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Leeds To Derby
1840 - Present
 Midland Railway
Contributors:  © Reproduction prohibited / Andrew Stopford / Michael Kaye / Jonathan Armitage / Luke Senior / Lost Railways
The Route
(West Yorkshire section) From Leeds Wellington Station to Derby. Via Hunslet, Woodlesford, Methley,
Altofts, Normanton, Goose Hill Junction, Sandal & Walton, Royston Junction & Royston & Notton.

Length
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Original Companies
The Rotherham to Hunslet Lane section was opened by George Hudson's North Midland Railway Company.
The Leeds Wellington Station to Hunslet section was opened by the Leeds & Bradford Railway Company.
The North Midland Railway later joined with the Midland Counties railway & Derby Junction railway
& became the Midland Railway.

Openings 
Rotherham to Hunslet Lane Leeds - 1st July 1840.        See also Hunslet Midland Goods.
Leeds Wellington Station to Hunslet  - 4th July 1844.

Closures
Passengers - The section between Hunslet Junction & Hunslet Lane terminus was closed in 1846 when passenger traffic was  transferred to Leeds Wellington station.
Freight - stopped along this section in 1976.

Leeds To Derby & Normanton
The west Yorkshire section of this line ran from Rotherham, around the east of Wakefield, through Normanton & Methley & originally terminated at a station in Hunslet lane. See Hunslet Midland Goods.
Normanton was about to become a key railway centre as two major companies were building lines to meet the North Midland at Normanton. These were the York & North Midland Company from York via Selby & Milford, connecting at Altofts & the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Calder Valley main line, via Wakefield, connecting further south at Goose Hill junction.

Goose Hill to Oakenshaw
 Goose Hill Junction (15-03-87) : Michael Kaye
This is Goose Hill Junction taken on the 15th March 1987, we are heading towards Normanton Station which is just through the left hand bridge, the rails coming in from the right are from Cudworth, to the left of the photograph are the slow lines, in which have been just taken out of use.
Warmfield Road overbridge (08-06-08) : Andrew Stopford
Warmfield Road overbridge, near Kirkthorpe. I thought at first this was a river bridge until I saw the BRB marker & checked the map - this is the trackbed, massively flooded! Looking towards Goose Hill.
Warmfield Road overbridge (08-06-08) : Andrew Stopford
Warmfield Road, looking towards Oakenshaw.
Warmfield Road overbridge (08-06-08) : Andrew Stopford
BRB marker.
Oakenshaw North Junction looking north (26-08-08) Andrew Stopford
This was the most overgrown old railway I have investigated so far. To think that HSTs were running up and down here just over 20 years ago is unbelievable! There are two waterlogged sections, where the water appears to be at least waist high, and until Lost Railways can provide a dinghy, I can't investigate them!
Oakenshaw North Junction looking south (26-08-08) Andrew Stopford
And looking south along what is now reduced to the single line branch to Monk Bretton, near Barnsley. This line was used by Bombardier as a test track, and also had 2-3 sand trains a week to the glass works at Monk Bretton. At present it appears to be completely out of use, and may be the reason why Oakenshaw North box was closed.
Note : Luke Senior (25-11-09)
Re - Monk Bretton branch, I can confirm that the line is still in use for currently weekly sand trains (Usually Tuesday).
Oakenshaw Box was rendered redundant, not by the closure of the branch, but the opening of the new Wakefield Kirkgate signal box,
which replaced the previous 'temporary' structure.
Oakenshaw North Junction (26-08-08) Andrew Stopford
Oakenshaw (North) Junction. Goose Hill to left (into trees!). Connecting line to Kirkgate-Pontefract line to right (left hand track only - right hand track derelict).
Oakenshaw Signal Box : Dave Watson
I have a friend who worked the box up to the very end. He now works in Knottingley box.
I've found an old photo you might want to include on your site.
Oakenshaw North Junction & Signal Box (06-12-84) : Michael Kaye
Oakenshaw North Junction taken on 6th Dec 1984, the view is looking towards Snydale (where the grey bridge is in the distant) and Normanton (left hand tracks) the right hands tracks took you to Crofton and onto Pontefract Tanshelf and Monkhill.
Oakenshaw North Signal Box (08-06-08) : Andrew Stopford
Oakenshaw SB - line to Goose Hill diverged left into the trees!
Signal box is Oakenshaw North, and I think it was abolished just after I pictured it! (See next photo)
Oakenshaw North Signal Box : Jonathan Armitage
Demolishing the signal box.
Oakenshaw North Signal Box panel : Jonathan Armitage
Panel from the old Oakenshaw box.
Oakenshaw  junction (26-08-08) Jonathan Armitage / Michael Kaye
Oakenshaw sth to oakenshaw jcn :
This view taken looking towards the line at Oakenshaw jcn on the l&y shows the rarely used curve.
Oakenshaw sth jcn:
Rarely seen by the public the junction is still in use today albeit for the sand train to Monk Bretton. The station  was further down the track towards Wakefield (near, more or less Heath Common, where the Midland went over the L&Y).

Sandal & Walton
Opened 01-06-1870. Closed 12-06-1961.
Walton Station (06-12-08) : Andrew Stopford / Michael Kaye
Near Walton looking north towards Oakenshaw south junction - previously this was a 4 track formation.
Walton Station was just beyond the stone bridge in the background.
Crofton Junction (26-08-08) Andrew Stopford / Michael Kaye
Bombardier sidings (left). Pontefract connecting line (right).
Chevet Cutting (06-12-08) : Andrew Stopford / Michael Kaye
Chevet Cutting, once a tunnel, it was all removed in 1923. The signal box at Chevet was removed and rebuilt at Snaith, renamed Snaith West. How impressive was this when it had 4 tracks?
 
Haw Park Lane (26-12-08) : Andrew Stopford
Haw Park Lane bridge - you can see how the bridge was strengthened and widened when the line was made quadruple track.
 
Royston (26-12-08) : Andrew Stopford / Michael Kaye
Approaching Royston (in the background) to the right was Monkton & Hodroyd Signal box and sidings.

Royston & Notton
Opened 1841. Closed 01-01-1968.
Royston station (26-12-08) : Andrew Stopford / Michael Kaye
Looking south from Royston, The chimneys are Monk Bretton Glassworks, now the end of the line.
Royston station consisted of 4 platforms.

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