This photograph of the marshelling yards at Godley Junction was taken on 24th March 1989 by Peter Whatley and is reproduced here with permission.
It shows the extent of the sidings required at Godley Junction for locomotive changes between electric and diesel traction. At one time, the trackbed to the right was the main route for Yorkshire coal to Fiddlers Ferry electricity generating station via Woodhead. Godley Junction was the point at which electric traction gave way to diesel. Changes in coal flows and the expense of traction changes at both ends of the journey led inexorably to the Woodhead route's closure in 1981.
Godley Junction had no rationale as a passenger station and was replaced by a new station simply named Godley, but pending formal closure proceedings was renamed Godley East and served by a handful of trains on weekdays to fulfil legal requirements.
You can view Station Road, Godley on Hyde Daily Photograph.
