A History of Glossop Railway Line & Beyond...

A History of Glossop, Manchester & The Woodhead Railway Line

Part 2 of 6 - Glossop -"The Link to Foreign Lands"

The Glossop branch was built by the 13^th Duke of Norfolk when the historic Manchester to Sheffield line bypassed the town in 1845. The Duke gave his land and paid all the expenses for the one mile extension from Dinting Vale to Glossop. The initial station was complete with a private waiting room with a fire place and a small room for the station master, porters and other staff. Glossop station was initially for the sole use of the Duke of Norfolk when he resided during the summer months at his manor house, Glossop Hall. 

Glossop Central opened for goods traffic on 9^th June passenger traffic began on 30^th June 1845.

Glossop station provided a direct link to the outside world, as there was only one stage coach that ventured out of the town a week to Manchester and Sheffield before the railway was built. The Duke welcomed new shipments of coal, slate & wood. He saw the potential for growth and commissioned a goods depot and yard adjacent to Glossop Central in 1847. The goods yard was complete with the Lord Howards Lion, which still stands to this day, a reminder the Duke freely gave his land and money.

The railway was responsible for the rapid growth of the town, throughout the late 1800s. Over 50 mills scattered the valley dependant on a variety of shipments such as cotton from America and timber from Scandinavia.  The Duke of Norfolk sold the line and gained double profit to what would become the Great Central Railway.

The station was renamed on 10^th July 1922 as Glossop Central.

Glossop Central expanded the passenger section of the station opening a booking office in 1847 and a waiting room for the 1^st and 2^nd Classes. The station also had refurbishments in 1912 when the iron stanchions were put up that still exist today. As the town began to thrive a second passenger platform was built.

The railway transported local troops during the two world wars which proved to be a great asset as some of the Glossop men were in the first wave of the Dunkirk landings. They also brought evacuees from Lowestoft to safety in Glossop

During the early 1940’s Glossop, along with the rest of the Manchester and Sheffield via Woodhead line, were making preparations for electrification but was halted due to the 2nd World War.  The line was the first all-electric line in Britain with the first electric train arriving in 1954. The station was refurbished to meet the needs of the new trains but resulted in the closer of the waiting rooms.

In the 1980s the goods yard was closed then in 1982  the second platform closed.

In 2002 Friends of Glossop Station (FOGS) were set up and set upon saving and preserving the historic station. They were responsible for new improvements including new skylights reopening and renovation of the waiting rooms and a new booking office in 2011. 

By Matthew Cox

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A History of Glossop Railway Line & Beyond...

A History of Glossop, Manchester & The Woodhead Railway Line

"The One at the End" - Part One of Six

Glossop Railway Station opened on 9th June 1845 and grew to be one of the biggest assets to the town providing an essential link “to the outside world” a direct link to both Manchester and Sheffield. The railway was responsible for the massive Industrial Revolution that took place within the Glossopdale and Longdendale Valley so much so the Duke of Norfolk commissioned a goods yard just a year later.

Glossop Station in the 1950's

At the highest point during the 1800s Glossop had over 15 different industries including cotton, rope and paper. The railway brought endless amounts of raw material into the town such as raw cotton from North America and thousands of logs from Scandinavia.

Glossop Station has been invaluable over the years providing many different services for a variety of different needs. The railway transported local soldiers, some of which were in the first wave of the Dunkirk landings and brought evacuees from Lowestoft during the Second World War. The first Electric train arrived in 1956. There are many other stories to tell including more recent events in 2009 when thirteen passenger carriages arrived at Glossop to take the team and fans of Glossop North End Football Club on a direct route to Wembley for the FA Vase Final.

Part 2 - "A Noble Beginning" I will post next week.

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Over Exposed on Higher Shelf Stones - Glossop

Over Exposed

Glossop is well known for the vast amount of plane wrecks that litter our surrounding moorland. It attracts many walkers, climbers’ historians and explorers from around the globe.  The subject has lured many photographers and film crews over the years and they have become the centre of legends.

There are over 50 wrecks in our area and every single one of them has their own story to tell. The most famous of them is the Boeing B29 Superfortress, “Over Exposed”, on Higher Shelf Stones.

The Superfortress was not a standard B29 heavy bomber; she was actually an RB-29, the photographic reconnaissance variant of the aircraft. Soon after the end of the war it became imperative for the western powers to monitor the build-up and deployment of Soviet troops. So photo missions were flown from the UK right up until the end of the Cold War. "Over Exposed" was one of three RB-29s which were tasked to assist with the deploying of the "Able" atomic bomb.

Results at Bikini Atoll

On July 1st 1946, B29 Superfortress "Dave's Dream", accompanied by "Over Exposed", took off from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands to take part in Operation Crossroads - the Atomic Bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. The B29 was to drop an atomic bomb which was to explode over Bikini Atoll Lagoon. It was then the job of "Over Exposed” and its 25 cameras to photograph 'Dave's Dream', the bomb being released and then to return a few days later, to record results.  The results were truly devastating although they evacuated everyone from the nearby island they sunk three destroyers and two aircraft carriers of their own. 

The Superfortress “Over Exposed” crashed on the 3^rd November 1948, killing all thirteen crew members. Apart from the crew the aircraft was carrying sacks of mail homeward bound to the USA, and a payroll of £7,000 for the staff at Burtonwood.

Sixty four years on, many of the major structural parts remain such as the undercarriage struts, pulley wheels for internal control cables, and even large sections of the fuselage, have survived the ravishes of the Bleaklow weather. The most instantly recognisable parts of the aeroplane are the four 18 cylinder Wright R-3350-23 engines, which are in a remarkable state of preservation.

One of the Wright R-3350-23 engines

A few years ago a gun turret from the RB-29 was found in near perfect condition. It was believed that it had been preserved near a river and was dislodged by recent flooding. It was brought off the moorland by some of the Glossop Mountain Rescue Team and put on display at the Glossop Heritage Centre for the 60^th Anniversary of the crash. 


 By Matthew Cox

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Masons Arms, Hadfield

The Mason’s Arms in Hadfield near Glossop was a purpose built public house in 1853 by Timothy Holroyd’s Brewery.  The first landlord to take on the pub was Len Wadsworth at the relatively young age of 25; however, the first mention of him being a licensee in local directories was not until 1855. In the 1861 censes it states that Len had a wife called Hannah and had four children. Len Wadsworth stayed the licensee until 1891 he would have been 61.

Between 1896 and 1897 the pub was bought by several breweries until it was purchased by Moss Side Brewery and stayed so, until 1910 when the company went into liquidation.  The landlord at the time was John Nelson and is quoted in local archive newspapers to have said “these times are hard for us all, but we shall survive”.

The renewal of the licence was opposed in 1933, and was referred for compensation. The renewal was accepted after an appeal. A full licence was granted in 1956.  Then in 1964 Harry Dodd became licensee and it was not until 1972 when was given permission to by the shop next door and make into the lounge.

Unfortunately the Mason’s Arm’s has been taken over and been converted to a Tesco store. 

What do you think? Did you want it to remain a public house or do you want it to be a shop or another alternative community use?

What are your memories of the Mason’s Arms?

Get in touch...

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Royal Flying Corps

Royal Flying Corps

On April 13^th 1912 King George V signed a royal warrant establishing the Royal Flying Corps. The early days of military flying became a reliable cost effective way of reconnaissance. Initially the Royal Flying Corps (FRC) consisted of a Military and a Naval Wing with the Military Wing that was made up of 133 officers, and by the end of that year it had 12 manned balloons and 36 aeroplanes.

The RFC's motto was Per ardua ad astra ("Through adversity to the stars"). This remains the motto of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other Commonwealth air forces.

The RFC's first fatal crash was on 5 July 1912 near Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain. Killed were Captain Eustace B. Loraine and his observer, Staff Sergeant R.H.V. Wilson, flying from Larkhill Aerodrome. An order was issued after the crash stating "Flying will continue this evening as usual", thus beginning a tradition.

These vital preparations were worth the wait in gold when war broke in 1914. The Royal Flying Corps produced a country wide recruitment drive to entice 18 to 30 year old men to take to the skies. It is believed, that a member of the Howard family stepped forward in this early period. There are also some suggestions that this conscription push came to Glossop. There is a tiny piece hidden away in an article found in one of the local papers in 1914 adverting positions for The Royal Flying Corps.

Do you know anyone from Glossop who was involved with The Royal Flying Corps?

The pay was good, from two shillings a day for a Mechanic unto nine shillings a day for a Warrant Officer. The RFC were also responsible for the manning and operation of observation balloons on the Western front.

It was in 1918 when The Royal Flying Corps merged with the RAF witch still exists today. By the end of the Great War, the RFC had 3,300 aircraft with 5,182 pilots in service.

If you know someone who served with The Royal Flying Corps or documents of a recruitment drive in Glossop please get in touch.

By M. Cox

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Over One Hundred Years of Benefit

In the year nineteen hundred and twelve the National Insurance Act was introduced which was, however, passed by the government the year before. This would see the first major benefits for not only the sick but the unemployed. The first stepping stones towards the National Health Service we have today.

The new National Insurance Act specified that every worker who earned under £160 a year had to insure themselves by paying 4 pence a week, the employer paid 3 pence a week, and the general taxation paid 2 pence. As a result, workers could take sick leave and be paid 10 shillings a week for the first 13 weeks and 5 shillings/week for the next 13 weeks. Workers also gained access to free treatment for tuberculosis and the sick were eligible for treatment by a panel doctor.

Unemployment had risen by 30% nationally the previous year but in Glossop there was a population just over 21,000 according to the 1911 census of which there was around 60 unemployed. The worker gave 2.5 pence/week when employed, the employer 2.5 pence, and the taxpayer 3 pence. After one week of unemployment, the worker would be eligible of receiving 7 shillings/week for up to 15 weeks in a year.

More than one hundred years on unemployment is at an all-time high Glossop’s current population is around 30,000 according to the latest census with over 900 unemployed, however, there is more than 6,000 retirees. 

By M.R Cox

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Icelandic Airline Crash 1951 - Crow Stones Edge on Howden Moors

Icelandic Airline Crash 1951

The Airspeed Consul TF-RPM of Icelandic Airline crashed 12th April 1951at Crow Stones Edge on Howden Moors.

The aircraft had begun life as an Oxford in 1942 and was used by the RAF and was used for training purposes. The aircraft manufacturer re-purchased the Oxford and converted it for civilian use by adding windows and passenger seats. The Consul was purchased by an Icelandic airline and was on its delivery flight from Croydon piloted by Pall Magnusson aged twenty six, and acting as the wireless operator was an Englishman, Alexander Watson aged forty two and a passenger another Icelander Johann Rist aged thirty five.

The Oxford before being converted to a passenger plane

It is thought that the pilot decided to fly visual rather than on instruments, despite a poor weather forecast and high wind speeds.

A lone walker, Ronald Yates of Sheffield discovered the wreckage and the bodies of the crew a few days later. They were probably killed instantly.

One of the engines at the site of the crash at  Crow Stones Edge on Howden Moors

Aviation Accident Investigation Branch found there was no mechanical fault with the aircraft and concluded that the aircraft had met the ground at full power. The investigation team believed the pilot got caught in the cloud and climbed to avoid high ground but with head winds of seventy miles an hour slowing his progress he must have miscalculated his position and when he descended through the cloud to establish visual, he flew straight into the ground.

A part of the crash site was excavated a few years ago which discovered the main frame of the aircraft along with one of the engines.

By M. Cox

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Glossop Chimney - An Eyesore or Landmark? Erected by Ferro Alloys

The Chimney

The 250ft chimney was planned by Ferro Alloys in 1977 to be erected on Surrey Street, Glossop. Planning permission was sent and granted later that year despite a 5000 name petition that was sent to the government. There were several meetings set up discussing the proposed plans. By the end of the year there was some legal action against the build of the new chimney but no avail.

In 1978 the construction of the chimney began which ignited protests from local people and were reports of 3 men charged of actions against Ferro Alloys. There was an interview with High Peak Borough Council by an Ombudsman on the issues of Ferro Alloys chimney.  There was no action until 1983 when a new campaign was established against the notorious chimney. The campaign grew in force over the years and produced several protests. Then 3 years later in 1986 there was a public meeting about the subject which drew over 500 people. ‘Glossop Clean Air Campaign’ was launched all over the town attracted over 1000 people to join the fight against the chimney.

There were new regulations brought in that pressed Ferro Alloys but there was no sign of progress or closure of the site. Ferro Alloys remained on Surrey Street until 2004 when the site was vacated as it came into disrepair. There was some hope in 2009 for the chimney to be destroyed but it is still standing .

The surrounding buildings have now been demolished but the chimney standing approximately at 250ft still remains today. There are now plans to bring down the chimney with proposals to build new homes on the site. 

It still stands high above the town today and some people think it is an icon or and landmark others think it is an eyesore but what do you think?

By M.Cox

In Addition: Is it feasible to build new homes so close to the town centre on a road that has limited access? Should the site be used for community uses?

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