powered by FreeFind
Dewsbury
1848 - Present
 LNWR  GNR  L&Y  Midland
Contributors:  © Reproduction prohibited /Ralph Rawlinson / Humphrey Burton / Andrew Stopford / Graeme Bickerdike / Richard Johnson / Keith Looker
                          Alan Sedgwick / Luke Senior / Stephen Helm / Tony Geering / Michael Kaye / Paul Corrie / Hugh Mcsherry /Malcolm Mallison / David Webdale
Dewsbury

Dewsbury Hybrid map Rails 1910 roads 2013

 
Dewsbury & Batley Map c1900 : Ralph Rawlinson
Dewsbury  maps (1890) : Malcolm Mallison
Dewsbury (c1931) : Malcolm Mallison
From the 1931 survey- Batley, Dewsbury, Woodkirk
Dewsbury maps : Ralph Rawlinson
Ravensthorpe & Thornhill  maps (1890) : Malcolm Mallison
See also Calder Valley
Layout Plans : Keith Looker
 Dewsbury.
Dewsbury Aerial : Stephen Helm
My mate found the photo's dumped on the floor in a corner of an empty office he took over for his business and passed them on to me. I was born in Dewsbury in 1952 and can recall the Old Central station and Dewsbury Goods quite clearly.
Dewsbury Aerial : Keith Looker
Photo of Dewsbury showing Lancashire and Yorkshire Station by the Town Hall and the Lancashire Yorkshire station by what people now call the covered market.

Leeds road (Dewsbury) tunnel (213 yards) GNR
Leeds road tunnel (23-03-12) : Graeme Bickerdike
I was out walking this afternoon and stumbled across the eastern portal of Leeds Road/Dewsbury Tunnel, which everyone seemed to have assumed was completely buried. Landfill has claimed half of it, but the top and western part remains. I need to go back to get some better pictures but attached is one I took on my camera phone.
Note : Hugh Mcsherry
About 23 years ago, I drove a bull douser and back filled a tunnel on Leeds road Dewsbury. This is the photo of where the tunnel was.
Leeds road tunnel (1890 /2013) : Graeme Bickerdike
 The attached aerial shows today’s Dewsbury with the 1890 Town Plan overlayed. This suggests that any parapet/retaining wall associated with the tunnel probably disappeared with the realignment of the local roads. The north-west portal was beneath what is now the ring road. The plan does however indicate that the tunnel had two ventilation shafts, which I didn’t previously know. Although partly buried, the south-east portal can still be found in the undergrowth. It’s pretty clear though that the central and northern sections of the tunnel were opened out and removed when the ring road was constructed.

Dewsbury Central GNR
Opened 1874. Closed 07-09-1964.
 GNR Dewsbury Central Station (12-03-07) : David Webdale
 The entrances to the station from road level. Taken from Whitehall Way.  See Dewsbury Loop
GNR Dewsbury Central Station (1978) : Tony Geering
 Dewsbury Central station - the steps which led up to the platform.
GNR Dewsbury Central Station (1978) : Tony Geering
Taken on the platform in 1978 looking north.
Plaque (12-03-07) : David Webdale
Spotted this blue plaque on the side of the building, good idea we thought. See Pinzac55s photo's on flickr
Station Hotel (12-03-07) : David Webdale
Looking across Corporation Street, tasty hotel building.
Dewsbury ring road flies over where the tracks once were, original bridge stonework survives beneath.
Viaduct carrying existing Dewsbury Wellington Street to Batley line visible in the background on extreme left.
GNR Crackenedge Lane bridge (1978) : Tony Geering
The bridge which carried the station over Crackenedge Lane. The photo is taken from Crackenedge Lane and shows the junction with Battye Street. This was an unusual shaped bridge with a single central pillar on this side of the bridge rising from the pavement corner. The bridge was re-built to carry the ring road.
Dewsbury Central tickets (c1960s) : Alan Sedgwick
 Memento's of just a few Schoolboy Railway Journeys in the last days of 'sixties' steam.
The Dewsbury Central ticket is from Sept 63, the Thornhil Lees WM was 1967.
August '65 Leeds Central-Retford, the others are mostly from 1965/66.

Dewsbury Headfield Junction L&Y
 Headfield Junction L&Y (13-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
Facing south, looking towards Dewsbury East junction.
The siding into cement works was the line to Dewsbury West junction which is now disconnected at that end.
Headfield Junction L&Y Dewsbury Tripper (n.d) : C/O Michael Kaye with permission from Paul Corrie
 Facing south, class 08 heading towards Dewsbury.
The line on the right, through the cement works, connected to the Calder Valley mainline at Dewsbury west junction, now disconnected.
The line on the left connects to the Calder Valley mainline at Dewsbury east junction. Originally a carriage & wagon works was situated within the triangle.

Dewsbury Headfield Branch GNR
Headfield Junction (13-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
Market Place Branch looking north towards Dewsbury - Market Place Branch went through the partially obscured left arch. Line to right was the spur to the GNR line which went over the big Calder Viaduct. I think the existing line (now just a siding from Dewsbury East junction for the cement works and stone depot) finishes just out of shot. Compare this pic with bottom shot page 74 Railway Memories no. 11. The spur line had been lifted at the time of the shot in the book and was relaid later before being closed and lifted again in the early 90s to a point just out of shot round the bend.
Bridge Plate No2: Alan Sedgwick
From the Bridge seen in the distance in the above photo. (Thornhill st bridge)
I guess the road bridge that the bridges picture was taken from on your site, could have been bridge 1.
Bridge No2 (1966) : Alan Sedgwick
Thornhill st bridge photographed in 1966.
The plate in above photo can be seen on right column arch hanging in 2 pieces.
Headfield 2 (19-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
Now the end of the line on the Dewsbury side of and looking towards Headfield Junction. The Market Place branch ran to the right towards the camera under the partially obscured arch. This remaining line rejoins the Market Place formation at this bridge and then runs to the Calder Valley main line via Headfield & Dewsbury East junctions and serves a stone products yard on the left just out of sight round the bend, and a cement works at Headfield Junction on the right a little further on. The line into the cement works was the line from Headfield Junction to Dewsbury West junction.
Headfield 1 (19-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
looking towards Railway St - looks like the tracklifters got bored and just left these rails where they lifted them!
Headfield Junction Bridge (03-02-08) : Andrew Stopford
Headfield Junction from the canal - Dewsbury to the right.
Tracks still go through this bridge in connection with the Blue Circle Cement works just out of shot to the right.
Headfield Branch Canal Bridge Dewsbury Tripper (n.d) : C/O Michael Kaye with permission from Paul Corrie
 Class 08.
Headfield Branch Canal Bridge (03-02-08) : Andrew Stopford
Iron bridge carrying the connecting line between the Market Place branch & the GNR at Dewsbury over the short canal spur from the Calder & Hebble Navigation into Dewsbury Canal Basin.
Headfield Branch River Calder bridge (13-03-06) : Graeme Bickerdike
The open bow string girder bridge over the Calder.
Headfield Branch River Calder bridge (27-05-13) : David Webdale
The open bow string girder bridge over the Calder in 2013. Now forms part of the Dewsbury to Ossett Greenway.
Headfield Branch River Calder bridge (27-05-13) : David Webdale
Bridge support from below.
Headfield Branch River Calder bridge & viaduct (27-05-13) : David Webdale
Views from on top of the viaduct looking south towards the river.
Headfield Branch River Calder bridge (13-03-06) : Graeme Bickerdike
looks out over the river from the bridge.
Headfield Branch River Calder bridge (19-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
Calder Viaduct looking towards Railway St Yard
Headfield Branch River Calder bridge (27-05-13) : David Webdale
Same view in 2013.
Headfield Branch River Calder bridge (19-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
Calder Viaduct signs of decay!
Headfield Branch River Calder bridge (19-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
Calder Viaduct central iron section - just put it in because I like it!
 
Headfield Branch viaduct Dewsbury Tripper (n.d) : C/O Michael Kaye with permission from Paul Corrie
 Class 08 on the Headfield viaduct.
Headfield Branch River Calder bridge (27-05-13) : David Webdale
Same view in 2013. Now forms part of the Dewsbury to Ossett Greenway.
Headfield Branch River Calder bridge & viaduct (27-05-13) : David Webdale
The view from Sands lane facing south towards the river.
Headfield Branch viaduct (13-03-06) : Graeme Bickerdike  website - http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/
Features the northern end of the viaduct on the line to Headfield Junction.
Headfield Branch viaduct (13-03-06) : Graeme Bickerdike
This photo shows the ‘relieving arches’. Their purpose is to redirect the line of thrust borne from above - in this case, the actual structure.
It moves the loading to the outer ends of the pier making for a more concentrated load.

Dewsbury Railway Street Goods GNR
Opened ?. Closed ?.
 GNR Dewsbury Railway street goods (1978) : Tony Geering
 GNR brick goods buildings which were near the Town Hall on Railway Street.
GNR Dewsbury Railway street goods (1978) : Tony Geering
 Railway Street - it has all been redeveloped and is a car park for the retail outlets now. The building on the left-hand side is the brick building in my previous photo. It can be seen clearly in the aerial photo top of this page. I have attached a copy showing roughly where I was standing and the direction.
Dewsbury Tripper (n.d) : C/O Michael Kaye with permission from Paul Corrie
 Class 08 at Railway street goods.
Dewsbury Tripper (n.d) : C/O Michael Kaye with permission from Paul Corrie
 Class 08 at Railway street goods.
Dewsbury Tripper (n.d) : C/O Michael Kaye with permission from Paul Corrie
 Class 08 at Railway street goods.
Dewsbury Tripper (n.d) : C/O Michael Kaye with permission from Paul Corrie
 Class 08 at Railway street goods.

Note : Richard Johnson
The Redland Rooftiles wagons were formerly owned or leased by ICI and were converted at Procor Engineering in late 1985, where I was apprentice fitter.
When they arrived at Procor, they were in s bit of a state. They had been stored for some time in Healey Mills yard. One of my first jobs as apprentice fitter was replacing rotten wooden planks and adjusting the huge dampers which stopped the doors from dropping too heavily. After this they were given a rough coat of Redland Rooftiles green and put into service. Two sources on the web quote closure of the line as 1990, so that ties it down a bit. I think the Redland traffic was the last on the branch, although Procor had some 100 tonne oil tanks stored there for a while.
Railway St goods (c1960) : Alan Sedgwick
The view from our Attic on Leamington Terrace, Scarborough Street. Looking over the old & new Hodgsons yard roofs & Marley Tiles Yard towards Sands Lane with the canal basin left side. Our house was to the right [East] of the L & Y Market Place line which after passing us went over a level crossing which split the bus sheds in two on Mill Street East before it crossed the River.  In this photo an 8f 2-8-0 takes a goods train from Railway Street towards Thornhill Lees Jncn on the briefly re-laid single track.
Railway St yard (19-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
As far as you can walk and looking towards the Railway St yard (now the site of a retail park) - the spur line has now joined the main line which came through Earlesheaton Tunnel from Osset.

Dewsbury Market Place L&Y
Opened 1867. Closed 1930. Demolished 1938.
 Dewsbury Market Place : Stephen Helm
 4F 44457 heading out of Dewsbury Market Place Station.
Note : Alan Sedgwick
 I just noticed that the picture mentions leaving Market place station (ex L&Y) but I am almost certain its out of Dewsbury Central or the Railway street goods yard this side of the tunnel under Leeds/Wakefield roads and about to enter Earlsheaton tunnel.
L&Y crossing (1978) : Tony Geering
Sands Lane Crossing - my bicycle marks the approximate position where Long causeway changed to Sands Lane. At this point there used to be a level crossing for the L&Y goods yard - this was just over the wall where the grass and temporary buildings are. Today there is a sports shop and KFC here.You can see the GNR brick goods buildings in the distance.
L&Y model bridge : Tony Geering
I have a small model railway based on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. Here is a photo of the bridge on it.
You can see that I got my inspiration from the seeing many real railway bridges around the area.
Mill street East (13-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
Railway wall at 'platform' height if ever I saw one - Market Place branch looking from Mill St East (close to Calder crossing point) away from Dewsbury. Line of branch to right of camera in line with the wall/platform/loading dock
Market Place (19-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
The line of the Market Place branch looking towards Market Place from under the bridge in Headfield 2
Market Place branch River Calder bridge (20-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
I've been determined to find some trace of this and finally succeeded! It's a shot of the Savile Town side abutement of the bridge that brought the Market Place branch across the River Calder and the final few yards to the terminus. If you look in the centre of the pictures just above the river water level you can see some built up stonework. There is an industrial unit built on the actual line of the branch right on top of the abutement. There is no trace of anything (unless I eventually uncover it!) on the Dewsbury side - a retail park has been built and there are some fairly recent storm drainage outflows where the Dewsbury side abutement would have been.
Market Place Google (10-08-08) : Luke Senior
Been taking a look at the approaches to Dewsbury Market place, and I believe I may have found evidence of the station and a level crossing. Firstly, running almost parallel to Longcauseway, from near Dewsbury Town Hall, behind the small public garden and war memorial, is a low wall, which judging by maps and the one photo of the station I've found is in exactly the right place for the Eastern wall of the station, and may just be from the station. One part to the Southern end of the station appear to be show a transition from internal to external to external, which judging by maps may indicate the end of building attached to the east side of the station.

Dewsbury Savile Town Goods MR
Opened 01-03-1906. Closed 18-12-1950.  See Royston Savile Town
 Dewsbury Saville Town : Ralph Rawlinson
Saville Town goods yard site now sees light industrial use, brick built goods warehouse converted.
South Street/Warren Street (07-06) : Andrew Stopford 
Bridge over the line of the Savile Town goods branch - near South Street/Warren Street, Savile Town,
looking away from Savile Town. July 06.
Savile road tunnel (06-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
Managed to find the northern portal of the Savile Town Goods Branch tunnel under Savile Road, Dewsbury!
I think the southern portal is well and truly buried unless somebody knows different...! You can see into it through the fence.
It seems fairly dry but there is a lot of rubbish inside.
Trackbed (03-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
Facing toward Dewsbury Headfield road to the right
Bridge (03-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
Overbridge off the common near Thornhill
Headfield road facing south  (31-05-04) : David Webdale
Bridge buttresses clearly visible on each side of Headfield road.
To the right the line headed  towards Savile town & crossed the Ravensthorpe to Wakefield line,  
the Ravensthorpe to Wakefield line passes under the road here.
Right hand side of  Headfield road facing south. (31-05-04) : David Webdale
Just to the right of above photo, remnants of the other side of the bridge.
Headfield road bridge (03-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
Brick detail.
Headfield road bridge facing south (03-02-07) : Andrew Stopford
looking across the ravine.
The Ravensthorpe to Wakefield line is down in the bottom.

Home