Roe Green Loopline 1, Roe Green to Walkden

This route is entirely traffic free and runs for just over one and a quarter miles along the disused trackbed of the Roe Green Loopline in Salford. The Roe Green Loopline was opened in 1870 from Roe Green to Bolton, via Walkden Low Level. A key function of the lines was to support the surrounding collieries in conjunction with the Bridgewater canal, the largest of which was at Mosley Common, one of the biggest pits in the UK at its prime.

This post covers the section from the junction of the Tyldesley Loopline with the start of the Roe Green Loopline at Roe Green to Walkden. It is a continuation of a previous post Tyldesley Loopline 1 - Monton to Roe Green.

At Roe Green the two bridges carry Greenleach Lane over the continuation of the Tyldesley Loopline to the left as it turns west and the newer Roe Green Loop Line to the right which continues north heading for Bolton.



This post takes the right fork along the Roe Green Loopline.




The path runs straight in a northwesterly direction from here. The surface isn't too bad comparedto the muddy conditions near the M60 to the south east.



After a short while the path passes under the East Lancashire Road.



Then it opens out for around half a mile



with the trees encroaching occasionally.

This is around the north western end of the planned improvement works.

According to an email from Urban Vision:

Phase 6 and 7 improvements, of approximately 2.4km, will begin at Worsley Station (the original railway station) in Worsley, passing under the motorway bridge towards Roe Green and under the East Lancashire Road to Mesne Lea Primary School. This 600k project will link the existing improvements from Tynesbank through to Monton Green and will include re-surfacing works, the installation of drainage, the construction of access paths and steps, as well as the installation of benches along the route. Urban Vision has completed design of the scheme, and it is now proposed to go out to tender on 25th July 2014, with a view to the works starting at the end of October for a 14 week period. It is anticipated the works will be completed by early February 2015.

My main concern is that the path is likely to be closed for 3 months and that they do not install any new barriers or other obstructions on the route



The path then passes under the Walkden Road



through the site of the Walkden Low Level station which has left no trace on the ground and under Park Road



then under this high railway bridge



and then the Bridgewater Road.



Soon there is a junction with the route of a railpath running towards the south west. This is labled the Hilton Lane Loopline on a map I have from Salford Council, but this does not match up with anything I can find. Further research needed, but this line leades down towards Ellenbrook and will be the subject of another post.



The path then rises towards Parsonage Road, take the right fork here



which takes you to the cycle barrier.



From here the rail path continues towards Bolton. The next post goes to the edge of Salford on the M61 and the boundary with Bolton.


View Roe Green Loopline1 in a larger map