stone bridge rodley

[GlennDun]

Uno Hoo wrote: dervish99 wrote: what lod bridge would that be? The one that goes over the river close by to the railway pub? I would guess so, as it's the only stone bridge in the area. Underneath it are the remains of another bridge which probably served an old grinding mill, as there used to be old millwheels discarded around. My kids used to be fascinated by the "sunken bridge". Last time I went and had a look there was hardly any evidence left due to silting and general detritus.The regular canal walker may well have missed the bridge, as it's not actually visible from the canal. He (or she) would have to divert from the canalside down the lane which passes the Railway Inn. It's well worth the diversion.I've no idea at what point this bridge stopped being the only route across the Aire at Rodley. My older relatives from Farsley, all now deceased, used to refer to what is now the Leeds Ring Road between Rodley roundabout and Horsforth as "t'New Road", so it had been built during their lives - most of this generation spanned the period 1880 until the early 1990s. It also explains the siting of the former Calverley & Rodley station on George Stephenson's Leeds-Bradford railway, as the building fronted what must then have been the main road. The later ring road was a brisk walk from the station, or not so brisk if luggage had to be hauled. The Farsley Omnibus Co never served the station during the period I used it reasonably frequently - it would not have been an onerous diversion, and could well have been profitable once the Sandoz factory opened. I read whilst flicking through a book in Horsforth Library ,that the 'New' road bridge over the river that the ring road goes over was built in 1923 or there abouts. So I would think that was when the ring road was built.

[Si]

I maybe wrong, but I think the section from Rodley roundabout to Dawson's Corner was built later than that. The section from Dawson's Corner to Bramley (Stanningley By-Pass) was built early 70s, I think.

[Uno Hoo]

Si wrote: I maybe wrong, but I think the section from Rodley roundabout to Dawson's Corner was built later than that. The section from Dawson's Corner to Bramley (Stanningley By-Pass) was built early 70s, I think. Earlier than that, Si. It was open by 1961. My mother was a councillor on the Borough of Pudsey Council, and she campaigned hard for the Dawson's Corner to Rodley section to be constructed to dual-carriageway standard, as she was far-sighted enough to realise what traffic growth was likely to be. Unfortunately, the plans for construction were in the hands of the West Riding County Council, so cost prevailed. The main casualty has been the journey from Farsley to Calverley and back, which now necessitates a lengthy diversion. There's also a pleasant pathway from Woodhall to Farsley, except it's now virtually impossible for pedestrians to cross the Ring Road.

[Uno Hoo]

Sorry, Si.I misread your post. You're quite right in your estimate of the Stanningley by-pass. My mistake, sorry.

[Si]

Uno Hoo wrote: Sorry, Si.I misread your post. You're quite right in your estimate of the Stanningley by-pass. My mistake, sorry. Hi Uno,Yes, I remember the Stanningley By-Pass being built. I think they built New Pudsey station around the same time? It's a shame they didn't make the bit to Rodley dual-carriageway. I'd guess the cutting they made at Priesthorpe is wide enough? Your mam must have been very far-sighted!I used to live near there when I was a kid, and I don't remember anyone at the time referring to it as Dawson's Corner, until the by-pass was built. Where does the name come from? We used to ride our bikes on the newly built Pudsey Civic Centre's car park. There were no other buildings there then.    

[Uno Hoo]

[quotenick="Si"] Uno Hoo wrote: Sorry, Si.Hi Uno,Yes, I remember the Stanningley By-Pass being built. I think they built New Pudsey station around the same time? It's a shame they didn't make the bit to Rodley dual-carriageway. I'd guess the cutting they made at Priesthorpe is wide enough? Your mam must have been very far-sighted!I used to live near there when I was a kid, and I don't remember anyone at the time referring to it as Dawson's Corner, until the by-pass was built. Where does the name come from? We used to ride our bikes on the newly built Pudsey Civic Centre's car park. There were no other buildings there then.     I used to let my sons drive my car on the car park there - they were too young to drive on the public highway. You're lucky to be able to park on it these days. The original Borough of Pudsey plan to develop that site incorporated a much more extensive scheme which got whittled away, much to mum's disappointment, so what actually appeared was neither fish, flesh, nor fowl.Don't know where the term Dawson's Corner came from, but that's what it was known as by most folk I knew. It almost became the site for the local aerodrome during the infancy of aviation, but for some reason Yeadon prevailed. Goodness knows why, as Stanningley was never as foggy as Yeadon.

[Si]

Thanks, Uno,I guess we were too young to know the names of all the places nearby. I also drove on that car park when learning (age 15! - in a K-reg Sunbeam Rapier.)I had no idea there might have been a Stanningley Airport! You learn something new everyday!    

[isambard01]

Dawsons' Corner is named from the fact that there was a corner shop owned by a Mr Dawson during the early part of the 1900s. It was part of the terraced houses/shops that still exist near the Dawson's Corner roundabout, on Stanningley side.Just further down the road and opposite, was Cote Lane which was an unmade road when I lived near there in the 1950/60s. The extension of that road was a grassy runway in the 1920/30s - more or less where the primary school is nowadays. In the early 1930s Alan Cobham and his "Flying Circus" visited to thrill audiences! And, yes, it could have been the site of LBA except that the authories decided on Yeadon as it was higher (and foggier) . . .    

[The Parksider]

trophy wrote: was talking to a guy recently who walks on the canalside regularly andhe didnt know about the bridge how many other people walk nearby and dont know about this lovely old bridge. It's a great old bridge that carried the lane from horsforth to Calverley which I assume also crossed the canal in some way and ran up the hillside in the fields to Calverley.The new ring road and bridge now primarily links Horsforth and Rodley direct, but I would assume newlay bridge - that linked Horsforth and Bramley was an alternative way to Rodley?Anyone got an old map of the old Horsforth/Calverley route - I have loads of old Leeds maps but they run out around Rodley!!

[isambard01]

Here is a newspaper photo. of Dawson's corner shop in the early 1900's . . .