Railway Sleeper Fence - Holbeck

Bunkers, shelters and other buildings
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simon2710
Posts: 219
Joined: Sun 11 Mar, 2007 1:14 pm

Railway Sleeper Fence - Holbeck

Post by simon2710 »

Hi,
I'm noticing a lot of things I've not normally noticed before due to my job as a delivery driver. I've never taken much notice of this before, but if you go on the Ring Road towards Holbeck as if you are heading towards Armley gyratory after the big roundabout at Elland Rd and just after the Holbeck viaduct on the left there is a fence hidden by bushes which looks like it has been made of railway sleepers. Could these be from the old track on the viaduct?
Notices it a few times and kept meaning to ask on herr
Simon -H-

rikj
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Joined: Tue 20 Feb, 2007 4:59 pm

Re: Railway Sleeper Fence - Holbeck

Post by rikj »

It's possible, but I'm not sure how you'd find out. I've got vague memories of other sections of footpath with sleeper walls in Leeds, Wortley possibly? That's near sections of lifted track so maybe it was an accepted re-use of sleepers?

The price they go for these days I don't think they would do it now :o

jim
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Joined: Sun 17 May, 2009 10:09 am

Re: Railway Sleeper Fence - Holbeck

Post by jim »

Lifted track components tended to go to Crofton depot or similar Civil Engineers sites for dismantling etc. Items in good order would be re-used on secondary lines, and the rest disposed of both within and outside the railway business. Re-use at a site nearby to the closed line would seem unlikely or fortuitous.

rikj
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Joined: Tue 20 Feb, 2007 4:59 pm

Re: Railway Sleeper Fence - Holbeck

Post by rikj »

Just to pin down a couple of sleeper fences, on Pepper Road there is a very substantial one opposite Pontifex House. It's within a hundred yards of where the road crosses the railway by the large sidings, so hard not to conjecture a connection.

In Burley, Ashville View ends in a footbridge crossing the railway to Park View Road. Sections of the fencing abutting the bridge are made from sleepers, as are sections of the roofers' yards at the end of Ashville View. This is right next to the site of the small goods yard that is now Milfords Builders Merchants. From memory there may have been more sleeper fences visible in the yard itself. Once again the close proximity seems against it being coincidence.

As an aside, part of one of the fences is made up of what look like large, flat concrete sleepers. Not seen any like them before.

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tilly
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Re: Railway Sleeper Fence - Holbeck

Post by tilly »

Hi rikj I think concrete sleepers were used in tunnels because of water issues sometimes hardwood sleepers were used.Look forward to Jims input he knows a lot more about railway subjects than i do. :D
No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.

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Leodian
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Re: Railway Sleeper Fence - Holbeck

Post by Leodian »

This is a very interesting thread and that wood sleepers were so used is something I probably would not have noticed. It's good to hear that things were reused for another purpose. I would guess though that was many years back in the case of the wood sleeper fence as in today's throw-away society I would not be surprised to find out that wood sleepers might just get burnt.
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

warringtonrhino
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Re: Railway Sleeper Fence - Holbeck

Post by warringtonrhino »

I was told by my father, who worked all his life at the Hunslet Engine Company, that railway sleepers were treated with a chemical that prevented them from catching fire. Burning coal would often drop onto them.
When I was a fireman we were called to a bonfire built around a GPO telegraph post. The owner of the fire worked in the offices of the GPO and claimed he had been told that posts were treated to make them incombustible. He thought that the post would give the bonfire a good central support. Apparently he was not employed by the GPO on the 6th of November.

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tilly
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Re: Railway Sleeper Fence - Holbeck

Post by tilly »

Hi warringtonrhino When i lived in Hunslet in the forty's and fifty's the Hunslet Engine Companys back wall was at the top our street has it was in all of the streets of Pearson Street.My mum worked on nights in there canteen for how long i cant remember that is when Hunslet was known all over the world not so now.
No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.

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