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140-year-old loop is finally broken
Reporter: Story by DAWN MARSDEN
Date online: 05 October 2009
A DAY of celebration marked the closure of the Oldham loop line as rail enthusiasts said goodbye to the 140-year-old service.
Northern Rail renamed one of its trains the Gracie Fields after the Rochdale singer and actress to commemorate the end of an era.
Gracie’s nephew Dougie Wakefield unveiled the Gracie Fields at Manchester Victoria alongside Oldham Mayor Jim McArdle and youth mayor Mohammed Adil.
The train, which will now be used across other regional routes, then embarked on its journey along the loop line with Councillor McArdle, Councillor Alison Firth, the Lord Mayor of Manchester, and Rochdale Mayor Keith Swift on board.
Later in the day there was a treat for steam train buffs when the Scots Guardsman pulled into Oldham Mumps at 7pm on a special loop line excursion.
The very last scheduled train was the 11.28pm from Manchester Victoria.
Councillor Keith Whitmore, chairman of the Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority, said: “The loop line has served Oldham and Rochdale well for over 140 years.
“We should not only celebrate its rich history, but look forward to the bright future of the Metrolink.
“It’s going to be a modern, high-quality service when it opens offering more frequent connections to more locations.”
However, not everyone is as enthusiastic about the loop line closure to make way for Metrolink in autumn 2011.
Regular train users Sandra Eckersley and John Buchan from Springhead don’t believe the extra buses put in place for shoppers and commuters will cope with the demand.
John (66), who used the train to get to work every day before his retirement and regularly travels to Manchester, said: “I think the loop line was the best thing about Oldham, there were four trains an hour that got you to Manchester in 12 minutes — buses cannot do that.
“I can see the benefits of Metrolink but we will have to suffer for a very long time and there is no viable alternative. The train line is not broken so I don’t see why we have to try and fix it.”
Sandra (64), who uses the line several times a week, added: “I really enjoy the convenience and speed of the train — bus travel is slow and tedious.
“But I think the Metrolink is like childbirth — we know there will be pain and it will be difficult but I am sure the end result will be enjoyable.”
Steve McDonald regularly takes daughters Rubie (one) and four-year-old Lilly on the train.
He said: “I would never drive to Manchester as the train was so convenient so I am not happy about the closure and I don’t see why it has to happen.
“Buses are not a suitable replacement and taking two children and a pram on a bus is not an easy task.”
Comments
what are all these people moaning about. The best thing about Oldham is the train line out of it?? what planet are these poeple on. Buses are not a suitable replacement? what do you suggest a charter plane?? for god sake just DEAL WITH IT. Metrolink will improve the borough leaps and bounds and bring investment, i dont think stopping that because you dont like buses is a valid point.
rjsoafc. Tell us how will replacing trains with trams improve the town and how long will it take to get the wasted hundreds of millions of pounds back?
rjsoafc, have you been sipping the cooking sherry again !!!
How can you do you know that metrolink will "bring investment", clearly a borough the size of Oldham shouldn't need Metrolink to spark intrest in investing in the area, our joke of a council should be openly promoting it.
PS whilst you've got you crystal ball out can you give me the numbers for the lottery!!!!
Furthermore, Metrolink opened in Bury 1992 and I don't recall that section on line being closed for 2 years.
Fact is the 20 miles of track on this section of Metrolink weren't replace until 2007 and the duration of this work was less 4 months (26/05/07 - 13/09/07), so why 2 years to replace the 10 miles (or so) of track on the Oldham loop.
Clearly you don't use public transport, if you did you would share the concerns of the people who have voiced their opinion
rjsoafc, which planet have you come from, why would anyone invest in oldham. One thing that obvious yours means of transport are not public, probably teleporting .....
The Altrincham section of the Metrolink broke down again over the weekend, with the old tracks the odd train might break down but not the whole line.
Buy a car, you're going to need it!
rjsoafc, the old trains have bigger capacities and you can also take you bikes on them. trams are useless and other than the supposed twice a frequent service we've been promised oldham will gain very little from his.
regular services from mumps where all that was needed.
you obviously dont use manchesters trams do you. they're unreliable and im talking in the past not the current problems
stopping the trains means i wont be spending any money in manchester as its to far on the bus. I gave up shopping in oldham years ago because of the extortionate parking. huddersfield is light years ahead.
The Altrincham section of the Metrolink broke down again over the weekend, with the old tracks the odd train might break down but not the whole line.
Buy a car, you're going to need it!
Just goes to show how a quango can be a dangerous thing. Metrolink is a waste of money. It's replacing something that's been there for 140 years, when all that is needed is the station modernising and better parking facilities to get more car users to take the train to Manchester.
sorry i forgot that the comments page is only for pesemistic and negative comments. How short sighted of me. Maybe im just a little bit more optimistic about the future of my town, as the only other option that i have is to moan about everything about it (which you lot seem very accomploished at doing so i wont tread on your toes). if you lot are experts in regeneration then apply to work in that field or be an elected member perhaps??
The Altrincham section of the Metrolink broke down again over the weekend, with the old tracks the odd train might break down but not the whole line.
Buy a car, you're going to need it!
rjsoafc - When something new and good is done pepole applaud. When our money is wasted we get angry. This is a waste - fact. Would you spend 10 times the value of your house to have it knocked down and rebuilt exactly the same and whilst having that done go and live in rented accomodation for 2 years? Because that is what is happening here!!!!!!
rjsoafc all people are asking is what investment is going to be made in the town on the back of the metrolink - most people can see few posatives. Moving the link into the centre of town is a good thing what else does metrolink bring people spout "it will bring investment to the town" but nobody ever says what type of investment this will be. Do they mean tourism? More businesses setting up in oldham?
Why don't GMPTE;
Have the buses run to Greenfield
Improve the Greenfield service using trains from the Oldham line (ie frequency and number of carriages)
Use the empty slots at Victoria now there are no trains from Oldham and Rochdale
Sounds too much like common sense
Have Your Say
As anybody, who regularly use First Manchester Buses will verify, journeys on this companies vehicles are not a pleasant experience.
They rarely run to time, the drivers are often unhelpful to the point of rudeness, the seats are filthy because someone has used tem as footrests and full of inconsirate people playing load music on the MP3 players.
By MAD4IT @ 05/10/2009 11:56:12