[1] This branch was built to serve the local textile works with coal and woollen yarn going up the valley to the mills in Holywell Green and Stainland, with stone and cloth coming down to Greetland.Goods traffic was worked by a pilot engine from Greetland, to Brookroyd mills, located a few hundred yards along from Stainland Station.In the early days of the branch, the freight was worked by 0-6-0 STs, the maximum load from Greetland to West vale being 17 wagons and a brake.The branch was a double track arrangement which curved southwards immediately after leaving Greetland station, passing through the outskirts of North Dean Woods.After West vale station, the line continued onwards, still climbing at 1 in 50, passing under a small bridge carrying Long Heys Road, until it reached Rawroyds viaduct, where the gradient eased to 1 in 344.After leaving the viaduct, the line curved left, passing through a cutting excavated from solid rock, on the approach to Stainland station and goods yard.Despite its short length of approximately 1.6 miles (2.6 km), the branch had three stations, Greetland, Rochdale Road Halt (which operated from 1907 until 1929), West Vale, and Stainland & Holywell Green.
