Why did Rose Hill Marple escape closure?

[CaptainHaddock]

I spent a very pleasant day yesterday walking The Middlewood Way, the trackbed of the old Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway, which closed in 1970. While I was there I took the opportunity to ride the few hundred yards of track from Rose Hill Marple to Marple Wharf Junction, which set me wondering why the little spur to/from Rose Hill has survived when the rest of the line closed?

Marple of course has two stations, which seems excessive for such a small town and the other one (just called "Marple") has through services to the East to New Mills and Sheffield rather than being at the end of a branch. Furthermore Rose Hill isn't particularly convenient for the town centre, being a good 10 minutes walk away and situated in a rather anonymous residential area.

Don't get me wrong, any line that has survived closure deserves to be celebrated rather than called into question, I'm just curious as to why such a quirky little spur evaded closure when the town already had an alternative station?

 

[northwichcat]

Railway enthusiasts including Ian Hislop and Michael Portillo have commented that they don't know the reason why it remained open when more useful sections closed.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Marple station serves an area of Marple that is a good distance away from that of Rose Hill Marple, which serves a large catchment area.

 

[PrinceBishop]

While I don't know why it wasn't closed, I believe there is talk of it being the terminus of a future tram-train route. Depending, of course, on the outcome of the long awaited Rotherham trial.

My best guess is the same as the one Paul suggests but it does seem odd when so many, arguably more useful, stations and lines closed.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Being one who was born in 1945, I made many journeys on the line of the former Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway, which was open until 1970 when the line from Manchester was truncated at Rose Hill Marple.

Going south along the line from Rose Hill Marple to Macclesfield, there were stations at High Lane, Middlewood Upper, Higher Poynton and at Bollington. These are all areas now where housing is deemed to be in "sought-after" locations.

 

[Busaholic]

Did somebody with influence perhaps live on the line? I believe this is the reason Sundridge Park, and possibly the Bromley North branch, survived.

 

[dggar]

Being one who was born in 1945, I made many journeys on the line of the former Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway, which was open until 1970 when the line from Manchester was truncated at Rose Hill Marple.

Going south along the line from Rose Hill Marple to Macclesfield, there were stations at High Lane, Middlewood Upper, Higher Poynton and at Bollington. These are all areas now where housing is deemed to be in "sought-after" locations.

In some of my more fanciful moments I think they should extend the line from Rose Hill a make a cord towards Hazel Grove near the Disley Tunnel. This could provide a direct route between Stockport & Marple.

 

[alwaystouchout]

Doesn't explain why it wasn't closed but Rose Hill is much more convenient for the town centre, compared to the longer, uphill walk from Marple station

 

[EM2]

Doesn't explain why it wasn't closed but Rose Hill is much more convenient for the town centre, compared to the longer, uphill walk from Marple station

Especially when you consider that many larger towns were left without a station at all.

 

[Ash Bridge]

In some of my more fanciful moments I think they should extend the line from Rose Hill a make a cord towards Hazel Grove near the Disley Tunnel. This could provide a direct route between Stockport & Marple.

That's an interesting suggestion. The journey by road at peak times is a nightmare.

 

[Scouseinmanc]

Taken from the oracle that is Wikipedia & talking directly in relation to the reason for RHM remaining open:

"Rose Hill itself avoided a similar fate due to its high levels of commuter traffic toward Manchester Piccadilly"

SiM

 

[mwmbwls]

Integral to Rose Hill's survival was the fact that Manchester trains follow two routes to Manchester - one via Reddish, the other via Hyde and Guide Bridge each requiring a regular service.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Taken from the oracle that is Wikipedia & talking directly in relation to the reason for RHM remaining open:

"Rose Hill itself avoided a similar fate due to its high levels of commuter traffic toward Manchester Piccadilly"

SiM

Fair enough, but wouldn't much of that high levels of commuter traffic toward Manchester Piccadilly have been retained had just the one Marple station remained open? Apart from the fact that it's down a steep hill, Marple station surely serves a larger catchment area than Rose Hill?

 

[David Sinnett]

I know of some Manchester commuters who drive from Hyde, Gee Cross to Rose Hill to ensure a seat in the morning. Maybe parking is easier as well?

 

[Greenback]

There were some strange decisions made when lines were being closed in the 60's...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Fair enough, but wouldn't much of that high levels of commuter traffic toward Manchester Piccadilly have been retained had just the one Marple station remained open? Apart from the fact that it's down a steep hill, Marple station surely serves a larger catchment area than Rose Hill?

May I ask you how well you know of the location of Marple station and that of Rose Hill Marple station, when discussing catchment areas that you state in your posting.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

May I ask you how well you know of the location of Marple station and that of Rose Hill Marple station, when discussing catchment areas that you state in your posting.

Erm....I've visited both stations, wandered around the town and looked at ordnance survey maps. Why do you ask?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Erm....I've visited both stations, wandered around the town and looked at ordnance survey maps. Why do you ask?

Marple station is situated on the extreme periphery of the settlement, separated by the Cheshire Ring Canal from the housing of that part of the area, whereas Rose Hill Marple station is situated in the centre of a well built-up area with housing on the north west, north east and south east of it and just off the A626 Stockport Road that has a large number of bus services.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Rose Hill had a lucky escape thanks, as ever, to politics. The Beeching Report proposed complete closure of the Buxton(LNW), Macclesfield (NS/GC) and Hayfield branches. BR progressed the Buxton line closure almost immediately, but met a very determined opposition led by the Mayor of Buxton. The alleged operating costs were shown to be rubbish at the hearings - sympathetic railwaymen were rumoured to have assisted. Ernest Marples backed off and reprieved the line just before the General Election of 1964 - the fact that High Peak was a highly marginal constituency obviously played no part. BR retired hurt and didn't progress the Macclesfield and Hayfield lines until 1967. Rose Hill was then in the soon to be formed SELNEC PTE area, unlike the other stations.The attitude towards commuter services was changing and Richard Marsh refused closure of Rose Hill, but Hayfield and the rest of the line to Macclesfield went in January 1970.

 

[Busaholic]

Rose Hill had a lucky escape thanks, as ever, to politics. The Beeching Report proposed complete closure of the Buxton(LNW), Macclesfield (NS/GC) and Hayfield branches. BR progressed the Buxton line closure almost immediately, but met a very determined opposition led by the Mayor of Buxton. The alleged operating costs were shown to be rubbish at the hearings - sympathetic railwaymen were rumoured to have assisted. Ernest Marples backed off and reprieved the line just before the General Election of 1964 - the fact that High Peak was a highly marginal constituency obviously played no part. BR retired hurt and didn't progress the Macclesfield and Hayfield lines until 1967. Rose Hill was then in the soon to be formed SELNEC PTE area, unlike the other stations.The attitude towards commuter services was changing and Richard Marsh refused closure of Rose Hill, but Hayfield and the rest of the line to Macclesfield went in January 1970.

Good old Richard Marsh- never knew him but my neighbour's daughter Caroline married him. She was tragically killed in a car accident in Spain with David Jacobs's wife, also named Caroline.

 

[reb0118]

rose hill marple

Marple

Ernest Marples

No link then? Maybe a case for Mulder & Scully.

 

[Stuwhu]

No link then? Maybe a case for Mulder & Scully.

Surely Miss Marple would do a better job of investigating!

 

[reb0118]

Miss Marple

Touché.

 

[edwin_m]

If the minister had closed Rose Hill they would have lost their marples.

 

[najaB]

If the minister had closed Rose Hill they would have lost their marples.

And that, ladies and gents, wins the Pun of the Day award!

 

[kermit]

Marpellous!

I'll get me coat..........

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I see that "humorous pun and off-thread" shock troops have found this thread..:roll:

I note that none of these decided to post the fact that it was Rose Hill, who died in 2003, who played the part of the irascible Madame Fanny le Fen in the 1980's sitcom 'Allo 'Allo.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Supposing someone from the town travelled up to North East Scotland, would their journey back be referred to as the return of the Elgin - Marples?

 

[kermit]

I've got to get my broken down car to a small town in East Cheshire.

Marple?

No, I expect she'll just sit in the back and let us do all the work

 

[Busaholic]

I've got to get my broken down car to a small town in East Cheshire.

Marple?

No, I expect she'll just sit in the back and let us do all the work

My computer just shut down in protest at that one.