Bygone Burnley: Rosegrove the miniature railway town, with historian Roger Frost MBE

Indeed, the area of Rosegrove in Burnley owes its existence to its railway station, built in the late 1840s, but before it came there was virtually nothing, albeit a few cottages.

Respected local historian Roger explains in our video here how the area of Rosegrove grew as a result of its links to the railway in Victorian times, before playing an important and “pivotal” role in the Second World War transporting parts to the aircraft industries in Yorkshire.

Roger said: “Rosegrove was Burnley’s biggest railway station in the past, but before it came here there was virtually nothing, except for a few cottages. It became a very important area, because Rosegrove is like a small Swindon, Doncaster or York. It is a railway town in miniature.

“When looking at the history of the railways, a useful source of information is the census. The 1861 census lists lots of people living in the area whose jobs were connected with the railway. This included Smallshaw goods yard, and beyond the road bridge there was the steam locomotive maintenance and goods yard, which was very important for the north of England.

“All sorts of specialist people including engine drivers lived and worked here.

“Rosegove also has a claim to fame as it was the last station to organise a steam service in 1968 under British Rail steam.”

Don’t miss the next part of our Bygone Burnley series which examines the Padiham Workhouse.