old railway line leeds to bradford

[jim]

The idea was propounded and Acts sought on several occasions majorhoundii. The costs of land acquisitions and property demolition, coupled with strong objections to the cutting of the city in half ensured that the proposals failed to mature. Such a line would have needed a serious falling gradient, making bridge works to retain road connections difficult. A proposal by the Midland to build a line from Royston through Dewsbury northwards to Bradford, with a two mile tunnel under Bradford to avoid most of the centre went through parliament in 1898 with an authorised capital of £2,100,000. Extensions of time were granted in 1901, 1904, and 1907. Work took place resulting in the line from Royston to Thornhill Junction (west of Healey Mills) and a branch to a goods depot in Dewsbury, but the rest of the line remained unbuilt, and the powers were abandoned in 1911.A further attempt to make the connection utilising running powers over the L&Y to Low Moor and building a new line from Low Moor to Manningham crossing Foster Square on a viaduct was made, but the proposal was put on ice due to the First World War. It has occasionally resurfaced ever since, but without positive result