As the return journey built towards its dramatic crescendo, I alighted at unstaffed Denton station. The town enjoyed its golden age in the Edwardian period when it was a major centre for hat manufacturing, making the majority of felt hats in England in the early 1900s. These days, however, jaunty headwear is conspicuous by its absence at the Sainsburys cafe near the train station, where I headed for coffee and a much-needed bacon sandwich.
It’s also where I arranged to meet Green Badge Tourist Guide and rail enthusiast, Mark Charnley. Mark worked on the railways for 34 years, starting aged 17 in the drawing office in Manchester. He now draws on his experience to lead walks for Bridgewater Canal Guided Tours. “I remember riding the line in the Eighties when it was an important freight route and part of the overnight mail service from York to Shrewsbury. We nicknamed the single-coach connecting service The Dodger, as it dodged the mainline trains,” he said. “As an old-school railwayman,” he added, “I believe improving infrastructure and capacity are key to the future. It’s simple really: provide a decent service and people will return to rail.”
Back at Denton station, the planters are lovingly maintained but the place is deserted. The concealed entrance, a footbridge off the M67 flyover, probably ensures a lot of people don’t even realise there is a station. Even the Friends of Denton Station have had to suspend their group activities “due to circumstances beyond their control” according to an ominous sign by the steps down to the platform.