Description:A postcard view taken near the south end of Rudyard Lake. Rudyard Lake is a reservoir constructed in 1797 by engineer John Rennie to feed the Caldon Branch of the Trent & Mersey Canal. It is around 2.5 miles long and covers roughly an area of 168 acres. Over the years the lake has been used for numerous leisure activities, including boating, fishing and walking.
On the left and centre of the picture is the Dam wall and bridge over the Lake’s overflow channel. On the right, on the ‘up track’ is a tank locomotive of a type that was in operation from the early 1880’s. It is probably calling at Rudyard Station which was on the left and out of shot of the camera. Behind the loco is a six wheel brake coach. This may have been a special excursion train journey operating from Macclesfield, calling at Rudyard and then Leek or a Rudyard to Macclesfield return journey.
The railway tracks in the foreground formed part of The North Staffordshire Railway's (NSR), Churnet Valley line, which once connected Macclesfield with Leek and Uttoxeter. NSR became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and later British Railways. Passenger services were withdrawn around 1960, freight services continued until 1964 and then the track was lifted.
This postcard was franked on 7 July 1906 in Hanley and sent to an address in Holmes Chapel.
Thank you to Mr Chris Coates and Mr Ian Hazlehurst for the additional information.