Words & Photographs : Ralph Rawlinson / Humphrey Burton

Osset to Batley (Dewsbury Loop)

Stations
Earlsheaton (opened 1875 closed 1953), Dewsbury (renamed Dewsbury Central 1951), Batley Carr (closed 1950), Batley GNR.

History
The GNR had opened a direct line from Wakefield to Batley in 1864 and this line, opened ten years later, formed a loop that took in Dewsbury. The direct route was then downgraded and the Dewsbury line became one of three routes by which portions of Kings Cross expresses travelled to and from Bradford. In 1933 the LNER closed the short branch from Dewsbury Junction to the GN goods depot in Railway Street and lifted the track. In 1965 the track was reinstated by BR to provide access to the Railway Street goods depot from the ex-L&Y line when the GN route to Dewsbury closed. The GN goods depot subsequently closed and in 1995 the track was again lifted this time back to the canal bridge.

Route - when open
From Runtlings Lane Junction (SE273201) the line turned NW and entered Earlsheaton tunnel. At Dewsbury Junction there were two branches; one branch went NW into the GN Railway Street goods yard and the other making a trailing connection from the south was the ex L&Y route from Headfield Junction. North of Dewsbury Junction a short tunnel took it under Wakefield Road and Leeds Road to Dewsbury Central station and from there, on a gradient of 1 in 53, Crackenedge tunnel took it under the LNWR line to reach Batley Carr station located in a brick cutting. The line was then carried on a ledge (parallel to but at a lower level than the LNW route), towards Batley. Just before Batley station it passed below the LNW once more and over a viaduct into its own island platform at Batley GNR station (SE250250).

Route - today
From Ossett the line is now partly used for the Kirklees Way. The eastern end of Earlsheaton tunnel can just be seen above earth infill and the line is walkable north to Ridings Road. Little remains between Batley Carr and Batley.

Relics
Stations Railway Street goods yard is now occupied by Sainsbury’s and other retail units; the elevated site of Dewsbury Central overbuilt by the northern inner ring road but the street level facade of the station entrance has been preserved. Batley Carr site is occupied by an auto salvage depot; Batley GNR?

Tunnels Earlsheaton intact but sealed at both ends; Leeds Road 213yds opened out during ring road construction, Batley Carr 140yds access to southern portal difficult through haulage contractors yard, northern portal wired off in scrap yard, red brick ventilation shaft survives.

Bridges On the branch to Headfield Junction a viaduct and open bow string girder bridge carried the line over the River Calder and the Dewsbury cut of the Calder & Hebble Navigation. Today the river crossing has two spans of 110ft and 126ft whilst a single span of 88ft bridges the canal.

On the main line a long straight girder overbridge takes Wood Lane over the line but the Jack Lane overbridge bridge has been demolished.