A Goose's Gander — Stop 5
George visits Micklehurst Station
George was spending the day train spotting at Micklehurst Station. He liked the hubbub of the station and the goods yard next to it.
Illustration by children of Micklehurst All Saints
Today he had counted 37 trains in each direction, all carrying goods to and from Yorkshire. When the line first opened in 1886 he knew it had been meant for passengers but it was so quiet that it only lasted for 19 years before becoming a goods line.
He liked to listen to the noise of the men shouting as they pushed waggons around and the whistles and hooters of the engines approaching.
The nearby houses would shake when the trains went through, especially when the coal was being delivered to Hartshead Power Station further down the valley. George loved watching the trains trundle over the tall viaduct to cross Micklehurst Rd.
George planned one day to hop on a train and whizz up to Diggle but today he decided to head down to the canal and go fishing instead… as usual!
A fast train went through on the Micklehurst line late each night and nearly shook people out of their beds on Cheshire Street!