• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Yorkshire's railways - a map

Status
Not open for further replies.

YorksLad12

Established Member
Joined
5 Feb 2020
Messages
1,875
Location
Leeds
Is it intentional that the Axholme Railway is omitted ? Although initially built as a (longish) light railway, it was taken over jointly by L&YR and NER, and ran passenger services until 1933, crossing into Lincolnshire near Thorne South.
Great map; wish I had the time (and ability/patience) to try something similar for Lancashire
It is intentional, because it was a light railway. But one of those arguments that I can never quite resolve for myself given the later take-over. Even it was just Reedness Junction it would have appeared.

Edit: Actually it'll be the whole of that branch as Fockerby is Yorkshire although the two stations before it are Lincolnshire (although Eastoft is a 50-50 split between counties, I read!).

Hi @YorksLad12,

Without any intent on critizising (wonderful work here!), I believe you might have missed out the route from York to Selby via Murton Lane (currently where the Derwent Valley Light Railway resides) and on through Elvington, Thorganby, etc.

Keep up the good work!!!
No - that's another light railway.

As I say it's something that I'll probably keep coming back to, but for now they're excluded - see the Notes section on the map.

Further edit having slept on it: assuming I can work out how to do the fiddly boundary for the Axholme Joint's Fockerby branch, and shuffle the station labels around to make space for the Derwent Valley, there might well be a Second Edition later in the year. If I can find a timetable on Timetable World with Nidd Valley Light Railway services that will get added as well. No promises ;)
 
Last edited:
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

YorksLad12

Established Member
Joined
5 Feb 2020
Messages
1,875
Location
Leeds
Is the railway at the Thorp Arch munitions factory relevant ? Special passenger trains ran off the main Church Fenton to Wetherby line and around the circular railway calling at three stations on the way. Thousands of workers passed this way every day whilst the factory was in full production.
True, but I don't think the circular railway appeared in public timetables (there was a similar discussion about works platforms upthread). If there's proof otherwise (usually a Bradshaws) then I can work on it.

And now, a confession. I have made the most egregious error in the map, which I only spotted last night. It's such a major error I'm going to have to bump up the version to 2.0 (Second Edition, 11 days after the First). So while I'm at it I'll include light railways, then people can stop asking why I've excluded them. Needless to say, including the three of them has ranged from simples to awks and *sigh* ;)
 

alistairlees

Established Member
Joined
29 Dec 2016
Messages
3,724
On a very minor point, some of the closed passenger lines in the Huil Docks area should be shown as still being open to freight. This is not to say that the map is anything other than awesone, though. YorlsLad12 deserves some sort of prize. A forum whip round for a Theakston's, Sheep or Tim Taylor, perhaps?

According to this map: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Leeds_RJD_40.jpg I'm afraid you have missed off Copley Hill, and Farnley & Wortley was on the viaduct line. I assume the map is accurate! Maybe Copley was another name for one of the Farnley stations?

I fear this will be a never-ending task!
 
Last edited:

YorksLad12

Established Member
Joined
5 Feb 2020
Messages
1,875
Location
Leeds
Is the egregious error in any way connected with the Scarborough to Whitby line? Or is that deliberate?
It's not deliberate... but I can't see an error there.

On a very minor point, some of the closed passenger lines in the Huil Docks area should be shown as still being open to freight. This is not to say that the map is anything other than awesone, though. YorlsLad12 deserves some sort of prize. A forum whip round for a Theakston's, Sheep or Tim Taylor, perhaps?

According to this map: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Leeds_RJD_40.jpg I'm afraid you have missed off Copley Hill, and Farnley & Wortley was on the viaduct line. I assume the map is accurate! Maybe Copley was another name for one of the Farnley stations?

I fear this will be a never-ending task!
Freight: good point, I will double check on that.
F&W: this very afternoon I have moved the station onto the viaduct line, having checked the National Library of Scotland's selection of maps to be sure it didn't straddle both lines. I'm also trying to sort out Batley Carr's location, which has thrown up an error for the Chickenley Heath branch (it couldn't call at Batley because it curved in south of the station).
Copley Hill: is interesting. That RCH diagram is the only map I've seen with a Copley Hill station. There were goods yards in the area, and what look like sidings or marshalling yards (the land is now used by Search for storage, visible as you swoosh past). So I left it off.
 

Revaulx

Member
Joined
17 Sep 2019
Messages
476
Location
Saddleworth
The Whitby line joined the York line facing away from Scarborough and towards Seamer, necessitating a reverse into Scarborough station.
 

YorksLad12

Established Member
Joined
5 Feb 2020
Messages
1,875
Location
Leeds
The Whitby line joined the York line facing away from Scarborough and towards Seamer, necessitating a reverse into Scarborough station.
To be fair, that's what I thought as well; then I read about P1 being shortened to allow trains to run under what is now Sainsbury's & Argos. Re-reading that sentence it's sounds more like a separate platform (1A), though how you're reach it I've no idea. WIll add to the (thankfully short) list of Second Edition changes.

The error was at Bowling, and must have happened during one of the times when I had to stretch everything out to make room.
 

alistairlees

Established Member
Joined
29 Dec 2016
Messages
3,724
To be fair, that's what I thought as well; then I read about P1 being shortened to allow trains to run under what is now Sainsbury's & Argos. Re-reading that sentence it's sounds more like a separate platform (1A), though how you're reach it I've no idea. WIll add to the (thankfully short) list of Second Edition changes.

The error was at Bowling, and must have happened during one of the times when I had to stretch everything out to make room.
In the Bowling area I just realised that St Dunstans is in the wrong place (it was accessible to both Bradford to Manchester Road, and Bradford to Laisterdyke, trains) - see http://disused-stations.org.uk/s/st.dunstan's/index.shtml. But not to Laisterdyke to Manchester Road trains. So there should be a curve from Bradford to Manchester Road.

Also I am not sure about the Manchester Road to just east of Adolphus St line - did that ever exist?
 

YorksLad12

Established Member
Joined
5 Feb 2020
Messages
1,875
Location
Leeds
In the Bowling area I just realised that St Dunstans is in the wrong place (it was accessible to both Bradford to Manchester Road, and Bradford to Laisterdyke, trains) - see http://disused-stations.org.uk/s/st.dunstan's/index.shtml. But not to Laisterdyke to Manchester Road trains. So there should be a curve from Bradford to Manchester Road.

Also I am not sure about the Manchester Road to just east of Adolphus St line - did that ever exist?
This might be my misreading of the RCH map, but it does show a line out of Laisterdyke straight to Manchester Road. It doesn't show the Y-junction west of the Exchange-Low Moor line that can be seen on Google Earth (but does seem to have something to east of it). If so, then a line would leave St Dunstan's eastwards and loop counter-clockwise to meet it (not as I've shown, the short spur) if Disused Stations is to be believed. The line diagram on Wikipedia is probably the best guide, although it shows Dudley Hill-Pudsey, which doesn't appear on the Dudley Hill entry... Time to hit the National Library of Scotland's maps. Again.

Hull is looking better (only part of one freight line as there were separate freight lines in the area), but I had to add Boothferry Park Halt. The jury's out on Hull (Riverside Quay).
 

alistairlees

Established Member
Joined
29 Dec 2016
Messages
3,724
This might be my misreading of the RCH map, but it does show a line out of Laisterdyke straight to Manchester Road. It doesn't show the Y-junction west of the Exchange-Low Moor line that can be seen on Google Earth (but does seem to have something to east of it). If so, then a line would leave St Dunstan's eastwards and loop counter-clockwise to meet it (not as I've shown, the short spur) if Disused Stations is to be believed. The line diagram on Wikipedia is probably the best guide, although it shows Dudley Hill-Pudsey, which doesn't appear on the Dudley Hill entry... Time to hit the National Library of Scotland's maps. Again.

Hull is looking better (only part of one freight line as there were separate freight lines in the area), but I had to add Boothferry Park Halt. The jury's out on Hull (Riverside Quay).
No problem. Disused stations is indeed correct (I went to school in Bradford). Basically, leaving Exchange, there are:
- Exchange - St Dunstans - Manchester Road - (Queensbury)
- Exchange - St Dunstans - Laisterdyke - (Leeds)
- Exchange - Bowling Junc - (Halifax) [so not going through St Dunstans]

There were never any passenger trains Laisterdyke - Manchester Road (avoiding St Dunstans), so that curve need not be included.

Your line from Manchester Road to the dates under Adolphus St didn't exist.

You are correct that St Dunstans was east of the line from Exchange to Low Moor / Halifax; trains from Exchange to Queensbury called at St Dunstans then dived under the Exchange - Low Moor line.

Oh, and apologies, but I just saw that the Leeds New Line (to Battyeford) is shown as soming off the curve north west of Bradley. It in fact came off the main Calder Valley line at Heaton Lodge Junction (though you may need to add extra detail). See http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/leeds new line 1.htm (the detailed maps further down).
 
Last edited:

YorksLad12

Established Member
Joined
5 Feb 2020
Messages
1,875
Location
Leeds
No problem. Disused stations is indeed correct (I went to school in Bradford). Basically, leaving Exchange, there are:
- Exchange - St Dunstans - Manchester Road - (Queensbury)
- Exchange - St Dunstans - Laisterdyke - (Leeds)
- Exchange - Bowling Junc - (Halifax) [so not going through St Dunstans]

There were never any passenger trains Laisterdyke - Manchester Road (avoiding St Dunstans), so that curve need not be included.

Your line from Manchester Road to the dates under Adolphus St didn't exist.

You are correct that St Dunstans was east of the line from Exchange to Low Moor / Halifax; trains from Exchange to Queensbury called at St Dunstans then dived under the Exchange - Low Moor line.

Oh, and apologies, but I just saw that the Leeds New Line (to Battyeford) is shown as soming off the curve north west of Bradley. It in fact came off the main Calder Valley line at Heaton Lodge Junction (though you may need to add extra detail). See http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/leeds new line 1.htm (the detailed maps further down).
Well the Ordnance Survey agrees with you on St Dunstans, so that's good ;) I've left the other curve in for the moment while I check (and check again) that there were no direct services avoiding Bradford between Laisterdyke and Manchester Road.

The New Line bit is correct, up to a point; I've just not drawn it well. I need a thick, blue curve between Bradley and Cooper Bridge, which is the route eastbound trains on the Huddersfield Line now take, then immediately branch off for the New Line. This was another mis-read of the RCH diagram - I've accidentally included the Midland's goods line at that junction!

Update And here you are - latest version attached. Aiming for Second Edition status on Friday.
 

Attachments

  • Yorkshire Stations 0.41.pdf
    298.5 KB · Views: 24
Last edited:

Bevan Price

Established Member
Joined
22 Apr 2010
Messages
7,320
Well the Ordnance Survey agrees with you on St Dunstans, so that's good ;) I've left the other curve in for the moment while I check (and check again) that there were no direct services avoiding Bradford between Laisterdyke and Manchester Road.

The New Line bit is correct, up to a point; I've just not drawn it well. I need a thick, blue curve between Bradley and Cooper Bridge, which is the route eastbound trains on the Huddersfield Line now take, then immediately branch off for the New Line. This was another mis-read of the RCH diagram - I've accidentally included the Midland's goods line at that junction!

Update And here you are - latest version attached. Aiming for Second Edition status on Friday.
The best maps for checking detail are the georeferenced maps (available at NLS).
If you look at the Laisterdyke area of Bradford, then (if the link works), you should be able to see two triangular junctions in the Laisterdyke / Dudley Hill area:

and the St. Dunstans area can be seen here:

You can choose a selection of old OS maps as background overlay. The above references use the 6 inch maps from 1888/1913.
Some 25 inch maps (1892/1914) are also available, for example:

Use the +/- controls to adjust the zoom level as required.

Various 1 inch & other maps are also available, but contain less detail.
 
Joined
24 Jul 2011
Messages
442
Location
Wigan
Update And here you are - latest version attached. Aiming for Second Edition status on Friday.
Just come across your map, and I have to say, it's very impressive! Kudos for all the work that must have gone into this, it contains a huge amount of detail.
 

YorksLad12

Established Member
Joined
5 Feb 2020
Messages
1,875
Location
Leeds
Just come across your map, and I have to say, it's very impressive! Kudos for all the work that must have gone into this, it contains a huge amount of detail.
Thanks. Beginning to think that world peace would be easier... :D


The best maps for checking detail are the georeferenced maps (available at NLS).
If you look at the Laisterdyke area of Bradford, then (if the link works), you should be able to see two triangular junctions in the Laisterdyke / Dudley Hill area:

and the St. Dunstans area can be seen here:

You can choose a selection of old OS maps as background overlay. The above references use the 6 inch maps from 1888/1913.
Some 25 inch maps (1892/1914) are also available, for example:

Use the +/- controls to adjust the zoom level as required.

Various 1 inch & other maps are also available, but contain less detail.
Ta - yes, I do use the NLS maps (I quote them as a source) and former lines are fairly easy to intuit on Google maps. Alas, they don't always tell you what ran on a piece of track, hence our discussuions around St Dunstans or Malton upthread. I know, for example, that I've missed out the connection between Pudsey Greenside and Dudley Hill, but I don't know if regular passenger services ran between Dudley Hill and Shipley Windhill.

The other minor issue is that I can't always fit the triangular junctions in as true triangles, depending on their orientation and the space I have. o_O
 

Bevan Price

Established Member
Joined
22 Apr 2010
Messages
7,320
Thanks. Beginning to think that world peace would be easier... :D



Ta - yes, I do use the NLS maps (I quote them as a source) and former lines are fairly easy to intuit on Google maps. Alas, they don't always tell you what ran on a piece of track, hence our discussuions around St Dunstans or Malton upthread. I know, for example, that I've missed out the connection between Pudsey Greenside and Dudley Hill, but I don't know if regular passenger services ran between Dudley Hill and Shipley Windhill.

The other minor issue is that I can't always fit the triangular junctions in as true triangles, depending on their orientation and the space I have. o_O
Whilst I don't have every timetable, as far as I can tell:
1. The Shipley Windhill passenger service only operated to Bradford Exchange, with (in some years) some short workings to/from Laisterdyke (due to congestion at Bradford) (J. Wrottesley's History of GNR).
2. There were no regular passenger services from Laisterdyke to the Queensbury line.

Also, Laisterdyke was originally known as Laister Dyke. Not sure when it was renamed,

According to John Marshall's History of the L&YR, the "line" between Low Moor and Dudley Hill never got beyond a proposal stage, and was never built.
 

YorksLad12

Established Member
Joined
5 Feb 2020
Messages
1,875
Location
Leeds
Whilst I don't have every timetable, as far as I can tell:
1. The Shipley Windhill passenger service only operated to Bradford Exchange, with (in some years) some short workings to/from Laisterdyke (due to congestion at Bradford) (J. Wrottesley's History of GNR).
2. There were no regular passenger services from Laisterdyke to the Queensbury line.

Also, Laisterdyke was originally known as Laister Dyke. Not sure when it was renamed,

According to John Marshall's History of the L&YR, the "line" between Low Moor and Dudley Hill never got beyond a proposal stage, and was never built.
Ta. There's also a connection between Shipley and Shipley Windhill that was used for services to Manchester from Forster Square so that they didn't have to reverse at Exchange (different operators) (not sure where I read that) so I've added it in. Yes, I think it should be "Opened as Laister Dyke" but haven't seen any evidence of a renaming date. Headingley is in the same boat.

But: there was a circular service from Leeds via Pudsey, Dudley Hill, Low Moor, Spen Valley, Thornhill, Batley, Tingley and Beeston, so the Low Moor-Dudley Hill connection must have been there for passenger trains.
 

Bevan Price

Established Member
Joined
22 Apr 2010
Messages
7,320
Ta. There's also a connection between Shipley and Shipley Windhill that was used for services to Manchester from Forster Square so that they didn't have to reverse at Exchange (different operators) (not sure where I read that) so I've added it in. Yes, I think it should be "Opened as Laister Dyke" but haven't seen any evidence of a renaming date. Headingley is in the same boat.

But: there was a circular service from Leeds via Pudsey, Dudley Hill, Low Moor, Spen Valley, Thornhill, Batley, Tingley and Beeston, so the Low Moor-Dudley Hill connection must have been there for passenger trains.
Ah, yes. I see on old maps that Dudley Hill to Low Moor was a GNR line, which explains why John Marshall wrote that L&YR had dropped its (earlier ?) suggestion for that route. Those circular trains also appear to have run direct from Pudsey Greenside to Dudley Hill, presumably using the curve from Tyersall Jn to Broad Lane Jn
 

YorksLad12

Established Member
Joined
5 Feb 2020
Messages
1,875
Location
Leeds
Ah, yes. I see on old maps that Dudley Hill to Low Moor was a GNR line, which explains why John Marshall wrote that L&YR had dropped its (earlier ?) suggestion for that route. Those circular trains also appear to have run direct from Pudsey Greenside to Dudley Hill, presumably using the curve from Tyersall Jn to Broad Lane Jn
The game-changing line-that-never-was would be the Midland's extension from Forster Square south to a junction between Low Moor and Cleckheaton (as shown on the RCH diagram). How different Bradford's services would have been...

Anyway: Second Edition (as of yesterday) attached. Enjoy (if that's the word). I had to lose the blur on the county border as it doubled the file size and wouldn't display properly on my iPad. Something else to fix... eventually.
 

Attachments

  • Yorkshire Stations 2.0.pdf
    301.1 KB · Views: 39

30907

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Sep 2012
Messages
17,866
Location
Airedale
Ta. There's also a connection between Shipley and Shipley Windhill that was used for services to Manchester from Forster Square so that they didn't have to reverse at Exchange (different operators) (not sure where I read that) so I've added it in.
The only reference I can find is to a BR-era express freight
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipley_Great_Northern_Railway_branch_line
(the article is well referenced!) which is entirely plausible given the use of FS for parcels post WW2.

But you wouldn't have needed to go in and out of Exchange anyway. The alternative route would have been longer via Leeds Whitehall Normanton and Mirfield.
 

adh144004

Member
Joined
14 Jun 2015
Messages
45
Fantastic work, a great deal of time and effort I'm sure, thanks for sharing.
Made me dig out my Smith/Bairstow books on the lines in Airedale and Wharfedale. I guess you have not included the Yeadon branch as that was freight only.
There is mention of a passenger station at Menston Junction between 1873 and 1877 in these books, but I have not been able to find any other sources of info on that. Again, maybe you have excluded as temporary.
 

YorksLad12

Established Member
Joined
5 Feb 2020
Messages
1,875
Location
Leeds
Fantastic work, a great deal of time and effort I'm sure, thanks for sharing.
Made me dig out my Smith/Bairstow books on the lines in Airedale and Wharfedale. I guess you have not included the Yeadon branch as that was freight only.
There is mention of a passenger station at Menston Junction between 1873 and 1877 in these books, but I have not been able to find any other sources of info on that. Again, maybe you have excluded as temporary.
If it was temporary but had a timetabled service of some sort it would have gone in. But I've not heard of Menston Junction before, unless they're referring to the junction itself. I can see a cople of spots where there *might* have been a station, north of the existing one, near the old curves... Yeadon was only ever operated as a goods station.

And thanks ;)
 

30907

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Sep 2012
Messages
17,866
Location
Airedale

YorksLad12

Established Member
Joined
5 Feb 2020
Messages
1,875
Location
Leeds
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top