History
In the mid-eighteenth century, the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway ran as far as Rowsley, and was extended by the Midland Railway to Buxton, in its aim to run as far as Manchester. The MS&LR also wished to extend southwards from its main line through Woodhead Tunnel to Sheffield, and had built a branch to Hyde. The London and North Western Railway meanwhile had constructed their own line to Buxton from Whaley Bridge (with a station at Newtown) which effectively blocked the other two.
An agreement was reached whereby the MS&LR would build their proposed "Marple, New Mills and Hayfield Junction Railway", while the Midland would extend its line to New Mills from Millers Dale via Chinley. Passenger services began to Hayfield in 1868 and the line came under joint control as the Sheffield and Midland Railway Companies' Committee in 1870, while the Midland's line opened in 1867.
Whilst the Hayfield branch is now closed, as is the tunnel (though a stub of the old branch line through the tunnel was used for some years afterwards as a turnback siding for trains terminating here), you can still travel most of its route, along what is now known as the Sett Valley Trail.
Read more about this topic: New Mills Central Railway Station
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