HB1 Dam Lane Junction HB2 Glazebrook West Junction As you look over the bridge parapet down the line towards You are standing on Dam Head Lane bridge No.182 looking west towards Liverpool, you are almost looking due west across Rixton and Liverpool. In the post war era this was one of the busiest goods lines in the Risley Moss with the cooling towers of Fiddlers Ferry visible in country, mainly transporting coal from the Yorkshire and Lancashire coal the distance. Birchwood Station is two miles Halt, Manchester and Liverpool. Prior to 1964 you would have been able to see all three junctions from this point that connected the main line to the Wigan Factory which had a railway of its own, although little remains of this today. controlled this busy junction – Dam Lane, Glazebrook Moss and Glazebrook Turning around and looking over the bridge behind you to the West. east you can see the outline of where the branch line swept Today from this vantage point the curve of the disused railway to Culcheth north east. The small quaint row of station cottages follow the and Wigan is clearly visible. The triangular field in between was bounded by start of the Wigan Junction line heading off North East on a the three junctions which collectively made up Glazebrook West Junction. tight 37 chain (745m) curve to Moss junction. Looking eastward over the other side of the bridge the wooded area you see today was once part of the expanse of Glazebrook West Junction. HB3 Wigan Junction Railway You are now looking at the disused Wigan Junction Railway which joined the main line behind. Built in 1879 the line to Wigan and St. Helens was principally to access the rich Lancashire coal fields. However, there were HB4 Bank Street Bridge also regular passenger services, the busiest being from Wigan to Irlam, Looking east you see Glazebrook Station. Now fenced which was scheduled to suit the times of the shift changes at the Irlam the station sidings to the right are lifted and overgrown Steel Works. Looking North West, the disused line is clearly visible today and the ten points and crossovers that once allowed as the 37 chain (730mtr) curves towards Glazebrook Moss Junction shunting in and around the station removed. On your where it meets the north east curve from Dam Lane Junction. This would right would have been the sidings and a 5 ton crane for have been just visible with its traditional Cheshire Lines Committee signal off-loading goods. A hundred yards to the left would box at the point where the line from Dam Lane Junction joined, forming have been the turntable for turning locos around. in November 1964 and finally to freight in 1968. The tracks were lifted and the land sold to the adjoining farms. Plan of Walk HB5 HB3 HB6 HB4 HB2 Glazebrook Village Green HB1 Lane B 5212 Glazebrook HB6 Glazebrook Station HB5 Glazebrook East Junction passengers and goods and is identical to Padgate and Station just over a mile away. Before that, just over the River many other Cheshire Lines stations. In its heyday Glaze, is Glazebrook East Junction which was the start of the Glazebrook was a very busy place with passengers In 1893 the line was realigned following the construction of the For a small village and station it offered a surprisingly Manchester Ship Canal and served the coaling basin as well as Irlam Steel Works. The station closed to passengers in 1964 and to freight in1981, but remains a protected route engines, machines on wheels and eventually passenger and could be reopened in the future. The line, sidings and cars. By 1938 the list had grown to include horse boxes branch line to the North canal coaling basin remained in use and cattle vans, a very similar capability to the much servicing British Tar Products until 1996. larger station a mile down the line at Irlam. During WWII The signal box, clearly visible, lies just over the three arches Cenotaph the station was heavily used to service the military camps on River Glaze bridge. The signal box was replaced when the Bank Street. canal opened in 1895 and used to have 80 levers to control Start Point Box Signal Junction Lane Dam Drinking Fountain Fountain Drinking Sidings Station Glazebrook original and Station Glazebrook [ref:HB1] before before [ref:HB1] railway history over page page over history railway to reference some some reference to to Liverpool. At At Liverpool. to railway line from Manchester Manchester from line railway the the at Hollingreave Farm. Keep straight on up up on straight Keep Farm. Hollingreave at range on your right, to the the to right, your on range of the expanse of Glazebrook West Junction. Junction. West Glazebrook of expanse the of and turn right right turn and on your right. After 220m emerge onto Dam Lane Lane Dam onto emerge 220m After right. your on Glazebrook Lane bridge. [ref: HB4] Looking to the the to Looking HB4] [ref: bridge. Lane Glazebrook field towards the houses, keeping hedge and ditch ditch and hedge keeping houses, the towards field on the Manchester platform, stands the original original the stands platform, Manchester the on on the main line towards Irlam, just before the the before just Irlam, towards line main the on step then continue along edge of of edge along continue then step the end of the Liverpool platform. Across the track, track, the Across platform. Liverpool the of end the clear view of the platforms on Glazebrook Station Station Glazebrook on platforms the of view clear fence on your your on fence eastwards over the bridge to your left left your to bridge the over eastwards field and follow path, keeping hedge and then then and hedge keeping path, follow and field carved barge boards and finely detailed windows. windows. detailed finely and boards barge carved the corner of Bank Street and turn right. Looking Looking right. turn and Street Bank of corner the metal gate. Cross next stile in 30m into into 30m in stile next Cross gate. metal the platform reminds one of bygone times with the the with times bygone of one reminds platform the to to 160m further a for lane the along Continue Road Road is in a state of disrepair. However, the view from from view the However, disrepair. of state a in is From the car park turn left down Manchester Manchester down left turn park car the From the station, incorporating a more modern extension, extension, modern more a incorporating station, the HB3] [ref: ahead. Junction Moss Glazebrook to up as you approach Glazebrook Station. The rear of of rear The Station. Glazebrook approach you as walk. scenic lovely a on gently cottages cottages then and once crossed the now disused Wigan Junction Junction Wigan disused now the crossed once areas railway history, whilst guiding you you guiding whilst history, railway areas cross the road, turning left downhill downhill left turning road, the cross - re refully Ca WJN01. This bridge bridge This WJN01. N bridge, second a to right o (HB) over page provide a snapshot of the the of snapshot a provide page over (HB) Continue along Dam Head Lane as it bears bears it as Lane Head Dam along Continue map and numbered Heritage Boards Boards Heritage numbered and map the start of Glazebrook East Junction. [ref: HB5] HB5] [ref: Junction. East Glazebrook of start the but carrying the name Glazebrook. The The Glazebrook. name the carrying but just over the River Glaze in Cadishead, Cadishead, in Glaze River the over just signal box is clearly visible just beyond where the the where beyond just visible clearly is box signal to look over the bridge to what is today a a today is what to bridge the over look to Glazebrook and the East Junction sited sited Junction East the and Glazebrook the main line to the east where Glazebrook East East Glazebrook where east the to line main the history [ref:HB2] before carefully crossing the lane lane the crossing carefully before [ref:HB2] history the West in in West the — junctions two have to railway junctions in the country. It used used It country. the in junctions railway cottages is afforded as you reach the the reach you as afforded is cottages to Dam Head Lane bridge. Pause here on the left left the on here Pause bridge. Lane Head Dam to Glazebrook once had one of the busiest busiest the of one had once Glazebrook delightful delightful 350m, just past Rose Cottage, ascend the hill up up hill the ascend Cottage, Rose past just 350m, and footpaths, it is hard to imagine that that imagine to hard is it footpaths, and Lane towards the station. In 110m, a a 110m, In station. the towards Lane Head Lane. Turn left up Dam Head Lane and in in and Lane Head Dam up left Turn Lane. Head meander through the quiet country lanes lanes country quiet the through meander to Hollingreave Farm at the junction with Dam Dam with junction the at Farm Hollingreave to As you you As Road. Manchester on park car Leave the bridge and retrace your steps back back steps your retrace and bridge the Leave The walk starts from the Black Swan pub pub Swan Black the from starts walk The Return to Glazebrook Lane and turn right. In There is a surprising amount of railway history in 250m, opposite Glazebrook Village Green, turn Rixton-with-Glazebrook and Irlam and Cadishead. right down Bank Street.