Hunting for Gildersome Tunnel - Can We Find It?

Join me as we explore the different sections of the abandoned Leeds New Line Railway.
In this video we explore the abandoned section of railway line from Birstall Town and towards the lost tunnel portal of Gildersome Tunnel located behind the Showcase Cinema. We look for anything left behind, or any relics still remaining to this day.
VIDEO INFORMATION CREDITS & THANK YOU'S
Leeds New Line Appreciation Facebook Page
Richard Conley
Lost Railways West Yorkshire
National Library of Scotland
Google Earth
K Evans
M Mitchell
plarailfan on Flickr
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A special thank you to all video content film makers and photographers who's footage or pictures are featured in this video. These videos are made under Fair Use for educational purposes. All contributors and available links to their work can be seen in the videos description.
#adventureme #exploration #history #abandoned #leedsnewline #gildersome #tunnel

[@quickclipsbyjmj]

Although informative and bringing social history back to life, I watch for relaxation too. Greenery abound and Darren's knowledge combined make for a form of entertainment missing from the TV channels. BBC4 would benefit from this series.

[@a11csc]

the more you watch the the more the line would have huge benefits today cheers darren and rich

[@jonathanhall7334]

This Line Should never have been Closed

[@gromm1t341]

I remember watching the big caterpillar vehicles moving the earth about around the back of the showcase when I was around 22. That would put the covering of the portal around 1996. I have no idea what they were doing or for what reason but I used to go to McDonald's and eat it in the car every weekend in the showcase car park, and was just aware they were doing it. A similar thing was done over the road of asquith avenue when I was at school in 1992, near the end of the tunnel where the other portal is still accessable. When we were kids we used to play near the portal and there used to be a wood door on it and not an iron gate. I was too scared to go in lol.

[@classictraction1744]

It was a pity they destroyed this part of the route, rather than strengthening the end of the tunnel properly. The land at this end of the tunnel, would have been an invaluable asset, for being re-invented, as a huge motorway park & ride car park, for commuters and shoppers to ditch their cars and go into Leeds city centre. The train journey would probably only take about 5-6 mins !

[@pwhitewick]

Nice one Darren. Look this style of trying to find and match old locations.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks 👍 We made the best of nothing more than a field. But I tried to show what it was. The other end however.....

[@fatlad5090]

Howden clough was a biffa landfill site. Remember tipping on there

[@robinglover9660]

I walked through that tunnel year's ago I would have been about 11 or 12 came out on astquith avenue that would be just after the line was ripped up I remember the steam trains running on the line the cut ran past the back of my house on Highfield Drive

[@roberte5303]

Network rail were considering using this tunnel as part of HS3 / Northern Power House rail. A guy who was doing work at Bradley junction, where I've a rental property, showed us the proposed plans. A new line up the valley from Batley through brow wood with a new curve into Gildersome tunnel. No idea what's going on now though as the plans only appear to be for the Leeds Huddersfield line up to Dewsbury

[@craigedgar8647]

The overlays are sublime, really gives your videos an edge

[@AdventureMe]

Glad you like them!

[@mikebuick2332]

Normally, these kind of videos are full of animated, over excited people with the personality of a house brick, making them difficult to watch. This is on a whole different level that makes it engaging, informative and very interesting. The past and present views really work well (there’s a chap on FB who posts on a disused railway page - maybe you? Who does the same) and the background info brings the whole video together. Awesome 👍

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Mike. And I appreciate the comments. Yes that will be me.

[@mikebuick2332]

@@AdventureMe Cheers Darren, it’s always good to see the pictures you post. Hopefully you’ll do more railways on YT 👍

[@davidthornton9214]

It's so sad that all these industrial relics are buried, just like that.

[@None-zc5vg]

These tracks were intended to give extra capacity between the Leeds area and Manchester but they became redundant, and even by the '50s there were plans to run them down and close them. The same thorough demolition job as seen in these videos has been done across the Pennines between Diggle and Stalybridge.

[@easytiger652]

Very informative.cheers👍 Stay safe👍

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks 👍

[@fatlad5090]

brilliant I go down asquith lane to that tunnel with dog

[@numberonefan4699]

Epic video as always thanks 👍

[@AdventureMe]

No problem 👍

[@danielross7221]

Really good video. there was another railway in that area which ran to drighlington station. Went through where Bella Italia is now. The bridge abutments are still there

[@AdventureMe]

Yeah that's a future project. Mentioned in the previous video to this.

[@danielross7221]

@@AdventureMe just in the process of catching up 🙂

[@matthewcoggins7288]

I can't wait to walk this bit... Would love to see some pictures of the lady Anne crossing near there.

[@itisjustacomment]

We walked through it years ago while I was a kid in the 1986 ish with big famed touches of rag around a pole dipped in diesel. We smelt the rotten egg smell and didn't know it was methane has at that age , it's the luck we didn't blow up the whole area. We also went through the Howley tunnel near Armitage brickworks the same way. That's a better tunnel dry floor most of the way.

[@ste.h9825]

Nice 1 Darren.An area again where you wouldn't think a railway existed .Yet most Northern folk most have passed by on the M62.Brilliant

[@AndyRubio1]

I f***ing love these videos.

[@cedarcam]

You did well to find that culvert is still there I thought it would be buried by now The concrete posts and wood fence posts are from the old line boundary so you were in the right place. I walked down to the showcase not long ago but did not explore much with all the undergrowth. We used to go to the tunnel from Nab Lane it was bricked up but I thought there was a door in the wall like at the other end Maybe my mind playing tricks it could of been the far end, it was a long time ago. I remember it was always flooded and deep mud but we got to the door a couple of times it was very muddy and we dare no go inside the tunnel as we had no light. The line in use now is very busy and they are proposing to put extra lines in. This line should not of been closed it was short sighted decision as usual and could of eased the congestion problem we are left with today. As classic traction says a station here would be around 6 mins to the city. A plan to build a tram system to the showcase was scrapped in the 1980's around the time the landfill was done

[@nigelkthomas9501]

At 12:45 - I have (had) a very similar photograph. This was just before to south/west end of Gildersome Tunnel was completely covered over and lost probably forever.

[@agentbertram4769]

I have been to that cinema many times. I had no idea I was right next to the old tunnel portal. A lot of earthwork was done for the M62 / M621.

[@jordylyons4648]

Amazing video cheers big man 😎

[@CitizenErased11]

Great video as always Darren. Keep up the good work fella

[@HobbiesAndSunshine]

Incredible stuff Darren. You explain and show everything very well. Thank you.

[@cannyuk]

Getting back to areas I know, very interest again Lee

[@philipsmith2995]

Always so interesting thanks again

[@deanbrown29]

I always thought the portal was still there! Glad you've cleared that up

[@fredtracy1673]

I like this, railroad archeology. 🚂

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks for watching, more to come.

[@philsmodelrailway232]

Another outstanding video again this week well done. I just wish they are longer the seven day wait for the next instalment is a killer 😀

[@fatlad5090]

you got the porthole spot on. We're the manhole cover was.

[@shirleylynch7529]

That was great. So informative and interesting. You make every thing so easy to listen to. Thank you as always. Beautiful footage.

[@michaelmiller641]

Absolutely fascinating as usual, probably less need to mourn the loss of that railway, as it's given us nice landscape and meadows

[@philipcroft9857]

Love these videos and how yer try match up with old photos, always a pleasure watching very relaxing,interesting&well put together. Thank-you

[@paultodd9301]

I remember going many times to the Showcase in the months after it opened and being very surprised at how close it was to the working landfill site, between the showcase carpark and the M62.

[@simonduffy99]

Yep, I remember that too, it would have been in the early 1990s.

[@paultodd9301]

@@simonduffy99 yes it was.

[@martinmarsola6477]

Thank you for the investigative search. Cheers Darren.

[@markb9013]

Awesome video.. can't wait for the conclusion... Thanks.

[@mranthonio5253]

Keep up the great work!

[@trafficsnitch3505]

I'm local and do a lot of walking around the area. I find all this stuff fascinating. Brilliant videos

[@raymondlee4767]

Nice one Darren very interesting stuff.

[@suesmith4366]

Loved watching this, now it’s easy to understand this part of the Leeds New Line. So much has gone over the years, it’s very hard to visualise properly on photos maps and books. To find the culvert brilliant, and what little clues that are still surviving, excellent 😎

[@neilvincent5524]

Great video. I used to get taken to Showcase by my dad a lot after it first opened. I have this really clear image in my head of looking from the car park and seeing the old railway line. The view then wasn’t at all green and wooded. I guess the portal was visible but it’s the embankment I remember most vividly. I’m sure there were a couple of old signals or lights on it and I half expected a train to trundle along at any moment

[@vincentpilsworth3195]

Amazing investigation

[@kennethstill5945]

In 1981 went across the field off A62 which is now the Showcase down a fairly easy slope to the old trackbed and up to the East portal, then travelled the other way towards Howden Clough t/bed quite easy to follow then. Below the “cinema” area there was an old L.N.W.R concrete gradient marker showing 121 / 70 , steepest side towards Leeds ( That was the continuous gradient from Farnley shed) In 2004 did same walk and it was as you found it though with less growth.

[@AdventureMe]

We hardly recognised it from the pictures. It was hard to keep on the track bed.

[@roberte5303]

I've a photo of that gradient marker somewhere

[@chap160]

This series has been brilliant. I live in Birstall/Batley and have been down these same paths etc including behind the showcase looking for the old rail route. Very interesting!

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks mate

[@johnlumley-moore2079]

Gòod one ,yet again...

[@jonathanhall7334]

Great Film 🎥

[@animalauntiebev7596]

Hi Darren, what a great video. In 1981, I organised a horse show on the land where the showcase cinema is now situated. It was a huge flat area of grassland back in the day, which was owned by Ogden Property Development. The landscape was completely different and I can remember seeing the tunnel in the distance. If I can find any photographs, I am more than happy to share them.

[@gozomick]

as a kid in the 60s we would walk through that tunnel,

[@railfreightdrivergallagherGBRf]

Your video's are fascinating, as well as informative & historical. TV quality without doubt. 👌🏼

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks David. Less scripted than TV.

[@Sim0nTrains]

Brilliant Video, it's a shame that they filled it in for no reason, I was looking a tunnel yesterday (after watching Paul and Rebecca's video) which was like how Gildersome Tunnel being bricked up halfway but this Tunnel was in Staffordshire called Bramshall Tunnel but unlike Gildersome Tunnel, they haven't infilled half of it, looking forward to the other side of the next instalment of the Leeds New Line.

[@electriclightlynnetrex6346]

A really fascinating one to do would be the history of howley hall ruins in batley/morley

[@jamesferguson5603]

Great, informative vid! I’d heard it was land filled out of spite by a land developer who had got into an argument with the council I think, over using the tunnel as a means of access. I have also heard of it having been used for chemical experiments!

[@algomaone121]

2:41...This is actually the famous “Leeds New Line Shrink Tunnel”, designed to shave millions of pounds off of construction cost; ironically offset by the cost to develop technologies that shrank the train and passengers!

[@merrytrek]

Great video. I was walking around there today after a film but just couldn't work out anything, GPS all over the place and brambles and trees making it very hard to see what's what. I did see the culvert and the concrete posts though. Best time to look around is probably late winter/early spring when things have died back and no leaves on the trees. I bumped into someone who was checking the gas levels from the many gas vent wells around the area, who helpfully reminded me it was private property...

[@AdventureMe]

No fences around it that I saw. So fill your boots. Yes it's so different now, even the levels are off.

[@alantraish3368]

Fantastic. Visited a few disused railway tunnels. The ones I want to do are this,Mapperly ,Bolsover and Soothill. Been doing it since 1975(61 now lol)

[@AdventureMe]

I have done mapperley on my channel.

[@alantraish3368]

@@AdventureMe I saw it very good too!

[@joncoe9046]

Mapperleys getting as dangerous with the poor state it's in. Soothill (if that's the one not too far from gildersome?) Is another non accessible due to the landfill above leaking into it and it proper stinks as you get closer to the portal!

[@supersonicboogiemh9743]

Wow! that was fantastic Darren. I live near Heaton Lodge Junction at the start of the LNL and have always wanted to look into it. You videos are very clear and concise, so much so I watched all this series on Monday and went out to start the walk yesterday. Looking forward to the next part, which I would imagine is the final section? By the way have you looked at the lines near Huddersfield. The L&NWR Kirkburton Branch from Deighton and the Midland Railway Newtown to Mirfield line, which only being about 4 miles long is full of bridges and a 15 arch viaduct all accessible

[@AdventureMe]

The second to last part is out this Sunday. Yes I will be looking at those lines too.

[@Zentron]

Another line that needs reopening!

[@seany84uk]

I never knew the line was so close to the retail park

[@fatlad5090]

in that tunnel they still is a air shaft open. It's in the industrial estate just further up.

[@mickd6942]

Sometimes a shaft is dug for construction but not left as a vent , tunnels are dug by working outwards from number of shafts in both directions , sometimes the portles are the last to be dug out

[@ianplatt8991]

Darren let me know when you have a weekend free for some magnet fishing in leeds we had some more exciting finds in last 2 weeks

[@justarideout]

I was the manager for Liftrucs in the 1980's / 90's and there was the top of a railway signal protruding from the ground immediately behind unit 6.

[@AdventureMe]

Which one is unit 6 Tony?

[@justarideout]

@@AdventureMe from memory it's the 6th unit down from Gelderd Road and was out of line with the first 5 that were smaller, units 7 and 8 where about 15ft farther out than 6.

[@AdventureMe]

Can you send me a pin on a map. I would love to know if its still there.

[@justarideout]

@@AdventureMe It used to be called Overland Ind Estate it's changed quite a bit but the units look the same shape but with updated facades

[@keithva6704]

Have you been to the tunnel at lady Anne dyke Batley, near howley ruins, I was there in late 70's you could get in there but it was very spooky !

[@AdventureMe]

Yes I have. Video coming later on this.

[@UKDroneAdventures]

Great video, as usual. I was told as a kid that there was a tunnel in Dean wood, close by there. Is it public land where you were? I’d love to go on an adventure.

[@AdventureMe]

Yeah. There's a footpath running through.

[@MichaelLS27]

Please feel free to use the pictures I took inside Gildersome Tunnel as you like. My Flickr name is Mick G.

[@MichaelLS27]

Something seems to be happening on that land where you said the last shaft is. As I drove by tonight there was a huge pile of earth. When I stopped to take a look there is a big hole, I couldn't get close enough to see the bottom, maybe they have unearthed the tunnel?

[@AdventureMe]

Yeah they are building industrial units.

[@trainsinkansas576]

At 10:45 minutes into the video you walked by a round cement structure, what was that ? Are any of the vents which are usually very large still above ground. Great, great video and well documented. Look forward to the next one. Meriden, Kansas

[@roberte5303]

Drainage system for the M621.. it was all visible in the 1980s but is now overgrown

[@AdventureMe]

Yes a drainage system. I will show the remaining vents in the next video.

[@ToBeSet.]

We used to live not too far away from here are we're told by a neighbour a lot of this area was used for disposing of asbestos (No idea how true this is).

[@AdventureMe]

Most probably inside the tunnel. I can believe it.

[@richmiller7834]

the motorway builders across the UK needed to find somewhere to put 1000's of tons of spoil, railway cuttings etc and "levelling up" was the perfect spot....and many landowners would have made money out of taking it..... 😀

[@dazscrivo]

Adventureme. Nice videos mate living local it’s very interesting. I’ve always wondered why there’s tall methane vent chimneys not far from this video located bang on both sides of road on a650 about 200 metres from big roundabout do you know why they’re there? Cheers

[@dazscrivo]

Ps don’t ever get rid of your little piano riff with the synth that you play while blending photos has a good feel to it 👍🏻

[@AdventureMe]

Yeah the A650 was used as a landfill after the railway closed. The road is now built on top.

[@AdventureMe]

Cheers mate. I have made some tunes of my own that I use occasionally too.

[@dazscrivo]

AdventureMe thanks for info. Subbed and liked a load of your videos. You wanna post your videos in local Facebook groups to your videos it’s a good hook even though I’m interested in this sort of video I wouldn’t search it on KZbin I came across video link in the Morley locals Facebook page 👍🏻

[@AdventureMe]

@@dazscrivo I normally do. But a lot of the group's don't like it. So I don't do it as often. I see your into music like me too.

[@davidboulton6980]

Darren do you have any photos of pre birstall retail park?

[@AdventureMe]

I don't. Just the one I posted on social media a few weeks ago.

[@davidboulton6980]

@@AdventureMe no worries, I’ve looked everywhere but can never find one. Great videos by the way, I cycle along the greenway quite a bit so find them really interesting. If only they’d invent a time machine 😂

[@chromiumphotography5138]

Landfill - maybe a naive question buy that looks like an awfully big space to fill. Where did it all come from? Asking because landfill appears in a lot of historical videos in the local area.

[@AdventureMe]

Old 60s building demolition rubble. Ex mining spoil heaps etc

[@hoppinonabronzeleg9477]

Darren West portal was at 53.7454 -1.6356 . No abutments this week?

[@AdventureMe]

No abutments in sight this week.

[@AdventureMe]

Right where the black pipe was in the video.

[@iman2341]

Awful lot of work seems to have gone into making this line basically impossible to reopen.

[@leathandrubb]

Wasn't that a vent at 10.46?

[@AdventureMe]

Yes. It's a methane vent for the landfill.

[@leathandrubb]

Thank you.so it isn't a vent shaft for the tunnel.

[@mrlister2000]

Get a gas meter and go in the other portal!!!

[@AdventureMe]

I would go to the effort. But nobody watches my tunnel videos. I almost risk my ass and they get the lowest figures. Lol

[@mrlister2000]

@@AdventureMe You need clickbait in your description, like "I nearly died climbing through this tunnel" or "my most dangerous adveture yet...."

[@AdventureMe]

@@mrlister2000 I should. But then I get shouted at for being dramatic lol.

[@mrlister2000]

@@AdventureMe Watch the videos by The Fisher. An American who magnet fishes. Every title on his videos is clickbait. It's how it works on YT, the more dramatic, the higher the clicks!

[@bobingram6912]

I think they filled it in for one good reason - a purpose built place to chuck all the crap we throw away everyday, and now everyone thinks it's been there forever!!

[@Ryan_Harkin]

Go here 53.736324, -1.684104

[@AdventureMe]

Why what's there Ryan?

[@Ryan_Harkin]

@@AdventureMe There's an old abandoned railway tunnel. I used to mess about in there as a kid with friends. It's probably twenty years since I've been there. I think it's part of the old line you featured in this video.

[@AdventureMe]

@@Ryan_Harkin Oh that's the gomersal tunnel. I covered that a few videos back.