The Lost BATTYEFORD Station - What Remains?

[@AdventureMe]

Hope you enjoy the first video in this new series. A big thank you to Richie from the Leeds New Line Appreciation Group Facebook Page. facebook.com/groups/1423096621218441

[@philsmodelrailway232]

Thank you for braving the weather to bring more history to life before it’s gone for good Phil from Canada 🇨🇦

[@martynbuzzing3327]

What an interesting video, You certainly did your homework. Well done.

[@rosewhite---]

One of my earliest memories is being in the new Mirfield Ings Grove Park on its opening -Dedication? Day in early 1950s on a sunny afternnon with a brass band tootling away when on the line above the park a tank? engine chuffed by going west to the viaduct. It's a lovely memory. 4:30 I walked over that footbridge a lot of time. Heaton Lodge had a big signal box to control traffic in the the big yard further west where hundreds of coal wagons were stored. There was also a spur into a malt kiln but the kiln collapsed in early sixties. Just east of the bridge on the Leeds New Line was a pair of rails leading to a drop off the embankment - to catch runaway trains was what I heard but the catching involved sending them off the track! All the hillsides to right of track are riddle swith old coal mine tunnels. 8:00 viaduct was a huge steel girder construction and I heard it had been shipped to Africa after removal. I cannot imagine how such a long and heavy bridge was erected or dismanted as I missed its removal but later lived along the road from the continuation viaduct over Huddersfield Road and remember a big excavator with a rock breaker taking weeks to remove it as the blue bricks were hard engineering bricks and the machine could only hammer them off one at a time. Houses alongside must have been sick of the noise all day and I think the job was eventually abandoned once the viaduct had been cut back beyond footpath level. 11:28 is the massive bridge I remember. painted that sparkly grey. Battyeford goods warehouse also had lots of coal drops for local merchants. Just across road was the drill hall and it may be that Mirfield men entrained at Battyeford for France in both wars. Drill hall had open day and target practice with real rifle - probably just a .22 - and I was so good a shot I cut the string holding the targets up!

[@MrHarney]

Fantastic thank you ...grew up there and use to sunbath on that patch of grass where the battyeford station was ..i never knew there was a station there .

[@a11csc]

as a member of richards group this has been long awaited and is fantastic cant wait for more episodes darren

[@mysgd02]

Thanks for going above and beyond to get these shots

[@fenso6664]

Fantastic stuff as always Darren, can’t wait for this series. These lines deserve someone like you documenting them on video. The way your channel has grown so fast just proves this. You’ve got your work cut out though with all the abandoned railways in this area between Huddersfield and Leeds. The Leeds new line is just a drop in the ocean! Nice to see all these experts getting on board too.

[@WmDavidHarrison]

Splendid, if wet, start to a new series. Have passed through Heaton Lodge "burrowing junction" many times en-route from Manchester to Leeds in the 70s and 80s and have often speculated about the "Leeds new line" which I knew diverged here but was long since demolished. Another tribute to Victorian engineers that, after over 60 years of closure, the Battyeford viaduct stonework remains.

[@algomaone121]

I was fascinated by EVERYTHING, but the best part was the time-warp wipe where the modern car appeared to drive in and out of the early 1900’s! 😀👍

[@BdManus]

Excellent cinematography, loads of relics and great information. You've out done yourself on this one. Hi from Texas.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks mate. Greetings to Texas.

[@jonathanhall7334]

Excellent piece of History

[@AdventureMe]

Thank you.

[@NJBamforth67]

Fantastic looking forward to pt2 now xx Great work Darren xx 😃

[@AdventureMe]

Coming soon!

[@CosgroveNotts]

Plague fields near goodsyard to the side of the railway pub. Could be called the Maltings now . That looked on to goodsyard and Nettleton Rd

[@lorraine6573]

The photography and the mereged images in this episode are amazing. Eat your heart out Rob Bell!! 😄

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Lorraine

[@andrewcowling5804]

Wow. That line has so many modelling possibilities. Ooh the inspiration I got from this

[@ericholmes8665]

You missed having a quick look at the twelve houses,built by the LNWR in 1895,to replace houses demolished to make way for the station,they are identical to the 80 at Heckmondwike,and cost in total for the12 houses and roadworks 3,348 pounds.

[@martinmarsola6477]

See you on the next. Thanks Richie for your time and contributions.

[@stevepashley795]

This is the first time Ive come across your channel and I absolutely loved it, I have subscribed and sincerely look forward to your next video. Thank you, Steve from Australia

[@megagarrym6318]

Nicely done again Darren. I grew up in Mirfield so know all those locations very well and have seen the railways getting gradually erased. There is also the remains of the old Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway line and at one time Mirfield had a thriving engine shed in Lower Hopton. The remains of Cooper Bridge station are also nearby and worth a look.

[@suesmith4366]

Brilliant worth the wait 😎 My friend lived in the Railway houses, then they moved to oddfellow street under the blue viaduct in New Scarbough where Dr Lane was and the bridge you showed. I pulled the levers for the Newcastle express in the signal box at Battyeford station I thought that was great. Wouldn’t be allowed today. The entrance to the goods yard was near where the red houses ended in Nettleton Road. The Royal train was kept at Heaton Lodge during a Royal visit too.

[@AdventureMe]

Great memories sue.

[@quickclipsbyjmj]

Your overlays are excellent, Darren. Always best to show the past after the recent. Most people ignore a comparison. So we end up having to rewind.

[@AdventureMe]

Glad you like them.

[@ASupraGuy]

This was great, I'm new to the mirfield area (Been here around 3 years) and saw the old bits of the line from the greenway on the other side of the river in lower hopton and the remains of the viaduct over Huddersfield road and always wondered what they was used for, now I know! Loved the overlays as well. Can't wait for the next part

[@buthe1979]

Enjoyed that. Right on my doorstep. Lot of info I didn't know 🙂

[@christopherthompson2167]

Amazing photo transitions between then and now, I am local to the area and never knew any of this.

[@JANGLEPOP1]

Superb video. Interesting and highly entertaining, one of the best I have seen. Thank You so much for taking the trouble to show what is left of this line and together with your historical photos you have brought it all to life again.

[@shirleylynch7529]

Fab vlog again. Great new series for us. Love how you blend old and present. So interesting. Thank you for your enthusiastic way of details. You make it so enjoyable.

[@johncrwarner]

As a child growing up in Bradley, the tail-end of Huddersfield on the Mirfield side, my parents used to take us to Dewsbury Market so every Saturday in the late sixties and early seventies we travelled along Huddersfield Rd to Dewsbury and I remember the old railway infrastructure repurposed for light industry. I wondered what the line was so this was fascinating. In his old age my father got into digital photography and one of my last trips out with him was to Mirfield and the old church where Charlotte Bronte worshipped. So I have fond memories of Mirfield.

[@ste.h9825]

Excellent,more hidden history.Thanks.

[@AdventureMe]

More to come! Thanks Ste.

[@fentoncentral-model-railway]

Excellent start to the new line. Cracking video as always pal. Looking forward to the next one.

[@OldLiverpoolRailwaysOfficial]

I just love this channel! the hard work and research you put into your videos is amazing!

[@chriswalker2749]

Great project, now looking forward to future episodes ! Also very much liked the music accompanying the intro of this video. Very Arvo Part like !

[@raymarshall8336]

Well done, another great video Darren. You'll have to treat yourself to the video of Simon George's, Heaton Lodge Junction (work in progress) . Which will be Britain's largest model railway. The tunnel & the bridge at the start of your video, perfectly depicted.

[@roll_credits6136]

Wow, you made 20 minutes go by very quickly! Great video as always, I’m looking forward to the rest of the series! ✨

[@davidcoath6741]

Excellent video. So informative, picking out the history from the modern landscape. The photo transitions to show how things used to look are fantastic. Really brings the story to life. Keep doing what you do!

[@AdventureMe]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@shauntodd7123]

Kicking it off really well Darren. This looks like a good series and i cannot wait for the next episode.

[@cannyuk]

Always the highlight of my Sundays, you're videos Darren. Don't know the area today but still really interesting

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks 👍

[@christelbraune4530]

Thanks for the Video Darren

[@kevinparkin5438]

Good evening Darren just watched the Leeds new line one word excellent I'm really going to enjoy this one and thanks for doing around Heckmondwike and I see you have captured the mattress on your opening shot I've noticed that when I go to Heckmondwike makes Britain look like a dumping ground shame well keep your video's coming best wishes Kevin

[@michaelwatterson2965]

Superb! A great start to your series.

[@Wedgedoow]

Not a lot left, was it shut by beeching for being a duplicate line from leeds to Huddersfield, nnic presentation Darren, looking forward to more. Sites of Mirfield and Farnley Junction loco depots.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Pete. Yes a duplicate line, and high in maintenance so I'm told.

[@highpath4776]

@@AdventureMe Sometimes Beechings Decisions did make sense, IF all the revenues , costs and likely future changes were assessed properly.

[@micknunns7509]

Brilliant once again. Love those black and white photo overlays Thanks

[@showmanpete2805]

another great vid, looking forward to the next one

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Pete. Coming soon.

[@bobingram6912]

Oh great, you're back on the photo merge again, really brings it alive, without them it would be a bit confusing. Always amazes me that there is still stuff lying around. Now twiddling thumbs waiting for next instalment!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Bob.

[@Andrewsiverfox]

fantstic footage great information loved it great too see whats next to you all along and now

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks 👍

[@Sim0nTrains]

That was really good to watch, subscribed as well.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks mate. Plenty more on my channel.

[@granvillefoster6719]

Again very interesting. The other day I was watching a Don Coffey video from the cab of a Manchester Oxford Road to York train. I am sure he mentioned the old foot bridge at the start of your video. From memory he said it was to be moved to a preservation railway somewhere?

[@yorkshirepullman4584]

I lived in Mirfield and when you stand on this bridge you certainly feel trains pennine express trains underneath at some speed. I also watched the Don Coffey video

[@yorkshirebrad]

I grew up on Northorpe Lane I cannot wait for the next video!

[@AdventureMe]

Coming very soon.

[@kpc5]

I grew up in Mirfield till i was 18 and i am in my early 60's now and i could show you where all the bridges were taken down and show all the housing estates have been built on the old railway lines in Mirfield.

[@itisjustacomment]

Have you done the old station opposite St.marys church in woodkirk near Tingley? Old platforms and the short wall to Howley tunnel running to batley. It's worth a look

[@user-kk5jt9tr6i]

I live on what used to be on the Leeds New Line. My father bought a stretch of cutting between Parker Lane and Dunbottle Lane, Mirfield, after the Beeching closures. I have a gradient marker at my house from he line, and I can still just remember steam trains on the line. I am happy to talk to you if you think I can help with your research.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks mate

[@rowanholgate1435]

The northern end brickwork for the viaduct over Huddersfield Rd (Southern end of Battyeford Stn) was still there in 2016 and possibly 2018) when I drove through. It allerted me to the lines presence.

[@nigelbarker4135]

Top notch Darren 👍 Magnificent! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Nigel.

[@bigmonkey999888]

Darren, another brilliant video! Steve

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Steve.

[@nickfirth865]

Brilliant intro will have a watch later 😀

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Nick.

[@johnlumley-moore2079]

Excellent ....interesting as per usual....

[@michaelmiller641]

Very interesting as usual,!

[@AdventureMe]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@joylunn3445]

Darren your phot merging is superb, but we do need more abutments.

[@philsmodelrailway232]

8 hours to wait, nothing like keep us in suspense

[@AdventureMe]

All part of the fun.

[@kay110]

Hi Darren. I was looking forward to this as I live in Mirfield. Never knew that footpath existed, and you showed a lot of things I didn't know existed down by the river. There are some pictures of them dismantling the bridge over Doctor Lane, and I maybe mistaken, but believe some of the brick wall at the bottom of Oddfellows Street is from that bridge. Excellent as always, and happy Easter.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Kay. Glad to have enlightened even a local. Yes the brick colour is unique. Lots re-used in the area.

[@GLH8]

Fascinating local history, I knew there was a line (The Travellers Rest has a huge old map on the wall), but I could never work out where it cut through Mirfield.

[@AdventureMe]

Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks.

[@amp6887]

Brilliant 👏 loved this video cant wait for the next

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks mate. Coming soon.

[@amp6887]

@@AdventureMe good news 👏

[@johnlaforte700]

But love the scenery and videos

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks.

[@roykemp4941]

Thanks, enjoyed it mate👍

[@AdventureMe]

No problem 👍

[@jasinere35]

just like to point out that the stone path you stood next to was the edging to one of the platforms & really none of that should have been demolished

[@jean-lucpicard5510]

I was wondering when you were going to do a vid on the Greenway, you are just a stone's throw away from where I live.

[@peterdavidthompson4876]

Hi Darren just a quick question for you if you're coming from Leeds on the A62 you can see the old Leeds new line on the left hand side near the motorway but as you drive further on there's a bridge right close to the A62 is that still the Leeds new line? I don't think it is cheers Peter and keep up with the good work!

[@AdventureMe]

I don't know where you mean. But there's also the adwalton to Wakefield line that crosses under the A62.

[@clecklass]

At 12.06 in the timeline there is a factory (original purpose was cloth weaving). This has a sawtooth roof which allows light in from the cool facing north but not from the warmer south/east/west. This is something to do with the fact that the factory needed the cloth to be damp - the roof allowed light in but not heat (which would risk drying the cloth). I know this is not relevant to your story but thought it might provide some additional interest.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks for watching. Thanks for the info too

[@MrDodgedollar]

Darren the battyeford blue brick viaduct was intact till the late 80’s… I understand the structure was super hard to demolish and you know the rest

[@citled]

Great videos, just a shame the music is too loud. I have to keep adjusting the volume to be able to hear you.

[@railwaychristina3192]

Gorgeous ironwork overbridge...is it still there?

[@AdventureMe]

I think it's gone now

[@railwaychristina3192]

@@AdventureMe aaaaaaaargh philistines

[@gilesestram]

Hi. Great vidz. 1 thing is bugging me...what is the Trance track you use to close out this video ?

[@AdventureMe]

Normally in the video description

[@gilesestram]

@@AdventureMe yea i got it Dude

[@itsonlyme9938]

Fantastic overlay showing how it was before and after . Do you know why blue brick is used and not brown brick for some applications ??

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks 👍. I know it's engineering brick. Probably the local brickworks colour, so they could distinguish it from others. Either that or it was just a stronger method.

[@itsonlyme9938]

@@AdventureMe I was thinking that steam engines, I think give of sulphur smoke which might be corrosive or it is more robust and better suited for bridges and less chance of it crumbling or to stop theft of bricks ?. Blue engineering brick which gives it a very distinctive railway look

[@Bobbybearns1974]

Another informative and interesting video. Could you please tell me the music from the beginning, what is it please?

[@AdventureMe]

The songs are normally listed in the video description. If it's not then it's a KZbin stock song.

[@AshinAsia]

Oh no!! You're skipping the bit I want to see. The bridge under dun something lane, I'm sure I remember it open when I was very young, but after it was filled in and basically a dumpit site is the only photo I have, can't find a single picture on Google. I have hundreds of pictures along this route including some that I can't place. Do you have email to send pictures to?

[@douglasthompson296]

Hi there fella Just an aside there is an old abandoned line that ran from a mine in Birkenshaw? where the fire brigade HQ is/was to Batley station and we knew it as the codybog line. It mostly followed Bradford Road and can still be walked in part through Wilton Park in Batley. There were lots of bridges spanning the traffic roads as the line was high on the terrain in parts. Just how it got its name I don't know but I'm sure someone local can fill you in. BTW it's all anecdotal as I left Batley for the wilder world back in early 70's I was in the first intake at 11 to the brand new Batley Boys High school, showing my age now 😎

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Douglas, yes that line is on my list. I remember the Batley park bridge as a kid.

[@alg6576]

The one through Wilton Park only went to Birstall Smithies (the one you mean was a bit higher up (railmaponline site will show you the route).

[@douglasthompson296]

@@AdventureMe hi guys I knew you locals would know! My brother in Birstall would know if I had asked him. My paternal gran lived in Birkenshaw village and a cottage owner in her yard used to have a chicken shed made from an old railway carriage or single decker old bus/coach, happy days. Think Birkenshaw is too uber cool and gentrified to get away with chicken coops these days!!!!!

[@douglasthompson296]

@@alg6576 hi fella, it was the line that ran in front of the old Batley cottage hospital and gramme schools, boys N girls schools that I knew all the codybog line I think it was a non runner by time I was aware of it. A maternal uncle used to man the signal box at Soothill crossing on the Leeds line. That's the only trouble with these UT sites (MZ in Mancs I follow mostly) is that it stir up such memories and nostalgia (well I am near 73 next) 😎

[@alg6576]

@@douglasthompson296 Yes, for years I've walked the Leeds New and others around here, since about 10. Was only few months ago I even knew that I was actually off route and on yet another L&Y that ran almost parallel to the LNL. I'm actually on the LNL now.

[@MrKristiano77]

crossed that bridge earlier today

[@AdventureMe]

Still hanging on then, someone said it will be closed this week.

[@MrKristiano77]

@@AdventureMe i did notice some paperwork on a post on the canal bank but never really read it, be a great shame if the footbridge does go, all in the name of progress hey? its only from seeing your video today i realised they were thinking of demolishing it, whatever happens keep the videos coming, your doing a top job and of a lot of places local to me too

[@majorpygge-phartt2643]

It looks like it's a good job that line was closed. It looks like it was only single track, at least in some stretches and it looks like it was too tightly boxed in between very close shear walls. I wouldn't like to be stuck on a train in there in an emergency, how would you get out? It reminds me of some of the lines in some Asian countries where they go through very tight and narrow tunnels with single tracks so there's no way out in an emergency like if the train caught fire.

[@AdventureMe]

It wasn't ideal for high speed rail. Too many gradients and bends. But it was a nice shortcut and further access.

[@Theorbe100]

I travelled on it several times, and it was double track throughout. Now we are told that there is insufficient capacity on the line through Dewsbury (Wellington Road) so the Leeds New line would again be useful, especially for slower freight trains. Too much of it has gone now for that to become once again a reality.

[@majorpygge-phartt2643]

@@Theorbe100 It must be the distorting effects of the camera or it's lens making some of the bridges look really narrow. There's been too many lines like this closed down which are then later found to be needed, like the Fallowfield line through south Manchester, and the Micklehurst loop. And I've looked at this route here on google maps aerial view and shortly after leaving Heckmondwike station site it just disappears into the countryside without trace.

[@Gauge3]

great stuff, but rather a shame you missed out a footpath from knowl road to parker lane that runs along the edge of the old trackbed with original wooden fencing on garden boundaries

[@AdventureMe]

I know. We couldn't cover everything, but we tried. The weather and light was against us.

[@alg6576]

Waiting :)

[@AdventureMe]

You're the early bird. First in line .

[@alg6576]

@@AdventureMe Good stuff..cold turkeying for next part.

[@majorpygge-phartt2643]

This should be on "Abandoned engineering" on the yesterday channel.

[@scaleop4]

👍👍👍

[@hoppinonabronzeleg9477]

I am not an expert, but I do not think that was the platform edge, The platform edge was usually curved with a very large radius, This looks like the signalling trench. Or a continuation of it, where they bury the cables. The edge is very square on these, as the capping stones are about half the thickness of the platform edge slabs.

[@AbigailAdamsPatriot]

I was born and raised in Battyeford and none of this looks at all familiar!

[@quickclipsbyjmj]

Really ×10,000 hoping that foot bridge can go to a good home. Looks like it only needs a paint job.

[@AdventureMe]

A few railway groups have been offered it with 0 interest, so looks like it will just be torn down.

[@quickclipsbyjmj]

@@AdventureMe That's terrible.

[@amp6887]

81 min to wait

[@AdventureMe]

Tick tock.

[@peaky5135]

And the building at the back as been demolished. All for the electricline

[@peaky5135]

The bridge in the thumb nail is getting taken down and put in a museum

[@sampoole9549]

We all love a massive abutment 😂

[@AdventureMe]

We sure do

[@russscott646]

nosthrop

[@mikenelson8786]

Please save the pieces of history ( not relics ) these could be put to good use by other organisations.

[@muhammadislam0000]

Shame they closed these lines😒

[@AdventureMe]

I know Muhammad. Would be well used today.

[@johnlaforte700]

To much hand talking. It distracts

[@AdventureMe]

I've never had presenter training, maybe something I would do if I work for the BBC.

[@christelbraune4530]

Thanks for the Video Darren

[@christelbraune4530]

Thanks for the Video Darren