The Lost DUDLEY HILL Station - What Remains?

Join me as we explore the different sections of the abandoned Ardsley to Laisterdyke Railway.
In this video we explore the abandoned Dudley Hill Station. We look for anything left behind, or any relics still remaining to this day.
VIDEO INFORMATION CREDITS & THANK YOU'S
Old Maps Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland
Lost Railways West Yorkshire.co.uk
Bradford Museums & Galleries
Alan Thompson
Graham Smith
Dennis Sefton
Colin Cross
Alf Mullins
Bob Cockroft
Andrew Wilson
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#adventureme #exploration #history #abandoned

[@AdventureMe]

SOUND ISSUES: I am aware of some sound issues in this video. I now know what was causing it, and it's all down to a wind reduction setting on the camera. This has since been amended on future videos. But as I film many weeks ahead, it has meant that it's taken a while for it to be brought to my attention. I find if you watch the video on any device other than a mobile phone, it sounds much better. Due to the audio processing limitations on a mobile phone.

[@AdventureMe]

@Duncan Sands That's what my rail book says. And closed to goods in 58. Doesn't mean they didn't use it for the odd excursion as some of the others did after they closed.

[@owt166m]

In the late sixties my dad worked at the Dudley Hill station goods yard. The line was closed to passenger traffic but there was still a lot of activity with the coal trucks and the Bogie bolsters taking steel to Barret steel works. I spent most of the six week school holidays with him and it was a boys dream riding on the footplate of the steam engines and diesel engines in the goods yard, pulling the levers in the signal box and exploring the disused buildings. Behind the goods shed was a scrap yard which had old engines waiting to be scrapped. In those days nobody seem to bother about safety and today you wouldn't get a young lad on a station site left to explore. Loving the videos Darren, Brings back good memories.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Nigel, and thanks for the memories. I vaguely remember the abandoned station, but i would have been really young.

[@WmDavidHarrison]

Another excellent vlog of the Pudsey to Ardsley railway. What has struck me recently is how much of the Great Northern (GN) network in West Yorskire has been utterly lost yet Lancashire and Yorkshire (L&Y) and London North Western (LNW) have survived though somewhat cutback. But even with levelling and infill the past is never completely removed from the landscape, a tribute to 19th century engineering (often easier to bury and forget rather than to try to demolish). As you travel from Leeds to Bradford by train the remnants of junctions in the Laisterdyke area are still evident. Also Google maps satellite view often reveals the trackbed quite clearly, the "hour glass" junctions at Tyersal are still clearly visible from the air. Thanks again.

[@bustermustaffa6594]

I agree with you it is a shame it's almost gone. Canals and the old railways need bringing back

[@AdventureMe]

Cheers William. More to come.

[@None-zc5vg]

The ex-GN lines in the Bradford area must have had the same status as the ex-GC lines in the Manchester and Sheffield areas: "last in, first out". I'd guess that the decisions to remove these lines were taken long before Marples and Beeching came along.

[@stewballs7]

I would love to see the Idle and Thackley to Shipley branch featured, we used to walk it many times in the 70's, it's amazing you could get all over Bradford and most of West Yorks when these lines were in use, it all joined up one way or another.

[@fatlad5090]

ye thst be a good one. Interesting line is that

[@user-ob3vy6vj3n]

Just seen your vlogs Darren and the comment from Ken Larkin, we lived on Bridge road, from 1953 to roughly 1970, all his comments brought good memories, I went also to Dudley Hil School on Harry Street, then went to Tong Comprehensive we were the first kids to be educated at Tong Comp, and can remember walking up scaffold boards in certain areas, great times!!!!. Ken

[@kenlarkin6535]

As a child, I lived at Knowles Avenue. In the late 1950s Knowles Lane was unmade road, Certainly after you've gone over the railway bridges and past station on the left. We used to walk up there nearly everyday, that's where the shops were, also if we were to catch a bus to Bradford, the bus stop was at the top of Knowles lane (buses didn't go down to Holmewood at that time) and then when going to school at Dudley Hill infants school, which was on Harry Street near the Dudley Hill crossroads. Of course as children we used to like to see the trains going past. There were signals right by the bridge so we knew that if the signal was raised then a train was due and we loved to wave to the engine drivers. The station was disused at that time but still in a usable condition. Most of the trains were goods trains but I'm sure that on one occasion we travelled from the station, which must have been a special excursion train, stopping at normally unused points, perhaps to the seaside. I also recall passing through Dudley Hill once on the train, which was exciting because it was the line we could see from our house. That might have been a diversion due to work on the other line. There was another road from the small housing estate where we lived which went under the railway to Sticker Lane. On the other side of the bridge was Bridge Road, a paved road with houses and a shop but between the bridge and Knowles Lane the road was unmade. Used by a lot of pedestrians as a very useful short cut because Sticker Lane had the buses to Leeds and "Ribble" buses went to Halifax etc. Very few cars used it as it was so rough. We used to call the bridge "The Tunnel" because it was so long and dark, I think it went under about 6 tracks. During the 1960s the number of trains decreased but there were a lot of wagons parked on the tracks over the tunnel I suspect they were disused coal wagons waiting to be scrapped. We left in about 1970 but I don't think the bridges were filled in by that stage but were there very few train movements. There were no buildings on the area between the railway and Knowles Lane until about 1960 when the new school was built. The Homewood housing estate was built, all the roads were made up and new trolley bus route came down Knowles Lane. The whole area we knew as "the field" and it was not fenced and on the whole it was not used for anything so could be a playground for us whenever we wanted. I'm not sure what prompted me to look up Dudley hill railway station but thanks for putting some information on the web. I recall the gates, I think there were three sets of gates onto Knowles Lane, each with long ramp down to the station platforms which probably made it quite an unusual design of station. The gates had signs on on warning that fines of not "more than 40 shillings" could be incurred by anyone who left the gate open but of course there were always locked when I was there.

[@AdventureMe]

Loved reading that Ken. I've never heard it described in detail like that before. And it means more to me as I grew up in holmewood and never got to see any of that. I only just remember the half demolished station as a toddler. My mum used to walk us through there when taking my brother to Dudley Hill school. Then I just remember the asda after that.

[@lindamccaughey6669]

Really enjoyed that, the history was just fantastic. Loved the pics of the trains 🚂

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Linda, glad you enjoyed. More to come.

[@Dsheppleston]

Great video. I was born on the Holmewood estate in 68 and as a child I remember the Dudley Hill station well and all the other items you’ve mentioned in this video. I used to play/hang out regularly on the tracks and I even remember one of the last goods trains to use the line that came from Thornbury through to DudleyHill Station and beyond. I even recall the Company called Barrets Steel on Cutler Heights Lane. (The same as other people have commented). The steel factory used to have its own track that came off the DudleyHill line very close the the Holmewood Road Bridge. This short track was used to carry goods into the rear of the warehouse. There also used to be a platform near it that was also close to the Holmewood Road bridge (just behind the old Co op warehouse at the top of Holmewood Road. I can easily remember the (hour glass) configuration and I walked many times along the line, under Tyersal Lane bridge and I eventually ended up at the long tunnel in Pudsey past the old pig farm close to the Fox and Grapes pub. Good times and awesome memories. Sadly like you have shown in your video most of these areas have long since disappeared, there’s only the subtle reminders of bridge abutments and barb wire fencing left now of these once great railway lines. 🥲 Thankyou for uploading this video. 👍

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks. Yeah I was brought up in Holmewood. But only remember the bridges and remains of it.

[@Natsmodels56]

Watching it now on my 55in TV and great to see your History and really enjoy watching. I live at Bradford for 10 years. Suprised how much Leeds and Bradford have changed xx thank you Darren 😀

[@AdventureMe]

Hope you are watching it in 4K, makes a great deal of difference to the clarity. Thanks for watching, more to come.

[@joylunn3445]

I live in rural Wales now but I was born in Bradford and this is my neck of the woods so really enjoying this.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Joy. More to go.

[@trevormegson7583]

Fascinating to see you trace the old lines through the modern landscape.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Trevor.

[@marksterriker4724]

Remember banger racing at the site of the asda . Can also remember going to the Asda with my grandparents when it opened.

[@martinmarsola6477]

Again, an interesting video. Thanks for the video and chat. See you on the next. Cheers Darren.

[@yorkie2789]

Great video, can't wait to get to my home town of Pudsey.

[@AdventureMe]

Coming soon, watch this space.

[@BdManus]

Great video, lots of information. It's amazing to think that all of those bridge are still underneath the road, just filled in.

[@AdventureMe]

Yes, it's strange to think. I'd love to know if they are buried or demolished.

[@wurble]

Having grown up in Sutton, Tyersal and Holmewood this was great to watch. The bridge spots where you're filming in Holmewood (Tyersal Lane) and Tyersal I lived in houses a literal stone throw away from where you're stood. I vividly remember playing "down the banking" in Tyersal and Sutton as a kid. When we later moved to Holmewood, I'd walk down that field 15:20 (Cutlers junction) every day to get the Crawshaw school bus from Tyersal to Pudsey. I once got caught smoking by my parents under that very bridge you were surprised to find. It looks exactly the same now is it did back in the early 90's. Definitely subscribing to get a clearer view of history in the area I grew up. I've always been very interested in those old and forgotten railway routes.

[@mandychew9611]

I used to live near Holmewood Road as a kid & once walked along the line. My mum used to let us watch the trains (1970s) on Tyersal Lane on our way to see my grandparents (they lived in Holmewood until around 1977). I never knew there was a station where asda was on Knowles Lane

[@AdventureMe]

Yeah all very strange. I grew up round there too.

[@nixtax3526]

Great vlog, surprising to see the bridges are still intact and the pictures of how they used to look.

[@AdventureMe]

Cheers Nix. Are you joining me for the livestream tomorrow?

[@nixtax3526]

AdventureMe Yep hope to.

[@bustermustaffa6594]

Another amazing video keep up the awesome work 😀

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Mate. Speak soon.

[@gandalf2439]

My grandfather lived in Tyersal Avenue and my cousin still lives in the same house. I can remember the stem trains running on both the lines you have shown us . Been from Laisterdyke to Greenside station many times . I went to school in Batley and saw many a train on the Ardsley line where it goes under the road to Birkenshaw .The line from Dudley hill to Laisterdyke was in use till at least 1979 ish taking steel to Barracloughs steel stock yard cos I did some deliveries for them . Used to sit on thevbridge wall at Laisterdyke station and watch the shunters working in the yard . Always got a right rollicking from mother for coming home covered in soot. Could go on forever but it would get boring

[@AdventureMe]

Great memories, something I never got to see. I just remember the Dudley Hill Station all abandoned.

[@RichardBrooke1971]

Thanks, I'm really enjoying this series. I remember going down to this are in December of 1985, to see what was left. The remaining stretch of line to Dudley hill remained open until early 1981, so the tracks were lifted, but the cutting between Laisterdyke & Dudley hill was still intact. The cuttings on the branch to Pudsey were already filled in. On the same day, I explored the Pudsey brahch as far as the site of Pudsey Lowtown station. Apart from the recent partial filling in of the cutting between Greenside Tunnel & the site of Greenside station, the remains of the line were the same then as they are now.

[@AdventureMe]

Yes not much has changed, although some new houses built on some of it now.

[@Natsmodels56]

Shared to my Facebook page xx

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Natalie.

[@a11csc]

superb vid thanks darren

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Chris.

[@grantmclaughlan9933]

Hi Dean I grew up in the Tyersal, Laisterdyke & Holmewood areas. I remember the old Laisterdyke station. Also on the Holmewood road bridge there was a Teddy bear factory, which burnt down and then the site became a warehouse for the co-op. I used to walk on the old railway embankment that used to run behind Barretts Steel factory which was/ is on Cutler Heights Lane. Keep up the good work

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Grant, I too spent my childhood around there, and also remember the fire at the former CO-OP site.

[@angelsone-five7912]

That was indeed a very complicated junction and how you managed to remember all the details beats me. The steel bridge was a good find to get under. Nice one.

[@AdventureMe]

I had to rehearse lol. Yes a surprising find for me.

[@nickgodber5534]

I’ve enjoyed a number of your railway videos. You might consider the old Windhill, Shipley, to Laisterdyke line where you will still find quite a lot of remnants if ever you find time. Windhill station is still there! Keep up the good work!

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Nick. Yes it's on the list. I will get there one day.

[@janatanelmodickie4801]

thoroughly fascinating. I remember some of the railways of Bradford and surrounding areas from childhood but its amazing how many there were. Its hard to imagine where they ran with the changes that have taken place over time. thank you for doing a good job explaining.

[@AdventureMe]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@nigelbarker4135]

Mint Darren 😀👍 You really do go the extra mile. Compulsive viewing 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Nigel. I keep trying.

[@davidjames9775]

great video thanks.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks David.

[@suesmith4366]

Great and the photos you have, never seen anything like it. 😎

[@AdventureMe]

Many thanks

[@gregmilner100]

Spent hours with my mates between holmewood road and tyersal lane and on towards laisterdyke on the old tracks, the track beds where all intact in the mid 80s, cant believe how much its changed down there! You could walk from the old asda right to the main bradford leeds line, i also watched them clear the old knowles lane station and build the asda, i went to holme middle school and we went up every week for a year for history! Apart from the tracks themselves everything was still there in the mid 80s, can remember as kid looking down on the other side of knowles lane at the tracks below, was a bit dangerous to be fair, great video!!!

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Greg, we have a lot in common. I went to HMS too, and remember the old station before the ASDA.

[@gregmilner100]

Wonder if the little tunnel, under the tracks behind the old ng bailey yard, there used to be a snicket between ng bailey and morrisons distribition on cutler heights lane leading round to it, is still there? Yeah sounds like we do have quite a bit in common, i live on the other side of Leeds as well now

[@AdventureMe]

@@gregmilner100 I worked at NG Bailey, and used to venture round there. No sign of a tunnel at all. The snicket you mention wasn't where the original tunnel was, it used to run right through the Bailey site car park. If you walk down the snicket from knowles court retirement home, that's the original path and it would have carried straight on under the tracks, the snicket now turns left and up behind morrisons. I caught that section in this video at 8:43.

[@craigstringwell6058]

Another great video mate. I’ve driven over the bridge on Tyersal Lane for years when cutting through to tong street and have always wondered what it was. Keep up the good work 😎👍🏼

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Craig, me too.

[@christinaburton9297]

Very descriptive, Darren.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks Christina.

[@SHADYHOOF]

I used to live at scholebrook farm and driving down Holmwood road under the bridge was a kind of short cut through the middle of homewood in the 70s 80s and early 90s....I've only just learned through this video that it's not there anymore lol.....I used to walk through the tunnel near the fox n grapes to pudsey too....I rode my horse round tyrsal.. ciderannies...pudsey.....tong blah blah for 40 years and I cant believe how its changed ...

[@basslegend29]

Absolutely fascinating video, appreciate all the hard work in putting it together, will watch some more for sure, have you done a video on the gt horton, clayton and queensbury lines??

[@AdventureMe]

Hi Mark, I have yes. Quite recently but not complete yet.

[@basslegend29]

@@AdventureMe lovely, can't wait to see that, keep up your amazing work......

[@bignishnash6707]

Love the vlogs mate keeping me very entertained while on holiday in falaraki

[@AdventureMe]

Good to hear, have a great time. Don't get too tanned.

[@davidforrest4942]

Great video as usual shame the lines couldn't have been used as tram lines might have eased the traffic problems And I didn't know the bridge was still intact on Tyersal Lane

[@AdventureMe]

Neither did I, i have passed over that so many times.

[@tonystack7375]

I remember going to Morley by bus and seeing the trains going under the road.

[@hoppinonabronzeleg9477]

Did you see those beautiful gates at 17:38. Were they railway property? Looks like original wrought Iron stuff!

[@AdventureMe]

No, I think they are for the farm down that lane. They had a building name on them.

[@gizsealface]

I remember lots of the Tong St / Holmewood area stuff. I was there in 1976 onwards as a kid

[@AdventureMe]

Yes me too.

[@JamieCrookes]

I used to walk the line from Dudley Hill all the way to Tyersal before infilling from being around 7 years old when I moved to the area in 1984. You could walk all the way to Cutlers Junction back then but alas, it got infilled. Asda had just been built there too so the station and bridges under Tong Street had gone a few years before that. I can remember the day they removed the Holmewood Road bridge too. Very sad. :(

[@JamieCrookes]

Great videos btw. I just watched the Pudsey one, now this one as i've always had a fascination with this line and still do being a Tyersal resident myself.

[@AdventureMe]

I remember them removing the holmewood rd bridge too. I watched the crane lifting it off.

[@matthewedwards1987]

Really enjoyed this. It's really interesting how you can follow the only railway lines by looking at Google Earth with the old hedgerows and also how the new buildings were built. I drove under the Holmewood Road bridge for years before I realised what it was!

[@AdventureMe]

Me too, passed it many times. I was born around there so know it well. My parents live round there too.

[@AdventureMe]

More stuff to come from Holmewood are too in future.

[@matthewedwards1987]

@@AdventureMe Cool! It was brave of you to go under the bridge on Tyersal Lane ... The amount of rubbish down there is awful.

[@alexhamilton4084]

I seem to remember seeing a large goods yard or sidings to the side of Dick lane back in the late 1970s. 🤔 I’d love to see some pictures of that if you could get some and do a bit on it.

[@timmoontransported.6385]

It’s interesting how you refer to the lines. I would always know them as the Great Northern lines with additional names; The Pudsey Loop, Queensbury Triangle, Idle line etc.

[@AdventureMe]

I couldn't think of a suitable name, as I'm covering multiple lines. But I thought I would call it the route I am taking from Ardsley to Pudsey instead.

[@davidbond1519]

I remember the station at Dudley Hill being in a derelict state with overgrown platforms .

[@AdventureMe]

Me too, only just.

[@glenhorsley6572]

Would love to see you explore Crossgates to Wetherby line.

[@AdventureMe]

I will be doing eventually. It's on my to do list.

[@dieselbushcraft1299]

I wonder how different public transport would of been today if these lines and others hadn’t of closed.

[@AdventureMe]

I know right, i bet there would be a lot less cars.

[@seany84uk]

​@@AdventureMe Would have been much easier to get around the uk by train for sure and more space to fit more trains on the lines

[@Scots_Diesel]

I actually own original vintage track plans to laisterdyke. And others in your area, picked them up at auction

[@Chriscasey1985]

Great vlog I'm sure there's another disused branch line that went to Shipley from cuttlers junction because I seen a filled in bridge on leeds Road not far from farmers Inn pub

[@AdventureMe]

Yes it did, you are correct. It left this line where I was at the end of this video.

[@Chriscasey1985]

I think it's just a walking path now

[@AdventureMe]

@@paul260268 That must be good to know living there. I would love to see it.

[@AdventureMe]

@@paul260268 [e-mail]

[@jean-lucpicard5510]

Funny how Boris said he was reversing the beeching cuts, but cancelled the Eastern leg before work started.

[@AdventureMe]

They always do. No matter what government. If its not London, it never happens. Just promises at elections.

[@jean-lucpicard5510]

@@AdventureMe That's why I have become a fan of the Norhern independence Party, but have been a bit quiet for a while social media wise.

[@alisonwilson8606]

Are we good 2 see some more new videos from you

[@AdventureMe]

Yes of course

[@alisonwilson8606]

@@AdventureMe cheers and can't wait

[@clivebroadhead4381]

It would have made sense to have retained the lines and redeveloped the area around the railway. It seems a demolition contractor was on the local council who benefitted from destroying valuable transport assets.

[@br164]

Grew up on Sutton/holmewood in the early 90’s and I could have sworn the railway was still visible on the tyersal bridge back then. Maybe I’m wrong

[@AdventureMe]

I think the cutting was if I remember correctly.

[@GrayGlove]

Hi Darren. Have you done a video yet that shows the old Laisterdyke station? Great videos BTW

[@AdventureMe]

Not yet! I will be doing though.

[@oddsandwindsocks5905]

@@AdventureMe another great series Darren, but I cant find part 7.

[@AdventureMe]

@@oddsandwindsocks5905 It's the Pudsey Loop beyond this video. Here's the playlist. SERIES - Pudsey Loop Railway - GNR: kzbin.info/aero/PL-iLBhpCwmO9klLkTQ9Hd8behJP80GdEv

[@oddsandwindsocks5905]

@@AdventureMe thankyou Darren, I've watched these one ,, I'm working backwards, only found you because of the crystal palace vlogs, now watching all , super viewing.

[@AdventureMe]

@@oddsandwindsocks5905 All the videos should be in playlists. So you should be able to go through in order.

[@timmoontransported.6385]

I actually remember Dudley Hill station with trains, goods only by my time. As you might know I do Transported on BCB Radio in Bradford. Do you fancy me coming along on a future video to do a radio feature on the channel?

[@AdventureMe]

Hi Tim, funny enough. I am doing BCB this week on the equity show. I have done it before in the past.

[@timmoontransported.6385]

Excellent stuff. Well, if you fancy it my email is [e-mail]

[@sarahillingworth2718]

Have you done Queensbury line yet? 🙂

[@AdventureMe]

Partially. Just some tunnels. Need to finish it later.

[@marymoor935]

It would be nice if I could see parts 1 to 5, looked on your channel and couldn't find them.😥

[@AdventureMe]

There should be a playlist on my channel called Ardsley to Laisterdyke Railway.

[@clivebroadhead4381]

The Swiss modified and electrified their railways and they are now selling us the semi-diesel Stadler bi-modes. The local rail network of West Yorkshire should have been downsized and fully electrified to serve the new housing developments.

[@bretgreen1288]

When will you be doing the railway bridge on wakefield Road that is no longer in use near bradford interchange

[@AdventureMe]

Soon hopefully

[@bretgreen1288]

@@AdventureMe can't wait to find out the history on that one it's always intreaged me just caught up on all the railway line ones

[@mikehallows354]

How perceptive were they years ago then how regressive did they become under Beeching

[@AdventureMe]

I know Mike, shame.

[@Yorkshire2024]

15:05 You are stood in the wrong location to where the photographer was stood.That photo was of the view from Arkwright street (not Tyresal lane).However your 15:05 location is at Broad lane Junction (site)

[@Yorkshire2024]

A picture of Broad lane Junction is available in the Bradford railways in colour Volume 2 by Alan & Jan

[@dieseljeanslad]

Interesting but the sound is very poor. Use a Mic

[@AdventureMe]

Cheers David, my sound has improved. This was filmed 2 months ago, I have upgraded the mic situation since. My new stuff will be better.