Dissapearing tunnel

[jf]

I had a brief look around the western end of the Waterloo colliery line today, from behind the pub on the end of Cross Green Lane up to the coal depot and back. The Bridge abutments are there where the line used to cross the cutting, I took a picture of the southern one (from the other side of the cutting, including stinging nettle encounters) but the batteries ran out in my camera by the time I completed my circuit and tried to take a shot from the other side. North of the cutting there is no trace beyond the bridge, from the level of the abutment it looks like some fill material has been placed as the ground is quite high above the top, though given the span I suspect the railway sat atop quite a deep girder, which may have sat on top of the abutments. I'll try and have another look accompanied by a print off of the maps I have at some point so I can try and take a few shots on the exact alignment. There's a few older buildings on Cross Green Lane which might be part of the old coal depot.You can see the profile of the embankment on the eastern side of Cross Green Lane opposite my starting point. This is in an area fenced off for the development of the east Leeds Radial Road, so might not be there much longer. I'll take spare batteries on my next visit!

[Phill_d]

Well would you credit that.... Top notch detective work.. I've walked passed there... I was always under the impression it used one of the overbridges still further down. I must have a good look at this later. How many people living around there know about that? When did the depot close do you know? It would't have lasted untill 1968 surely?

[jf]

A map of the area in 1925:http://maps.ponies.me.uk/osmap.html?z=1 ... 542729479I have some better maps at work (1:2500 scale) which show the route a lot more clearly.Further east, the line towards Neville Hill Depot from the east can be seen on the above plan cutting through the second 'e' of westfield - this survives as a footpath today. Have a look to the North of the industrial estate on Felnex Road on Google Earth/Google maps and you can see it:http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.78685 ... c=mslThere doesn't appear to be much to see north of Halton Moor Road, though I'm guessing the rougher ground is indicative of the route.

[Phill_d]

It'd be good if you could get those detailed maps up... Have you looked around the staithes & the waterloo exchange sidings by the river yet jf? It's probably the most extensive part of the line still intact. Big retaining wall e.t.c... Near to the side of the old GNR swing bridge abutments the old stonework for loading the barges is still in place & on the other side of the river the Middleton loading place is still there (Abandoned 18..? something i believe)

[Phill_d]

Have you had a look at our Rail group yet Jf http://flickr.com/groups/leedsrailways/ There's quite a few archive pics been posted on there. If i had the time to administer & organise it like i really should it could be a fantastic group. Organise photo shoots, trips e.t.c. Same with the old leodis & Leeds city transport group if anyone fancies getting involved with adding some input & ideas in... AND DON'T FORGET TO ADD OUR LINKS MR MUNKI MATE...Cheers

[jf]

1956 map

[jf]

Overlay of depot end of line - looks like one of the short estate roads matches the alignment.

[jf]

I've got railways everywhere on my historic maps!Things to look at more deeply include:A second crossing at Thwaite Gate (not the Neville Hill - Beeston line) which seems to take a siding from either the Waterloo Main railway or the sewage works railway across the Aire, but not across the adjacent canal (did this continue somewhere else before the canal was built or serve a wharf between the two waterways?) Still present in 1956, a stub appears on Google Earth. On Google Earth follow the north bank of the Aire to the east of the larger bridge and you can see where a traingular bit of land kicks out from the smooth bank.An extensive rail system at Goodman Street Works (to the west of Hunslet Mills on the opposite side of Atkinson Street) - I can't possibly see how this connected up to any main railway (1893 map) - it probably didn't, though there might be a connection through Pottery Fields to the Midland goods depot.Osmondthorpe Colliery branch (most of the alignment looks intact on Google Earth) - I've seen the photo on Flickr, a shot should be possible from the same location (though it looks like the cutting has been backfilled).The line which ran up to Perseverance Works (later the corporation works) by Kirkstall Viaduct, running on the thin strip of land between the Aire and the canal from Central Station/Wellington Goods. This crossed the Aire somewhere near the works, I had a look at the weekend but couldn't see any evidence of the crossing, though was hard to get a good vantage point (a canoe would be most useful). The branch from the line to Perseverance works serving Albion Works and Leeds Forge (not sure it connected through to the latter). This branched off on an embankment where Yorkshire Chemicals used to be and swung over the line and canal, possibly joining up with the Leeds-Harrogate/Shipley line.

[Phill_d]

It's a nightmare JF aint it? I thought i was doing pretty well this time last year. Every line you suss out you find out about 3 new ones. One step forward three steps back.....Rikj & myself had a walk over the Viaduct on the Ardsey-Tingley line on Mon... Thats a bit i've finally sussed round Beeston jnct e.t.c

[Phill_d]

I'm glad there's still no work going on at the tunnel yet...There seems a good amount of opposition to it from this piece i've found.... To fill or not to fill.... Greenside tunnel and the railway cutting that leads into it from the Carlisle Road area of Pudsey have been in the news again.Recently the Pudsey Times reported that residents are outraged over a plan to dump rubbish in cutting. The "Times" pointed out that the site was earmarked for tipping 38,000 cubic metres of waste by the Ogden Group, the cutting when filled would be used for housing. The report added that the proposal is being strongly objected to by many locals who claim it will have an adverse impact on the area they say the scheme would cause noise and dust pollution, affect wildlife and be a traffic hazard because of the lorries carrying demolition rubble. Paul Truswell MP, it was reported, said the plan was a nightmare.