Site of Dove Farm

These stables off Green Lane are on the site of Dove Farm.

Dove Farm, built in 1675 and enlarged in 1781, was said to be haunted by hounds.

Sadly the farm was demolished in the 1970s.

Through Godley Arches

Last Sunday I showed you the steps to Godley Station.

Turning left at the bottom of that set, before descending to the road, I took a photograph through one of the Godley Arches.

You can see the arches and the steps from street level in a post from January 2007.

See more Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

Shadow Shot Sunday:Godley Steps

These steps lead up the Glossop-bound platform at Godley Station.

The original coloured version can be seen on Geograph.

For more shadow shots visit Hey Harriet.

Swindells Fold

The white house here on the footpath continuation of Brookfold Lane at Godley is Swindells Fold.

The house below, Beech Cottage, has a plaque dating it as 1927 and it seems probable that it was built on land that was originally part of Swindells Fold.

Railway Relics

Recently I took you to the end of the line at Godley.

In the undergrowth I found these relics of the old line.

The "Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC)" route from Godley Junction to Apethorn opened in 1866. Following the electrification of the Woodhead line in 1954 and until 1981 when the through route to Sheffield closed, Godley was where trains to and from the Liverpool district changed from diesel or steam to electric traction. The main traffic on the line consisted of trains from the Yorkshire coalfield to the Fiddlers Ferry power station.

More railway remnants can be see on Hyde DP Xtra.

See more R posts at ABC Wednesday.

End of the line at Godley

Last year I showed you the end of the line at Apethorn.

For non-regular readers, the line I refer to is the former Godley to Apethorn railway line which ran from Godley Junction to Woodley carrying mainly coal trains from the Yorkshire coalfields to Fiddler's Ferry Power Station on the Mersey.

It has all gone now and this footpath from the Brookfold Lane bridge is a dead end.



I walked up to the fence and poked my lens through. Ahead is the current electrified line from Manchester to Glossop. To the left is the remains of Godley Junction station.

Weekend Reflections: Godley Green

This is Green Lane at Godley Green.

It is part of the Trans Pennine Trail which stretches from Southport on the West coast via Liverpool to Hull and Hornsea on the East coast.

In the other direction from here it goes North down Green Lane towards the old Godley to Apethorn railway as you can see on Hyde DP Xtra.

For an even closer look at the reflection in the puddle, vist Ackworth born, gone West.

Check out more weekend reflections at Newtown Area Photos.

Under the Railway at Godley Hill

This archway lies halfway down Station Road, Godley.

To the right the road leads to the old Godley Junction station.

To the left the road leads down to the Godley Arches and the new station.

Through the single arch, the road ahead leads to the hamlet of Godley Hill on one side and the Kerry Foods factory on the other.

Go to Hyde DP Xtra for a view of a train crossing the top of the arch.

Station Road, Godley

This is Station Road at Godley leading to Godley Junction station as was.

Godley Junction was where electric traction gave way to diesel. Coal wagons enroute from the Yorkshire coalfields to Fiddlers Ferry had to change here. When the Woodhead route closed in 1981, Godley Junction had no rationale as a passenger station and was replaced by a new station simply named Godley, but pending formal closure proceedings was renamed Godley East and served by a handful of trains on weekdays to fulfil legal requirements.

You can see the marshalling yards at Godley Junction on Old Hyde and the new station at the other end of Station Road on Hyde DP Xtra.

Under The Godley Arches

These are the Godley Arches over the A57 on the East side of Hyde.

Just to the left, on the embankment, is Godley station and the entrance for Manchester-bound trains.

The entrance for Glossop-bound trains is on the other side of the arches.

Godley Station replaced the now closed and disappeared Godley East Station, aka Godley Junction, where a freight-only branch line ran towards Woodley.

The A57 is an old road that ran from Lincoln via Worksop, Sheffield, Glossop, Hyde, Manchester and Warrington to Liverpool. This section is now by-passed by the M67 Motorway.

The railway line carries trains from Manchester Piccadilly to Glossop, but at one time it went all the way to Sheffield via the Woodhead Tunnel. Nowadays at Dinting Junction all that is left of that old route is a short spur to Hadfield.

See the arches from the end of Station Road on Hyde DP Xtra.

Godley Hill War Memorial

Hidden away behind the trees on the left of Wednesday's photograph of Godley Hill Road is the War Memorial.

According to the Tameside.gov.uk website

Originally, the monument was in what the press of the time described as "a handsome park." Nowadays, the memorial is a little dilapidated and stands almost forgotten among a few trees - all that remains of the park.

The monument consists of a small granite obelisk in the centre of a circular flower bed and the area is surrounded by a low wall. Access is through the small metal gates, both of which bear the date 1953. In front of the memorial, on the flower bed, is a cube-shaped white receptacle for holding flowers bearing the words "In memory of the fallen of Godley Hill" On the flower-bed wall are stumps which once would have been connected with chains.

The front inscription reads "Erected in honour and deep gratitude to the men who fought for liberty and freedom in the great world war 1914-1919."

It was unveiled by Daniel Adamson of Longlands on July 17th, 1920.

Outside the memorial gardens is a bench which can viewed on Ackworth born, gone West.

Godley Hill Road

The fine row of terraced houses are on Godley Hill Road.

The road behind us leads into the Kerry Foods Factory, which is visible from Windy Harbour and other viewpoints.

For other G posts visit ABC Wednesday.

Looking Down on Newton Station

Today we are looking down on the Manchester to Glossop railway line from just above Newton for Hyde station.

In the background is the tower of St John the Baptist at Godley.

Godley/Newton Cricket Ground

Yesterday I promised to show you some green grass.

What could be better than a village cricket ground?

OK it was sometime in October when I walked past the cricket ground in Godley and there was no-one actually playing, but you can't have everything can you?

I've been informed that it is actually Newton Cricket Club, although the ground is in Godley, separated from Newton by the M67. Newton Cricket Club celebrates it's centenary in 2012.

M67 past Longlands

Recently I brought you Barmhouse Lane Bridge over the M67 motorway and showed you the view looking West towards Hyde.

This is the view looking East. Mid-week and mid-afternoon it may well seem very quiet, but if you look at the signs, you'll notice it is about to drop from 3 lanes to two as it approaches the end of the motorway at Hattersley. About a mile beyond this point it crosses over the lane by Westwood Farm from where there can be standing traffic.

Look closely (as always, do click on the photograph to view the larger version) and you should see a mobile phone mast. It is the same one as can be seen in another photograph from last year, Edge of Hattersley.


As I said then, Linda in Australia was seeking information about Longlands because she went to school there in the summer of 1967 but Longlands was demolished to make way for the M67 Hyde By-Pass.

This second photograph was taken from the lane leading from Tetlow Farm at the top of Barmhouse Lane to the bridge, looking across grazing land to Longlands Wood.

Where that wood is now, there used to be a school but it ain't there now!

Godley Reservoir South

Walk up Barmhouse Lane and you will come to Godley Reservoir, best seen in the distance from Werneth Low.

The footpath leading down past the Southern end of the reservoir comes out near Godley Station.


The reservoir embankment can be glimpsed through the trees behind the fence from the station platform.

Barmhouse Lane Bridge

For our contribution on the first Monday of the month to Broer som Binder [Bridges between], we have walked up Barmhouse Lane and past Godley Reservoir.

A smaller lane leads off it and crosses the M67 motorway using this bridge. It services a farm and beyond that there are only muddy footpaths towards Matley Moor.


This is the view looking West from the bridge as the motorway heads into Hyde.

I returned back over the bridge and followed the Godley Bridleway on the South side of the motorway.

More details of and links to other participants to Broer som Binder can be found on Visual Norway.

Both ways from Godley

This is Godley Station on Christmas Eve 2008 with the Manchester-bound train in the distance.

This view is in the opposite direction towards Godley East, Hattersley and Glossop.

Today on Old Hyde is a photograph of the station from March 1989.

High Street Terraces

These terraces on Godley High Street close to St John's are dated 1860 but have quite evidently been much modernised in recent years.

Autumn view of St John's

A few weeks ago I posted a picture of the tower of St John's, Godley.

Today I am showing you a little more. This view is looking Westwards from across Sheffield Road.

Sheffield Road was once a busy thoroughfare, but it was cut in two by the building of the M67, so now this section is a leafy cul-de-sac of large houses across from the church.

In answer to questions made in previous comments; it was built in 1847 and is still a very active community church.