Help needed on a diversion a few years ago

[ReverendFozz]

I was going from Durham-Lime Street via York, the leg to York was trouble free, but got on the TPE at York, I seem to remember the train was diverted to Manchester, possibly even avoiding Leeds, but from what I remember I am sure it went via places like Pontefract and Wakefield on the diversion...

Can anyone clarify this for me, did I dream it, if not, where did go exactly

Many Thanks

Fozz

 

[Eagle]

I was going from Durham-Lime Street via York, the leg to York was trouble free, but got on the TPE at York, I seem to remember the train was diverted to Manchester, possibly even avoiding Leeds, but from what I remember I am sure it went via places like Pontefract and Wakefield on the diversion...

Can anyone clarify this for me, did I dream it, if not, where did go exactly

Many Thanks

Fozz

Certainly looks possible; it would have picked up its normal route at Huddersfield.

 

[Lampshade]

Yes, it would have gone York - Castleford - Normanton - Wakefield Kirkgate - Mirfield - Huddersfield.

 

[ReverendFozz]

Yes, it would have gone York - Castleford - Normanton - Wakefield Kirkgate - Mirfield - Huddersfield.

Sounds about right Lampshade, is this route or parts of this route freight only, as I seem, remember someone telling me at the time that it was unusual to have a 158 going over it, is this the normal diversionary route between York and Huddersfield then?

 

[Lampshade]

Sounds about right Lampshade, is this route or parts of this route freight only, as I seem, remember someone telling me at the time that it was unusual to have a 158 going over it, is this the normal diversionary route between York and Huddersfield then?

No regular passenger service goes beyond Castleford; services between Leeds and Sheffield run via Woodlesford then reverse at Castleford to run down to Wakefield Kirkgate.

From Castleford to Church Fenton it's a goods/diversionary route for when either the usual route via Micklefield is closed due to engineering works, or services have to avoid Leeds for whatever reason. The last (and only) time I used TPE to York we were routed that way due to a fatality at Leeds.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

And was, of course, the original George Stephenson route from York to Leeds and Manchester (Y&NM to Methley/Normanton, then Midland to Leeds or L&Y via Hebden Bridge to Manchester), dating from 1840.
The current route via Micklefield, Leeds, Dewsbury and Huddersfield came quite a bit later, the Church Fenton-Micklefield cut off not being completed till 1869.

 

[yorkie]

No regular passenger service goes beyond Castleford...

I agree there isn't a regular service during the day, but you will usually find a few trains per day that go between York & Leeds via Sherburn & Castleford, early morning/late evening. For example, a train departs York in 5 hours' time that does the exact route the OP describes except with a double-back between Methley Jn and Leeds (passing Methley Jn at 0420 and 0456). As the OPs train avoided Leeds, it could have been engineering work or an incident at Leeds station itself.

 

[Welshman]

Up to the 1970s, there used to be regular services from Manchester Victoria -Calder Valley-Sowerby Bridge-Mirfield-Wakefield Kirkgate-Normanton-Castleford and York.

There even used to be a restuarant car express from Liverpool Exchange [d.1030] to Newcastle which ran that way.

Perhaps with the need for even more capacity on the Manchester-York corridor and the congestion through Leeds, this line could again be used throughout.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

From Castleford to Church Fenton it's a goods/diversionary route for when either the usual route via Micklefield is closed due to engineering works, or services have to avoid Leeds for whatever reason. The last (and only) time I used TPE to York we were routed that way due to a fatality at Leeds.

We went that way when a locomotive fouled the points coming out of Neville Hill depot some time ago and no trains could go from Leeds to York the direct route. Manchester Airport to Leeds, then the unit reversed via Woodlesford and Castleford, rejoining at Church Fenton, then on to Durham as normal.