When the Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge Railway was built in 1861, crossing the Medlock Valley on a high viaduct, a branch led right through to the Rocher Vale works. Scrap iron was brought in by rail to be made into iron and steel goods.
The tramway to the canal was still used, however, and in 1865, the horses which had been used to pull the wagons, were replaced by a small locomotive engine called "The Ashtonian." This had to be specially designed to have a funnel that hinged downwards and the driver would have to kneel down to enable it to pass through the tunnel between the foot of the viaduct and Rocher Vale, which was only six feet high and five feet wide!
This is the only picture i could find of the train
The tramway to the canal was still used, however, and in 1865, the horses which had been used to pull the wagons, were replaced by a small locomotive engine called "The Ashtonian." This had to be specially designed to have a funnel that hinged downwards and the driver would have to kneel down to enable it to pass through the tunnel between the foot of the viaduct and Rocher Vale, which was only six feet high and five feet wide!
This is the only picture i could find of the train
Visited with stonecoldaustin having found this as a kid i always wanted to revisit it and see if it had been filed in to my suprise it was still there
The entrance
looking down the tunnel
The entrance
Looking back out towards the entrance
looking down the tunnel
Having got halfway in it seemed to have been bricked off at some point and looks like it was reinforced
Looking back from the other side of the wall
Stonecouldaustin showing how wide it was and tall he is only 5 foot 7
Heres me trying to do something i dont know what :crazy
the roof of the tunnel with soot deposits on
Now the end off the line i dont know if it had been backfilled or collapsed but i was sure was not going to start moving stuff in here
Now time to get out of here before stonecoldaustin started moving stuff
Thanks for looking
Looking back from the other side of the wall
Stonecouldaustin showing how wide it was and tall he is only 5 foot 7
Heres me trying to do something i dont know what :crazy
the roof of the tunnel with soot deposits on
Now the end off the line i dont know if it had been backfilled or collapsed but i was sure was not going to start moving stuff in here
Now time to get out of here before stonecoldaustin started moving stuff
I tried looking for the other end but could not find it i have a idea where it came out but it looks like it has has been filled in
Thanks for looking