Calder Valley

Calder Valley Main Line (Manchester to Normanton)
1840 - Present
Lancashire & Yorkshire railway

Contributors: Alan S Bagot / Paul Holroyd / David Hey / Stephanie Penny

GAUXHOLME VIADUCT : © David Hey Reproduction prohibited From the David Hey collection
As it will have done countless time before, a 3-car Calder valley set forming the 13.58 Manchester-Leeds passes through the upper reaches of the Calder Valley on the descent from the 2,885 yard-long Summit Tunnel to Todmorden in July 1984.
In the foreground is Gauxholme Viaduct which carries the railway over the Rochdale Canal. The original turreted skew bridge consisted of a self-contained iron arch bridge that supported the deck system by means of hangers. This was reinforced with girders by the LMS in 1905.

HEBDEN BRIDGE : © David Hey Reproduction prohibited

The small town of Hebden Bridge - 'The Pennine Centre' - is enclosed by steep hillsides, which are well worth the climb to enjoy spectacular views of the river, road and railway winding through the valley. In this view, looking west, a pair of Calder Valley units, one in each direction, are barely discernible amongst the trees. It graphically illustrates how the railway blends into the landscape, whereas the minimum width of a motorway - even a double carriageway - would look truly awful. A good example is the M6 motorway which has completely ruined the once-tranquil setting of the Lune Valley in Cumbria.

SOWERBY BRIDGE : © David Hey Reproduction prohibited

Not a diesel in sight! The traditional image of West Yorkshire as a continuous sprawl of mill chimneys, cobbled streets and rows of terraced housing is best found in the Colne and Calder valleys. In this oil painting, smoke hangs ponderously over Sowerby Bridge, as two young spotters jot down the number of a Fowler 7F heading of a westbound goods train - and, after it has gone, they will eagerly await another 'peg' heralding the next train. The factory chimneys bring back memories of the 'peasouper' fogs of the Fifties when road traffic was brought to a halt and street lighting was swallowed up in the gloom. The smog was an environmental nightmare - killing over 2,000 in London in December 1952.

The pollution was caused by a post-war Government anxious to pay off the country's war debt by exporting our clean coal and keeping the sulphur-laden, dirty coal for domestic fires and industry back home. The first campaign to clean up the atmosphere began in Manchester in 1954, when compensation was paid to domestic consumers and industrial users if they switched from coal to smokeless fuel, electric or gas heating. In 1956, the Clean Air Act was passed which brought an end to the great London smogs - the last recorded being in the 1962-63 winter.

SOWERBY BRIDGE : © David Hey Reproduction prohibited
1980s Calder Valley set at Sowerby Bridge.

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

Ravensthorpe April 1962 : © David Hey Reproduction prohibited see David Hey's collection

At the beginning of 1961, an hourly service of 3-car dmus commenced between Leeds and Huddersfield. It was complimented by a two-hourly service throughout to Manchester.
In this view, a 3-car Metro-Cammell set making up the 09.50 Leeds-Manchester restarts from Ravensthorpe station in April 1962. On the right are the Calder Valley lines looking towards Healey Mills and the site of the ex-L&Y Thornhill station which closed in 1952. The aged semaphores were replaced when signalling came under the control of the powere box at Healey Mills in 1970.

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 October 22nd 1961 : © David Hey Reproduction prohibited see David Hey's collection
EE Co Type 4 No D252 at Normanton.