Todmorden curve reinstated to enable direct trains from Rochdale to Burnley

Train at Rochdale Train Station

Train passengers in Rochdale will be able to travel directly to Burnley from May following the long-awaited reinstatement of 500 metres of rail track to form the Todmorden Curve, after a gap of decades.

The service from Manchester Victoria to Blackburn, via Rochdale, will use the Caldervale Line south of Todmorden to call at the revamped Burnley Manchester Road station on its way to Blackburn.

The service was initially due to open in May 2014, but was delayed until December 2014 and then May 2015 by problems with rolling stock and signalling.

The Todmorden Curve is a section of track at Hall Royd Junction near Todmorden which was lifted in 1972. Originally Hall Royd Junction was triangular, and the lifted curve allowed services from Burnley to reach Manchester via Todmorden.