Old rail lines Oulton near Leeds

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Wed 18 May, 2011 1:32 am

I'm not sure if these have been covered before on S.L. But there are some old rail lines across the road in Eshald Lane at Oulton. You can see them on Google Street view herehttp://snipurl.com/27wsjsIt looks like they ran diagonally to the main line, but I'm just wondering where they went, or what purpose they served in the other direction to the A642. There's some interesting earthworks around there, a footpath seems to be on the old trackbed on one side, and a ditch, or culvert on the other? Anyone any ideas?

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Wed 18 May, 2011 2:28 am

Just being looking at the old maps of the area (unfortunately can't upload them on here at present) But there's looks lots to be going on in that area with mineral railways at one time. It looks as if those lines served Oulton Quarries brickworks, and the nearby Water Haigh colliery had extensive sidings nearby that could have crossed the road too. Very hard to make out what was going on really.

jim · Post by **jim** » Wed 18 May, 2011 7:37 pm

Hi Phill, those railway branches certainly look like Grandma's knitting don't they? Hopefully I might be able to unravel them to some degree. I have consulted old-maps map references 43700, 428600 and the Industrial Railway Society's "Industrial Railways and Locomotives of West Yorkshire" and "NCB West and North Yorkshire".To the east of Woodlesford railway station and Aberford Road three branches leave the MR main line from Leeds to Normanton. The first runs north west to Eshaldwell Brewery and does not concern us.The next leaves the main line on its north side and swings north east to a staithe on the south bank of the Aire and Calder Navigation. A "kickback" line runs south west, passing through a bridge underneath the main line and swinging west under the colliery line. This line bifurcates before crossing Eshald Lane (apparently known as Hesp Lane at the date of many of the maps) with the northernmost track continuing to a quarry and a number of smallish buildings. The second line swings south crossing Hesp Lane diagonally (probably the site of the crossing which aroused your interest) and then turning east to end between two large buildings, probably the brickworks.The third branchline leaves the MR main line on its south side and serves the Water Haigh Colliery, at the far end of which it swings round through 180 degrees, passing beneath the main line and serving staithes alongside the Navigation.There is also a connecting line branch which leaves the colliery sidings west of the pithead running west-north-west to join the quarry/brickworks branch immediately before passing beneath the colliery branch.Oulton Brickworks and Quarry, Woodlesford were opened by George Armitage and Sons Ltd between 1896 and 1908. This company also had rail-served brickworks at Howley Park near Morley, Lofthouse, and Thorpe. The Woodlesford brickworks and the railway siding had closed by 1955, although the quarry was still working with road transport.Water Haigh Colliery, Oulton was sunk in 1908 and opened in 1910 by H. Briggs Son and Co. The company also owned Saville Colliery at Mickleton, Snydale Colliery at Featherstone, Whitwood Colliery at Castleford, and Forge Quarry at Kirkstall.Water Haigh passed to the NCB in 1947, closed as a colliery in 1970, and closed as a coal preparation plant in 1971.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Wed 18 May, 2011 9:06 pm

Thanks for that info Jim. Yes I've more or less come to the same conclusion as you having had more time to study some old maps. The line across Eshald Lane as you say being for the quarry and brickworks. There was a lot of railway infrastructure in that area in days gone by wasn't there? The switchback/reverse headshunt being an ununsual feature from the main line. You might be interested in this slide show of colour photos of the railway at the nearby Water Haigh herehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW5jhk-lsMgThere's some real good quality photos there, lots of grime and clanky wagons of yesteryear to be seen.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Wed 18 May, 2011 9:24 pm

It was Armitage brickworks by the looks of things. Lots of local history about the quarry, brickworks, pit, railway, and surrounding area on this website herehttp://woodlesfordstation.co.uk/ArmitageQuarries.aspxIt's rather sad to think that two small sections of track across a lane is all that's left of it.

jim · Post by **jim** » Wed 18 May, 2011 10:26 pm

The Woodlesford Station website is indeed impressive Phill.

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Thu 19 May, 2011 8:16 am

jim wrote: Water Haigh Colliery, Oulton was sunk in 1908 and opened in 1910 by H. Briggs Son and Co. The company also owned Saville Colliery at Mickleton, Snydale Colliery at Featherstone, Whitwood Colliery at Castleford, and Forge Quarry at Kirkstall. Brilliant expertise from Jim and Phil as always.My dad worked the canal barges from rothwell/woodlesford/oulton way as a lad in the 1930's so part of the transport system was of course the canal (river staithes ref reminded me) - It took coal and I now assume brick and stone??I also assume the recipients of these materials included the canal wharves along the aire in central leeds.Leodis has a couple of great pics of Kirkstall Forge Quarry and for completeness Briggs had Horsforth Quarry which is one massive hole even today.JAMES/PHIL - the ariel ropeway pics (as the usual aside to trains trains trains!! were super - can you explain the use and operation for us??

jim · Post by **jim** » Thu 19 May, 2011 10:19 am

I am in no way an expert on colliery machinery Parksider, but my understanding is that aerial ropeways were generally provided to convey colliery waste (shale, stone etc) from the pit washery/preparation/separation plant to pit tips some distance away when the nearby land was not available for that purpose (conveyor belts being more usual over short distances).Operation was mainly continuous,as bucket emptying was automatic. Engineering staff would periodically extend or otherwise move the "end of line"as neccessary. Ropeways occasionally crossed over main line railways, at which sites some form of protection from possible falling material or failure of the system would be required.Hopefully someone with stronger background in the subject could expand on (or correct!) this.Grumpytramp perhaps?

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Thu 19 May, 2011 11:35 am

Hi Parksider, probably the best thing I've seen to show how those aerial ropeways work is on the end of the 1971 film Get Carter. You can watch the scene herehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWfrpqGDJig&feature=relatedYou can see the coal waste being dumped straight into the sea, and so with it goes the villain Eric lol It just goes to show how times have changed in 30 years. That kind of thing would never happen today, the sea is jet black on the film. The aerial ropeway was really quiet an impressive structure as well. The huge concrete structures in the sea especially. That was filmed at Blackhall Rocks in the North East, the aerial ropeway has long since gone, but the effects of dumping so much coal spoil into the sea is still clear to see to this day. It's a very slow progress to clear the area up.

geoffb · Post by **geoffb** » Thu 19 May, 2011 1:56 pm

There is still an aerial ropeway in operation at the Claughton brickworks in Lancashire, it brings the raw materials from a quarry about 1.5 miles away, I'll try and post a photo from Google Earth