The Spen Valley Route

[RichmondCommu]

G'day everyone,

I don't know much about the history of the route but I'm guessing that it closed in the mid 1980s? Was it freight only when it closed or were there any passenger workings? Apart from the obvious bridges is there any other railway infrastructure still left?

Any information would be gratefully received!

Kind regards,

Richmond Commuter!

 

[yorkie]

http://www.railwaypaths.org.uk/our-achievements/spen-valley-greenway/

The former Spen Valley Line, (official name Cleckheaton Branch) was opened to traffic in 1848 and carried a mixture of passengers, freight and summer excursions to the coast*. After being closed in stages between 1965 and 1981, the route re-opened as a cycle and walking path in 2000...

I have cycled it (we are going to walk it this summer) and I think there is the odd piece of evidence of railway infrastructure here and there, but it was a long time ago that I did it and I can't really remember.

We can provide a more comprehensive answer in about 6 weeks time

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There were 2 Spen Valley lines, L&Y and LNWR.
Do you mean the LNWR one?
http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/leeds new line 1.htm

 

[Crossover]

The one we walked had the odd remaining signal and some of the bridges had baffles to guide the steam from going straight up the side of the bridge as ejected.

 

[jimm]

There were 2 Spen Valley lines, L&Y and LNWR.
Do you mean the LNWR one?
http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/leeds new line 1.htm

Pretty sure RichmondCommuter means the L&Y Low Moor to Mirfield/Thornhill line http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/Mirfield Low moor.htm

I've always known the LNWR route as the Leeds New Line - as per the page you linked to.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Pretty sure RichmondCommuter means the L&Y Low Moor to Mirfield/Thornhill line http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/Mirfield Low moor.htm

I've always known the LNWR route as the Leeds New Line - as per the page you linked to.

Yes that's the one. Many thanks

 

[NorthernSpirit]

The old British Railways sign at Cleck Central has gone, although I do remember seeing it in situ in the mid 1990's.

No idea when goods were diverted but I do recall seeing one goods train head over the M62, again this was also in the mid 1990's.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The old British Railways sign at Cleck Central has gone, although I do remember seeing it in situ in the mid 1990's.

No idea when goods were diverted but I do recall seeing one goods train head over the M62, again this was also in the mid 1990's.

Is that the same station that was said to have been "stolen"

 

[yorkie]

If anyone is interested in joining us for a walk along this route, please add your forum username to the Doodle. We will be taking a leisurely pace. You can of course join part way if you don't want to walk the whole route. We had about 14 members join us for the recent Liverpool Loop Line walk (though not all were present at the same time)

 

[Ploughman]

The old British Railways sign at Cleck Central has gone, although I do remember seeing it in situ in the mid 1990's.

No idea when goods were diverted but I do recall seeing one goods train head over the M62, again this was also in the mid 1990's.

Must have been very early 90s.
During the mid - late 90s Yorks water were installing pipes through the embankment south of the M62.
We had the job of removing 2 panels of track and then reinstating the track back in an operable condition using 2nd hand materials.
This, however ignored the fact that outside the 2 panels we worked on 6" diameter trees were growing in the 4ft.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Is that the same station that was said to have been "stolen"

Aye. Central was the one that got nicked.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

It is interesting that when they built the M62 in the 1970's, they had to put in an expensive bridge over the new motorway to carry this railway which was, by then, freight only. I wonder how many trains actually passed over it? And was it ever traversed by a railtour?

 

[47802]

I just about remember my Mother taking me a trip to Bradford from Cleckheaton not long before it closed to passengers I must have been about 6 at the time, as a teenager I don't recall it ever being used much for freight and in fact a couple of my class mates used as a short cut to and from school.

There was a least 1 special in the early 80's with the earlier Green Class 40 106.

 

[snowball]

It is interesting that when they built the M62 in the 1970's, they had to put in an expensive bridge over the new motorway to carry this railway which was, by then, freight only. I wonder how many trains actually passed over it? And was it ever traversed by a railtour?

I think this was discussed in another thread within the last year.