Station Name: WARDLEWORTH[Source:
Alan Young]
Gallery 3: Around Wardleworth
 Looking south-west from Greenbank Road (a short distance north of Wardleworth station) on 15 October 1960 as a freight train stands on the ‘down’ line of the Facit Branch. The ‘up’ line, closer to the camera, is reverting to nature. A wagon is seen on the siding beyond the train, and a loading gauge is still in place over the siding. No.46414, an Ivatt-designed Class 2F-B 2-6-0 loco, was built at the LMS Crewe works in February 1947 and was withdrawn from 13D, Northwich shed, on 30 June 1966 to be cut up by Birds, Long Marston, Warwickshire in December 1966. Greenbank schools are seen
beyond the railway. Photo by Ian G Holt  No.46414 on a freight near Fieldhouse Road, between Wardleworth and Shawclough & Healey stations, on 15 October 1960. The Ivatt-designed Class 2F-B 2-6-0 loco was built at the LMS Crewe works in February 1947 and was withdrawn from 13D, Northwich shed, on 30 June 1966 to be cut up by Birds, Long Marston, Warwickshire in December 1966.
Photo by Ian G Holt  On 28 July 1962 No.52523 is seen at Rochdale East (or Facit Branch) Junction. On this date the Roch Valley Railway Society’s ‘Salford Hundred Railtour’ visited Facit, hauled there by No.52523 and returning to Rochdale behind No.40063. 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 She was withdrawn on 30 September 1962 from 26C, Bolton shed, and disposed of by Campbells, Shieldhall in May 1963.
Photo by Ian G Holt  On 30 April 1963, looking south from Fieldhouse Road bridge, a weedkilling train is hauled by No. 42750 through Cronkleyshaw cutting between Wardleworth and Shawclough & Healey stations. The loco is a Hughes-designed ‘Crab’ 2-6-0 built in June 1927 at the LMS Crewe works. In August 1963 she was withdrawn from 39A, Gorton shed, to be cut up at Wards, Broughton Lane, Sheffield, in May 1964.
Photo by Richard S Greenwood  On 30 April 1963 looking south from Fieldhouse Road bridge a weedkilling train is hauled by No. 42750 through Cronkleyshaw cutting between Wardleworth and Shawclough & Healey stations. The loco is a Hughes-designed ‘Crab’ 2-6-0 built in June 1927 at the LMS Crewe works. In August 1963 she was withdrawn from 39A, Gorton shed, to be cut up at Wards, Broughton Lane, Sheffield, in May 1964.
Photo by Richard S Greenwood  A goods train from Wardleworth is seen north of the station, near Gale Street, in this undated view
 Looking north from above Whitworth Road Tunnel, the LCGB ‘Middleton Branch Brakevan Tour’ is seen on its return journey from Whitworth to Rochdale on 7 August 1965. The train originally consisted of nine brake vans but on its ‘down’ journey it stalled on the 1 in 59/62 gradient north of Wardleworth, and the loco propelled its load back to Wardleworth where five of the vans were detached. The four remaining vans completed the journey to Whitworth and back to Wardleworth, where the train was re-formed to the full nine vans. The loco, No.42343, a Fowler Class 4P-D 2-6-4T was built at the LMS Derby works in April 1929 and allocated the number 2343. About two months after her journey to Whitworth she was withdrawn from 13A, Trafford Park shed, and cut up by Cashmores, Great Bridge, in November 1965. The large building on the left is Minky’s kitchenware factory on Bentley Street.
Photo
by Barry Hilton
 The Locomotive Club of Great Britain and Roch Valley Railway Society organised the ‘L&Y Pug Rail Tour’ on 19 February 1967 to visit the surviving section of the Rochdale – Bacup line which terminated at Whitworth at this time. The train is seen here in Joy Street cutting between Wardleworth and Shawclough & Healey stations. The locomotive, BR No.51218 is an Aspinall 0-4-0 saddle tank, fondly known as a ‘Pug’. She was built at the LYR Horwich works in October 1901 and as a LYR Class 21 first carried the number 68, being re-numbered 11218 in LMS days. On 30 September 1964 she was withdrawn from 87A, Neath Court Sart shed, and was purchased by the L&Y Saddletanks Fund and housed on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. The Saddletanks Fund later became the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society, and more recently the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Trust, which now owns 51218. Three round trips were made on the tour between Rochdale and Whitworth; four brake vans were hauled by No.51218 and intermediate photo-stops were made at Wardleworth and Shawclough & Healey stations.
Photo by Ian G Holt
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