It's difficult now to image the intense industrialization of West Yorkshire until you see it on old photos. The air and land were heavily polluted . Tar distillers, dye works, etc. But the building work on the railways was done with real pride by skilled craftsmen. I was born in Batley in 1948, I watched it all disappear.
Great video Allan really enjoyed it especially with the original photos inserted. The railways were so interesting then but so labour intensive. Really looking forward to the New Line video as I used it regularly during the early sixties when the big diesels took over, sorry that closed so soon.
Amazing! My Brother and I used to go down to the engine sheds at Low Moor on a Saturday afternoon, and just wonder round, never anyone about the engine sheds The loco's would be gently steaming away. Also often stand at the Oakenshaw Tunnel waiting for trains. At holiday times we also used to sit on the wall up Serpentine (Cleckheaton) watch all the holiday trains in and out. As toddlers my dad used to take us to watch Trains on the Leeds line by Harry Mann Dam What wonderful Memories.
Great video. I was living next to Liversedge station in the 1950's when steam was still king. The coalmine was known as Dymonds pit, I believe it closed around 1920. The station building at Cleckheaton was 'stolen' by a demolition contractor, not moved to a heritage railway. The L&Y Society have a booklet about the Cleckheaton branch.
Well done....we were posh in Cleckheaton having 2 stations linked by a passenger and light freight viaduct ( now a protected structure) above Mann Dam in the delightful Spen Bottoms area.
Great work. Look forward to the "new line" video. Leeds New Line services ceased in 1965. But Charrington Hargreaves had a rail supplied oil depot at Liversedge goods yard. To maintain access a rail link was constructed at Heckmondwike Smithies Lane to transfer oil trains from the Ravensthorpe - Low Moor line. When the depot closed in 1986 the track was taken up. Thornleigh Drive was built there.
on my doorstep this and 30 years ago the tracks were still down and quite a lot more to see although today there is some quite impressive relics left untouched as you found
Great video, but the Cleckheaton Branch was the first line in, at 19.29 mark you mention spur to Mirfield (Cleckheaton Junction), but that was the mainline, the portion to Thornhill was added later.
I used to live locally to Low Moor. The tracks you saw embedded in the tarmac would have been part of the tram system from the ill fated Transperience museum that used to occupy that site.
I remember the tracks still being in situ and I remember the pit head at Stanley colliery being fenced off with danger signs around it, not sure that would be adequate for today's youth to stay away haha, had amazing days down the line. Shame you didn't get to see heckmondwike goods yard when all the platforms were still there you would have loved that explore. Thanks for the video!!
Another top video again Alan used to bounce by there back in the 80's and 90's (especially when they put a 142 on it or Pacer) glad to see they have at least opened a station there as it used to be a desolate patch of wasteland with a couple of rusty lines set of stop blocks under the bridge and a sign that used to proclaim it was to be a Transport Museum (but as Tim said came to nowt) used to wonder where that Branch went to as I was gazing out the window, now I know thanks again Alan 😉
The biggest railway relic at Low Moor is the row of terraces which were built by the L&Y for their staff. Some of the track you found was put in by Transperience, a failed museum project, many of the newer buildings were built for the museum. You also missed the old shed turntable which is now a pond for wildlife. When Low Moor, 56F, was opened I would cycle down after school to see the steam. Low Moor was a major junction. As well as the Thornhill line there was the GNR line to Dudley Hill and it served as an interchange for the Pickle Bridge line and where Eastbound services split for Leeds and Bradford.
Nice informative video, but sometimes I struggle to visually link where you are to the old pictures used. Is there anyway you can find a similar spot and fade the current picture with a previous picture. I notice Darren from adventure me does it perfectly. Such a big help in visualising where structures are located. Showing over grown vegetation and giving an explanation is hard to understand. I don’t wish to be critical, but felt the need to explain why I struggle to understand. 👍🏻
The sculptures were made from local industrial relics when the Greenway was created. As were the poems on the bridges. The Central suffix’ was applied to differentiate from the LNWR stations, which were called Spen.
We never knew the original Low Moor station, but passed the sheds a few times, mainly B1s on from memory, but we never actually visited the sheds, I expect you would have had to catch a bus from Bradford. According to the 1962 shed directory, the sheds was 5 minutes from the station, so the station my have closed under Beeching
I've been looking everywhere for pictures of the old Thornhill by Dewsbury Train station that used to sit on Station Road just under the bridge on the way into Dewsbury. There are only three that I have found, one from the bridge itself showing the entrench then another two showing the platforms in the winter snow. Im only 23 but I've passed over that bridge 1000s of times and never even knew a train station used to be there. I'd love to find more information or pictures of what it used to look like, my area has lots of railway history but I just don't know where to look. Any pointers would be appreciated!
I think they were called central because of the 2 lines that run through the towns, on the other line the Leeds new line they were all called heckmondwike spen, liversedge spen and cleckheaton spen stations
Have you done the Southport to Preston line? I was going to suggest the old Cheshire Lines route from Old Roan to Southport via Lydiate but looking at Google Maps, it's probably been obliterated.
It's difficult now to image the intense industrialization of West Yorkshire until you see it on old photos. The air and land were heavily polluted . Tar distillers, dye works, etc. But the building work on the railways was done with real pride by skilled craftsmen. I was born in Batley in 1948, I watched it all disappear.
Great video Allan really enjoyed it especially with the original photos inserted. The railways were so interesting then but so labour intensive. Really looking forward to the New Line video as I used it regularly during the early sixties when the big diesels took over, sorry that closed so soon.
Amazing that Ravensthorpe had 3 stations back in the day. 😃👍🏻
Amazing! My Brother and I used to go down to the engine sheds at Low Moor on a Saturday afternoon, and just wonder round, never anyone about the engine sheds The loco's would be gently steaming away. Also often stand at the Oakenshaw Tunnel waiting for trains. At holiday times we also used to sit on the wall up Serpentine (Cleckheaton) watch all the holiday trains in and out. As toddlers my dad used to take us to watch Trains on the Leeds line by Harry Mann Dam What wonderful Memories.
Great video. I was living next to Liversedge station in the 1950's when steam was still king. The coalmine was known as Dymonds pit, I believe it closed around 1920.
The station building at Cleckheaton was 'stolen' by a demolition contractor, not moved to a heritage railway. The L&Y Society have a booklet about the Cleckheaton branch.
Well done....we were posh in Cleckheaton having 2 stations linked by a passenger and light freight viaduct ( now a protected structure) above Mann Dam in the delightful Spen Bottoms area.
Cycle the route on many a Sunday, lots of clues on the route. Great info and video 👏
It is great that the Spen Valley Line will be reinstated with the West Yorkshire Mass Transit.
Great work. Look forward to the "new line" video. Leeds New Line services ceased in 1965. But Charrington Hargreaves had a rail supplied oil depot at Liversedge goods yard. To maintain access a rail link was constructed at Heckmondwike Smithies Lane to transfer oil trains from the Ravensthorpe - Low Moor line. When the depot closed in 1986 the track was taken up. Thornleigh Drive was built there.
on my doorstep this and 30 years ago the tracks were still down and quite a lot more to see although today there is some quite impressive relics left untouched as you found
Great video, but the Cleckheaton Branch was the first line in, at 19.29 mark you mention spur to Mirfield (Cleckheaton Junction), but that was the mainline, the portion to Thornhill was added later.
I used to live locally to Low Moor. The tracks you saw embedded in the tarmac would have been part of the tram system from the ill fated Transperience museum that used to occupy that site.
I remember the tracks still being in situ and I remember the pit head at Stanley colliery being fenced off with danger signs around it, not sure that would be adequate for today's youth to stay away haha, had amazing days down the line. Shame you didn't get to see heckmondwike goods yard when all the platforms were still there you would have loved that explore. Thanks for the video!!
excellent video 👍shame to see what it's like now and what it was like then pity really
Another top video again Alan used to bounce by there back in the 80's and 90's (especially when they put a 142 on it or Pacer) glad to see they have at least opened a station there as it used to be a desolate patch of wasteland with a couple of rusty lines set of stop blocks under the bridge and a sign that used to proclaim it was to be a Transport Museum (but as Tim said came to nowt) used to wonder where that Branch went to as I was gazing out the window, now I know thanks again Alan 😉
The biggest railway relic at Low Moor is the row of terraces which were built by the L&Y for their staff. Some of the track you found was put in by Transperience, a failed museum project, many of the newer buildings were built for the museum. You also missed the old shed turntable which is now a pond for wildlife.
When Low Moor, 56F, was opened I would cycle down after school to see the steam. Low Moor was a major junction. As well as the Thornhill line there was the GNR line to Dudley Hill and it served as an interchange for the Pickle Bridge line and where Eastbound services split for Leeds and Bradford.
Nice informative video, but sometimes I struggle to visually link where you are to the old pictures used. Is there anyway you can find a similar spot and fade the current picture with a previous picture. I notice Darren from adventure me does it perfectly. Such a big help in visualising where structures are located. Showing over grown vegetation and giving an explanation is hard to understand.
I don’t wish to be critical, but felt the need to explain why I struggle to understand.
👍🏻
The sculptures were made from local industrial relics when the Greenway was created. As were the poems on the bridges. The Central suffix’ was applied to differentiate from the LNWR stations, which were called Spen.
We never knew the original Low Moor station, but passed the sheds a few times, mainly B1s on from memory, but we never actually visited the sheds, I expect you would have had to catch a bus from Bradford. According to the 1962 shed directory, the sheds was 5 minutes from the station, so the station my have closed under Beeching
Cleckheaton station was stolen 😂 aledgedly. Enjoying your video very much 😎
great vid
I've been looking everywhere for pictures of the old Thornhill by Dewsbury Train station that used to sit on Station Road just under the bridge on the way into Dewsbury. There are only three that I have found, one from the bridge itself showing the entrench then another two showing the platforms in the winter snow. Im only 23 but I've passed over that bridge 1000s of times and never even knew a train station used to be there. I'd love to find more information or pictures of what it used to look like, my area has lots of railway history but I just don't know where to look. Any pointers would be appreciated!
Entrance*
I think they were called central because of the 2 lines that run through the towns, on the other line the Leeds new line they were all called heckmondwike spen, liversedge spen and cleckheaton spen stations
You should check out the Birkenhead dock railway from rock ferry down to the waterfront
Watch this space…
It makes me wonder who actually benefited fiscally from the massive destruction wrought on the railway system as was?
Have you done the Southport to Preston line? I was going to suggest the old Cheshire Lines route from Old Roan to Southport via Lydiate but looking at Google Maps, it's probably been obliterated.
Mirfield not Milfield.