stone pillars that formerly supported the footbridge is seen on the platform ramp. The chimneystack of Spodden Mill rises behind
the station building.
Photo from Jim Lake collection


The ’Old Manchester Rail Tour’ is at Facit on 12 May 1956, at which time goods services on the branch from Rochdale operated as far is this station. The goods warehouse is seen in the background and the passenger station is beyond the right edge of the picture. No.50647 is an Aspinall Class LYR5 2-4-2T built at the LYR Horwich works in September 1890. Numbered 1052 by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway she was re-numbered 10647 by the LMS and 50647 by British Railways. She remained in service until February 1959 when she was withdrawn from 26C, Bolton shed. In November 1959 the loco was cut up by Motherwell Machinery & Scrap, Inslow Works, Wishaw.

The goods yard at Facit looking south on 12 May 1956, when The ’Old Manchester Rail Tour’ is visiting the station. The rear of the down platform building with its distinctive triple-pitched roof and two chimneystacks is seen to the left. On the far left is the weigh office, appropriately with some sacks of coal stacked beside it, whilst some coal wagons are on the siding close-by. The station’s goods warehouse is seen far right. The loco and coaches of the rail tour are standing at the down platform, ready for the up journey to Rochdale, and the tower of St Anselm’s Roman Catholic church, Whitworth, is seen beyond.


The Stephenson and Manchester Locomotive societies’ ’Old Manchester Rail Tour’ is seen at Facit on 12 May 1956. Locomotives Nos.80088 and 92438 hauled a 5-coach train from Rochdale to Facit and No.50647 (heading the train in this north-eastward view) brought it back to Rochdale. Despite being at the down platform the train is ready for an up return journey to Rochdale. Prominent landmarks on photographs of this station are Spodden Mill chimney and, on the hill, the tower of St John’s church.

The SLS/MLS 'Old Manchester Rail Tour’ is seen at Facit on 12 May 1956. Locomotives Nos.80088 and 92438 hauled a 5-coach train from Rochdale to Facit and No.50647 (heading the train in this north-eastward view) brought it back to Rochdale. Despite being at the down platform the train is ready for an up return journey to Rochdale. The Spodden Mill chimneystack is prominent behind the less spectacular chimney of the locomotive. No.50647 is an Aspinall Class LYR5 2-4-2T built at the LYR Horwich works in September 1890.

On 21 July 1962 No.43903 with two brake vans is seen in the goods sidings at Facit, looking south-east.  The same loco and vans were photographed at other stations on the branch on the same day suggesting that this was an informally arranged rail tour. One week later the ‘Salford Hundred Rail Tour’ also made the journey up to Facit. The loco is a Fowler-designed 4F 0-6-0, built by the Midland Railway in April 1920 at Derby works. Numbered 3909 in LMS ownership the ‘4’ prefix was added by British Railways. No.43903 was withdrawn from 16C, Kirkby-in-Ashfield shed, on 9 May 1964 and cut up by Slag Reduction Co Ltd, Ickles, Rotherham in December 1964.
Photo by Ian G Holt

On 28 July 1962 the Roch Valley Railway Society’s ‘Salford Hundred Rail Tour’ visited Facit, hauled there by No.52523 and returning to Rochdale behind No.40063. The loco has halted a few yards south of the station platform and the customary invasion of the lineside is underway, in the days before such enthusiasm was reined in by ‘health and safety’ enforcement. The goods warehouse is to the right and part of Spodden Mill to the left. The loco seen here is an Aspinall-designed 0-6-0 LYR Class 27, built at the company’s Horwich works in July 1909. Allocated number 636 by the LYR, she was re-numbered 12523 by the LMS and finally 52523 by British Railways. She was withdrawn on 30 September 1962 from 26C, Bolton shed, and disposed of by Campbells, Shieldhall in May 1963.


On 28 July 1962 the Roch Valley Railway Society’s ‘Salford Hundred Rail Tour' visited Facit, hauled there by No.52523 and returning to Rochdale behind No.40063. The loco has halted a few yards south of the station platform and the customary invasion of the lineside is underway, in the days before such enthusiasm was reined in by ‘health and safety’ enforcement. The goods warehouse is to the right and part of Spodden Mill to the left.
Photo by Ian G Holt

Another view of the Roch Valley Railway Society’s ‘Salford Hundred Rail Tour’ at Facit on 28 July 1962, The train is in one of the sidings directly west of the former passenger station; the roof of the main building can be seen far right. No.40063 is a Fowler-designed 3P 2-6-2T built at the LMS Derby works in September 1932. Only six weeks after this railtour she was withdrawn from 26A, Newton Heath shed, on 8 September 1962 and cut up the following month at Horwich works
Photo by Ian G Holt


On 28 July 1962 the Roch Valley Railway Society’s ‘Salford Hundred Rail Tour visited Facit, hauled there by No.52523 and returning to Rochdale behind No.40063. The loco has halted a few yards south of the station platform.
Photo from Martin Bairstow collection


The Goods Yard signal box is seen on 13 June 1964; it had been out of service since 1956 and the whole yard closed in August 1963 when the branch was cut back one mile to Whitworth.  The single-line token exchange platform is seen on the nearest corner of the box. The locking room windows have been bricked-up, presumably as a precautionary measure on the outbreak of World War 2. The box was demolished between October and December 1966.
Photo by Eric Blakey / LYRS


This photograph was supplied with the label ‘Facit demolition’. The undated view is looking southwards from the Facit station goods yard. In the foreground is the foundation of a small brick building with a pile of coal and miscellaneous debris beyond. In the distance is the tower of St Anselm’s, Whitworth.
Photo copyright Margaret Banham


Looking north along Cowm Park Way (North) in Facit; beyond the right bend at the railings it becomes Station Road. Cowm Park Way follows the trackbed of the railway for most of the route between Whitworth and Facit. The station at Facit was located in the area now occupied by the houses and gardens to the right, and the goods warehouse would have been directly behind the photographer.  The photo was taken in June 2015. St John’s Church, on the hill in the distance, is a useful landmark as the tower is seen on many of the photographs of Facit station. The other major landmark on older photos, the Spodden Mill chimneystack, has long been demolished.
Photo by Alan Young

Click here for Gallery 4:
Additional photos of Facit Station and quarry


 

 

 

[Source: Alan Young]



Last updated: Thursday, 18-May-2017 11:50:04 CEST
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