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Batley to Birstall Lower (goods)
1852 - 1962
London & North Western Railway
Contributors:  © Reproduction prohibited / Allan Shaw / Andrew Stopford / Tim Rylands / Paul Holroyd / Bill McKelvie / Keith Looker / David Webdale
The Route
From Batley (Birstall Junction) to Birstall Lower.
Proposals to extend the branch to Bradford were rejected in 1861 in favour of the GNR Adwalton junction to Batley line.
Birstall was condemned to remain a backwater.

Length
2 miles (single track)

Original Company
Opened originally by the Leeds Dewsbury & Manchester Railway (LD&MR)
The LD&MR was taken over by the London & North Western Railway in 1847.

Openings 
Batley to Birstall Lower 30th September 1852.
Intermediate station at Carlinghow opened 1st April 1872.

Closures
Passengers - 31st December 1916 (temporary wartime measure)
Freight - 1962.
 
Railway Ramblers gazetteer
See also the Railway Ramblers gazetteer -  Kirklees : LNWR Batley - Birstall

Batley Station (LNWR)
Opened 1848 to present
Batley Station : Bill McKelvie
The last Station Master at Batley was a man named Mr Lamb who then went onto work at Dewsbury Wellington Road.
Batley had at least five platforms two for the GNR route Bradford Wakefield.
Its current operational two and a bay on the Leeds platform between it and the Goods shed (which is now Angloco fire engines).
Layout Plans : Keith Looker
Batley, Carlinghow, Birstal.
Birstall Junction (31-03-06) : Allan Shaw
Trackbed (31-03-06) : Allan Shaw
Bridge (02-07-06) : Andrew Stopford
Bridge over the Birstall branch at Batley.
Bridge (20-08-06) : Andrew Stopford
Bridge abutment on the Birstall Branch at Carlinghow Hill.

Carlinghow Station
Opened 01-04-1872. Closed 01-01-1917.
Carlinghow Station : Bill McKelvie
The location of Carlinghow station is approximately 10 to 50 yards from the bridge support on Carlinghow Hill  (Birstall side of the bridge) and I recall seeing it many times as I went to Batley General Hospital which is now a Nursing Home.
It was accessible by the drive up to the Hospital  It was stone built and was probably on the left hand side of the track as you would walk to Birstall.
It's length was not long at best 100 feet complete with two ramps, very much a halt type station.
The locomotive that I used to see frequently on the line was usually one with a tall chimney I can't recall whether it was a Jinty or an old Claughton and tender nicknamed the 'Cody-Bob' possibly from the Mirfield shed.
This pulled three or four 16 ton mineral wagons complete with Guards Van possibly hauling coal for Birstall. It may have been on duties permanently based at Batley and would also serve Dewsbury Wellington Road Goods shed, and if it was going at the time, Shaw Cross Colliery.
As I recall been offered a footplate ride at the time on a similar tender engine at Dewsbury at the Goods side (on the Manchester platform) which was operating from Batley.
Footpath (20-08-06) : Andrew Stopford
Kirklees Council has made a footpath here which runs on the trackbed along the back of Wilton Park.
 
Bridge (26-11-07) : Paul Holroyd   website - www.vintagecarriagestrust.org
Bridge in Wilton Park, Batley.
Footbridge (24-12-07) : Andrew Stopford
Footbridge over Birstall Branch at the station & yard throat. Looking away from Birstall.
Footbridge (24-12-07) : Andrew Stopford
Looking from the bridge towards the station & yard.
Footbridge (24-12-07) : Andrew Stopford
Looking from the bridge towards Batley.

Birstall Lower goods
Opened 30-09-1852. Closed 01-01-1917.
Birstall Lower goods yard : Tim Rylands
Birstall Lower goods yard (31-03-06) : Allan Shaw
Part of one retaining wall of the station survives.
Birstall Lower goods yard (20-08-06) : Andrew Stopford
Remnants of the yard/station at Birstall Smithies.
Platform on the left.
Birstall Lower goods yard (20-08-06) : Andrew Stopford
You can see the platform edgings as they slope down at the end.


Note : Bill McKelvie
I can't ever recall the Station at Birstall but it's location would have been at the Birstall Smithies Traffic lights (A652 Bradford Rd/A62 Leeds Rd set).
I can recall the coaling stage which was at the rear of the Showboat pub again stone built.
The water crane for the terminus was somewhere close to the pub and it's base was there for quite a time after the railway had gone.

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