Geograph - photograph every grid square

Just west of the former Godley Junction station beyond the bridge over Brookfold Road was a small marshalling yard and a turntable.

Here is where trains heading for Fiddler's Ferry power station via Warrington Arpley would exchange locomotives. The whole point of the Godley Junction to Apethorn railway was to carry Yorkshire coal to Lancashire for burning in one way or another. Originally the trains were steam hauled but after electrification of the Woodhead line in the 1950s the class 76 electric locos would draw the train onto the branch and un-couple before running around and departing; subsequently, a diesel loco would appear and hook-on for the remainder of the trip. Freight services over Woodhead ended in 1981 and this line became redundant.

The only passenger service was the overnight from Marylebone which divided here, with its Liverpool portion headed off down the Cheshire Lines tracks to Woodley and Stockport Tiviot Dale.

The turntable was left for nature to take over with trees growing through it. In 2015 Sustran volunteers started work on clearing the undergrowth and renovating the site.

Photographs of the turntable in use can be found on Old Hyde Link

Godley Turntable on Facebook: Link