Town's historical tramlines unearthed in roadworks

The roadworks have revealed a lost piece of Bolton's transport heritage

Tramlines which have been buried for decades have been uncovered during town centre roadworks.

Contractors working on Market Street in Farnworth, Bolton have exposed the tracks which run outside the Carnegie Farnworth library building.

Bolton councillor Paul Sanders took pictures of the exposed rails and the subject matter sparked some nostalgic debate when he posted them on social media along with an image of a painting from the 1930s showing the area and trams passing.

He said: "The works on Market Street have momentarily exposed a section of the historic tramlines and cobbles."

He said: "While there are no known photographs taken of trams at this point on the line, the late, great painter, Ernie Holden, captured this very scene in one of his beautiful artworks."

Trams in various forms ran through from Bolton to Moses Gate, Farnworth, Kearsley and Clifton, operated by various companies including Bolton Corporation from the late 19th century until the 1940s.

The Local Transport History website states that war bomb damage and the general neglected state of the track instigated the conversion of the Farnworth and Walkden tramways to more popular bus operations in the 1930s and 1940s.

Tram-trains

Commenting on the pictures, John Cartwright, said: "I was born in Farnworth in 1948 I remember the end of the trams which then started the trolley buses.

"I remember on Longcauseway there were water troughs for the horses my granddad and uncle Ernie had a stables just off Longcauseway behind the picture house."

Another resident Margaret Gilmore, added: "The tram lines went up Brackley Street an up Albert Road up to Longcauseway, along Buckley Lane to New Bury."

In June city region mayor Andy Burnham revealed future plans for a tram-train service via Atherton which would also connect Bolton, Farnworth and Leigh to the Metrolink.

He said the tram-trains, able to operate both on tram tracks and existing rail lines, would be the key to unlocking Metrolink services to the towns.