Biddulph Valley line

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The Biddulph Valley line was a double tracked railway line that ran from Stoke-on-Trent to Brunswick Wharf in Congleton. The line was named after the town of the same name , as it ran via the Staffordshire Moorlands and covered areas of East Staffordshire and Cheshire. [1]

Contents

Biddulph Valley line
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Brunswick Wharf
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Congleton
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Mossley Halt
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Biddulph
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Knypersley Halt
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Black Bull
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Chell Halt
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Ford Green & Smallthorne
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Milton Junction
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Bucknall and Northwood
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Stoke on Trent
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Fenton Manor tunnel (
106 yd
97 m
)
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Fenton Manor
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Biddulph Valley Way passing through the former Biddulph railway station Former station at Biddulph, now forms part of the Biddulph Way.jpg
Biddulph Valley Way passing through the former Biddulph railway station

Opening

The Biddulph Valley line was authorised by an act of parliament on 24 July 1854, with a budget of £190,000. It was promoted heavily by the owners of local collieries, including brothers James Bateman and John Bateman and the mayor of Congleton. [2]

Construction of the line began on 27 April 1858 and was built by the North Staffordshire Railway, who were responsible for opening of other lines in the surrounding areas of Staffordshire. [3]

The line opened in sections to mineral traffic, with the first part opening to Childerplay. Following another act of parliament in 1859, the remaining 4+12 miles of track were laid for mineral traffic with an additional £35,000, opening in 1860. [3]

Stations opened along the line in 1864. The stations at Ford Green & Smallthorne, Black Bull and Biddulph opened on the same day, 1 June 1864. Subsequently, halts at Chell, Knypersley and Mossley opened between 1890 and 1919. Passenger services ran from Stoke to Congleton, involving a reversal of direction at Congleton Junction where the Biddulph Valley line met the main line between Manchester London Road and Congleton.

The line was also linked to the Stoke–Leek line, which was connected to the same junction as the Churnet Valley Line, and the Waterhouses branch line.

Stations and halts

The line was connected to the same line as the Leek Brook to Stoke Line.

Decline

The stations along the line closed to passengers in 1927, due to low usage, while the halts closed earlier between 1923 and 1927; [3] freight traffic, mainly coal, continued.

Closure came in stages:

In 1952, a special passenger train ran from Crewe along four closed North Staffordshire railway lines; this included the Biddulph Valley Line. [5]

All stations, with the exception of Biddulph, were demolished after closure; the track was lifted from Bucknall and Northwood to the junction near Congleton.

Present day

The line from Stoke-on-Trent to Bucknall and Northwood remained in use for stone traffic to and from Oakamoor and Caldon, where it served the sand sidings and the quarries. Subsequently, the line was mothballed in 1988, as a result of this traffic ending.

The line from Ford Green and Smallthorne to Mossley, via Biddulph, now forms the Biddulph Valley Way and is used by cyclists and walkers; it follows the course of the entire line.

References

  1. "Potteries Bidduplh and Congleton Railway". PastScape. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  2. Donald J. Grant (31 October 2017). Directory of the Railway Companies of Great Britain. Troubador Publishing Ltd. p. 458. ISBN   978-1-78803-768-6 . Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Activities and Information About the Biddulph Valley Way". Cheshire East Council . Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  4. Allan. C Baker. An Illustrated History of Stoke and North Staffordshire's Railways. Irwell Press. p. 54. ISBN   1-903266-11-4.
  5. "RAILWAY ENTHUSIASTS' UNUSUAL TRIP". Staffordshire Weekly Sentinel. 3 May 1952. p. 4.