Leeds New Line 4

Heaton Lodge - Farnley Junction (Leeds New Line) Page: 4 of 6 [ <<Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next >> ]
1900 - 1965
London & North Western Railway

Contributors: © Reproduction prohibited / Paul Holroyd / Harry Naylor Holroyd / Alan S Bagot / Graeme Bickerdike / Graham Smith
Gareth Nolan / K Evans / Nigel Callaghan / Andrew Stopford / Bernard Coomber / Lost Railways

The Leeds New Line route maps
See page 1 for explanation

You are here: Map 4 Cleckheaton
Well street - Oakwell Hall

Map 4 Cleckheaton
Well street - Oakwell Hall
L.N.W.R Leeds New Line shown in red

Rawfolds bridge (c1955) : Graham Smith

I was checking out some old family slides and found one containing a long forgotten bridge on the Leeds New Line. I think this photo was taken in the early to mid 50’s as some of the kids are older relations of mine I think. The bridge location is close to Royds Park at Rawfolds just a few hundred yards on the Mirfield side of the Rawfolds footbridge. see map below.
The line of poplar trees in the background are still there in front of the garden nursery that’s on the site now.
I like the fact that in this photo there are the remains of the original LNWR wrought iron railings that have been fronted by the more recent standard BR wooden fencing.
There are still some remains of this sort of railing to be found at the deep cutting at the other side of Heckmondwike.

Rawfolds bridge map (c1955) : Graham Smith
I’ve highlighted the location of the bridge shown on the map. There’s not a single trace of this bridge, and I can’t remember any embankment of footing remains as far back as 1971 which is a long ago as I remember.

Rawfolds footbridge (c1967 - 69) : Harry Naylor Holroyd courtesy Richard Holroyd
Footbridge over the Leeds New Line near Rawfolds, between Liversedge Spen and Cleckheaton Spen.
Looking towards Cleckheaton. circa 1967 - 1969 This was the location for the black and white photo of the Class 40 (next photo)

Rawfolds footbridge Class 40 (05-1964) : Harry Naylor Holroyd courtesy Alan S Bagot website - www.vintagecarriagestrust.org
An unidentified Class 40 near Rawfolds, between Cleckheaton Spen and Liversedge Spen, with what is probably a Newcastle to Liverpool train.

Click here to see selection of Spen Valley railway tickets & handbills.

Rawfolds Platelayers hut (c1967 - 69) : Harry Naylor Holroyd courtesy Richard Holroyd
This platelayers hut stood near the bridge at Rawfolds circa 1967 - 1969. The Spenborough Model & Experimental Engineers operate a miniature railway near Royds Park, on the trackbed of the former Leeds New Line. See http://www.spenborough.me.uk/8.html

Spen Bank bridge facing North (04-01-03)
Cleckheaton station platforms were up on the left hand side of the bridge.

Spen Bank bridge (27-06-1966) : Harry Naylor Holroyd courtesy Alan S Bagot website - www.vintagecarriagestrust.org
Four photographs of the bridge over Spen Bank, shortly before demolition.

Spen Bank bridge (03-07-1966) : Harry Naylor Holroyd courtesy Alan S Bagot
Three photo's of the demolition the bridge over Spen Bank.

Class 5 Cleckheaton Spen (1963) : Bernard Coomber
A class 5 heads for Leeds past the site of the old Cleckheaton Spen station, circa 1963.

Cleckheaton Spen station
Opened 01-10-1900. Closed 03-01-1953.

Cleckheaton station Map 1908 (Re-named Cleckheaton Spen in 1924)
Due to the steep valley side, the whole area was built on top of a one sided man made embankment. Situated on the west side of Spen lane, platforms & buildings of timber construction, including a subway & brick stables. Access from town centre was via this massive road viaduct across the valley. The station included a big goods yard controlled by 2 signal boxes. Consisted of a warehouse tipping dock & cattle pen.

Early Transpennine DMU (1964) : Bernard Coomber
An early Transpennine DMU passing Cleckheaton Spen signal box, heading for Huddersfield on the Leeds New Line circa 1964.

Cleckheaton Spen goods shed : Bernard Coomber
This building is of an entirely wooden construction.

Spen Valley box boards (07-02-07) : Paul Holroyd
Now on display at Museum of Rail Travel, Ingrow Railway Centre.

Luggage label (06-09-08) : Paul Holroyd
LNER luggage label courtesy David Norman Carr website - www.vintagecarriagestrust.org

Footpath 18th Feb 1968 : Harry Naylor Holroyd courtesy Alan S Bagot
The footpath from Spen Lane to Cleckheaton Spen station was filled in prior to construction
of an access road leading to Wilson's Steel stockholders on the old trackbed.

Subway 27th June 1966 / 18th Feb 1968 : Harry Naylor Holroyd courtesy Alan S Bagot
Three photo's of the subway under the tracks before & after infilling. The subway was filled in prior to construction of an access road leading to
Wilson's Steel stockholders on the old trackbed.

Stables : Alan S Bagot collection
Carter John Hosley with his horse at Cleckheaton Spen stables.

Stables facing South (04-01-03)
Stood on the site of Cleckheaton station, facing back towards Spen lane.
The red brick stable block visible behind the lorry on the right. (see Cleckheaton station map).

Stables (21 -08-1983) : Alan S Bagot
The stable block at Cleckheaton Spen in 1983.

Cleckheaton Spen (21-08- 1983) : Alan S Bagot
A couple of views of the remains of Cleckheaton Spen back in 1983.

Cleckheaton Spen (27-06-1966) : Harry Naylor Holroyd courtesy Alan S Bagot
General view looking towards Gomersal 1966.

Cleckheaton station
Photo: James Cliff see Cleckheaton Central station website - www.procast.co.uk

Road viaduct facing west (04-01-03) : Lost Railways
Taken from the station end of the road viaduct, looking towards Cleckheaton town centre.
Looks shit from above, but spectacular from below. (That's my missus, she's nuts).

Road viaduct facing South (04-01-03) : Lost Railways
Not much daylight this time of year. Picturesque view of the viaduct & embankment looking towards Cleckheaton Spen station,
in the setting sun, at about three o clock in the afternoon, for gods sake.

Road viaduct (02-06) : Andrew Stopford
The viaduct from Cleckheaton Spen into Cleckheaton (Feb 06)

Road viaduct - 1 (23-11-07) : Graeme Bickerdike
The pedestrian viaduct at Cleckheaton is around 450 feet long and spans Mann Dam at Cleckheaton Bottoms.

Road viaduct - 2 (23-11-07) : Graeme Bickerdike
From an engineering perspective, this was no mean feat.

Road viaduct - 3 (23-11-07) : Graeme Bickerdike
In 2001 a woman was badly injured after jumping 60 feet from the structure.
She died later in hospital. The son of one of her friends had done the same thing the year before.

Road viaduct - 4 (23-11-07) : Graeme Bickerdike
The supporting girders are anchored onto brick pillars. I didn't count them but they must number about a dozen.

Station round hill facing South (13-04-03) : Lost Railways
Taken from the top of Round Hill. Cleckheaton town centre is visible in the background. Looking down onto the goods yard area. There was a mill at the top of round hill, a footpath leads up to this area from the valley bottom under the railway. I found some derelict buildings, I should have taken some photos.

Underbridge (c1980) : Paul Holroyd
Taken circa 1980 showing the underbridge between Cleckheaton Spen goods yard and the Cliffe Lane overbridge.
The footpath leads from Mann Dam to Roundhill Mill.

Cleckheaton Spen goods depot (c1980) : Paul Holroyd
Showing the gates of Cleckheaton Spen goods depot. The viaduct over Mann Dam is to the left behind the photographer.

Gradient post (c1980) : Paul Holroyd
The gradient post on top of the underbridge carrying the footpath from Mann Dam to Roundhill Mill.
The large white building is Wilson's Steel Stockholders The smaller building was built later and is on the trackbed.

Cliffe lane road bridge : Bernard Coomber (1963) / Graham Smith (2010)
An early Transpennine DMU passes under Cliffe lane road bridge heading for Leeds. Circa 1963.
Then & now same location in 2010.

Cliffe lane road bridge (1963) : Bernard Coomber
Peak class loco passes under Cliffe lane road bridge Cleckheaton heading for Leeds, circa 1963.

Cliffe lane road bridge (1960) : Bernard Coomber
English electric type 4 (now class 40)_ approaches Cliffe Lane road bridge Cleckheaton with a Leeds bound express. circa 1960.

Cliffe lane facing West (13-04-03) : Lost Railways
The railway passed under the road here. Only the bridge parapet on the right hand side remains.

Cliffe lane facing North (13-04-03) : Lost Railways
View from the bridge, facing in Leeds direction. Just down in the bottom, hidden by trees is a stone bridge.
(see next photo). The route follows the line of trees around to the right, towards Gomersal tunnel.

Footpath facing East (13-04-03) : Lost Railways
Taken from a footpath (see main map), between Cliffe lane & Gomersal tunnel. A new concrete slab spans the stone pillars, it looks like the old railway route has been used for vehicle access. Carrying on to the left The line curves around into Gomersal tunnel.

Transpennine DMU : Bernard Coomber (1965) / Graham Smith (2010)
Early Transpennine DMU just emerged from Gommersal tunnel, heading for Huddersfield, Circa 1965
& a before & after photo same location in 2010

Gomersal tunnel West end (c1967) photo Paul Holroyd / Harry Naylor Holroyd courtesy Richard Holroyd
The entrance back in 1967.

Gomersal Tunnel

Gomersal tunnel West end (13-04-03) : Lost Railways
Completed in 1899. A straight 819 yards long, built of blue engineering brick throughout with stone portals.
The tunnel had only one ventilation shaft, it is short & straight, with not much ground above.

Differing theories regarding the brick pillar in the entrance: -

Nigel Callaghan
I was most interested in that brick-built tower structure at the western portal of Gomersal Tunnel. I've given it much tough and believe it might have once contained some sort of filtration equipment for tests that were once carried out inside the tunnel after its closure.
Tests of diesel fumes were also carried out in Lees Moor tunnel to test and check for cancerous effects and a team from
St Bartholomew's Hospital in London visited the tunnel whilst the tests were being conducted. I also believe similar tests were carried out in in Savile Road Tunnel (or was it Soothill) one of those two anyway. I think the small room at the top of the brick-tower might well have housed filters or even chromatographs to monitor the air on whatever was being tested. I have asked many people about that structure and so far nobody seems to know.

Mark Hoyle (03-02-06)
I disagree with the email (Nigel Callaghan) about diesel fume testing. I have been led to believe that the brick column in front of the portal was all that materialised of British rails plans to fill in and restore the landscape around the tunnel portal. the brick structure would have allowed access into the tunnel, in case of emergency or maintenance. if you venture around the back of the brick structure, you would find that there is a staircase leading halfway up the structure, and at the top of the stairs there is a doorway (no door) into the column, which when you look inside, the column, you can see that there is another access hatch at the top of the column. The authority responsible for the tunnel have a lot of trouble with the structure, especially during the summertime, when, people decide it is clever to set fires inside the tunnel, (wa***rs). also the British rail property board occasionally turn up to inspect the structure. In the centre recently a large section of it has collapsed, however it is still possible to pass through the tunnel. British rail acknowledge ownership of the structure, they have a website, which acknowledges ownership of all there properties: - http://www.brb.gov.uk/property

Gomersal tunnel (18-02-07) : Graeme Bickerdike website - http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/

I was surprised to find that the tunnel has a slight S-shape to it. From the eastern portal, you can’t see the western end until you’re 100 yards in, and even then it’s obscured. I didn’t venture too far but, for the first 300 yards, the brickwork is in decent condition although very wet in parts. This is the view looking west. There does appear to be a mound of debris towards the other portal - perhaps this is the collapse which Mark refers to.

Gomersal tunnel eastern portal (18-02-07) : Graeme Bickerdike
This is the eastern portal and part of the huge retaining wall which extends for around 100 yards on the north side of the former station site.

Gomersal station
Opened 01-10-1900. Closed 05-10-1953.
Gomersal station map 1908

Situated next to the Eastern entrance to Gomersal tunnel. Platforms & buildings of timber construction, including a subway.
The goods yard, situated south of the station, consisted of 4 sidings. The massive buildings in the yard were originally used as a textile willeying shed and were known locally as the Silk Mill. After the railway had finished with them they became a soap factory & ended their life as a scrap metal merchants. Nothing of the station or goods yard remains now.

Note : Alan Hodgson
I'm doing a bit of research on the area around the old Gomersal Station and noticed that mention is made of its goods warehouses there being called 'the Silk Mill'. I beleive this is inaccurate as old maps show the buildings to have been the now vanished Broadroyd Mills which was actually a woollen textile concern.
I believe the confusion has arisen in that there was a smaller single-building Silk Mill almost opposite the former entrance to the railway station across Moor Lane, but which had no connection to the railway. This still stands but since 1910 has been used as a venue for various dance schools.
A bit more research as revealed that Broadroyd Mill was concerned with woollens and silk processing, although my initial findings stand! The company occupying the site seemingly went bust and closed around the time the LNWR were planning their 'Leeds New Line' through Gomersal, thus leaving the railwaymen with a golden opportunity to snap it up and convert the former mill into sidings and goods warehouse.

Gomersal station facing east (nd) : Gareth Nolan
Taken from near the signal box facing towards Leeds. (see photo below).

Gomersal station facing east (25-05-03) : Lost Railways
The view towards Gomersal station facing towards Leeds. Taken from somewhere near where the signal box once stood, (see photo above).

Station masters house : Gareth Nolan
There is an interesting looking house at the bottom of Moor Lane on the right. We were always told it was the Station Masters house but it recently came up for sale with Robert Watts and was described as a "lodge" http://www.robertwatts.co.uk/moor-lane-gomersal-bd19/07,0,0,0,1029270,51251,00.htm

Gomersal bridge facing North (25-05-03) : Lost Railways
Taken from Dewsbury road. The station platforms were just up to the left, on top of the embankment behind those houses. I assume an iron deck bridge spanned the road. A road on the left, roughly in the same place as it is now, lead into the goods yard. The warehouse was the biggest on the line.

Gomersal bridge facing East (25-05-03) : Lost Railways
Closer view of the bus stop. From here the line enters the grounds of Oakwell Hall on an embankment.

Gomersal bridge facing South (25-05-03) : Lost Railways
Remnants of Gomersal bridge. Taken from the junction of Moor lane & Dewsbury road.

The Red House website - http://www.bronte-country.com/redhse.html
Nothing to do with railways, but If you're in Gomersal, you may as well visit the red house on Oxford Road.
Most of its a bit Bronte sisters, but they do have some railway & industrial stuff, covering the surrounding areas, including Cleckheaton & Heckmondwike.

Oakwell Hall footbridge facing North (25-05-03) : Lost Railways
This my be Warren lane bridge (see next photo, looks similar) At Birstall the line had to deviate around the perimeter of Oakwell Hall grounds.

Warren Lane Bridge : K Evans
Train Approaching Warren Lane Bridge - The bridge near Oakwell Hall. The Train is on what is now the footpath around the Oakwell Hall Park.

Oakwell Hall aqueduct facing North (25-05-03) : Lost Railways
Hundred yards or so towards Leeds an aqueduct was made to channel a small watercourse, then called Nova Beck, over the line, since renamed Imaginatively Oakwell beck. Looks like a couple of bits of old R.S.J to me, seems to work though. The cutting is deep here.

Oakwell Hall bridge : K Evans
A bridge (now gone and land raised slightly) in Oakwell Hall Grounds - Behind the bridge is a pond that Oakwell Hall refer to as Colliery Pond - which is in accurate. If you visit the pond there is a concrete ledge and the pond actually formed part of this underpass under the railway.

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