Todmorden Curve

[wadey]

Winterbutlee Tunnel, Walsden, 1925

Winterbutlee Tunnel and textile mills, Walsden, 1925 | Britain from Above

[Gremlin]

I think the timetable gave it 63 minutes.
It took us 35 minutes from Machester Victoria to Todmorden a few weeks ago.
Me and my brother caught the train to Rochdale them tram to Victoria then train back to Todmorden.
We just decided it would pass Sunday afternoon away and it was an enjoyable trip.

[wadey]

Thanks Gremlin, have used the train from Tod a few times but from Accrington to Manchester for work would be a good three hours on your day

[yerself]

Originally Posted by wadey

Just out of interest, how long will it take on the train from Accrington to Manchester Piccadilly ?

A long while, it's going to Victoria.

[Gremlin]

One of the highlights of the journey to Manchester from Accrington is the journey through the Summit tunnel. It was the longest in the world when it was opened in about 1841.
There was a massive fire there on the 20th December 1984 when a train hauling petrol tankers caught fire. The tunnel was closed for a while but eventually after inspection it was found to be repairable thanks to the magnificent work of the original Victorian engineers.
Yesterday I had a ride off road with my brother and crossing the Calderbrook moor we looked down on the vent shaft which bore the brunt of the fire. It's still shored up.
The quarry in the distance is where a lot of clay was dug to make the bricks for the tunnel.
We continued over the moor and the tunnel runs under the place I took the third photo.
Fourth photo is looking down on another vent shaft, covered over to stop the local idiots bombing the train. The Calderbrook road below has been closed for years and is totally blocked.
My kind hearted brother opening the gate for me.
The house is where my brother lived and where the photo for the magazine was taken in the next photo.
I recently went with my brother from Todmorden to Rochdale via the tunnel and then tram to Manchester Victoria station where we caught a train back through the tunnel to Todmorden. Not once was the breath sucked out of my body as the old Victorians though it would.

[keep the faith]

Take a vitual reality train ride on the new Todmorden curve link to Manchester. Interesting high speed film showing the track from Blackburn through Accrington and Todmorden etc.

Todmorden Curve opens: Watch historic first train journey from Blackburn to Manchester - Accrington Observer

[talentedbutslow]

If I recall rightly,I used to travel from Accrington via Bury to Manchester Victoria in around 40-45 minutes before they closed the line in 1966.
This is progress???

Tal

[Gremlin]

I managed to get a photo of the train on the curve today.