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Holmfield to St Pauls (Halifax high level railway)
1890 - 1960
Joint Great Northern & Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway        Page 1 of  2
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Contributors:  © Reproduction prohibited  Matt C / Danny Bradley / Andrew Stopford / Richard Barnes / Dave Graham / Rosemary Booth
                            David Marshall / Graeme Bickerdike / Rob Daniels / John Davies / Malcolm Mallison / NigglePics / David Webdale
The Route
The line ran from Holmfield junction immediately south of Holmfield station, to St Pauls Station Via Pellon.

Length
3 Miles

Original Company
Opened by the Halifax High Level Railway Company.
The company was taken over jointly by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway
& the Great Northern Railway in 1894.

Openings 
1st August 1890 between Holmfield & Pellon for goods.
5th September 1890 between Holmfield & St Pauls for passengers.

Closures
Passengers - 31st December 1916.
Goods - 25th June 1960.
 
The Route Holmfield to St Pauls


You are here
Map 1
Holmfield


 


Map 2
Pellon
Map 1  Holmfield (Holmfield station - Brackenbed Lane)
The luncheon to celebrate the opening of the railway : Rosemary Booth
The menu from the luncheon to celebrate the opening of the railway,
which was in one of my grandads scrap books.
Great Grandad Ben Pratt  : Rosemary Booth
The photo is of my family who lived at Boy Lane,Wheatley.The chap in the uniform is my Great Grandad Ben Pratt
who was a platelayer on the railway and also had an allotment where the new houses now are. Is this a railway uniform?
Halifax High Level Railway
Video of my walk along The Halifax High Level railway.
From NigglePics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrWRLK69BP0 
Pellon  Map (1931) : Malcolm Mallison
From the Six inch map 1931 Survey.
Holmfield to Halifax St Pauls : Dave Graham
Simulation of the rail journey on the Holmfield to Halifax St Pauls branch using an unbranded Voyager train set.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYwFVDIAFe0&feature=relmfu

Holmfield Station

Opened 15-12-1879. Closed 21-05-1955..

Holmfield Junction & Station (c.1934) : John Davies
A panorama of some shots I have of Holmfield.
I’ve posted a larger version of the file on the bygone Lines Yahoo group together with the individual shots.
Holmfield Station (c1963) : Richard Barnes © copyright on all Richard Barnes Photographs.    See also Queensbury - Halifax
Approach to Holmfield Station facing towards Queensbury.
You can see the connection to the Pellon branch trailing in on the left, the track had been lifted the previous week.  
Holmfield Station (c1963) : Richard Barnes ©
Holmfield Station looking towards Halifax. Note the buffer stops dumped on the platform! It looks as if both tracks were being used from here, although other pictures I have seen would indicate that the left hand track was used to travel down to Halifax, indicating that trains crossed over at this point. Photo's taken the week before the track was lifted.
Holmfield Station (c1963) : Richard Barnes ©
Holmfield looking SE across goods yard (c1963) : Richard Barnes ©
Holmfield looking south from footbridge (c1963) : Richard Barnes ©
Holmfield general view looking NW (c1963) : Richard Barnes ©
Holmfield junction facing s west (19-02-06) : David Webdale   see also Queensbury to Halifax
To the south of Holmfield station, the site of Holmfield junction facing towards Ovenden.
Bridge remnants crossing Shay lane visible to the left of that big building near centre of photo.
Shay lane facing north (19-02-06) : David Webdale
Bridge remnant & a bit of embankment on left.
Drake's Industrial Estate (23-08-06) : Andrew Stopford
Drake's Industrial Estate is home to several businesses, but once it was Drake's Engineers, and they made retorts and other items involved in the production of coal/town gas. The site was connected by a short spur from the High Level/St Paul's branch just after the western side of the bridge over Shay Lane, this  is the only remaining fragment of track on the site. The track went in a straight line past the vans towards the trees in the distance, and is probably still there beneath the concrete.
Keighley road facing east (22-04-06) : David Webdale
The old trackbed was recently used as an access road between two industrial estates on either side of Keighley road.
Now filled in to provide a base for a tacky new housing estate.

Wheatley tunnel

Wheatley tunnel east portal (22-04-06) : David Webdale
Taken from Keighley road bridge, as far as I can work out, from Google earth, the east portal of the
2400 ft Wheatley tunnel is buried under the the corner of this access road somewhere.
Wheatley tunnel east portal (05-03-07) : Matt c
After some searching I have finally found the lost Holmfield portal of the 819 yard Wheatley tunnel. I know the picture attached is not clear but this is where it used to be about 30 years ago. From the same spot where I have taken the photo, you would be looking down onto the portal.
Wheatley tunnel air shaft (04-06) Matt C
Square brick air shaft on Cousin lane.
Wheatley tunnel west portal (c1963) : Richard Barnes © copyright on all Richard Barnes Photographs.
 You could still see right through Wheatley Tunnel! As I was alone at the time I chickened out from walking through it!
The track had been lifted the previous week.
Wheatley tunnel west portal (22-04-06) : David Webdale
Same view in 2006. Bricked up tunnel entrance & nice blue brick retaining wall. Crag lane just visible across top of photo.
This section of line, between tunnel entrance & Wheatley viaduct has survived reasonably unscathed.
Matt C (03-08)
There seems to have been some work done recently to the Box Trees Lane footpath which has been turned into a farm track to the nearby Greystones farm.  There have also been some vehicle tracks left on the approach cutting to Wheatley Tunnel,
though the tunnel portal is in a relatively unscathed condition. Lets just hope that it stays like this for many years to come.

Wheatley tunnel expedition (19-02-08) Graeme Bickerdike   
website -  http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/
Wheatley tunnel west portal (19-02-08) : Graeme Bickerdike
The orange glow of dusk lights up Wheatley's remaining portal, at its western end.
The approach cutting boasts a substantial retaining wall of blue engineering brick.
Wheatley tunnel west portal (19-02-08) : Graeme Bickerdike
Earlier in the day, shafts of sunlight create an extraordinary light show.
A thick mist hangs 4-feet above ground level and persists, in patches, through much of this 819-yard long tunnel.
Wheatley tunnel vent (19-02-08) : Graeme Bickerdike
After 500 yards or so, Wheatley's only ventilation shaft is reached. There's the usual drip-drip from above.
The white i-shaped blob in the centre is daylight.
At several very localised places within the tunnel, there is considerable water penetration of the lining.
Some sections show evidence of bulging, both in the walls and roof.
Wheatley tunnel vegetation (19-02-08) : Graeme Bickerdike
Between the shaft and buried portal is the bizarre sight of vegetation (possibly a root system) hanging from the roof.
There is also some insect life. To the bottom right of shot is a refuge which, like a dozen or so others, has been infilled with breezeblock.
The water ingress and recent maintenance work suggests that Wheatley is not in the best of condition.
Wheatley tunnel telegraph (19-02-08) : Graeme Bickerdike
Like most tunnels, Wheatley has a few relics of its former life. Lengths of telegraph wire still cling to this bracket.
Even fragments of its insulator pots survive, despite being attacked with an air rifle.
Wheatley tunnel eastern portal (19-02-08) : Graeme Bickerdike   website -  http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/
For the last 50 yards to the eastern portal, the floor is covered with thick orange mud. It's more than a foot deep in places.
The bricked-up entrance has a doorway close to roof level.

Wheatley viaduct

Wheatley viaduct (c1963) : Richard Barnes
©
Wheatley Viaduct and “The Maltings” taken from above the retaining wall to Wheatley Tunnel. The track had been lifted the previous week.
Platelayers hut facing west (22-04-06) : David Webdale
Remnants of platelayers hut. see above photo
 
Lag screw (22-04-06) : David Webdale
Found this rusty lag screw next to the platelayers hut. (wire brushed for it's screen debut).
Wheatley viaduct facing west (02-06) Matt C
100 ft high, ten arched Wheatley viaduct.
Wheatley viaduct facing south (22-04-06) : David Webdale
Viaduct photographed from below from Boy lane, shows a combination of stone & brick arch, nice job.
More than can be said for the shite they build things out of nowadays.
Wheatley viaduct facing west (26-11-07) : Andrew Stopford
Slightly 'different' view of Wheatley Viaduct. It still looks like it belongs if you know what I mean!
Wheatley viaduct : Danny Bradley
Wheatley viaduct (02-06) Matt C
Some views of viaduct & dolls houses.
Wheatley viaduct (02-06) Matt C
Wheatley viaduct (02-06) Matt C
Wheatley valley & Wheatley viaduct (02-06) Matt C
Websters Brewery building visible to left of viaduct, close up next photo.

Wheatley goods & Websters Brewery Maltings

Websters Brewery Maltings facing west (22-04-06) : David Webdale
Looking across the former Wheatley goods yard. A siding led into the brewery loading bay visible on right hand side of building,
opened in 1838, closed in 1996. Now a listed building converted into offices, at no small expense, they've been empty ever since.
Originally the yard consisted of a loop, an open siding & a small goods shed.
The L&Y & GNR were compelled to build a goods station but resisted pressure to build a passenger station here.
Wheatley goods (04-06) Matt C
Wider view of the yard.
One Engine In Steam staff (28-05-10) : Rob Daniels
From the Hall Cross collection at Doncaster Grammar School. The unique One Engine In Steam staff.
One Engine In Steam staff  (28-05-10) : Rob Daniels
The staff unlocked a ground frame at Wheatley goods and another at the Pennine Brewery
(Messrs Webster & Co.), also at Wheatley. The staff was in use from circa 1916 to the line's closure.
Bridge remnant facing west (22-04-06) : David Webdale
Remnant of an iron deck  footbridge bridge crossing the line, originally carried a footpath to the nearby Wheatley Dye works.
Just to the left were the points & signal box leading to Wheatley goods yard.
Railway alignment (02-06) Matt C
Spin round on the same spot facing towards Pellon, photo shows the section of the line approaching Wood lane, at a gradient of 1 in 53.
Wood lane bridge facing south Matt C
Wood lane bridge facing north (22-04-06) : David Webdale
View from other side.
Grange farm facing east (22-04-06) : David Webdale
Photographed from Doctor Hill. These buildings look older than the railway, the track passed right outside their windows.
Trackbed visible to right of buildings.
Between Church lane & Pellon (13-09-10) : David Marshall
Guard rail near Grange farm (03-08) Matt C
Railway alignment near Grange farm (03-08) Matt C
Retaining wall near Grange farm (03-08) Matt C
Dismantled iron deck overbridge (02-06) Matt C
Remnants of an iron deck bridge crossing a track leading from Doctor Hill to Greenroyd lane.
Originally lead to a place called Brackenbed Grange.
Dismantled iron deck overbridge (02-07) Matt C
The view from around the other side of the abandoned bridgeworks at Brackenbed Grange.
Footpath overbridge Church lane facing north (02-06) Matt C
One of the tall skinny bridges. Stone with brick arch. Decorative protruding stone corbels visible under the Springers.
Footpath overbridge Church lane facing north (22-04-06) : David Webdale
Wider view showing very steep footpath between Church lane & Greenroyd lane
Footpath overbridge Church lane  (13-09-10) : David Marshall
 
Railway overbridge (02-06) Matt C
Bridge over Brackenbed lane.
Footpath overbridge Pellon New road facing south (02-06) Matt C
Another tall skinny bridge over a  footpath  between Pellon New road & Hebble lane.
Looks even higher from on top, don't think you would survive the fall.
Footpath overbridge Pellon New road  (02-06) Matt C
Couple of photo's from other side, brick skew arch, decorative stone corbels.
Footpath overbridge Pellon New road facing north (22-04-06) : David Webdale
Steep footpaths down the valley side.
Retaining wall Brackenbed (02-06) Matt C
This retaining wall is higher than it looks. Overbridge in previous photo visible to the right.

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