Pre-electification Airedale/Wharfedale line timetables

[InkyScrolls]

Does anyone know where I might be able to access copies of timetables for the Airedale and Wharfedale lines (Leeds to Bradford F. Sq., Skipton and Ilkley) in the years just before electrification?

Thanks in advance.

 

[splashoutradio]

Timetable World may well have what you're looking for. They have an impressive array of historical timetables.

Timetable World – Historical transport timetables and maps

timetableworld.com

 

[InkyScrolls]

Thank you, that's exactly what I'm after!

 

[Harpers Tate]

Specifically, the most recent timetable pre-electrification, I could find was for Summer 85. See table 36

Timetable World

timetableworld.com

 

[Ken H]

Does anyone know where I might be able to access copies of timetables for the Airedale and Wharfedale lines (Leeds to Bradford F. Sq., Skipton and Ilkley) in the years just before electrification?

Thanks in advance.

It was pretty infrequent. Mostly hourly. Some trains from leeds definitely terminated at Keighley. There was a reversing siding where Asda is now. There were no Leeds - Bradford FS services. Cononley, Steeton and Silsden, Crossflats, Saltaire, Fitzwilliam, Baildon, Kirkstall Forge and Apperley bridge were not there till about 1980.
The loco hauled trains to Carlisle ( and on to Glasgow) only stopped at Keighley and Bingley
Of course the platforms on the through lines at Shipley were a 1980's addition. The DMU's between Leeds and Keighley/Skipton did reversals at Shipley that have been.
Long thread about Shipley and its history here - https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/shipley-triangle.178047/

 

[Watershed]

Specifically, the most recent timetable pre-electrification, I could find was for Summer 85. See table 36

Timetable World

timetableworld.com

Looks like it was very sparse on Sundays. Just two-hourly from Leeds to Skipton, Leeds to Ilkeley and Bradford to Ilkley. And even weekdays, just hourly on each route.

 

[InkyScrolls]

Specifically, the most recent timetable pre-electrification, I could find was for Summer 85. See table 36

Timetable World

timetableworld.com

That's perfect, thank you. As Watershed says, rather a sparse service; even Skipton was only served hourly.

 

[30907]

Specifically, the most recent timetable pre-electrification, I could find was for Summer 85. See table 36

Timetable World

timetableworld.com

Just to clarify: that was May 1982 not 1985. The service was then at a fairly low ebb, though Metro had sponsored the Bradford-Keighley service.

Cononley and Steeton reopened in the late 80s and the Leeds service was IIRC increased to basically half hourly. I might be able to dig a relevant year out next week, but with a flatbed scanner it may not be brilliant. PM me!

 

[InkyScrolls]

It was pretty infrequent. Mostly hourly. Some trains from leeds definitely terminated at Keighley. There was a reversing siding where Asda is now. There were no Leeds - Bradford FS services. Cononley, Steeton and Silsden, Crossflats, Saltaire, Fitzwilliam, Baildon, Kirkstall Forge and Apperley bridge were not there till about 1980.
The loco hauled trains to Carlisle ( and on to Glasgow) only stopped at Keighley and Bingley
Of course the platforms on the through lines at Shipley were a 1980's addition. The DMU's between Leeds and Keighley/Skipton did reversals at Shipley that have been.
Long thread about Shipley and its history here - https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/shipley-triangle.178047/

There is still the ability to reverse services at Keighley but the crossover is only used in times of serious disruption.

I think you might mean Frizinghall?

Interestingly, Baildon appears on the 1985 timetable, but none of the other 'small' stations had been rebuilt by then; Crossflatts was entirely new, as were Apperley Bridge and Kirkstall Forge (opened in 2015/16 respectively).

It's amazing to me that the busiest side of Shipley only gained platforms so late! Thank you for the link, I'll have a read.

 

[Ken H]

Yes Frizinghall

Crossfalts opened 1982. One of the first new stations opened by Metro.

 

[MCSHF007]

I have the summer 1993 British Rail Passenger Timetable if the OP would find any info therein useful.

 

[InkyScrolls]

I have the summer 1993 British Rail Passenger Timetable if the OP would find any info therein useful.

Thank you, that would be helpful.

 

[MCSHF007]

Hope these readable - please DM if not.

 

[InkyScrolls]

That's excellent, thank you! I can read those fine.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

By the early 1990s but before the wires went up, most legs had gone half-hourly (but not Bradford to Leeds, which didn't start until electrification). The diagrams were such that units went (for example) Leeds - Ilkley - Bradford - Skipton - Leeds or the reverse- when they arrived at a terminus from one origin they'd depart towards the other. Pretty much every service would be a 142 or 144, anything else was pretty rare.

 

[Ken H]

By the early 1990s but before the wires went up, most legs had gone half-hourly (but not Bradford to Leeds, which didn't start until electrification). The diagrams were such that units went (for example) Leeds - Ilkley - Bradford - Skipton - Leeds or the reverse- when they arrived at a terminus from one origin they'd depart towards the other. Pretty much every service would be a 142 or 144, anything else was pretty rare.

Were the Morecambes part of the same link? Seem to remember those being 14x. Think the S&C were a separate operation.

 

[30907]

Were the Morecambes part of the same link? Seem to remember those being 14x. Think the S&C were a separate operation.

Yes - as the timetable shows, they were extensions of the Skipton stoppers until electrification.

 

[InkyScrolls]

The diagrams were such that units went (for example) Leeds - Ilkley - Bradford - Skipton - Leeds or the reverse - when they arrived at a terminus from one origin they'd depart towards the other.

Slightly different from today, when the standard patterns are Leeds > Ilkley > Leeds > Skipton > Bradford > Leeds or Leeds > Bradford > Ilkley > Bradford > Skipton > Leeds.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Slightly different from today, when the standard patterns are Leeds > Ilkley > Leeds > Skipton > Bradford > Leeds or Leeds > Bradford > Ilkley > Bradford > Skipton > Leeds.

The introduction of the direct Leeds > Bradford service necessitated the change. I have a vague memory that initially the same pattern continued and the Leeds > Bradford services were diagrammed separately when 308s were first introduced... but that could well be a mistake on my part.