One Small Step for Todmorden [4]

Too Clever with Cliviger!

Indeed, there was a bus to Cliviger; but however diligently you may search databases and maps on-line and off- you will not find it. There is no such East Lancashire village! [The name does appear on Google Maps at some levels of enlargement, but not in reference to a specific community.]

On the right bank of the Calder stands the village of Holme with its chapel; lower down is Walk Mill, where a modern hamlet has risen around a factory; and then Barcroft, with Cliviger Mill adjacent. On the left bank of the same river are Thieveley, Stonehouse and Dineley, these last being divided by Easden Clough; Buck Clough, Grimshaw, and Hole House lie to the north of Dineley, and Everage Clough marks the northern limit on this side. On the Worsthorne boundary the Brun descends through Shedden Clough, having on its left bank Ormerod, by which is Salterford. Near Holme is Helly Platt, and between Holme and Ormerod stand the hamlets of Overtown and Mere Clough. In the south-west corner of the township is Red Moss.

But no Cliviger!

As well as Cliviger Mill (mentioned above) there existed the Cliviger Mine Company which operated at least four pits in the are, one of which was on land that was part of Copy Farm, hence, tada!, Copy Pit.

It was a "drift" mine, i.e. it was dug into the side of the hill and lacked the conventional shaft and winding gear.

Close examination of the map above reveals a narrow gauge track from mine, over the main road to a siding. And, before you shout, it was labelled as "Cliviger" colliery on the map not "Copy".

There is no obvious sign of the pit infrastructure now, but what looks like the old entrance can be spotted from he A646, plus cluster of cottages for the miners; possibly!

There is even a bus stop near the cottages.

The stop is called "By Lowe Plantation" and is served by First Bus 592 (Burnley, Todmorden, Halifax), every 30 minutes.

On-line articles say that the siding(s) plus crossover were controlled by Copy Pit signabox (below but long gone), but it isn't the box shown in the sidings picture above. The steps are on the wrong side.

A Mystery to be solved?

Starting from Todmorden, there were five stations before Burnley Manchester Road.

Stansfield Hall closed 1944

This halt enabled Todmorden residents to catch trains between West Yorkshire and Blackpool; but only after a long walk.

Cornholme closed 1938

Portsmouth closed 1958

Holme closed 1930

Towneley closed 1952

None of these pictures adequately gives the character of the line which opened in 1849. Possible the best impression comes from a steam-hauled railtour. The cameraman is, firstly, looking down the vale towards Portsmouth and Cornholme and later very near the site of Copy Pit.

There is also a speeded-up video taken on the first train from Blackburn via Burnley and Todmorden to Manchester. (similar to the London to Brighton in five minutes film of happy memories) The link (here) is to the on-line article as the video does not appear to be downloadable. 

And to complete the torrid tale of the Todmorden Curve; alhough passenger services did not start until May 2015, the first passenger train used the new track on 31st May 2014. It was a railtour called "The Topper Chopper" and is seen here leaving the curve and grumbling off up he hill towards Burnley.

Is the man in the orange high viz. making sure it doesn't fall of the new track?

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Talking of the Local Press - Again!

Mrs fbb quite likes gardens, so on Sunday last she took a friend to the event below:-

fbb attempted to give his better half some directions from Seaton.

But there was no Shute Road in Wilmington. There is a Shute Road running from the A35 to Shute but no go there, no posh houses with visitable gardens.

But there is a Shute Road in Kilmington ...

... further along he A35. Eventually, Mrs fbb found the true location.

Wilmington; Kilmington; only one letter difference, so who cares?

The Open Gardens were in Kilmington and Mrs fbb did enjoy her visit - eventually!

Well done Pulman's View.

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Slightly more inconvenient than adding the picture of the wrong MP?

MP Greenwood?

MP Harman?

O Mea Culpa!

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 Next ferry blog en France : Wednesday 17th June