 Railway Ramblers gazetteer
See also the Railway Ramblers gazetteer -
Leeds : GNR
Batley - Tingley - Beeston Jn |
Batley GNR
Opened 01-08-1890 . Closed 07-09-1964.
 Batley
GNR
c1900 : Paul
See also Adwalton Wakefield line
This
is a picture of a platform at Batley station that no longer exists. I
believe it was the island platfrom that trains from Earlsheaton,
Dewsbury, Batley Carr came to. If you go to Batley station and go down
the steps to go over to platform 2 before you go up the steps you can
see where it has been bricked up, where u could carry on going to then
reach this platform. |
 Batley
(c1931) : Malcolm Mallison
From the 1931 survey- Batley, Dewsbury, Woodkirk |
 Batley
(nd) : Paul Holroyd
Batley. |
 Batley
(nd) : Paul Holroyd
Batley. |
 Lady
Ann Road, Batley (01-01-08) : Andrew Stopford
Photo of bridge abutement at Lady Ann Road, Batley. It carried the
Woodkirk line out of Batley and is just after the junction site. |
 Bloomsdale Road, Batley (21-03-08) : Andrew Stopford
Trackbed in use as a footpath behind Bloomsdale Road. Honestly it is!
Looking away from Batley. |
 Bloomsdale Road, Batley (21-03-08) : Andrew Stopford
Line of the branch in front of the red brick houses (Bloomsdale Road)
- Batley Station to the right.
Was there a bridge over this road?
Note : David Illingworth (07-09-08)
Regarding the existence of a bridge over Bloomsdale Road outside
Batley Station. A quick answer is no. this is due to the fact that
Soothill has for several decades been subjected to several landscape
assaults, mining, reclamation and now the estate. This picture was taken
from a point near to where the trackbed lay. The Road was in fact carved
up the hill for access to the houses. I spent many of my Saturday
afternoons of my youth, sat on the wall near the turnout by the bridge
in Lady Ann Road ,so I know it quite well. Trusting this is of help.
Note : Keith Evans (10-08-09)
Andrew Stopford asks if there was ever a bridge over Broomsdale
Rd .When the railway was in use there was in fact a bridge on which the
railway ran over a rough unmade road which was called Finsdale St .This
road was later was linked to Broom St which was off Soothill Lane hence
the name I presume ; ie Broomsdale a combination of the two ! . This
took place long after the line had closed of course and the area
landscaped and built upon . So in answer to his question there was a
bridge over a road but long before Broomsdale Rd as such existed . I
well remember the area before the rails were lifted . My grandfather who
came from Wales worked as foreman at the coke ovens nearby and adjacent
to the line.
|
 Tortoise
Hill (26-12-08) : Peter Burnell
Heading towards Soothill tunnel passing what is
known locally as tortoise hill.
I'm pretty sure where the tree is there was a signal box. may have an
old photo of that in a book somewhere.
Note : Keith Evans (15-09-09)
Peter Burnell makes reference to a signal box along the line . He
is correct and location about right too. A photo of the box can be seen
in the book Around Batley by Norman Ellis [Page 110 ] . Just before the
box which served sidings to the coke ovens/pit was a concrete footbridge
which remained in place long after the line closed and track lifted . I
am pretty sure, but not quite certain ,that the man on the first step is
my grandfather a foreman at the coke ovens . |
 Drainage
system (26-12-08) : Peter Burnell
The Batley - Beeston line leading up to Soothill
tunnel with drainage system on the left. |
 Cutting
(26-12-08) : Peter Burnell
The cutting leading away from the tunnel towards
Batley.
I took this shot from on top of the shed that is built onto tunnel the
entrance. |
 Trackbed
(26-12-08) : Peter Burnell
The trackbed leading to Soothill tunnel. |
 Woodkirk & Soothill os
map 1985 |
Soothill Tunnel western portal SE258250
28-01-06 :
Rikj
websites
www.flickr.com/photos/rikj/
http://www.darkplaces.co.uk/
 This is the western portal at SE258250. It is
obviously still in use for something, as the hum of machinery can be heard
inside the well constructed building here.
There have been repeated attempts
to break in, but behind the outer stone skin is a concrete breeze block
wall, then another layer of stone brick!
Our first thought was that this was for draining the tunnel but it may be
that as the tunnel now lies under several million cubic yards of landfill,
it might be to do with gas management. |
Soothill Tunnel eastern portal
SE263249 28-01-06 :
Rikj
 This is the eastern portal of the 659 yard Soothill
Tunnel at grid ref SE263249.
After following the old trackbed from Woodkirk
station you come to the portal.
The track is very wet and muddy, but there
is little standing water. As usual there is a lot of tipped rubbish.
The security gates are unusually well made and access is not possible. Also,
unusually, a newish concrete floor and drainage channels have been laid
inside the entrance to the tunnel.
A set of steep steps (maybe for track workers) lead up to the road from the
portal. |
Woodkirk station
 Opened
01-08-1890. Closed 23-09-1939 .
Freight - 1964.
Woodkirk
station 1968 : Jonathan Arey |
 Woodkirk
(c1931) : Malcolm Mallison
From the 1931 survey- Batley, Dewsbury, Woodkirk |
 Woodkirk
station facing south 28-01-06 :
Rikj
The remains of Woodkirk station.
The section of line between Woodkirk & Tingley remained open to serve
the quarries until 1964. |
 Woodkirk station
house (02-07-06) : Andrew Stopford
Remains of Woodkirk station house. |
 Woodkirk
trackbed (n.d) : Jonathan Arey |
Tingley
Station
 Opened
01-08-1890. Closed 01-02-1954.
Freight - 1964.
Tingley
station 1900 : Jonathan Arey
See also Ardsley Laisterdyke
A busy junction in its day, situated between four major
towns.
Passengers would change trains here for Leeds, Wakefield, Bradford &
Batley. |
 Tingley
station buildings 1968 :
Simon Edgerton |
 Tingley
station buildings 1968 :
Simon Edgerton |
 Tingley
station buildings 1968 :
Simon Edgerton |
 Dewsbury
Road bridge 1968 :
Simon Edgerton
A653 Dewsbury Road, near what is now the road maintenance
depot at the traffic lights
opposite to the entrance to Tingley Gasworks looking down towards Leeds.
(1968) |
 Tingley
signal
box 1968 :
Simon Edgerton
Note : Tony Glynn
My grandfather Tom Broughton was a signalman at Tingley
station during the 1940s and 1950s.
Until his death in early 1960's he lived at 97 Middleton Road Morley. |
 Tingley
signal box 1968 :
Simon Edgerton |
 Tingley
station
buildings & signal box 1968 :
Simon Edgerton |
 Tingley
Viaduct
Tingley viaduct (02/2005) : David Taylor.
Tingley Viaduct crossing the Ardsley - Leeds line. |
