Rawtenstall In bygone days

[@chrissylewis4013]

Thank you so much for sharing these images. I've lived in London for almost 50 years but I used to visit my lovely mum often over the years. She died four years ago so I won't be visiting anymore so these photos are magical. Again, thank you.💚💚💚

[@scoutholme]

Thank you Chrissy I am glad you enjoyed them

[@chrissylewis4013]

Brilliant images. Thank you so much for sharing. I live in London, came here in 1973. I miss the valley and these houses up a very long road. Schofield Rd I think 🎉🎉

[@jackx4311]

Thank you for uploading this, Nigel - and for the choice of beautiful music as accompaniment.

[@LarryKillip]

A New Zealander that visited in 1973, amazed then to see some of the old folk still wearing wooden clogs, and amused to learn the local carpenter was also the undertaker. Our friends lived "up Cowpe".

[@scoutholme]

Rawtenstall was a thriving town full of industry they called it the golden valley, now it's a home for commuters travelling to Manchester.

[@lesabooth5243]

I have letters written from ancestors from this area of England I like looking at the photos of what they saw. It helps me understand the time in which they lived. Especially my gggg Uncle Samuel Compston. His nephew John moved to the United States so here I am over here because of him far far away from this area

[@scoutholme]

Thanks Lesa I am glad you found it interesting.

[@majorpygge-phartt2643]

Isn't it odd how Schofield road at 2:56 doesn't look anything like as steep as it does when you try and walk up it? And at 3:27 you can see the old coal sidings at New hall hey road and I lifted those tracks in the 80's.

[@jonfitz2278]

Nice one my Friend

[@GPBleakley1]

Fantastic pics

[@scoutholme]

Thanks

[@tabhw]

Fantastic Vid Nigel..... Love the music.. also the way you went from Black and white to Color. well done mate.

[@martindempsey2108]

You wouldn't be the son of Nigel? who I went to school with at Waterfoot?

[@peterfisher6846]

If only a trace of the town remained.

[@yerdaman]

Superb thanks

[@boo66]

A fascinating set of pictures.. do you have them hosted anywhere as stills (like photobucket or flickr type of thing) so we can zoom in on the details? I wasn't born until '66, so a lot of old Rawtenstall had disappeared by the time I was around. (great soundtrack too by the way)

[@helencoffey969]

Is that the Rossendale Male Voice Choir? I'd like to think so I can pretend it's Stacksteads Prize Band with my dad playing too 😁

[@scoutholme]

Sorry to disappoint you Helen it's the Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir from there album Voices Of The Valley: Home

[@majorpygge-phartt2643]

Didn't the old Waterfoot train station look so drab? No wonder that line closed if that's what the stations looked like, they might've tried to make the stations a bit more appealing, I suppose it's just the old grim industrial north.

[@scoutholme]

The line closed because the government wanted it to close like many others around the country and they weren't prepared to spend any money if the line was still running it would be full of people commuting to Manchester

[@majorpygge-phartt2643]

@@scoutholme I think I must have walked across the old Waterfoot viaduct once back in the early 80's when it was still possible to walk all the way from Rawtenstall to Bacup along the old rail route, and I walked it all the way, but I can't remember if I crossed the viaduct. I did once wander round the back of Waterfoot co-op and see it, and it never occurred to me to take any snaps of it.

[@scoutholme]

@@majorpygge-phartt2643 I walked that many time I recommend you visit the tunnels now turned in to a very nice walkway

[@majorpygge-phartt2643]

@@scoutholme Yes, I know, I've seen it, much safer for cyclists riding through the glen.

[@jackx4311]

It was deliberate government and BR policy to put people off using the railways, to give them an excuse to close down the majority of the railway network. And, if the *idiots* had had their way, we wouldn't even have the little that is left - and the roads would be even more clogged than they are, now. If you neglect anything for long enough, it will end up looking pretty grim. You only have to look at old buildings which have had the stonework cleaned by specialists to see how they are utterly transformed by the process.

[@boo66]

Fair enough.. Lots of pausing and eye strain for me then!! ;o) PS - just seen part two.. amazing to see the redevelopment of the centre and the destruction of Tup Bridge. I found it rather sad to watch, so it must be more so for folk who remember it, and even more for those who lived there.

[@scoutholme]

Sorry boo they are not on any sites just here