Yorkshire Lost Railway - Hull & Barnsley Railway, Wrangbrook Junction and Upton

Yorkshire Lost Railway - The disused Hull & Barnsley Railway, Wrangbrook Junction, Upton and North Elmsall Station.
We're in West Yorkshire in this disused railway explore video - to look at part of the former Hull and Barnsley Railway. We start at what used to be Wrangbrook Junction. Wrangbrook Junction near Upton in West Yorkshire was a location where two lines branched off the Hull and Barnsley Railway main line from Hull Cannon Street to Cudworth (near Barnsley). The first junction led to Denaby and Conisbrough on the South Yorkshire Junction Railway. We then had the Hull & South Yorkshire Extension Railway to Wath diverging straight after. The line between Hull and Cudworth had opened on 20 July 1885, the branch to Denaby on 1 September 1894 and the one to Wath on 31 March 1902.
Originally three signal boxes controlled the junctions: "Wrangbrook North" on the south side of the main line by the Denaby branch; "Wrangbrook South" on the west side of the Denaby branch and "Wrangbrook West" on the west side of the Wath branch. In 1934 South and West boxes were closed and control passed to North box which was renamed "Wrangbrook Junction".
Not a lot remains at Wrangbrook these days. The area is now mostly overgrown scrubland with no evidence of railway that I could find on the day. There are however, just to the south, the former Railway Cottages that were for the workers of the junctions and the sidings.
We then follow the Barnsley bound line for Cudworth & Stairfoot to the east. Picking up the trackbed where possible to find the sides of a former bridge. The line then passes the site of the former Upton Colliery.
Next we meet some remains of the former Upton and North Elmsall station. The station opened in 1885. The station lost its passenger trains when the service from Hull only went as far west as South Howden from January 1932. It closed completely in 1959. One platform on the Westbound side remains fully visible today. From looking at old photos we can see the station buildings and canopies on both sides. Looking around the site we see bricks scattered over a large area that we assume were from the old buildings. We can also see remains of the cattle docks and sidings on the eastbound side.
Rewinding east down the line back to Wrangbrook. We can trace part of the line back towards Hull and the cutting to the Barnsdale tunnel. Although locked up and secured, the western portal is fully accessible to admire from the outside.
****Link to Patrick Dickinson Barnsdale Tunnel video - • Exploring Barnsdale R...
**Wobbly Runner**
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My channel was set up in 2020 mainly to feature my running adventures. I planned to film and showcase the days out and destinations my running travels took me. Mainly the Peak District and the sights and marvels of Sheffield and the surrounding regions.
However due to Covid restrictions, I found a new interest in researching and exploring old abandoned places - railway lines, canal, woodland, parks to name a few.
So the videos you'll find will be mainly be of those things. Of course, where possible I'll be running to my destination.
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[@martinmarsola6477]

An interesting tour today. Always a great explanation of the current site. Thank you for the tour today. Cheers Paul! 🇬🇧🙂👍🇺🇸

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Martin. That's a blast from the past 😄👍

[@martinmarsola6477]

@@WobblyRunner I know!!!!!!

[@BegudMaximan-zp2tc]

For anyone keen to know how these abandoned railway routes look in the twenty first century, these videos show them off for what they are, ... very little if any remanents remain amongst all of natures reclaimed foliage. A bygone era, swept away and largely forgotten, with just photographic memories left to indicate what was once thriving on a weekly basis. Good while it lasted, simply history now.

[@terryshakespeare3243]

I used to work through the tunnel to work in the 80s and all used to play in there as kids in the 70s

[@WobblyRunner]

Nice one Terry.

[@anthonyhiggins3135]

Throughly enjoyed watching this. 👍👍

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks very much Anthony 👍🙂

[@marton43]

Great video once again - very interesting content and well researched ! The pile of bricks in the cutting prior to Barnsdale tunnel may have been the remains of a signal box - after the HBR closed as a through route, the lines up to the tunnel mouth survived as a head shunt to access the remaining branches from the Barnsley direction and I have a photograph of a Class 31 running round its train during that era. The signal box was high up on the south side of the deep cutting if that helps !

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers. Great info. I had no idea about that. That does explain the bricks 👍🙂

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

This is where I've been today - you've got to see the photos!!!!

[@WobblyRunner]

Looked great. And top banana on the tunnel door!!!

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

@@WobblyRunner It's nowhere near as clear as it was when you went, the path is beginning to get smothered by undergrowth, but that will subside in the autumn. I'm planning to get round and find the eastern portal at some point, but may have to leave it for a while as the eastern end is harder to get to due to it being less accessible and not visited as often.

[@WobblyRunner]

@@seamusmcevoy2011 ah yes I'm finding undergrowth and weeds have supercharged this month in general

[@jojos-world]

Epic video, I've done the tunnel 😉 epic place in there if you ever go back

[@WobblyRunner]

Thank you. Would love to do the tunnel. Not sure I'd be very good at scaling the security fence though 🙂

[@jojos-world]

@@WobblyRunner not has hard as it looks

[@stevenstopford9847]

Fantastic video full of history many thanks👍

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Steven as always 👍🙂

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

Lots of history in that video, the Station at Upton and North Emsall was a nice little find with plenty going on when you found it. The trackbed looks very walkable which is great, much better than battling through acres of undergrowth. The Barnsdale Tunnel was a real bonus at the end, did you get access from the A639 close to the caravan park, It seemed like a fairly easy access point and well trodden. I thought it was worth an 8/10, loved the content.

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Seamus. I accessed the tunnel from sheepwalk Road side. Nice and easy

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

@@WobblyRunner Cheers mate, I'll have a look on Google Maps, if I get there some time photos will be on FB page.

[@steverock4329]

Great video, thanks for producing this bit of local interest 👍 The derelict bridge at 8 minutes into your video is known locally as ‘Hangman’s Bridge’. I’m told (by my missus who was born in Upton) that more than one person have hung themselves from it in the past. The big tunnel towards the end of your vid is called ‘The Tunnies’ by the locals. Quite an eerie experience walking through it! Not sure if you found the railway cutting that runs by the lake past where Upton Colliery used to be? Some treasures in that part. Plus, if you stand with your back to the railway cottages and look across the field, there is still an old junction box standing. It’s located at Johnsons Farm, I believe they converted it into a playroom for the kids!

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Steve. Great info. Love a bit of local knowledge like that. I didn't even know about that colliery line at the time. I saw a railway bridge when driving back through Upton on my way home so had a gander at maps when I got home. ... the next time I'm in the area I'll have a look 👍

[@barrythedieselelectricstea5217]

looking back on them photos it's a shame to see what it's like now parts of platform sadly no buildings that was a great find finding the tunnel pity it's blocked off and can't see in it don't know why they do it not being used for anything

[@WobblyRunner]

Ooooh that reminds me, I need to go back for another look. Apparently the tunnel has been wide open for a while now.

[@psychicspies673]

I’d give that a 6 out of 10! That largely intact platform section was a great find in the woods. The first part reminded me of disused sections of the Chesterfield Canal. So there was a canal here?! Not sure if the bonus at the end was the Tunnel portal or the lesser spotted Terrorvision T-Shirt 😀

[@WobblyRunner]

Haha great spot with the TV shirt 😄. The platform was great though wasn't it. Probably plenty more buried in those woods.

[@eggy77]

Perseverance paid off in the end here!

[@WobblyRunner]

@@eggy77 😄

[@psychicspies673]

One of my favourite Pat moments at that tunnel portal…’you’d need a ladder or something like that’ 😂

[@mrbetamax1969]

Way out of my jurisdiction Paul that tunnel entrance looks a work of art compared to Derbyshire ones I have seen. TOP FOOTAGE CHEERS 🍻

[@WobblyRunner]

Lovely portal isnt it.

[@mrbetamax1969]

@@WobblyRunner It will be there longer disused than used like most of the abandoned rail network.

[@WobblyRunner]

@@mrbetamax1969 is that the old documtary ones?

[@WobblyRunner]

@@mrbetamax1969 I'll have a look for it

[@davidhorton2209]

walked through Barnsdale tunnel before it was sealed

[@WobblyRunner]

👍 cracking tunnel from the outside. Must have been great inside

[@davidhorton2209]

@@WobblyRunner scarily dark that tunnel mouth looks small at the other end and when i got to Barnsdale Bar services at the other end walked back through to upton the view of the fantastic brick work meant i made it back

[@roystewart2647]

What camera do you use

[@WobblyRunner]

Hi Roy. I'm using a go pro hero 7

[@roystewart2647]

@@WobblyRunner I did the meadowhall to chapeltown walk you posted but carried onto piley via trail going onto tankersley manor and then across into potters hole woods. I know it was one of the hottest days of the year but thankfully majority of walk in shade. What amazed me though was an almost complete lack of insects. It's frightening. Thanks for posting walk and I will certainly be doing more. Thoroughly recommend extension of your walk as suggested though. Cheers.

[@WobblyRunner]

@@roystewart2647 cheers Roy. I keep meaning to get back up past Chapeltown. Hopefully once the weeds and vegetation die down a bit. PS. I think all the insects have migrated to my sprout plants 🪴

[@roystewart2647]

@@WobblyRunner haha. My sprouts are free at the moment but courgettes seemed to have succumbed to blossom end rot. To be honest the paths were fairly clear. I have lived here 37 years and never knew these areas that close to me were accessible so thank you very much.