The worst part is, some of the dates given are not that long ago. My parents would have seen all the previous landscape, or at least the stuff that was there in the 1950s and 60s. The biggest shock for me was seeing the A1 discontinued just near South Milford. When I was a kid that was the main north-south road. Now, the roadside is largely overgrown and the traffic is local. The M1 was extended from near Leeds, north to join the A1 higher up, so the lower section of the A1 was not needed any more. As a kid there were big lorries and hundreds of cars racing past in both directions. Now, it probably gets as much traffic in a year as it used to get in a single afternoon. It's so weird.
In 1963 started at Batley Grammar School. The old trackbed was still intact but the tracks had been lifted. We used to play in the old Goods shed at Carlinghow known as the Banana Warehouse. There was a rope swing there. I can also recall the bridge on Carlinghow Hill being removed as I watched them cutting the girders with an oxy aceteyine torch on my way to school. They stopped us passing until they had cut the girder. Chinewood Avenue now occupies the track alignment between Carlinghow Hill and Batley Field Hill.
Superb stuff as always. Goes to show how these great little towns, Batley, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Cleckheaton have been decimated over the years and are now little more than commuter towns for Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield.
@@edwardwilson7485 I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who sees the new housing as cheap and awful! And yes it is disgraceful to not only cover the railways and mill buildings etc but to change the landscape ! and to leave no trace of what was there before - it's happened in so many locations.
I lived on Rutland Road (which is the continuation from Bridge Street) from 1957 to 1976. The Coddy line was in full working order in those early years. I vaguely remember two services a day, one mid morning and then the return late evening. Stockwell Drive which is to the left after the Bridge Street bridge was built on top of the cutting after it had been landfilled sometime in the 1970s. My parents moved onto Stockwell Drive in 1986, the houses having been constructed after the landfill had been allowed to settle.
Used to live up Copley Street opposite Wilton Park in the 1950s and 60s. I can remember the goods trains that would travel unto Birstall from Batley. The engine was black and called Coddy Bob! we used to hide in the long grass so the Guard wouldn't see us.After the line closed we would go to the pictures in Birstall and walk home a mile or so along the old line seeing many of the old goods buildings in your before shot. Later I lived on Chinewood Ave on the fourth house along from the railway abutment on Carlinghow Hill.Our garden had a steep banking at the back which is where the railway track would have been.
I grew up in Batley. My aunt's boyfriend was a signalman in the GNR Signal box just off the Soothill Lane bridge. (The supporting wall is still in situ ). In the late 1950's my cousin and I used to go to the station when her boyfriend was working with notepad, pencil and bottle of pop and spend many a day trainspotting. He arranged for the station signal men to keep an eye on us to make sure we were ok. On one occasion he let me into the box to watch the trains passing by.
You bring things back to life, I'm glad I've been on this journey with you, you spark my interest and intrigue in things which hasn't been there alot recently
Great video. I lived in Batley and Birstall. I remember a train crossing the bridge in Wilton Park, or Batley Park as we called it. I think it was a J27 and it was a goods train going to Birstall. The line was known as the CODDY BOB LINE. It must have been one of the last trains I saw. I was with my grandad at the time. Thanks for sharing this. 👍👍
Great job lads. Remember my dad standing me on the bridge on Bridge Street as a very small child and watching them remove track. You also were near the old batley hospital near the old carlinghow station closed in 80s did the hospital.
Oh where has it all gone??? Your magic B&W fades always make it look more interesting back in the day. Good old nostalgia!!!! Nice, short and concise.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I come from Batley and we used to walk on the old disused railway path at the top of Batley park it went right through to birstall , i lived in Carlinghow quite a few years ago, great video : )
Brilliant video. I live in Batley and my parents live in Birstall so I walk this route several times a week. I’ve also enjoyed looking for the old features and lines of the railway. Keep the videos coming!
Now then our Darren, was thinking bout you earlier whilst in service 268 and 254 today.. Yes lots of history and relics on the Soothill area, service 212 which until recently was a dews depot service, ran down Grace Leather Lane, and Lady Anne Road where you've been, that whole area has alot of pedestrian tunnels, and the stonework on grace leather Lane would have required many man hours to achieve. At the top of the "wall work" was the other line towards Howden clough, skirting through the lady Ann Road Estate and crossing over one of our hecky routes service 201 on Scotchman Lane bout 200 yards from The Needless pub(&beginning of in use Morley tunnel) for reference and the future vids. When I worked at Dews depot I did wonder how the line worked as such as it basically follows Bradford Road from Batley Field Hill to its terminus at Luigis as it is today at Birstall. For spotters who want to keep mobile as such, service 281 follows the line on Bradford Road, then skirts "over" it @ Brookroyd Lane. Service 213 runs through the estate from field hill to carling how hill near the track bed too. Again it's a resource that whilst not as precious as "my" greenway or our fabled leeds new line, I do think there appears to be a great hurry by British Railways to hide, demolish or obliterate these vital lines and put bloody houses on them, with no thought to mothball them, nor sell land "around" the lines for a bit of profit either. As I said looking at the Beeching report, there was a haste by the Transport Minister to shut these lines down ASAP, but this can be explained because of a phrase we use today esp bout politicians having "a conflict of interest" in this case shares in a famous TARMACadam company constructing errr Roads! Great video as ever and nice to see you localish! Best wishes. Ben 🚍🚌🇬🇧🇺🇦🤞🙏
Another great post, Enjoyed every minute of it Darren, You make it so interesting that you feel you are on the walk with you, Keep it up as your keeping the past alive, Too much has disappeared sadly.
Birstall Branch Line AKA "The Coddy Bob" Normally the realm of WD 2-8-0s. Though the last Loco I saw shunting there,1962, was "Jubilee" 45708 Resolution, a sad demise for a former Express Locomotive😥😥😥
@@AdventureMe You're welcome, lovely memories of my schoolboy days Train Spotting. Sat for hours on the wall on Lady Anne Road almost opposite where the Birstall Branch went up the Coddy. If you go on UA-cam and enter "Batley model railway" It's a joy to watch.
My Grandparents used to own the house next to carlinghow station and the land where the station used to be. There isn’t much evidence that there was a station on there or a rail line but it made a great football pitch when I was younger.
Wonderful. The fade in of the old photo at 2:29 is breathtaking, and moving. Can you come up with anything on the train station in Cleckheaton where Tesco now is? I cannot find even one photo.
Das ist ein toller Blick zurück. Wer für längere Zeit weg war, erkennt seine Heimat stellenweise nicht wieder. Bei dieser Gelegenheit möchte ich dir gerne nachträglich zum Geburtstag gratulieren. 🎂 Bleib gesund und noch viele tolle Videos
Coming from Birstall, absolutely loved the video, I can just about remember the Railway and the mill by the side of it, there was a gas works there too.
What an incredible location for railways has Batley been in the past, Darren. Incredible to think that it was a busy junction at one time compared with today. Evidence of where there had been stations and other railway artefacts is amazing. A great presentation, especially with the then and now scenes, together with the photos. Many thanks.
Thanks for posting. I remember where the site of the lower goods station was in 1973 before those houses were built there was a massive pile of tyres which ran virtually the whole southern end of Church Road
Great video Darren, many of my circuit walks start from Wilton park along that path when going towards Birstall Smithies and the opposite way past the old hospital when doing the walk in reverse. Absolutely love it.
Another great informative video about lost railways, there is still loads round here to explore. I'm in East Ardsley we have a old station, which I think you've covered, but can't remember also a large goods yard and engineering sheds, but there's nothing left of that now as it's a housing estate, we used to play on here when we were kids.
Hi Darren & Richie, So Glad you're back up this end. Endless lost railway around here, you've taught me how Batley and Birstall linked up this end👌, given me some new dog walking excuses🤣. I hope you will be doing the right hand line that went up to shaw cross under are road( Leeds Road Dewsbury) to Owl Lane.Pictures have bin a bit hard to find in my Experience. Absolutely brilliant job. 👏 100% cheers Grant. 💛👍
That was a fun one, I followed the route with you on google satellite map and street view where I could. The road where you found the last suspected platform edge is called "The Crossings"... hmmm... A lot of the route is revealed by the line of the trees, in what is quite a densely built area, they stand out when you know what to look for.
Such familiar scenery for an Upper Batley lad. Nestled between the Carlinghow station and the Grammar School was Batley hospital. Parts of it left, much of it now gone. Spent several afternoons in there in my PE kit after injuries during school time. Often walk along the park section of that line when I am home.
that was ace !!!! i came to this video looking for interesting places locally to me to photograph and spent many a day in batley park as a child my dad told me the bridge was part of an old railway line for goods when i was young but i never knew birstall had its own station and that remnants of it all still here ! i live maybe a 5 minute walk from that exact spot ..... had bonfires on the grass outside the pub on that corner as a kid i always wondered why that little joining road next to the m.o.t garage was that bitumin sort of ground .... now i know why .. its in the exact spot of the old goods station at the end of this video. really enjoyed learning that.
Great video, I'm a Batley resident and I've always been fascinated by the railway history here! I'd love to see you explore the Batley to Dewsbury segment, looking for the remnants of the old Batley Carr stations (there were 2!) As well as the second line that ran alongside the current remaining line. There's alot of remaining infrastructure, bridges, footpaths, airvents etc to discover and see!
Wonderful. Really fascinating video, it's so sad to see the railways ripped up. You brought the feeling of nostalgia to life in your video and this is next to where I was born and raised so thankyou 🙂
I liked it in the picture u showed me of the original Batley station were it had 4 platforms with lots of sidings . It was a train spotters paradise in them days. 70 years after
Brilliant filming. What a lovely day. Great explore and so interesting. All the wee unexpected findings like the walk way tunnel but filled in now. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Thank you Darren and Ritchie,
Very interesting how all those lines dissapeared, a lot of good photos were taken from the Queen Anne Bridge on Soothill Lane. Enjoyed it immensely, thanks for posting
Very interesting video of lost branch line. The transformation of the landscape when the line was built must have been on a similar scale (though very different in kind), to its transformation since closure.
Yet another excellent vlog as always Darren. You put so much effort and thought and detail into every vlog you make, this shows with every thing. It's all the hours you put in to making them, which none of us see's but know its a lot of your valuable time. They are always well documented and see the difference with the fades to. A lot history. Always enjoy your vlogs they are the best on here. Cream de la crem Dave.
Love this it’s brilliant, it’s so hard to visualise what was there without your brilliant videos. Love the lay over fades. Glad your doing all these lines can’t wait. Well done Darren 🤩
Another great video.The platform with the large stone blocks was a loading dock known as the "shoddy dock" the height being so that the top of an open railway wagon was level with the top of the platform to facilitate the loading of bales etc.The cattle pens were at the far end [Batley end] of the dock.The wood post on the bridge [Arthur Grove] supported a weight restriction notice, the one at the other end looks like it's covered in ivy!
In the old photo merges it always amazes me when you look at the houses and they are there in both photos. Also, it's so bizarre that they had houses right alongside the tracks. My dad's friend lives in such a house today, next to the Leeds-York line. We always joke that you wouldn't want to come home drunk from the pub because there is literally a rail running 6 feet from his front door, on the same level, with no fence (there is a fence now, but it's only been there a few years.)
Thanks mate. Loved this one. Hope one day you do the Batley beeston line, And Howley tunnel. Some facts found in the internet: Opened: 1890 Closed: 1953 659 Yards long. The Great Northern's 4¾ mile connection between Batley and Beeston Junction, on the Leeds branch of the East Coast Main Line, opened for goods traffic in July 1890, with passenger services introduced a month later. The route had ten underbridges and a single five arch Viaduct but these were overshadowed by Soothill Tunnel, sometimes referred to as Woodkirk Tunnel. The portals are substantial and attractive, built from stone and with buttresses either side of the entrance. Above a string course, the parapet rises to a central point. Unlike other GN tunnels, the voussoirs are flat, not rounded. Inside the tunnel is structurally in great condition. The lining comprises a semicircular brick arch supported by vertical stone side walls. These incorporate refuges. Appearances suggest that the shaft was originally lined in masonry but this has been mostly replaced with red brick, At its base are large voussoirs. The Tunnel incorporates a curve of 30 chains radius extending inwards from the west end for about 400 yards, before a straight section takes over to reach the east portal. The tunnel has one ventilation shaft, it is not capped. 659 yards in length, a gradient of 1:50 is encountered throughout, climbing towards the east. Water ingress caused difficulties during the tunnel's period of operation and the resulting deterioration and necessary repair work having an expensive price tag resulted in Passenger services being withdrawn in October 1951, The section from Batley to Woodkirk - through the tunnel - suffered complete closure on 6th July 1953. Freight between the Woodkirk quarries and Tingley continued until June 1964. Land above and to the north of the bore was used for landfill in the 1970/80s. In the Nineties, engineers discovered that the plant and machinery used to move the waste had caused cracks to form in the lining. The portals, which had previously been open, were secured on health and safety grounds. Although the area has since been landscaped, polluted liquids still permeate the tunnel, giving rise to noxious gases. Infrastructure, in the form of pipes, ducts, cables and tanks, has been installed in an effort to manage this, there is an associated building at the western entrance which forms part of the access arrangements. The equipment inside the western building appears to be some sort of water treatment facility, assumably removing any toxins from water being drained out the tunnel before it goes into the water course. As soon as you arrive outside the tunnel before entering the smell of gas is noteable. It's a simular smell to methane however the gas detectors don't make any alarm? Also as you venture on you will find the remains of Woodkirk station
Great stuff Darren, back "on track" so to speak. Excellent overlays as usual. As you whizz through Batley on TPE it is difficult to believe what used to be there. Thank you.
Living in Batley now, this is great. Wondered if you knew about the Batley Tramway Company Depot that is just around the corner from where Carlinghow station used to stand. It's occupied by a tyre company now but they recently moved their signage and now you can see clearly the old stonework sign. Next door is Frankie's restaurant and in their car park there's an old shed at the back which I believe was the stables for when the tram was horse-drawn rather than electric. Would be great to see a follow-up covering this.
alright alright keep your hair on , when I first subscribed I hadn't seen any of these places but now I have cycled many of the lines that are now paths and its great to re visit your videos and re cap on the history , cycled from Leeds back to barnsley and got to see the swing bridge remain s and some of the methly lines you featured , also did spen valley greenway and osset greenway amongst others , loads to see in west Yorkshire and your videos help a lot both with history and finding places to visit on my bike
Fascinating 😃 never seen a picture of the end of the line before, seen a few pictures from the other side (Bradford road) , you just basically walked my school walk but 36 years later 😫😂
Great video. Thank you. Played in Batley Park as a kid, and used to wonder what the bridge was for. I eventually found out when I got into OSmaps in my teens. I remember going to Bradford from Dewsbury via Batley in the 60s.
Another fascinating view into an old line , always a challenge finding the route when it's been so heavily built on . Great image fade as ever Darren . Keep up the great work . Recovered from your long weekend in Blackpool ?
Shows the extent of industry that once filled these old Yorkshire towns. It's sad to see these old lines replaced with brambles and houses with no respect or recognition for what once helped make these towns what they are today.. Terrific content and narration as usual 👍
Can't wait to see the line from Batley onto where Tingley station use to be through Woodkirk station next to the Quarry. I believe the old tunnel (Soothill tunnel if I recall correct) is still there but sealed up for obvious reasons.
Me too, yes tunnel still there and a fair bit of inferstructure. I grew up in Tingley and loved exploring these old lines, it was known as the Batley to Beeston line I know someone who used to work it. At Woodkirk Station there was once a formal gardens which had it's own platform plus branch lines for the mineral/quarry up at Howley park 👍
@@chrishinchliffe2512 I've clambered all over Woodkirk station's remains without knowing it. I also grew up in Tingley, only learn about where the old lines went, till recent I knew only of Ardsley Yard and station and not much else.
wow darren and richie what a brill vid.i work in batley and have crossed over many of the roads but not done the paths are you doing the bit towards dewsbury as that is my home town
Im currently working on the TRU project and i have done a lot of work in Batley. I can see the remains of old lines and its quite shameful. One line goes up a steep gradient goes over a bridge over the mainline and to the left.
I love watching ur videos and I was actually talking about the one you did in Miggy(I was at the park end of the railway) and Blackpool when this one popped up 😂
If you’d have gone down road to the station house on the corner (red brick house) my parents house since 1991, my father would have shows you the wax stamped deeds to the station masters house he lives in and other things regarding the old Cody line 👍🏼
This is an amazing presentation of a video, it makes my lost railway line video look like a 6yr old has done it 😂, I think I will leave it to the professionals and enjoy watching them by other people like yourself 👍
Thank you for this, love the b&w photo fades. I wasn't born til 1970 but went to BGS where we called this the "Coddy" line. Checked with my parents (my dad remembers it being lifted) and they both said the same name without prompting. Not sure of the origin. Anyone?
It's amazing that much of the rail infrastructure of West Yorkshire was sold off. It seems criminal now to think the valuable assets weren't modified to serve current requirements.
The Government took the scrap value for demolishing the freight lines, so it should now fork out for the promised mass transit to match London, i.e., the grade separated automated Docklands Light Railway.
Never ceases to amaze me how landscapes can change so completely.
I know
It's awful in some way isn't it?
The worst part is, some of the dates given are not that long ago. My parents would have seen all the previous landscape, or at least the stuff that was there in the 1950s and 60s.
The biggest shock for me was seeing the A1 discontinued just near South Milford. When I was a kid that was the main north-south road. Now, the roadside is largely overgrown and the traffic is local. The M1 was extended from near Leeds, north to join the A1 higher up, so the lower section of the A1 was not needed any more. As a kid there were big lorries and hundreds of cars racing past in both directions. Now, it probably gets as much traffic in a year as it used to get in a single afternoon. It's so weird.
In 1963 started at Batley Grammar School. The old trackbed was still intact but the tracks had been lifted. We used to play in the old Goods shed at Carlinghow known as the Banana Warehouse. There was a rope swing there. I can also recall the bridge on Carlinghow Hill being removed as I watched them cutting the girders with an oxy aceteyine torch on my way to school. They stopped us passing until they had cut the girder. Chinewood Avenue now occupies the track alignment between Carlinghow Hill and Batley Field Hill.
Thanks Stephen
Superb stuff as always. Goes to show how these great little towns, Batley, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Cleckheaton have been decimated over the years and are now little more than commuter towns for Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield.
Thanks mate. Yes more to come from this area
Sad isn't it?
@@joycerigby453 Absolutely, my personal opinion is that it has been done deliberately in order to keep money going into the others.
So sad to see beautiful railways and mill buildings replaced with cheap awful housing, all that industry gone, disgraceful really
@@edwardwilson7485 I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who sees the new housing as cheap and awful! And yes it is disgraceful to not only cover the railways and mill buildings etc but to change the landscape ! and to leave no trace of what was there before - it's happened in so many locations.
I lived on Rutland Road (which is the continuation from Bridge Street) from 1957 to 1976. The Coddy line was in full working order in those early years. I vaguely remember two services a day, one mid morning and then the return late evening. Stockwell Drive which is to the left after the Bridge Street bridge was built on top of the cutting after it had been landfilled sometime in the 1970s. My parents moved onto Stockwell Drive in 1986, the houses having been constructed after the landfill had been allowed to settle.
Thanks David
Can't wait, plenty to see around Dewsbury too!!!!!! 😀
Used to live up Copley Street opposite Wilton Park in the 1950s and 60s. I can remember the goods trains that would travel unto Birstall from Batley. The engine was black and called Coddy Bob! we used to hide in the long grass so the Guard wouldn't see us.After the line closed we would go to the pictures in Birstall and walk home a mile or so along the old line seeing many of the old goods buildings in your before shot. Later I lived on Chinewood Ave on the fourth house along from the railway abutment on Carlinghow Hill.Our garden had a steep banking at the back which is where the railway track would have been.
Thanks Brian
I grew up in Batley. My aunt's boyfriend was a signalman in the GNR Signal box just off the Soothill Lane bridge. (The supporting wall is still in situ ). In the late 1950's my cousin and I used to go to the station when her boyfriend was working with notepad, pencil and bottle of pop and spend many a day trainspotting. He arranged for the station signal men to keep an eye on us to make sure we were ok. On one occasion he let me into the box to watch the trains passing by.
Hi Stephen. Do you know what the corner house was back then. soothill Lane corner of lady Anne would have been next to the bridge and signal box.
These are, by far, my favourite type of videos that you do, Darren. And the then and now picture fades are brilliant.
Thanks David
You bring things back to life, I'm glad I've been on this journey with you, you spark my interest and intrigue in things which hasn't been there alot recently
Thanks Stephen
Great video. I lived in Batley and Birstall. I remember a train crossing the bridge in Wilton Park, or Batley Park as we called it. I think it was a J27 and it was a goods train going to Birstall. The line was known as the CODDY BOB LINE. It must have been one of the last trains I saw. I was with my grandad at the time. Thanks for sharing this. 👍👍
Thanks Dale
Great job lads. Remember my dad standing me on the bridge on Bridge Street as a very small child and watching them remove track. You also were near the old batley hospital near the old carlinghow station closed in 80s did the hospital.
Thanks Phillip
Another fascinating video - thank you.
Oh where has it all gone??? Your magic B&W fades always make it look more interesting back in the day. Good old nostalgia!!!! Nice, short and concise.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks Bob
Nice one ..can vaguely remember quite a bit of this line .the old inferstructure being in place ..but now changed completely...
Yes all different now
I come from Batley and we used to walk on the old disused railway path at the top of Batley park it went right through to birstall , i lived in Carlinghow quite a few years ago, great video : )
Thanks mate
Brilliant video. I live in Batley and my parents live in Birstall so I walk this route several times a week. I’ve also enjoyed looking for the old features and lines of the railway.
Keep the videos coming!
Thanks mate
Very interesting indeed. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks David
Now then our Darren, was thinking bout you earlier whilst in service 268 and 254 today..
Yes lots of history and relics on the Soothill area, service 212 which until recently was a dews depot service, ran down Grace Leather Lane, and Lady Anne Road where you've been, that whole area has alot of pedestrian tunnels, and the stonework on grace leather Lane would have required many man hours to achieve. At the top of the "wall work" was the other line towards Howden clough, skirting through the lady Ann Road Estate and crossing over one of our hecky routes service 201 on Scotchman Lane bout 200 yards from The Needless pub(&beginning of in use Morley tunnel) for reference and the future vids.
When I worked at Dews depot I did wonder how the line worked as such as it basically follows Bradford Road from Batley Field Hill to its terminus at Luigis as it is today at Birstall. For spotters who want to keep mobile as such, service 281 follows the line on Bradford Road, then skirts "over" it @ Brookroyd Lane. Service 213 runs through the estate from field hill to carling how hill near the track bed too.
Again it's a resource that whilst not as precious as "my" greenway or our fabled leeds new line, I do think there appears to be a great hurry by British Railways to hide, demolish or obliterate these vital lines and put bloody houses on them, with no thought to mothball them, nor sell land "around" the lines for a bit of profit either. As I said looking at the Beeching report, there was a haste by the Transport Minister to shut these lines down ASAP, but this can be explained because of a phrase we use today esp bout politicians having "a conflict of interest" in this case shares in a famous TARMACadam company constructing errr Roads!
Great video as ever and nice to see you localish!
Best wishes. Ben 🚍🚌🇬🇧🇺🇦🤞🙏
Thanks Ben. Thinking about me at work lol
Another great post, Enjoyed every minute of it Darren, You make it so interesting that you feel you are on the walk with you, Keep it up as your keeping the past alive, Too much has disappeared sadly.
Thanks Paul
Birstall Branch Line AKA "The Coddy Bob" Normally the realm of WD 2-8-0s. Though the last Loco I saw shunting there,1962, was "Jubilee" 45708 Resolution, a sad demise for a former Express Locomotive😥😥😥
Thanks John
@@AdventureMe You're welcome, lovely memories of my schoolboy days Train Spotting. Sat for hours on the wall on Lady Anne Road almost opposite where the Birstall Branch went up the Coddy. If you go on UA-cam and enter "Batley model railway" It's a joy to watch.
Fascinating to see what once was in my local area, thanks mate.
Thanks Gary
My Grandparents used to own the house next to carlinghow station and the land where the station used to be. There isn’t much evidence that there was a station on there or a rail line but it made a great football pitch when I was younger.
Thanks Joe
As always I love your video's of the old railways that criss crossed the UK. As a NZer it's great to see.
Yes and many more to come
Great use of old photos again, brings it all to life. Enjoyed this one.
Thanks mate
Wonderful. The fade in of the old photo at 2:29 is breathtaking, and moving.
Can you come up with anything on the train station in Cleckheaton where Tesco now is?
I cannot find even one photo.
Thanks Keith. I'll hopefully have a few when I do the video of it.
@@AdventureMe - that would be fantastic.
Fantastic video. Walked this a few times and greatto see the photos of Batley Station. Finally it all makes sense. Look forward to the next.
Thanks mate
I love watching all your videos, it's so interesting to find out about the history of my local area.
Thanks Mike
Das ist ein toller Blick zurück.
Wer für längere Zeit weg war, erkennt seine Heimat stellenweise nicht wieder.
Bei dieser Gelegenheit möchte ich dir gerne nachträglich zum Geburtstag gratulieren. 🎂
Bleib gesund und noch viele tolle Videos
Danke schön
Brilliant mate, without the photos it’s now hard to believe all that was there.
Thanks Nix
Coming from Birstall, absolutely loved the video, I can just about remember the Railway and the mill by the side of it, there was a gas works there too.
Thanks John
Stunning! Amazing what’s on your doorstep great vid again thanks mate 👍
Thanks mate
What an incredible location for railways has Batley been in the past, Darren. Incredible to think that it was a busy junction at one time compared with today. Evidence of where there had been stations and other railway artefacts is amazing. A great presentation, especially with the then and now scenes, together with the photos. Many thanks.
Thanks mate
Thanks, very informative and enjoyable.
Thanks Trevor
Thanks for posting. I remember where the site of the lower goods station was in 1973 before those houses were built there was a massive pile of tyres which ran virtually the whole southern end of Church Road
Great video Darren, many of my circuit walks start from Wilton park along that path when going towards Birstall Smithies and the opposite way past the old hospital when doing the walk in reverse. Absolutely love it.
Thanks
Another great informative video about lost railways, there is still loads round here to explore. I'm in East Ardsley we have a old station, which I think you've covered, but can't remember also a large goods yard and engineering sheds, but there's nothing left of that now as it's a housing estate, we used to play on here when we were kids.
Thanks Alan. Yeah I've done the ardsley one.
Hi Darren & Richie, So Glad you're back up this end. Endless lost railway around here, you've taught me how Batley and Birstall linked up this end👌, given me some new dog walking excuses🤣. I hope you will be doing the right hand line that went up to shaw cross under are road( Leeds Road Dewsbury) to Owl Lane.Pictures have bin a bit hard to find in my Experience. Absolutely brilliant job. 👏 100% cheers Grant. 💛👍
Thanks grant
Love it, finally in my neck of the woods and look forward to the future videos and seeing all the lines my parents have told me about 👍🏻
Thanks Michael
another great vid darren thank you
Thanks Pete
That was a fun one, I followed the route with you on google satellite map and street view where I could.
The road where you found the last suspected platform edge is called "The Crossings"... hmmm...
A lot of the route is revealed by the line of the trees, in what is quite a densely built area, they stand out when you know what to look for.
Thanks Steve
Such familiar scenery for an Upper Batley lad. Nestled between the Carlinghow station and the Grammar School was Batley hospital. Parts of it left, much of it now gone. Spent several afternoons in there in my PE kit after injuries during school time. Often walk along the park section of that line when I am home.
Thanks Mark
that was ace !!!! i came to this video looking for interesting places locally to me to photograph and spent many a day in batley park as a child my dad told me the bridge was part of an old railway line for goods when i was young but i never knew birstall had its own station and that remnants of it all still here ! i live maybe a 5 minute walk from that exact spot ..... had bonfires on the grass outside the pub on that corner as a kid i always wondered why that little joining road next to the m.o.t garage was that bitumin sort of ground .... now i know why .. its in the exact spot of the old goods station at the end of this video. really enjoyed learning that.
Thanks Max. Glad it helped.
Darren once again your overlays are a thing of beauty.. amazing video as always mate! X
Thanks Luke
Last time I was in Batley was to see the 4 tops at the variety club. Regards from Costa Rica 😎
Brilliant. I went there a few times, but not for years. Long gone now.
@@AdventureMe they had some great acts in the 70s . Coachload from bramley working mens club to see some of the finest in the world. Take care mate.
Another great video Darren
Amazing to see the before and after shots which puts it all in perspective.
Thanks mate
Another excellent and interesting video. Well done!
Thanks Al
Thank you Darren, for another trip back in time. Always look forward to them. See you on the next. Cheers mate! 🏴🙂👍🇺🇸
Thanks Martin
Great video, I'm a Batley resident and I've always been fascinated by the railway history here! I'd love to see you explore the Batley to Dewsbury segment, looking for the remnants of the old Batley Carr stations (there were 2!) As well as the second line that ran alongside the current remaining line. There's alot of remaining infrastructure, bridges, footpaths, airvents etc to discover and see!
Thanks mate. I'll get to them all soon.
Another gem. I love your fade ins.
Thanks Joy
Wonderful. Really fascinating video, it's so sad to see the railways ripped up. You brought the feeling of nostalgia to life in your video and this is next to where I was born and raised so thankyou 🙂
Thanks mate
I liked it in the picture u showed me of the original Batley station were it had 4 platforms with lots of sidings . It was a train spotters paradise in them days. 70 years after
Yup you've done it again,brilliant Darren.Cheers.
Thanks mate
Love that you do all this so locally
Thanks
Brilliant filming. What a lovely day. Great explore and so interesting. All the wee unexpected findings like the walk way tunnel but filled in now. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Thank you Darren and Ritchie,
Thanks Shirley
Super video Darren as always
Thanks Alan
Great video .
Thanks Graham
Nice upload. Interesting to watch. Keep up the good work. Tnx4sharing. 🙋
Thanks mate
Very interesting how all those lines dissapeared, a lot of good photos were taken from the Queen Anne Bridge on Soothill Lane.
Enjoyed it immensely, thanks for posting
Thanks mate
Very interesting video of lost branch line. The transformation of the landscape when the line was built must have been on a similar scale (though very different in kind), to its transformation since closure.
Thanks Malcolm
Yet another excellent vlog as always Darren. You put so much effort and thought and detail into every vlog you make, this shows with every thing. It's all the hours you put in to making them, which none of us see's but know its a lot of your valuable time. They are always well documented and see the difference with the fades to. A lot history. Always enjoy your vlogs they are the best on here. Cream de la crem
Dave.
Thanks Dave. It's all worth it though
Love this it’s brilliant, it’s so hard to visualise what was there without your brilliant videos.
Love the lay over fades. Glad your doing all these lines can’t wait. Well done Darren 🤩
Thanks Sue
Another great video.The platform with the large stone blocks was a loading dock known as the "shoddy dock" the height being so that the top of an open railway wagon was level with the top of the platform to facilitate the loading of bales etc.The cattle pens were at the far end [Batley end] of the dock.The wood post on the bridge [Arthur Grove] supported a weight restriction notice, the one at the other end looks like it's covered in ivy!
Thanks Stephen. They had a cattle pen here too according to the old maps.
In the old photo merges it always amazes me when you look at the houses and they are there in both photos. Also, it's so bizarre that they had houses right alongside the tracks. My dad's friend lives in such a house today, next to the Leeds-York line. We always joke that you wouldn't want to come home drunk from the pub because there is literally a rail running 6 feet from his front door, on the same level, with no fence (there is a fence now, but it's only been there a few years.)
Yeah I can't imagine it's fun. But you do get used to it I suppose.
Very nice video
Thanks Ronnie
Thanks mate. Loved this one. Hope one day you do the Batley beeston line, And Howley tunnel.
Some facts found in the internet:
Opened: 1890
Closed: 1953
659 Yards long.
The Great Northern's 4¾ mile connection between Batley and Beeston Junction, on the Leeds branch of the East Coast Main Line, opened for goods traffic in July 1890, with passenger services introduced a month later.
The route had ten underbridges and a single five arch Viaduct but these were overshadowed by Soothill Tunnel, sometimes referred to as Woodkirk Tunnel.
The portals are substantial and attractive, built from stone and with buttresses either side of the entrance.
Above a string course, the parapet rises to a central point.
Unlike other GN tunnels, the voussoirs are flat, not rounded.
Inside the tunnel is structurally in great condition.
The lining comprises a semicircular brick arch supported by vertical stone side walls.
These incorporate refuges.
Appearances suggest that the shaft was originally lined in masonry but this has been mostly replaced with red brick, At its base are large voussoirs.
The Tunnel incorporates a curve of 30 chains radius extending inwards from the west end for about 400 yards, before a straight section takes over to reach the east portal.
The tunnel has one ventilation shaft, it is not capped.
659 yards in length, a gradient of 1:50 is encountered throughout, climbing towards the east.
Water ingress caused difficulties during the tunnel's period of operation and the resulting deterioration and necessary repair work having an expensive price tag resulted in Passenger services being withdrawn in October 1951,
The section from Batley to Woodkirk - through the tunnel - suffered complete closure on 6th July 1953.
Freight between the Woodkirk quarries and Tingley continued until June 1964.
Land above and to the north of the bore was used for landfill in the 1970/80s.
In the Nineties, engineers discovered that the plant and machinery used to move the waste had caused cracks to form in the lining.
The portals, which had previously been open, were secured on health and safety grounds.
Although the area has since been landscaped, polluted liquids still permeate the tunnel, giving rise to noxious gases.
Infrastructure, in the form of pipes, ducts, cables and tanks, has been installed in an effort to manage this, there is an associated building at the western entrance which forms part of the access arrangements.
The equipment inside the western building appears to be some sort of water treatment facility, assumably removing any toxins from water being drained out the tunnel before it goes into the water course.
As soon as you arrive outside the tunnel before entering the smell of gas is noteable.
It's a simular smell to methane however the gas detectors don't make any alarm? Also as you venture on you will find the remains of Woodkirk station
Thanks mate. I've already done the stretch from Tingley to Hunslet and Beeston on the channel.
Great stuff Darren, back "on track" so to speak. Excellent overlays as usual. As you whizz through Batley on TPE it is difficult to believe what used to be there. Thank you.
Thanks mate
Loved this Darren, amazing to see new houses built on the old platform.
Thanks mate
Great video as usual
Can’t wait to see the rest 😁
Thanks Deborah
Living in Batley now, this is great. Wondered if you knew about the Batley Tramway Company Depot that is just around the corner from where Carlinghow station used to stand. It's occupied by a tyre company now but they recently moved their signage and now you can see clearly the old stonework sign. Next door is Frankie's restaurant and in their car park there's an old shed at the back which I believe was the stables for when the tram was horse-drawn rather than electric. Would be great to see a follow-up covering this.
Wow. I used to walk home from BGS every day on the old embankment and never noticed the To Birstal and and To Batley signs
alright alright keep your hair on , when I first subscribed I hadn't seen any of these places but now I have cycled many of the lines that are now paths and its great to re visit your videos and re cap on the history , cycled from Leeds back to barnsley and got to see the swing bridge remain s and some of the methly lines you featured , also did spen valley greenway and osset greenway amongst others , loads to see in west Yorkshire and your videos help a lot both with history and finding places to visit on my bike
Thanks mate. Glad it's helping
Fascinating 😃 never seen a picture of the end of the line before, seen a few pictures from the other side (Bradford road) , you just basically walked my school walk but 36 years later 😫😂
Thanks Shane
Thank you Darren really enjoyed watching that 👍😊
Thanks Mark
Great video. Thank you. Played in Batley Park as a kid, and used to wonder what the bridge was for. I eventually found out when I got into OSmaps in my teens. I remember going to Bradford from Dewsbury via Batley in the 60s.
Thanks Alec
Another fascinating view into an old line , always a challenge finding the route when it's been so heavily built on . Great image fade as ever Darren . Keep up the great work .
Recovered from your long weekend in Blackpool ?
Thanks Lewis. Yes all recovered now. Just working on the fruits of my labour
Shows the extent of industry that once filled these old Yorkshire towns. It's sad to see these old lines replaced with brambles and houses with no respect or recognition for what once helped make these towns what they are today..
Terrific content and narration as usual 👍
Thanks Peter. It gives me something to talk about I suppose. But yeah I agree
Fantastic dissolves, Darren! 👍
Thanks Bryan
Can't wait to see the line from Batley onto where Tingley station use to be through Woodkirk station next to the Quarry. I believe the old tunnel (Soothill tunnel if I recall correct) is still there but sealed up for obvious reasons.
Me too, yes tunnel still there and a fair bit of inferstructure. I grew up in Tingley and loved exploring these old lines, it was known as the Batley to Beeston line I know someone who used to work it. At Woodkirk Station there was once a formal gardens which had it's own platform plus branch lines for the mineral/quarry up at Howley park 👍
@@chrishinchliffe2512 I've clambered all over Woodkirk station's remains without knowing it. I also grew up in Tingley, only learn about where the old lines went, till recent I knew only of Ardsley Yard and station and not much else.
Thanks sterling. Coming soon
Can't wait for you to get to lady Anne crossing
Soon Matthew
Just been on a walk around Castleton in the peak district and now watching your excellent video. I believe you that your hair is real 🤣
Thanks Lindsey
wow darren and richie what a brill vid.i work in batley and have crossed over many of the roads but not done the paths are you doing the bit towards dewsbury as that is my home town
Cheers Chris. More to come this year. 🙂👍
Lots to cover around Dewsbury, Chris. In fact there is so much...... Having to break it down into manageable chunks. 🙂👍
Thanks mate
Loving the overlays.
Thanks Martyn.
Another great video Darren. You use quite a lot of old photos in your videos, where do you find them all? (I wish there were even more)
Thanks Joyce. Various places, I spend hours digging
@@AdventureMe Well I'm glad you know where to look - I wouldn't have a clue.
Brilliant. Missed the live Stream sadly but hopefully you well Darren xx
Wasn't much to see. We were just chatting about the video. All is good, hope you are ok?
Your doing a brilliant job on UA-cam mate
Thanks mate.
Brilliant 😮
Im currently working on the TRU project and i have done a lot of work in Batley. I can see the remains of old lines and its quite shameful. One line goes up a steep gradient goes over a bridge over the mainline and to the left.
All ruined on the alter of the car how important and valuable these routes would be now keep up great historic work
Excellent mate, top top job 👌👍
Thanks Paul
Up to your usual standard - great.
Thanks mate
Brilliant…. 😊
I love watching ur videos and I was actually talking about the one you did in Miggy(I was at the park end of the railway) and Blackpool when this one popped up 😂
Thanks Brandon
do a video of Normanton, that used to have a lot of lines too.. excellent video 👍
I will
If you’d have gone down road to the station house on the corner (red brick house) my parents house since 1991, my father would have shows you the wax stamped deeds to the station masters house he lives in and other things regarding the old Cody line 👍🏼
This is an amazing presentation of a video, it makes my lost railway line video look like a 6yr old has done it 😂, I think I will leave it to the professionals and enjoy watching them by other people like yourself 👍
Thanks mate. Don't give up
Hello Darren. Can't wait until you release the Blackpool videos.
Thanks Anthony. More editions coming soon
Cuppa tea.ready to watch..Thanks
Thanks Jackie
Thank you for this, love the b&w photo fades. I wasn't born til 1970 but went to BGS where we called this the "Coddy" line. Checked with my parents (my dad remembers it being lifted) and they both said the same name without prompting. Not sure of the origin. Anyone?
It's amazing that much of the rail infrastructure of West Yorkshire was sold off. It seems criminal now to think the valuable assets weren't modified to serve current requirements.
The Government took the scrap value for demolishing the freight lines, so it should now fork out for the promised mass transit to match London, i.e., the grade separated automated Docklands Light Railway.
Basically batley was built on a railway by the looks
Thanks Mark. Yes it's looks like it