Warland Reservoir: Unveiling History and Hidden Depths

Nestled amidst the dramatic Pennine landscape, Warland Reservoir offers a captivating blend of natural beauty, engineering marvels, and intriguing history. A recent visit provided a fascinating glimpse into this impressive body of water, revealing its past and the secrets it holds.

Our journey to Warland Reservoir began at an intriguing old entrance, marked by two weathered stone pillars bearing the inscription "R.C. W.W 1925." This carving points to the reservoir's deep historical roots, likely indicating the Rochdale Corporation Water Works, who extended the reservoir in 1927. While this date marks an expansion, the reservoir itself has a much older lineage; it was originally constructed around 1857 by the Rochdale Canal Company to ensure a consistent water supply for the canal, a vital artery of commerce in the region.

As we ventured further, the sheer scale of Warland Reservoir became apparent. On a cloudy day, the vast expanse of water stretched out before us, flanked by the sturdy dam wall and the rugged, moorland terrain. The water levels were noticeably low, exposing significant portions of the reservoir bed, which added a unique and somewhat stark beauty to the scene.

A prominent feature of the reservoir is its imposing intake tower, a testament to the engineering prowess involved in its creation. This castellated structure stands sentinel in the water, connected to the bank by a robust bridge, efficiently managing the water supply.

One of the most intriguing aspects of our visit was the sight of the "boat remains" exposed on the bed of Warland Reservoir. These skeletal remnants, looking like decaying wooden frames and structures, offer a poignant reminder of past activities on the water. Local accounts suggest that these boats, reportedly three in total, were deliberately submerged during World War II. The theory is that they were joined together with cables to prevent enemy seaplanes from landing on the reservoir and using it as a strategic staging point. While I only saw the remains of one boat during my visit, the idea of these submerged vessels playing a role in wartime defence adds a fascinating layer to Warland Reservoir's history.

Further exploration of the exposed reservoir bed revealed a surprising "waterfall" cascading down a rocky outcrop, an unusual sight in what would normally be submerged land. The vast, sandy, and muddy expanse, aptly named "The Beach" in one of the image descriptions, showed signs of erosion and the forces of nature at play.

Warland Reservoir is not just a functional body of water; it's a place with a story to tell. The visible "R.C. W.W 1925" sign, the majestic intake tower, and especially the mysterious sunken boat remains all contribute to a rich tapestry of history and intrigue. Our visit offered a unique perspective on this remarkable landscape, highlighting not only its natural beauty but also the human footprint left upon it over the decades. It's a place that invites contemplation, sparking questions about its past and the lives it has touched.

I took these pictures with Nikon d3300 on 27th May 2025, clicking any of the images below should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

The next 3 pictures were taken with my Canon EOS R100, again clicking on them should open a link to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

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Rose Grove Railway Station

 Rose Grove is a suburban railway station in the town of Burnley, Lancashire. Much reduced in size from it's heyday the station opened on the 18th September 1848, built to serve the Rose Grove suburb and the nearby town of Padiham. The station grew when the Great Harwood Loop (North Lancashire Loop)  opened between Rose Grove, Padiham and beyond in 1875 and remained an important stop until passenger numbers started to reduce between the wars, goods traffic reducing in the 1960's with coal and oil trains to the nearby power stations finally ending in the late 1980's - early 1990's

The loop was closed in 1964, Rose Grove goods yard a few years later, much of it now covered by the M65 motorway, the station buildings were removed and staff were taken away in the early 1980's, leaving a station much reduced in size.

The station is still a junction stop, the line splits to the east with the East Lancashire Railway continuing towards Colne, and the Caldervale line towards Hebden Bridge and Todmorden. The station only has basic facilities, including a small shelter, a few benches / seats, information boards, but has no toilet or refreshment facilities on site or nearby and no disabled access, the platform only reached by a metal staircase from the road bridge above.

The pictures were taken with a Nikon d3300 on the 19th August 2022.

The only access point to the station, as you can see not really suitable for the disabled or people who struggle to manage stairs. Their was 34 if I remember correctly. There used to be stone built building s down the centre of the platform, and I have been told an additional 2 bay platforms and at least 8 lines around the station. The goods yard was to the left of the picture and again I was told after I visited the bay platforms are still there, hidden by the tree's either side of the picture.

Platform 2 occupies this southern side of the bay platform, Trains towards Hapton, Accrington and Blackburn can be caught here. Again the station's only access, the stairs can be seen.

Platform 2.

Overgrown and abandoned trackbed viewed from Platform 1. I have been told that there was a bay platform where the trees are.

The island platform from the end of 1.

The opposite end of Platform 1, the sum total of the stations facilities on show, an info board, shelter and bench seats.

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Burnley Barracks Railway Station

 Burnley Barracks is a railway station on the East Lancashire Line. It is a request stop and offers a card only ticket machine and basic shelter as its only facilities. It has step free access but no car parking facilities other than on street parking. The station being only a request stop, 1 of 4 on the East Lancashire line is not a busy station although in the last full year of passenger figures 2020/21 attracted 9316, the previous 4 years averaging 21561 per annum, a drop in numbers of 12245.

The station became a request stop on the 14th May 2012, this means you have to inform the ticket inspector you would like to get off the train, or give a clear signal to the driver you would like to board. On the day I visited this was the busiest station of the 8 on the East Lancashire I visited with 3 passengers boarding and 2 alighting the train. The stations close location to both Rose Grove a few hundred metres east, and Burnley Central a few hundred metres west has Barracks earmarked for closure should the lines connection with Skipton and upgrade of the line come to fruition.

Colne bound training just leaving. It would 45 minutes before another train passed through the station.
There is 1 train in each direction approx. every hour.

Burnley Barracks opened on the 18th September 1848, it was the temporary terminus of the line yet to be completed to Colne and known as Burnley Westgate. In February 1849 the station was closed as the line was completed and there it's story was supposed to end, however development of the local area in to housing, industry and an army barracks led to Burnley Westgate reopening in September 1851, taking its name from the nearby cavalry barracks. The station opened as a 2 platform stop connected by a footbridge that dealt on the whole with just passengers, the nearby stations Rose Grove and Bank Top (Burnley Central) handling the goods traffic. The former eastbound platform remains although this is now largely overgrown and not visible, this was taken out of use when the line was singled beyond Rose Grove Station in 1986.

The army barracks closed in December 1898, and slum clearances of the local area in the 1960's and 70's led to declining passenger numbers, the construction of the nearby M65 motorway contributing to this too. The station has seen a steady rise of passenger use in recent years with new housing developments and peoples reluctance to use the car increasing.

There are a total of 5 pictures I took around the station, they can be seen here or on Clickasnap where they are full size, resolution and un-watermarked. Copies can be purchased there too if required.

The entrance sign to the station

The station looking west from the end of the platform. Despite Junction Street Bridge (Foreground)
and Padiham Road Bridge (Background) passing over the station, the 2 platforms were connected
by a wooden passenger bridge sighted between the 2. I assume this was removed when the line
was singled in the 1980's, but it may have been earlier as there is evidence on another site entrance
just off Junction Street Bridge.

The station looking eastward (towards Colne) from the end of the platform. The stations only
facilities are the shelter seen before the bridge and a ticket machine to my right
just out of shot.

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Stanley Bridge, Kirkby Lonsdale 4 April 2015

 Stanley Bridge was built in the early 1930's to carry the A65 road across the River Lune. It replaced Devil's Bridge which is now a pedestrian crossing a few hundred metres to the north.

The bridge was built by Westmorland County Council as part of a much larger bypass scheme and has a span of 109ft 11in (33.5m) at it's maximum across the River Lune, over 60 men worked on the construction and it cost over £20000, approx £1.5 million at 2022 rates. The bridge was opened on the 3 December 1932 by the Rt. Hon. Oliver Stanley, Minister for Home Affairs.

There are a total of 4 pictures of Stanley Bridge taken using a Polaroid is2132 bridge camera. They can be seen below or on Clickasnap where they are full size, resolution and un-watermarked.

Devil's Bridge can be seen beyond the archway.

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Rochdale Canal Artworks.

These 3 artworks show scenes on the Rochdale Canal near Warland and Summit between Todmorden and Littleborough, they are based on earlier photo's I took along this stretch in May 2015. They can occasionally be purchased from Ebay and Ebid. They can also be seen full size, resolution and un-watermarked on Clickasnap.

Benthouse Lock.
Benthouse lock is number 46 on the canal and has a mooring area
alongside the canal pictured above.

Rochdale Canal Summit.
The Rochdale Canal summit is the point where the canal drops
down either side of the Pennines in the directions of Greater Manchester
and Yorkshire.

Warland Swing Bridge.
Warland Gate Swing Bridge is bride number 41 across the Rochdale
Canal.

These artworks can also be seen on Clickasnap. Click any image to view in another window.

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A Short Stretch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Bridge 199 to the Bottom of the Bingley Five Rise Locks

 The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a 127 mile long canal that crossers the Pennines linking Leeds with Liverpool. Along it's route it passes many famous northern towns including Bramley, Shipley, Saltaire, Bingley, Keighley, Skipton, Nelson, Burnley, Blackburn, Leigh, Wigan and Aintree amongst many others.

The section I pictured was a short stretch from Bridge 199 to the bottom of the famous Five Rise Locks at Bingley, this being the first phase of the canal to be completed in 1773 from near to the top of the locks to Skipton, the locks opening in 1774 when the canal had been extended to Shipley.

All the pictures were taken on the July 9 2016 using a Nikon d3300 SLR camera. The first set shown were taken on the canal between Bridge 199 and the Five Rise Locks Cafe, more on the Five Rise Locks further down the page.

Bridge 199 carries Micklethwaite Lane across the canal.

The Five Rise Locks Cafe, the locks are behind the
position I am stood.

The Five Rise Locks are a staircase Lock that rises at a gradient of 59.2ft in a distance of just 320ft, these are the steepest flight of locks in the United Kingdom. The locks have a full-time lock keeper due to the complicated nature of navigating the five locks up or down, they require a lot of maintenance and often close during the quieter winter months to enable this.

The locks are Grade I listed having been granted this status on the August 9 1966, they were opened on March 21 1774 and it is said a crowd of over 30000 people turned up to celebrate the major feat of engineering, the first boat to navigate the locks took 28 minutes.

The top lock looking down across all 5 to the bottom. There is a bridge
across each lock and the depth of each is approx 50 - 60ft.

Each lock has a overflow like the one seen here to the bottom left
of the picture. This helps control the water levels when boats enter.

I took this to give some idea of how deep each lock is.

The bottom of the locks looking towards the top, the channel to the
right helps to remove the excess water from each lock
via the overflow.

Taken looking away from the bottom lock along the Leeds - Liverpool
Canal in the direction of Leeds. The Bingley Three Rise Locks are just
a short distance beyond the far end of the picture.

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Clicking any image should open a link in another window to the higher resolution, un-watermarked version on Clickasnap.

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.