It was amalgamated into the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1847, and lines ran to Bury, Burnley, Oldham, Manchester and Leeds.

Rochdale rose to prominence during the 19th century as a major mill town and centre for textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution.

[3] The Rochdale Canal—one of the major navigable broad canals of the United Kingdom, which opened between 1798 and 1804—was a highway of commerce during this time.

[3] In 1882, Rochdale the home of industrial co-operatives, embraced the joint stock limited company and new mills were financed and built.

[4] Its ownership model was slightly different from that of Oldham, and more shares remained in the hands of the operatives.

The Bank of England set up the Lancashire Cotton Corporation in 1929 to attempt to rationalise and save the industry.