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Adwalton Junction to Wakefield
1864 - 1964
Great Northern Railway
Contributors:  © Reproduction prohibited / Andrew Stopford / Melvyn Aveyard / Maggie Blanck / Martin Smith / Linda Wootton / Dave Watson
                        Peter Burnell / Geoff Rooks / Michael Kaye / John Whitaker / John Barraclough / Malcolm Mallison / Heather Banham
                       Gary Hunter / Laura McTigue / Dave Walker / David Webdale
The Route
From Wrenthorpe south junction on the Doncaster to Leeds Line 3/4 of a mile north of Wakefield Westgate, to Adwalton Junction, on the GN Wakefield Bradford line, via Alverthorpe, Flushdyke, Ossett, Chickenley Heath, Batley GN, Upper Batley & Howden Clough.

Length
7 1/4 miles

Original Company
Opened by the Bradford, Wakefield & Leeds Railway (BW&LR)
Before fully opened the BW&LR changed its name to the West Yorkshire Railway.
Taken over by the GNR in 1865.

Openings 
7th April 1862 between Wrenthorpe south junction & Flushdyke.
1st August 1864 between Batley & Adwalton.
15th December 1864 opened throughout.

Closures
Passengers - 7th September 1964.
Freight - 1st May 1972.
Railway Ramblers gazetteer
See also the Railway Ramblers gazetteer -  Kirklees : Wakefield - Batley - Adwalton Junction
Adwalton junction to Batley section

Drighlington & Adwalton
Opened 20-08-1856. Closed 30-12-1961.
Drighlington and Adwalton station (c1960) : Dennis Sefton
See also Ardsley to Laisterdyke section
Drighlington and Adwalton station painting : Gary Hunter
I am currently in the process of building a web site and have yet to complete it. I will provide a link once my website is up and running as I have painted lots of local trains around West Yorkshire and would be delighted to share more with your audience on your site.
In the meantime this painting is for sale here - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/291757929578?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Adwalton junction

Adwalton junction  c1959 : Melvyn Aveyard
This is loco No 42116 at Adwalton junction. Just behind the train the Adwalton to Dewsbury line, joins the Adwalton to Tingley line, which ran through Gildersome & Morley top stations. I don't know the exact date of the picture, but believe it to be about 1959. Adwalton station is just in front of the train,
the picture may well have been taken from the platform. The road crossing the line is Field Head lane.
Hybrid Map Adwalton Junction GNR & Leeds New Line (roads 2005 rails 1960s) : David Webdale
Adwalton junction OS map 1985
Adwalton junction : Maggie Blanck   website - www.maggieblanck.com/Land/PhotosBirstall.html
Train approaching Adwalton junction, running from Morley Top via Gildersome.
The old brickworks chimney visible in the background, still in existence, this building is now the Brickworks pub.
The houses just visible to the front left of the loco are on Wakefield road at Drighlington.
A62 Gelderd Road (07-12-07) : Andrew Stopford
A62 Gelderd Road, Birstall, looking towards Nab Lane. Bridge parapet from GNR Batley-Adwalton line.
A62 Gelderd Road (07-12-07) : Andrew Stopford
Looking along what was the line of the GNR Batley-Adwalton line - Gelderd Road bridge parapet visible beneath Bella Italia.
The line ran right through ToysRus!
Robert Hudson foundry (09-1928) : c/o John Barraclough
The photo on this link might be of interest. It's taken some locating but is in fact the Robert Hudson foundry with its GNR/LMS sidings on the Adwalton/Wakefield line, just east of Gildersome station and now completely gone, under the industrial estate. The railway manufacturing connection makes it particularly interesting. Vents from Gildersome Tunnel on the Leeds New Line are visible and the embankment top left is Asquith Avenue.

Howden Clough
Opened 01-11-1866. Closed 29-11-1952.
Howden Clough map (1890) : Malcolm Mallison
6 inch maps from the 1890 survey.
Howden Clough (07-12-07) : Andrew Stopford
Underneath me and running from right to left is the Batley-Adwalton line.
Even further underneath and running from behind me to in front of me is the Leeds New Line (looking towards Gildersome Tunnel).
Impossible to imagine!
Howden Clough Leeds road bridge (18-08-06) : Andrew Stopford
I guess this is the only remains of the north western abutment of the GN bridge over Leeds Road at Howden Clough.
It's very difficult when you go up Nab Lane to orientate how the bridge crossing of the GN line over the Leeds New was laid out because of all that infill!
Howden Clough Upper Batley Low Lane bridge (1972) : Andrew James Bennett c/o Heather Banham
I have recently had the pleasure of finding this Photo of the old Howden Clough rail viaduct taken a week before it was demolished in 1972 courtesy of Andrew James Bennett. The photo was taken by his father when they were returning from holiday to use up the last exposure on his camera. I’m so glad he did, I grew up around the corner from here and have been searching for a photograph for years!
Howden Clough (02-07-06) : Andrew Stopford
End of the embankment at Howden Clough.

Upper Batley
Opened 19-08-1863. Closed 02-02-1952.
Upper Batley & station master (nd) : John Whitaker

Undated view of Upper Batley station. We thought that might be the young Samuel Drewitt, looking proud of his station master's uniform.
See Lofthouse & Outwood section but as Mark Drewitt has pointed out the gent on the platform is wearing a double chain on his watch from one side of his waistcoat to the other and Samuel’s watch has only a single chain.
Upper Batley & station master (nd) : John Whitaker
Undated view of Upper Batley station.
Note : Linda Wootton
The gentleman on the platform at Upper Batley Station here, is my Great-Grandfather Mark Winder Sugden. From family research I know he was a foreman in the GNR goods department (1871 census) then station master at Beeston (1881&1891 census). He moved to Upper Batley some time after that and died in 1898 aged 54 shortly after he had been kicked in the head by a horse whilst working.
Upper Batley (1910) : Peter Burnell
Upper Batley station here from 1910.
Upper Batley (1910) : Peter Burnell
Upper Batley station here from 1910.
The building, wall and lamppost to the right hand of the crossing in the first picture still exist today. (See Andrew Stopfords photo below)
Crossing Upper Batley (02-07-06) : Andrew Stopford
Former crossing point & gate near Upper Batley. Lamppost & wall still in existence see above photo.
Upper Batley (n.d) : Dave Walker
“Team” photos of the station with several uniformed railway staff,
 plus I’m pretty sure the big guy in the suit at the right hand side of the picture is my Grandfather John Henry Thorpe. (see below)
Upper Batley (n.d) : Dave Walker
I believe the door under the Upper Batley sign was the ticket office and not connected to the rest of the house.
My Mum grew up there, I believe my aunt and uncle were born there. My Gran lived there I until perhaps the end of the fifties.
After my Grandmother left, the house was derelict for a number of years, before being bought by “Alfie” Fox (boss of Fox’s biscuits)
and being refurbed as a wedding present for his daughter.
John Henry Thorpe (c1925-1935) : Dave Walker
Two pictures of Granddad Thorpe.I would guess these photos would be between 1925 and 1935.
My maternal Grandfather was a railwayman from before WW1 and after the war went back to the railways as an engineer.
The marriage certificate says “Permanent Way Inspector”. I’m guessing he could have been responsible for the whole of the track, Adwalton Junction to Wakefield. As part of his employment, he got “Station House” at Upper Batley as his home, having moved from Langwith Junction, Derbyshire. Sadly, he died fairly young in 1935, having been married "only 14 years”.
My Aunt likely fell foul of his job, contracting polio when young and had a permanently affected leg.
Years later, epidemiological research identified a closer causal link between polio and infection in railway workers families,
thanks to the toilets being emptied direct on to the tracks, faeces and sewage being key vectors.
Upper Batley (07-12-07) : Andrew Stopford
GNR Batley-Adwalton overbridge site, Scotchman lane (Timothy Lane) Batley. Adwalton side.
Upper Batley (07-12-07) : Andrew Stopford
GNR Batley-Adwalton overbridge site, Scotchman lane (Timothy Lane) Batley side.
Upper Batley (07-12-07) : Andrew Stopford
GNR Batley-Adwalton trackbed, near Lamplands House (Sunny Bank road) Upper Batley. Batley side.
Upper Batley (07-12-07) : Andrew Stopford
GNR Batley-Adwalton trackbed, near Lamplands House (Sunny Bank road) Upper Batley. Adwalton side.
Bridge Upper Batley (02-07-06) : Andrew Stopford
Bridge abutment remains near Upper Batley on the Great Northern railway, Drighlington & Adwalton junction to Batley line.
Lady Anne Crossing, Batley (02-07-06) : Andrew Stopford
Eastern abutment at Lady Anne crossing. Here the GNR crossed the LNWR Huddersfield to Leeds line on a girder bridge.
See Leeds Mirfield
Lady Anne Crossing, Batley (25-12-05) : Andrew Stopford
Western abutment & Batley signal box  (used to be called Lady Anne Crossing). During rationalization of the Batley area in 1966, this small Lady Anne gate box, was upgraded to a full signal box, replacing three others controlling Batley. This is one of the only four surviving boxes controlling Kirklees railways. See Leeds Mirfield
Lady Anne Crossing, Batley (26-12-08) : Peter Burnell
The Adwalton - Wakefield line crossed here over the existing Huddersfield - Leeds Line. See Leeds Mirfield

Batley to Ossett section
Dewsbury & Batley Map c1900 : Ralph Rawlinson

Batley GNR
Opened 01-08-1890. Closed 07-09-1964.
Batley (c1931) : Malcolm Mallison
From the 1931 survey- Batley, Dewsbury, Woodkirk
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Vintage posters on display at the Vintage Carriage Trust's museum at Ingrow. Vintage Carriages Trust
June 1889 Package tours to Paris from Batley and Dewsbury - just three weeks after the opening of the Eiffel Tower.
June 1905 Express train service  to London from Morley, Batley and Dewsbury.
Batley GNR c1900 : Paul     See also Dewsbury Loop
This is a picture of a platform at Batley station that no longer exists. I believe it was the island platform that trains from Earlsheaton, Dewsbury, Batley Carr came to. If you go to Batley station and go down the steps to go over to platform 2 before you go up the steps you can see where it has been bricked up, where u could carry on going to then reach this platform.
Batley (nd) : Paul Holroyd
Batley.
Batley (nd) : Paul Holroyd
Batley.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Lady Ann Road and West Street, Batley.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Retaining walls, Lady Ann Road, Batley.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Pedestrian tunnel under railway, opposite West Street, Batley.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Pedestrian tunnel.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Pedestrian tunnel under railway, opposite West Street, Batley, the other end of the tunnel.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Footpath and retaining wall next to the pedestrian tunnel.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Retaining walls, Lady Ann Road, Batley, the opposite side to the footpath.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
BatleyBatley GNR 125936 pedestrian tunnel under railway, looking towards West Street, Batley.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Retaining walls, Lady Ann Road, Batley.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Bridge abutments, Lady Ann Road, Batley, looking towards the junction with Primrose Hill.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Bridge abutments, Lady Ann Road, Batley.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Bridge abutments, Lady Ann Road, Batley, looking towards the junction with Soothill Lane.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
View of the railway embankment from Primrose Hill.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Pedestrian tunnel opposite Lady Ann Road junction with Primrose Hill.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Pedestrian tunnel opposite Lady Ann Road junction with Primrose Hill.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Pedestrian tunnel opposite Lady Ann Road junction with Primrose Hill, looking back towards Primrose Hill and Lady Ann Road.
Batley GNR (22-05-23) : Paul Holroyd
Pedestrian tunnel opposite Lady Ann Road junction with Primrose Hill.
Shaw Cross line (06-06) : Andrew Stopford
Old bridge over the Shaw Cross line just outside Batley as it was in June this year.
Shaw Cross line (06-06) : Laura McTigue
I recently visited a Cattery which is close to Batley train station and in its garden is the old Shaw Cross line bridge.
As I walked across the bridge, I realised it was a railway bridge and when I came down the side of it and turned round I just had to take a picture.
Shaw Cross-1 (15-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
I'm sure I'm standing on the line of the branch - looking towards Batley between 'old' and 'new' Owl Lane.
Shaw Cross-8 (15-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Leeds Road, at the point where the line went underneath, looking towards Ossett (Parish Church spire visible).
Chickenley (15-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Looking across the new Wakefield Road (built after the railway had gone, I think) towards Ossett.
The line came through where the new houses are centre shot.
Chickenley (15-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Shot over the top of a razor wire garden fence!
looking towards Shaw Cross from more or less the same point - trees to right mark line of trackbed.

Chickenley Heath Station

Opened 02-07-1877. Closed 30-06-1909.
Chickenley Heath Station
map (1890) : Malcolm Mallison
Chickenley Heath Station (1905) : c/o Martin Smith
Martin pointed us towards this site - Ossett - the history of a Yorkshire town  - with a rare photo of Chickenley Heath station.
Chickenley Heath Station (n.d) : Geoff Rooks
Chickenley station, with the station master and his staff, the station master is a long time family member.
Chickenley Heath-1 (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Now a footpath from a car park at Pildacre Lane,
Chickenley Heath branch looking towards Runtlings Junction just south of Pildacre Lane.
Chickenley Heath-2 (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Slightly further south.
Chickenley Heath-3 (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Approaching Runtlings Junction.
Chickenley Heath-5 (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Between Chickenley & Pildacre Lane - looking west from Love Lane.
Branch runs horizontally marked by line of trees & fencing centre shot.
Chickenley Heath-6 (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Standing on a crossing point looking south towards Pildacre Lane - another infrastructure survivor at left!
Chickenley Heath-7 (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Same point looking north at Chickenley.
Chickenley Heath (02-04-07) : Andrew Stopford 
Chickenley Heath branch - this part of it is now a footpath. Looking south from Pildacre Lane towards Runtlings Junction.
The branch runs between the trees near the top of the photo.

Runtlings Lane Junction
Runtlings lane junction-1 (07-04-07)
: Andrew Stopford
Runtlings Junction looking north west Earlsheaton line goes to left (through the goal posts), Chickenley Heath line diverges to the right.
Runtlings lane junction-3 (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Same point looking towards Ossett - new building across trackbed.
Runtlings lane junction-4 (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Standing on the line of the track behind the new building in above shot - even more new building!
Queen Street / The Green : Dave Watson
When the railway left Ossett station towards Dewsbury it went over a bridge on Queen Street / The Green.
At the side of the bridge was / is a pub which was called The Masons Arms ( now called The Tap ).
To the left of the pub still exists the bridge abutment and part of a retaining wall.
Queen Street / The Green : Dave Watson
Ossett Station House (03-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
Ossett Station House - it fits with the old OS map and is in line with the Station Road overbridge.
(see below)
Ossett Station House (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Access to the station house that I photographed earlier (Queen Street / The Green) - obvious railway access,
and the house indeed has a plate saying "Station House - GNR", so I guessed right when I was there before!
Ossett Station House (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
Detail of surviving electrical equipment on the wall.

Ossett Station
Opened 07-04-1864. Closed 05-09-1964.
Pudsey Greenside station map (1890) : Malcolm Mallison
6 inch maps from the 1890 survey.
Ossett Station : Dave Watson
Ossett station shortly after the track has been lifted.
Station Road overbridge (03-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
which is still there (although infilled and built either side).
Goods Shed (03-02-08) : Andrew Stopford
Looking from the Station Road overbridge down at the site of the Goods Shed (view towards Wakefield)
Ossett Station platform (03-02-08) : Andrew Stopford
Standing precisely on the site of the platform (Southdale Gardens), looking towards Wakefield.
Station Road overbridge visible running left to right.
Intake Lane, Ossett (03-02-08) : Andrew Stopford
Intake Lane, Ossett. Site of level crossing and rail exit from Ossett Station (Wakefield to left).
Site of station & goods yard is to right.
Intake Lane, Ossett (03-02-08) : Andrew Stopford
Same spot, looking in opposite direction (station site to left).
Station & goods yard boundary (03-02-08) : Andrew Stopford
Intake Lane infrastructure survivor! Concrete gate post marking the boundary of the Station & goods yard.
Ossett-2 (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
looking south west - the line from Wakefield went through here at about this point in the direction of the shot.
I think the red brick building has a 'railway' look about it.
Ossett-1 (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
I think this is a surviving piece of trackbed a bit further south west from the above shot.
Ossett-3 (07-04-07) : Andrew Stopford
I think the grass in mid shot (now a play area) is a piece of trackbed - Broadgate looking north east.

Ossett to Wakefield section
Towngate, Ossett (13-01-08) : Andrew Stopford
Remains of embankment and approach to viaduct site crossing Towngate, Ossett (looking towards Wakefield).
Now a childrens' play area.
Towngate, Ossett (13-01-08) : Andrew Stopford
Looking down into Towngate from the embankment. No visible sign of any viaduct, but it was a substantial one.
Flushdyke (13-01-08) : Andrew Stopford
Flushdyke Summit site - looking towards Wakefield (visible in the distance). The very slight 'hump' in the grass centre shot marks the line of the railway.
Flushdyke (13-01-08) : Andrew Stopford
Looking across Wakefield Rd, Flushdyke, along the line of the railway towards Ossett.
Flushdyke (13-01-08) : Andrew Stopford
Looking back towards Wakefield Road along the alignment of the railway.
The red and green low roofed 'shed' above the parked yellow and blue lorries is on the line.

Flushdyke Station
Opened 07-04-1862. Closed 03-05-1941.
Embankment (1890) : Malcolm Mallison
6 inch maps from the 1890 survey.
Flushdyke Station : Dave Watson
Flushdyke (13-01-08) : Andrew Stopford
Wakefield Road, Flushdyke. Site of crossing point, presumably a bridge.
I think this would also be the site of Flushdyke Station (where the red brick/green roofed building is). Wakefield to left.
Flushdyke (13-01-08) : Andrew Stopford
Close up - remains of embankment.
Flushdyke Rail Bridge : Dave Watson
Flushdyke Rail Bridge : Dave Watson
Demolishing Flushdyke Rail Bridge (1966) : Dave Watson
Flushdyke (13-01-08) : Andrew Stopford
On the alignment of the railway, looking back towards Ossett. Not much to see because of massive road building.

Alverthorpe (19-11-07) : Andrew Stopford
Alverthorpe.
Alverthorpe (19-11-07) : Andrew Stopford
Alverthorpe.

Alverthorpe Station
Opened 10-1872. Closed 03-04-1954.
Alverthorpe station map (1890) : Malcolm Mallison
6 inch maps from the 1890 survey.

Note : Alverthorpe Station : Michael Kaye
Alverthorpe was on a embankment after crossing Batley Road on a bridge, standing on Batley Road near the football fields near to Grasmere,
there are a row of terraced houses going off at a slight angle, this is where the embankment ran and there was situated the station.


Wrenthorpe West Junction
Wrenthorpe Junction (29-11-07)
: Andrew Stopford
This is Wrenthorpe Junction, Wakefield, where the line to Ossett & Dewsbury/Chickenley diverged.
There was apparently a big embankment here, but it's been removed. The surfaced path marks the route towards Alverthorpe, just over the hill.

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