The Railways & Viaduct
The Healey Dell 5 mile branch line was part of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Company, and took 5 years to build. It was opened to passengers on the 1st of November 1870.
Coming into the Dell, the branch line curved northwards, hugging the hillside above the valley of the River Spodden. However, to get to Broadley Station, the branch had to cross over the river. To achieve this, the viaduct, built in 1867 of locally quarried stone, was erected some 31.5m high above the river, with 8 arches, each with a 24m span. The second viaduct marked the boundary of the Dell itself and provided road access to Broadley Station. This had a small goods yard consisting of two sidings, which came off a passing loop to the north.
About a quarter of a mile further along were Broadley Stone sidings, which serviced the Stone Rubbing Mill. The site consisted of a stone processing plant, crane, and loading platform from which the flagstones from the quarry were transferred to wagons. A connection with the main line was made at the southern end of the stone sidings as the northern end had been disconnected in 1899. There was a narrow gauge track which ran from the sidings that headed straight up to Rooley Moor where the wagons were pulled using ropes.
By 1900 the quarry concern had declined, and the rope-worked quarry line fell into disuse. However, Broadley Stone Sidings gained a new lease of life in 1910 when a further narrow gauge line was laid to serve Mycock Spring Mill dye works. The sidings were later used for coal in the 1950s.
Official closure of passenger trains on the Bacup line began on the 14th of December 1949. Until 1952 only light engines ran between Bacup and Rochdale, leaving a service of 2 coal goods trains per day from Rochdale to Facit Yard. By August 1967 the branch no longer existed.
Today the views are spectacular. There is no smoke or dirt, and the viaduct is home to the Sparrowhawk during the day, and bats at night!
