We visited Healey Dell on 18 May 2014.
Following the path from the car park, under the viaduct and along the River Spodden we headed up the valley before returning via the disused railway line.
Following the path from the car park, under the viaduct and along the River Spodden we headed up the valley before returning via the disused railway line.
Heading under the viaduct.
The viaduct was built from locally quarried stone, it is 31.5m high above the river, with 8 arches each with a 24m span.
It was built in 1867 and carried the Rochdale to Bacup Branch line of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. The line was 5 miles long and took 5 years to build, it opened to passengers on 1 November 1870.
The construction of the branch line proved difficult, in May 1868 The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways Chief Civil Engineer, Sturges Meek reported problems with the thick local clay and silt that on a number of occasions slid down embankments and into cuttings.
The viaduct was built from locally quarried stone, it is 31.5m high above the river, with 8 arches each with a 24m span.
It was built in 1867 and carried the Rochdale to Bacup Branch line of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. The line was 5 miles long and took 5 years to build, it opened to passengers on 1 November 1870.
The construction of the branch line proved difficult, in May 1868 The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways Chief Civil Engineer, Sturges Meek reported problems with the thick local clay and silt that on a number of occasions slid down embankments and into cuttings.
Another view of the viaduct as we neared the River.
The River Spodden flows through a tree lined valley with rocky outcrops and waterfalls. The river rises in the Pennines above Whitworth and winds South through Rochdale where it eventually merges with the River Roch.
The waterfall above is located just above the site of an old mill.
The waterfall above is located just above the site of an old mill.
Known as the Owd Mill I'th The Thrutch this was a Fulling Mill to process locally produced wool.
The photograph is of one of two stone arches that span the river.
These originally supported the walls of a perching room which formed part of the mill. It was constructed in 1676 and owned by the Chadwick family until the late 19th Century.
It was sited here to make use of water power generated by the river via a waterwheel. The cloth being made was woolen and in order to make it wearable it was finished in a process called Fulling which changed the weave from a loose knit to a dense closely knitted material.
The process originally involved soaking the material in a concoction of liquids and then pounding it using the workers feet. In 1863 the process was mechanised when a boiler house and chimney were built on the site. This provided 2 hp although by 1880 this had improved to 9 hp. Instead of using workers feet the engine drove wooden hammers that hammered the material in stone troughs. The waterwheel on the site measured 1.5m wide with an approximate diameter of 10.5m.
The photograph is of one of two stone arches that span the river.
These originally supported the walls of a perching room which formed part of the mill. It was constructed in 1676 and owned by the Chadwick family until the late 19th Century.
It was sited here to make use of water power generated by the river via a waterwheel. The cloth being made was woolen and in order to make it wearable it was finished in a process called Fulling which changed the weave from a loose knit to a dense closely knitted material.
The process originally involved soaking the material in a concoction of liquids and then pounding it using the workers feet. In 1863 the process was mechanised when a boiler house and chimney were built on the site. This provided 2 hp although by 1880 this had improved to 9 hp. Instead of using workers feet the engine drove wooden hammers that hammered the material in stone troughs. The waterwheel on the site measured 1.5m wide with an approximate diameter of 10.5m.
The stone troughs where the materail would have been pummeled by the mills timber hammers.
Remenents of the mill wall close to where the mill wheel would have been.
A Jay watches us pass by.
More waterfalls above the mill site.
The remains of trees that have been washed down stream.
The remains of Broadley Station, this originally had a goods yard consisting of two sidings.
The station was closed to passengers in 1947 and to goods in 1952 before being completely closed in 1954.
During later years locomotives using the line included Austerity 2-8-0 Freight Trains and Ivatt Moguls.
The station was closed to passengers in 1947 and to goods in 1952 before being completely closed in 1954.
During later years locomotives using the line included Austerity 2-8-0 Freight Trains and Ivatt Moguls.
Another view of the station platforms
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway marker.
Another marker protruding from an embankment.
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