Cheshire Lines tracks to Woodley and Stockport Tiviot Dale are on the immediate left, the G.C./L.N.E.R to Guide Bridge and Manchester beyond. This was the changeover point for trains from and to the C.L., to electric power. Hence the turntable in use. (Only one C.L. line passenger daily: the overnight from Marylebone divided here, with its Liverpool portion headed off down the C.L.)
Here is where trains heading for Fiddler's Ferry power station via Warrington Arpley would exchange locomotives. The whole point of the railway was to carry Yorkshire coal to Lancashire for burning in one way or another. Originally the trains were steam hauled but after electrification of the Woodhead line in the 1950s the class 76 electric locos would draw the train onto the branch and un-couple before running around and departing; subsequently, a diesel loco would appear and hook-on for the remainder of the trip. Freight services over Woodhead ended in 1981 and this line became redundant.
This photograph by Joe Lloyd is from the Hyde Cheshire blog. Here the Hattersley estate is visible in the background.
See how the remains of the turntable looked in 2007 on Hyde Daily Photo Volume 1 and in 2010 on Hyde DP Xtra.
Photographs of the overgrown turntable as it looks now can be found on Hyde Daily Photo and Hyde DP Xtra.
