The list of all bids submitted to Department for Transport Restoring Your Railway Fund (Rounds 1 and 2) includes an unsuccessful submission To reinstate the Rose Hill (Marple) to Maple Grove Line, Stockport.

The scheme promoter is Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). The Department for Transport has asked TfGM to further develop and resubmit its proposal.

But Maple Grove does not exist. There has never been a Maple Grove line, so it cannot be reinstated.

Having done some research and taken various factors into consideration, we think this is a proposal for a rail service between Rose Hill Marple and Stockport via Hazel Grove.

Macclesfield to Rose Hill (Marple) route map, 1962

The former Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway | Source: Disused Stations website
Railways in south east Manchester, c.1960s

Railways in south east Manchester, 1960s | Source: Disused Stations website
Location of Rose Hill Marple, Hazel Grove and other stations

© OpenStreetMap contributors | OpenStreetMap copyright notice | View context map
If our thinking is correct, there will need to be new track laid along the northern section of Middlewood Way, “serving the needs of walkers, dog walkers, cyclists, joggers and horse riders”, and a chord will have to be constructed at either location A or location B on the map below. This will be a challenge, as both the Sheffield line and the Buxton line are at a lower level than Middlewood Way.
From Rose Hill Marple to Hazel Grove

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Middlewood Higher and Middlewood Lower stations

Middlewood Higher (green line – former trackbed) and Middlewood Lower (red line – active) stations shown on a Railway Clearing House map from 1910 | Map sourced via Disused Stations website
If you can shed any light on this scheme, please use the contact form to send us a message.

Overview of Greater Manchester reopening schemes

Read about Gamesley station Read about the Rose Hill Marple – Hazel Grove line Read about Golburne station Read about Kenyon Junction station Read about the Altrincham – Stockport line Read about the Glazebrook Junction – Skelton Junction line Read about the East Didsbury – Stockport line Read about the Manchester Victoria – Ashton – Stockport line Read about the Oldham Mumps – Greenfield line Read about the Bury – Heywood – Rochdale line Read about the Bury – Rawtenstall line Read about the Bolton – Bury line Read about the Bolton – Radcliffe line Read about the Bolton – Walkden line

Further reading

High Lane station – Disused Stations website

Middlewood Higher station – Disused Stations website