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	Calder Valley Main Line (Manchester to Normanton) 1840 - Present Lancashire & Yorkshire railway
Contributors:   © Reproduction prohibited / Alan S Bagot / Paul Holroyd / David Hey / Stephanie Penny / David Taylor / Jonathan Armitage                            Michael Kaye / Andrew Stopford / Dave Heatley / Martin Wilson / Bernard Coomber / Phill Davison / Chris Newsome / Lost Railways Calder Valley Main Line 9   Elland 10 Brighouse   Todmorden Gresley L.N.E.R. pacific (03-05-08) : Paul Holroyd A Gresley L.N.E.R. pacific on the L. & Y. main line. Charles Shepard's stylized class A4 loco design was used by the L.N.E.R. in publicity material for the "West Riding Limited" streamlined train, which entered service between Leeds and London on 27 September 1937. This copy of the design is on the door of the Platform One Gallery, run by the Todmorden Art Group on platform one of the ex Lancashire. & Yorkshire Railway station at Todmorden, on the Calder Valley main line.   Todmorden Blue Plaque (03-05-08) : Paul Holroyd Blue Plaque at Todmorden. Todmorden Town Council has erected this memorial to John Ramsbottom of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, who was born in Todmorden in 1814. Hebden Bridge Times 22/01/09 : David Taylor David Taylor is organising a permanent photographic exibition. Hebden Bridge Times 01/10/09 : David Taylor The first stage of our photo exhibition on the history of the railway in and around the Upper Calder Valley has now been mounted. Hebden Bridge station : David Taylor Hebden Bridge station is Grade II Listed and very unusual for a working main line station restored and preserved in the L&YR style and colours. Almost as unusual it has two functioning and heated waiting rooms (not alas roaring coal fires the nearest of those is at Oxenhope station) although one room is currently closed for much needed remedial work by Network Rail. The station also has an independent cafe in the former Parcels Office which won a national award last year. Mytholmroyd station (02-01-09) : Lost Railways Station building from street level. Big square 3 story building with the top floor at platform level. Ground floor starting with square doors & windows, growing progressively more Italianate on the way up. Listed as an historical structure, home only to loads of pigeons at the moment. The station was de-staffed in1985. The wooden buildings on the opposite platform disappeared in the 80s. Mytholmroyd station (02-01-09) : Lost Railways Close up of the hefty cast iron support, I assume for the original platform. Mytholmroyd station (02-01-09) : Lost Railways Station building at platform level sports this heavy duty slated canopy supported on cast iron pillars. Platform originally at a lower level. Also evidence of a wall mounted clock. The station used to have an elevated subway which had fallen apart by the late 1980s & passengers had to cross using scaffolding & planks. After a public meeting The new platforms were added to the eastern end of the station at a cost of £400,000 click here for some more info on the building Mytholmroyd station (02-01-09) : Lost Railways Evidence of freight handling on the eastern end of the station with a platform & siding. I think that may have be a crane on the left of photo. Luddenden Foot suicide (c2005) : Stephanie Penny A small memorial to a local character who often dressed up as Captain Hellowell an actual person who was stationed in Heptonstall in the English Civil War, David rode around the district on his horse dressed as a Roundhead. He, unfortunately, committed suicide on this spot by stepping in front of an oncoming train. (Luddenden Foot) Sowerby Bridge sign (04-05-08) : Paul Holroyd  See Vintage Carriages Sign from Sowerby Bridge, currently on loan to the Museum of Rail Travel at Ingrow near Keighley. Sowerby Bridge West  Box (09-85) : Dave Heatley Unfortunately the camera was letting light in but this is the last time the signal box was intact. Fire damage has left the structure in an unsafe condition and would be demolished soon after this picture was taken in September 1985.   Sowerby Bridge Station Bar 2008 Newspaper articles Huddersfield Examiner 19-03-08 & Halifax Courier 02-08. Sowerby Bridge Station (16-08-08) : Lost Railways Station building looks stranded in the middle of the car park. No sign of any pub conversion as yet. (see above) Sowerby Bridge Station subway (16-08-08) Photographed from entrance to station on Holmes road & close up of bricked up section. I'm guessing the existing platform on the far side was once an island Sowerby Bridge river footbridge (16-08-08) This little bridge carries a footpath over the river Calder. Don't know if it was built by the railway. The path runs between Holmes road near the station & the main road through Sowerby Bridge. The passageway  up ahead leads through to the main road. Lancashire Fusilier (2006) : Stephanie Penny The Lancashire Fusilier was taken on the main line in Sowerby Bridge, emerging from the tunnel towards Sowerby Bridge station in 2006. Greetland : Bernard Coomber Class 8F at Greetland with coal empties for Healey Mills flat top Greetland signal box in the background. Milner Royd Junction (23-04-85) : Michael Kaye We are approaching Milner Royd Junction on the 'Up line' from Halifax, the lines coming in from the left are from Elland & Greetland, 23rd April 1985. Calder valley Milner Royd junction signal box 18-03-06 : Alan S Bagot Happily, not yet lost. Situated near Sowerby Bridge on the junction of the L & Y Halifax line. Calder valley Milner Royd junction signal box 18-03-06 : Alan S Bagot Interior. Calder valley Milner Royd junction signal box 18-03-06 : Alan S Bagot Interior. Elland Tunnel: Bernard Coomber 2-6-4 tank loco exits Elland tunnel, Brighouse bound on local passenger train. Elland Station Elland Station : Bernard Coomber 2-6-4 tank loco with Halifax bound local parcels passing the site of old Elland station. The water tower is now situated on Oxenhope station platform on the K.W.V.R. Elland Station (10-10-09) : Lost Railways The site of Elland Station facing west toward Elland tunnel. Consisted of an island platform & goods depot on the left which closed on 28th June 1962. Elland Station (10-10-09) : Lost Railways Elland Signal box. I heard it was defunct but it looks like its still used. This box replaced Waterhouse siding & Elland east & west boxes in 1958. Elland Station (10-10-09) : Lost Railways The view from road level at the junction of Exley lane & the A6025 Park road. Looks like some sort of bricked up station access beneath the signal box. Elland Station (10-10-09) : Lost Railways At the other side of the track, access road from the A6025. Elland Station (10-10-09) : Lost Railways Close up of what look like coal drops. Elland station 2008 Newspaper article Huddersfield Examiner 15-12-08 Elland land slip 2008 Newspaper article Huddersfield Examiner 13-06-08 Bradley Curve: (04-08-68) : Bernard Coomber 04 Aug.1968 Black 5's no.'s 44871 & 44894 on SLS Farewell to Steam No.1 approaching Bradley curve on route to Copy Pit. Brighouse : (04-08-68) : Bernard Coomber 04 Aug.1968 Black 5's no.'s 44871 & 44894 on SLS Farewell to Steam no.1_ approaching Bradley on route to Brighouse. Brighouse Station Brighouse : (08-1968) : Bernard Coomber August 1968 S.L.S Special passing through the old Brighouse station heading west. Brighouse (29-07-67) : Chris Newsome 73141 passing though Brighouse (looking east) on 29 July 1967 on a Saturday's only service to Blackpool. The bridge is Huddersfield Rd Bridge, and the unused recessed platform is the old Fish Dock bay. The new Brighouse station is built in this location. Brighouse (1960s) : Chris Newsome Brighouse Station signalbox late 1960's. The signalbox had 2x 40 L&Y lever frames (well over half were still in use at this time) end to end with a gap in the middle to give access to an opening window in the middle of the front of the box. The box was manned by 1 Signalman and a Train Booking Lad. the Signalmen worked 8 hour shifts starting at 0600, 1400 & 2200 hours. The Train Booking Lads worked 0700 to 1400 & 1400 to 2100 - 6 days a week. Woodhouse Lane bridge Brighouse : Bernard Coomber A westbound Austerity with a coal train for Lancashire passes under Woodhouse Lane bridge Brighouse. 8F Brighouse : Bernard Coomber An eastbound 8F leaving Brighouse with empty wagons back to the Yorkshire coal fields. Michael Kaye Note : It is at Anchor Pit Junction (the line from Wyke near Bradford came in, in which you can see to the back -right of the photograph) Cooper Bridge station entrance (25-04-04) Photographed from Cooper Bridge Road. Built by the L & Y on the Calder Valley main line. The station was opened on 5th October 1840, closed in February 1950. Consisted of an island platform was accessed via this doorway. Cooper Bridge was Huddersfields first station. Rumoured originally to be a private station for the Armytage family of Kirklees Hall. Huddersfield Examiner article Bradley & Cooper Bridge. River Calder facing east (29-08-05) Photographed from my mates barge on the river Calder. To the right, Heaton Lodge junction. To the Left, Cooper bridge station. To the centre, skipper & beer. The old  stone skew arched bridge dates from around  1840. The girder bridge the result of track widening between 1890 - 1911, as the L&Y increased  tracks from 2 to 4 between Wakefield & Brighouse. River Calder girder bridge (10-07-08) : Martin Wilson View from on top. See loads more of Martin's choice photo's  - www.flickr.com/photos/ravensthorpe/ Mirfield : Bernard Coomber An 8F approaching Sands Lane Mirfield with a westbound mixed freight train. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber A westbound coal train passes a local DMU looking west from Woodend Lane bridge Mirfield. Michael Kaye Note : The Ground Frame to the right of the DMU (you can make out a pair of points) was the entrance to Sutcliffes Malt Sidings and the bridge in the background was called Battyford on the Leeds New Line. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber A Peak class diesel approaching Sands Lane bridge Mirfield with a Liverpool bound express. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber A Black 5 heads west with a fitted van train on the approach to Mirfield station. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber Class 8F no. 48123 passing under Sands Lane road bridge Mirfield with a westbound coal train. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber English electric type 4 (now class 40) with brake tender passes under Sands Lane road bridge Mirfield with empty coal wagons. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber Flying Scotsman westbound at Mirfield passing Mirfield No. 1 box with Ledgard Mill behind the box. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber Flying Scotsman westbound passed Mirfield MPD_ with the Woodend Lane 'Photters' bridge in the distance. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber Jubilee no. 45562 'Alberta' approaching Mirfield station with a Liverpool bound express. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber Circa 1967 8F 48666 eastbound at Sands Lane Mirfield with coal empties for Healey Mills yard. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber Circa 1967 8F no. 48533 gets a Lancashire bound coal train under way from Mirfield loop. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber Circa 1967 tank loco 42149 at Sands Lane Mirfield heading west on a local parcels train. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber Circa 1967 8F no. 48666 at Sands Lane Mirfield_ heading east with coal empties from Lancashire. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber Calder Valley/B1 westbound at Mirfield. Mirfield : Bernard Coomber Early trans-pennine DMU passing under Sands Lane road bridge Mirfield heading East. Ravensthorpe : Bernard Coomber 8F at Ravensthorpe heading west. Ravensthorpe : Bernard Coomber A 9F passing Ravensthorpe with empty coal wagons for Healey Mills. Ravensthorpe : Bernard Coomber Classes B1 & Black 5 westbound at Ravensthorpe with Red Bank parcels. Ravensthorpe : Bernard Coomber Class 8F with fitted snow plough hurries past Ravensthorpe. Thornhill : Bernard Coomber Austerity class no. 90126 westbound at Thornhill. Thornhill : Bernard Coomber Class 8F loco. no. 48534 with a westbound freight at Thornhill. Thornhill : Bernard Coomber Class 8F no. 48199 eastbound at Thornhill. Thornhill : Bernard Coomber Class B1 loco. no. 61115 eastbound at Thornhill. Note in the background bogey bolster wagons loaded with steel for Austins steel. Thornhill : Bernard Coomber Peak class diesel loco. eastbound at Thornhill junction, admire the beautiful point work. Thornhill : Bernard Coomber Thornhill/Std class 4 no. 75054 heads east at Thornhill. Thornhill : Bernard Coomber 2-6-4 tank loco eastbound at Thornhill on a local parcels. Thornhill : Bernard Coomber Seen from inside Thornhill goods shed and under the loading gauge an Austerity class loco heads east. Thornhill : Bernard Coomber Class 47 with an eastbound cement tanks train on Ravensthorpe junction caught in the low winter sunshine. Thornhill : Bernard Coomber Calder Valley/In low winter sun EE type 4 heads east through Thornhill. Healey Mills goods yard : Phill Davison     Click here to see the full photo set on Flickr C56093 and 56099 head the line up of condemned locomotives. I'm showing my age here but I can recall the class 56's entering traffic brand spanking new. Healey Mills goods yard : Phill Davison It seems strange to see them motionless and life expired 25+ years later. A final trip to the breakers yard now awaits them. Healey Mills goods yard : Phill Davison Healey Mills was a natural concentration point for east-west flows of freight, linking the industrial West Riding with the east coast ports of Hull and Goole, the industrial areas of Lancashire and the Merseyside ports. It is also a convenient half-way house between the heavy industrial area of the North East and Lancashire. Healey Mills goods yard : Phill Davison Healey Mills worked around the clock. A high standard of artificial lighting during the hours of darkness was essential. This was taken care of at Healey Mills yard by eight 150ft. high steel lighting towers designed to give lighting intensity throughout the yard of approximately one lumen per sq. ft. The floodlights at the top of the towers contain 1500 watt lamps arranged in banks. On five of the towers, lighting is on all four faces, and on the other three towers, on three faces only. Healey Mills goods yard : Jonathan Armitage   Healey Mills goods yard : Jonathan Armitage   Healey Mills loco shed : Jonathan Armitage Interior Healey Mills loco shed : Jonathan Armitage Exterior Horbury & Ossett : Phill Davison It's hard to believe now, but this was the railway station subway for the now closed Horbury and Osset station. The station closed in 1970 leaving Osset the largest town in Yorkshire without a railway station. Click here to see the full photo set on flickr Wakefield Kirgate facing west (c1980) Class 37 tankers. Station building in the background. Wakefield Kirgate facing west (c1980) Heavy load for a class 31 Wakefield Kirgate facing east (c1980) Class 40 freight from Normanton. Wakefield Kirgate facing east (c1980) Class 31 & guards van on the Pontefract line. Wakefield Kirgate facing east (c1980) Semaphores & signal box. Normanton Station (30-05-08) : Andrew Stopford Normanton: buffer stop at abandoned bay platform, Normanton Station. Home