The Lost BIRSTALL Stations - What Remains?

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 Field Head Lane in Birstall and through towards the Gildersome Tunnel and the Birstall Retail Park. 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
Britain From Above
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#adventureme #exploration #history #abandoned #leedsnewline #birstall #gildersome

[@nigelgraves8784]

The 'waiting by the bridge' moment. Brilliant !

[@AdventureMe]

I was trying to be subtle. I knew someone would get it. Not me.

[@chrisbradley1192]

Gave me a good laugh.

[@quickclipsbyjmj]

Have you been back since Darren? 🤪

[@AdventureMe]

@@StevenShaw I am still there. It's cold now.

[@quickclipsbyjmj]

@@AdventureMe Bless. Shall I bring you a flask of tea? 🤪

[@frogandspanner]

Here in Brum some lines were not lifted following closure, and in the late 70s were used for the Cross City Line, which now carries large numbers of commuters. When I first used the line in 1980 the track still cried "Clickety-Clack!", until money allowed continuous welded rail to be installed. The service is so successful that another line is being opened to commuters. Another old railway line route formed the basis for the West Midlands Metro tram service - another great success. Railways form the core of the commuter network for London and the South East, but the the rest of us seem not to matter, and idiots have been allowed to sell off bits of railway routes such that it would be all but impossible to restore the route and benefit the community.

[@josephj9828]

I love how you match the views of old pictures of these abandoned lines. It gives a great perspective of what is lost.

[@classictraction1744]

At 4:57 where the abutment disappears off into the trees, it continues, as a long and high wall that is now hidden from view. Up until around the early 1990's, you could clearly see a very large bricked up subway in the wall and that was where the passenger entrance steps went up from the road to go under the platforms. It's all still there today, just hidden in all the undergrowth, but it is high up off the ground, (maybe 15 foot from ground level) The station seems to have been completely demolished after it closed in the 1950's, so I guess they probably filled in the subway at that time, to stop people getting in any danger as the route was still in use as a main line.

[@easybeat]

Yes, remember that also.

[@stephenhelm9781]

I started work in 1968 for a company that was on the Geldered Road Industrial estate. I had a motorbike to get to work and the bridges on Nab Lane were complete with both the GNR and Leeds New Line trackbeds as they were after the last train in BR days in 1965. I remember walking over the closed Howden Clough viaduct on the old GNR line along the trackbed up to Nab Lane just before it was demolished..

[@RichardFelstead1949]

I like the way you've incorporated the then and now photos. Wee done.

[@gazza9463]

It's amazing how Mother Nature reclaims the land.

[@jillanderson7048]

Loved the then and now...great perspectives. Nab Lane bridge segment was really interesting. Keep 'em coming.

[@VolkswagenCamperAdventures]

Such an interesting video. It's difficult to comprehend the amount of landfilling to level the area these lines had taken up. The whole Heavy Woollen area has an interesting railway history, and luckily some of it has been preserved with the like of the Spen Valley Greenway. The old lines of Heckmondwike are great to explore, running beneath many streets that some won't even realise are tunnels and bridges.

[@christopherthompson2167]

I have crossed over the Nab Lane Bridge many times and never knew it was once a double level bridge, crossing 2 lines. The old photo was amazing. Keep up the great videos.

[@christelbraune4530]

Hast du sehr gut gemacht. Dankeschön Darren. Hoch und das alles im Sommer 😭🤗🤗

[@harmer4245]

Love your work, mate. From and old Birstall ex-pat in Oz. Keep it up.

[@AdventureMe]

Awesome, thank you!

[@clivebroadhead4381]

Darren's. brilliant video surveys show it will be necessary to replace some cuttings and tunnels for the new mass transit, as for the Tyne and Wear Metro and the Docklands Light Railway.

[@christinaburton9297]

Thank you so much!

[@tracya4087]

the developers have no sense of nostalgia or preservation , what a shame , still thanks to you at least we can see a little , thanks for what you do , best wishes from wigan lancashire , lots of lost railways and historic stuff too

[@shirleylynch7529]

So very interesting, loved your blending photos. What a changes. Brilliant vlog. Thank you

[@shauntodd7123]

Good to see you back out Darren

[@zippyisking]

Excellent vlog that one Darren. Can't wait for the next one

[@JamesWilliams-se3vr]

Excellent, thanks!

[@trainsinkansas576]

Great video and narration. Love your over lays how it was then and now. Excellent. Meriden, Kansas.

[@jonathanhall7334]

Fantastic Film

[@trevorkent7916]

Absolutely fantastic

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks mate. Lots more to come from here.

[@bigmonkey999888]

Hl Darren, another brilliant video, the fade-ins are superb. Keep up the good work all the best Steve

[@johnlumley-moore2079]

Excellent yet again....

[@brettogden6104]

That's so useful connecting today with the past in Birstall where I grew up, but I'm now in Australia! Thanks so much.

[@rogermorris6957]

Another very interesting blog well done

[@suesmith4366]

Really enjoyed this and can’t wait for next part, 😎 lastly just wondered how long you had to wait 🤣

[@AdventureMe]

Still there. Must be off peak.

[@chelen7]

My grandparents lived on the other side of the railings on Raikes Lane. As a child I used to sit on the wall looking over at the signal box. There was a small opening after the bridge to the back of the house and there was a separate block of 3 toilets for the 3 houses and an area of grass that we used to play on. I think they were back to back houses and were knocked down in the early 60’s for a golf course.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks for watching.

[@raymondlee4767]

Very interesting, Well done Darren. Ray

[@braggelbak]

oh how good! awesome!

[@braggelbak]

owwwwww!!!!! so good!!

[@philipsmith2995]

Thanks for another great video this is really interesting

[@michaelwatterson2965]

Fieldhead and Kings Park is my area. Great video, really interesting, thanks as always.

[@Sim0nTrains]

Brilliant Video, the area around Nab Lane would had been brilliant to sit there and watch the trains back in it's day.

[@easytiger652]

Great video.very informative and educational.cheers Stay safe, 👍

[@comedyhunter]

Another great video. Keep up the good work

[@DuneFreak66]

Nice wee walk. lol You sure do cover some ground. Thanks for brings us along.

[@cedarcam]

I went to Fieldhead Lane today 13/6/2021 You were lucky to get in there it was fenced off a couple of weeks ago after you filmed there, and work started on clearing the site for housing. You can still get to the Oakwell Hall side of the fence on the track bed up to where it was filled in. At Nab Lane I remember all the bridges being there It was very deep. We used to get there along the GNR then climb down to the New Line From there we could walk right through to Dewsbury Road shown in the last part or to Gildersome tunnel entrance which is now buried under a field. I never took photos in those days you never think to back then

[@deanbrown29]

Best video yet that! Thanks dazzler

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks mate.

[@lindseyking6352]

I lived in Ashfield Road and there was an old bridge just behind where Most Hill merged with Ashfield Road. It was demolished when the Greenacre housing development was build. The banking is still there.

[@nixtax3526]

Interesting stuff mate, hope you got lucky at the bridge!

[@fhwolthuis]

Great video!

[@philsmodelrailway232]

Dam British weather spoiling my viewing pleasure.excellent filming and photography work 5 ⭐️

[@patrickbagnano1561]

Heck yea, Just sat down with my first cup of coffee of the morning, got on KZbin and saw this video. Perfect timing.

[@l.b.fulatryxthenarcoleptic8120]

I remember them filling that bridge in

[@fatlad5090]

buzzing just got first reefer on the go nice one.

[@cjm9700]

@AdventureMe , When i was a young lad the cutting was still there and we used to play under the bridge and on the embankments and could walk all the way to Oakwell hall from Raikes lane. It was only filled in by the owners because one us fell down the embankment and was seriously hurt. This was around 30 to 33 years ago.

[@stephenrobinson3128]

Just found this. I used to play there too. I remember the old station still being there in the late sixties. It was a mass of black charred timbers. I remember playing football on the cricket field at Moat Hill one day in the summer and then going through the railings and up the embankment and walking along the old line to play on the football pitches at Nova Lane. I lived on Gelderd Rd and remember when they took down the bridge span. We loved playing football on Gelderd Rd while the road was closed to traffic.

[@WmDavidHarrison]

By turns interesting, educational and amusing ... I take it you were "stood up".

[@AdventureMe]

Waited all day and......nothing

[@michaelrender1584]

Brilliant 👏Darren love your humour 👏just wating for .........

[@AdventureMe]

I'm a cheeky one. Wondered who would notice. Lol

[@michaelrender1584]

@@AdventureMe you certainly are mate just like me lol love humour 😄like that your work is very good 👍it just gets better looking forward for what's to come

[@philipcroft9857]

Niceone!!

[@seany84uk]

7:40 had me in stitches :)

[@micknunns7509]

Another great entertaining video Darren you are the master of fade- ins Thank you ! P.S. Please tell me you are going to check out the manhole at 12.26 in

[@fatlad5090]

if all them lines were still open traffic on the roads would be less and trains would run a lot better

[@None-zc5vg]

These lines were slated for closure in the late '50s and some of them dated from the late 1880s/'90s when they were put in for long-distance traffic to supplement existing tracks. After WW1 demand fell away and the 'last in' lines were slates for closure: all pre-Beeching. It seems that they didn't carry much local passenger traffic.

[@khalidacosta7133]

No, if the town planners were smart, these lines would be integrated into foot/cycle paths, a network superhighway to reduce traffic on roads and connect communities....

[@fatlad5090]

@@khalidacosta7133 problem there is in the middle of winter at 5 am on a dark morning cold wet walking on a old track to work or take the car. 99% will take the car the line needs reopening. They have caused problems in Bradford. closing a lane down on the busy main road for cyclists. Now they is a massive tail back all day and they is more pollution.

[@braggelbak]

Sir. most of the iron fences were for free energy (look at tesla) mud flood/Tartarian. ok i'm going to watch some more broadcasts tonight! so beautiful!

[@AdventureMe]

Thank you

[@judithdrake9688]

🤔Just wondering how long you waited! On another note, I love your videos ….. so much local history.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Judith. All night, I gave up lol

[@judithdrake9688]

@@AdventureMe 😂🤣🤣

[@douglasthompson296]

Hi Darren, well did you get any offers 😇 Mrs Warboys was hoping to get there in time. Great vlog, all my early years in and around Batley I never was aware of the railways around there. My brother lives very near to there so sent him the link. Cheers DougT (aka V Meldew) the Mancs pensioner

[@cjm9700]

@AdventureMe The field your in next to Birstall station was actually a Kirklees council golf course

[@stephenrobinson3128]

I remember the day it opened. Before there were allotments and an area we knew as "Jacobs Well". Jeff Grayshon's dad used to keep pigs on one if I remember correctly.

[@martinmarsola6477]

Anyone meet ya at the bridge corner?! Hmmmm. Cheers Darren! 😆🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿👍🇺🇸

[@AdventureMe]

I waited for hours lol

[@fatlad5090]

at 211 that's what it will look like in Heckmondwike filled in upto the bridge bridge capped off houses on the filled in part

[@rach1646]

Great video as usual, but I did read that half way up the wall to what was Upper Birstall station, there is a bricked up subway. It is a private garden now and the wall is screened by trees and a large advertisement board, but I would love to know if this is true.

[@AdventureMe]

Yes apparently so. Someone sent me a picture last week.

[@matthewcoggins7288]

If you need to get access to lady and road crossing let me know. I have the current railway line at the bottom of my garden but they have just cleared the opposite embankment for electrification. The top of the bank is an old railway line. Ladybank has the biggest adutment I've ever seen🤣🤣🤣

[@AdventureMe]

Which section is this Matthew. I'm not familiar with the local names etc.

[@davek7256]

Brilliant video, I couldn’t get my head around the nab lane area until you did the photo fade. I used to play on the abandoned line behind the cricket pitch near the Moat Hill area as a kid.

[@ericholmes8665]

Could i just comment, the station was renamed Birstall Town in 1935, it was closed to passenger traffic in 1951,the goods yard was used for a while to store condemned carriges,the engine passing the signalbox on 30th of June 1962 is long time favourite Farnley Jct Jubilee class 45581 "Bihar and Orissa on the 11am Leeds -Manchester express,the goods shed was a twin of the one at Gildersome.the station was accessed by a stairway from the main road which led to a subway to the platforms,to have a look at the station complete,Britain from Above,the aerofilms archive EAW002663 taken in 1946.To see the goods yard and signalbox plus bridge, after station closure, in 1952 EAW042467/8 is the one, with the goods yard packed with condemned coachs.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Eric. I did mention the name change in the video, it was on the text at the bottom of the screen when I showed the station site.

[@ericholmes8665]

@@AdventureMe Yes your right, it was not meant badly,your series and enthusiam,are very enjoyable,i have a lot of interest in the railways of the old West Riding,i walked the New line in !979,when a bit of the line through Heckmondwike was still in use,amazingly the Goods shed at Gildersome was still intact.The aerofilms site that i keep on about is an amazing archive,though a commercial enterprise,while taking images of factories it also took in whole places including the railways and stations with superb clarity(they were using the best cameras of the time)the site is free,to see Dewsbury town centre for example With the long gone Ex L-Y station,opposite the Town Hall with the GN station behind in 1928 in superb clarity is like going back in time, thanks for your time,very best wishs Eric

[@alexbooth5567]

Do Butternab tunnel in Beaumont Park Huddersfield. Railway spur line.

[@zoemitchell3007]

Hello, just to let you know, Episode 5 isn't in this play list. I found it elsewhere in your videos but it could do with being moved :) Great series btw.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks for letting me know Zoe. I have sorted it.

[@mrdreadley]

If he hasnt already looked at the area around the Gomersal park Hotel and Oakwell hall areas .There are several railway related places.

[@AdventureMe]

Yeah already done the oakwell section previous to this one.

[@robinglover9660]

Did you know about the other railway in birstall that ran from birstall to Dewsbury following Bradford road passing through Batley park

[@AdventureMe]

Yes. It will be covered sometime in the future. Thanks.

[@neilmh1]

Have you guys been to see the old tunnel from howley ruins to quarry lane ?

[@AdventureMe]

Not yet. But will be coming.

[@a11csc]

by the bridge well i never lol.

[@ZerosandOnes10]

Right by my house haha

[@Dwaine-ej7nm]

Another great video nice to see what it was like before I got a laugh when you stood at that sex sign I wood have loved to see your face if a guy came out of the bushes and said thanks for waiting 😂 not long now till your near the old line that is now chinewood avenue take care I look faward to seeing the next video 💯👍

[@quickclipsbyjmj]

Re: abutments. I am always intrigued as to why they aren't always dual demolished. Why remove one and keep its opposite abutment?

[@AdventureMe]

I thinks it's more to do with what's built on what side. They are probably separate land owners etc.

[@TheJohnson861]

Is the track underground still at the nab lane ???

[@AdventureMe]

I don't think so. It would have been sold for scrap no doubt.

[@joylunn3445]

Iron railings and abutments, what would we do without them?

[@geraldcrowther2988]

I think Howden Clough Cricket Club played next to the bridge over the A62

[@sarahcrowther6267]

😂😂 u know which part i am laughing at.....cheeky chap. Tell you what i am noticing though, we have a lot more trees now than back in the day when the photos were taken. I follow a fb group local to where i am in saddleworth and they do then and now pics and same applies....more trees now than back in the days when pics were taken. 🐶🐶🐶🙂

[@AdventureMe]

Yeah I agree. More trees on everything I do. And they say it was greener back in the day, I find that hard to believe.

[@kevinparkin5438]

Hi Darren now that was more interesting than your last week's video just shows you until you go off the beaten track that old railway bridges are still there even if some are in bad condition well see you next time Kevin . And here comes the question that most people might have asked is how long did you have to wait for sex lol

[@AdventureMe]

It never happened. False advertising.

[@kangaroo092]

I have quite some delays in watching your videos, due to some reorganization in my life (not serious but giving new positive waves on my daily life). I'm sorry. Whatever : I had to stop watching at 7:41 and I'm still waiting 🤪🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣.

[@kangaroo092]

ahahaha you came at 7:42 and I've stopped at 7:41 😅😅

[@clivebroadhead4381]

It seems the local planning is not coordinated the with the West Yorkshire mass transit team. Giving approvals to in-filling of cutting while other poeple are planning to use the old alignment for a mass trsnsit is absolutely absurd?

[@MoeLarrycurly1]

Progress to me is not always positive I sure like the old pictures Sex / wait time 🥺😁

[@dazscrivo]

Loved the graffiti skit ha

[@AdventureMe]

Not many noticed it. Lol

[@AdventureMe]

Great name btw lol

[@davidsmith6552]

If you want access to the embankment from nab Lane to where the Gildersome tunnel started let me know

[@AdventureMe]

Do you mean the embankment section running towards the tunnel? Do you own the land?

[@easybeat]

The blended-in photos are somehow quite poignant. All that effort put into construction and operation - gone. But times move on...

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks mate. It's a shame.

[@peterthornton2396]

Are you still waiting mate 😂😂

[@AdventureMe]

Yep

[@tonydalton6756]

At least the sex message wasn't on the great abutment.