Railway in New Farnley

Railways, trams, buses, etc.
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FarnleyBloke
Posts: 173
Joined: Wed 11 Apr, 2007 12:03 pm

Post by FarnleyBloke »

Hi PhillI don't know if i'm misinterpreting what you've written or not but the mainline connection to the fireclay works was the one that went past dunlop and ranken. The fireclay works were on the right hand side of whitehall road (looking towards Drighlington) and Dunlop and ranken the left. So the track from the junction at the ringroad (on your map) went past dunlop and ranken, over the bridge over whitehall road and from what i remember from school went quite a way into the fireclay works.

Phill_d
Posts: 2638
Joined: Wed 21 Feb, 2007 6:22 am

Post by Phill_d »

No Fear Farnley bloke. I've dug out my old map & shall have it on here for Sun when i have more time. this is where it gets confusing it has the fireclay works between Farnley steam shed & Wortley curve. There appears to have been 2 places listed as fireclay/ironworks. This is the bit that confuses me... The line also connected with Manor colliery.
A fool spends his entire life digging a hole for himself.A wise man knows when it's time to stop!(phill.d 2010)http://flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/

FarnleyBloke
Posts: 173
Joined: Wed 11 Apr, 2007 12:03 pm

Post by FarnleyBloke »

I suppose it's possible that there was more than one fireclay works but the one i definately know of is the one on the opposite side of whitehall road to Dunlop and Rankens. We did a whole school project on the site when i was a lad but being the young scrote i was i didn't pay that much attention.On a side note my brother has bought one of the houses that are being built on the old D&P site so when he moves in, in August, i'm going to have a good root around the old track bed behind the Kirkdales!Just remembered something though, when i was at school (Farnley Park High) we used to go down to the works, or "Forge" as we called it and i remember finding a spent bullet case. I can vaguely recall someone telling me that there was a range on the site during the first world war but other than that my minds a blank. I wonder if munitions were made there?

FarnleyBloke
Posts: 173
Joined: Wed 11 Apr, 2007 12:03 pm

Post by FarnleyBloke »

Just done some quick digging around and Farnley fireclay company also had works on Upper Wortley road and Wortley Moor road and clay coal and iron mines scattered all over. There was also Farnley Iron works which is why we refferred to it as the "forge" at school.It seemed to be a substantial operation and when one of the owners died in the eighteenth century (one of the Cliffes who built Cliffe house on Fawcett lane) he left over 11 Million pound in his will!!

FarnleyBloke
Posts: 173
Joined: Wed 11 Apr, 2007 12:03 pm

Post by FarnleyBloke »

Chris, just coming back to your original picture at the top, following the line of the embankment to the left in the light coloured field there is a further line that could have been a continuation of the track bed. I have looked on a map of 1852 and on a direct line is something marked Old Coal Pit (Not far from Back Lane) so it may be that the line was put in after 1852 running from a re-opened coal pit down to the fireclay works! Phew!

Squatch_11
Posts: 145
Joined: Tue 20 Mar, 2007 7:39 am

Post by Squatch_11 »

Hi FarnleyBloke - I went to Farnley Park High School as well, what years were you there? Drove past it for the first time in years a few weeks ago for a funeral at St Michaels, and it's changed a lot from when I went there in the early 90's.Back on topic, me and a mate who lived on Whincover Drive used to go down to the "forge", even though we weren't allowed - didn't find owt as exciting as you did, but seemed like an interesting place for a 15 year old.My ex lived on the Kirkdales, and she remembered the trains going right past the back of her house and then over the bridge and off towards Cobden primary school.

FarnleyBloke
Posts: 173
Joined: Wed 11 Apr, 2007 12:03 pm

Post by FarnleyBloke »

Hi SquatchWent there from 91 to 94 so round about the same time. Got married in St Michaels so probably happier memories for me!

Phill_d
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Joined: Wed 21 Feb, 2007 6:22 am

Post by Phill_d »

Leeds extensive rail map
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__TFMF_yaa5e2ixwnmzi2yybnedhzuy_3b202380-1861-4a00-85e3-2fe8ed70232d_0_MaintainAspect.jpg
__TFMF_yaa5e2ixwnmzi2yybnedhzuy_3b202380-1861-4a00-85e3-2fe8ed70232d_0_MaintainAspect.jpg (45.91 KiB) Viewed 1965 times
A fool spends his entire life digging a hole for himself.A wise man knows when it's time to stop!(phill.d 2010)http://flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/

Phill_d
Posts: 2638
Joined: Wed 21 Feb, 2007 6:22 am

Post by Phill_d »

55c is Farnley steam shed in the triangle with the branch line running towards the ironworks later Dunlop & Ranken. It did cross Whitehall road to some fireclay works. Then no 26 is Farnley (other fireclay works) connecting with 27 Manor colliery. It shows the fireclay line has a main line connection near Wortley curve (25) but the lie of the land would make it impossible.
Attachments
__TFMF_yaa5e2ixwnmzi2yybnedhzuy_b42b0d07-4a1e-464f-af45-a6268d850c17_0_MaintainAspect.jpg
__TFMF_yaa5e2ixwnmzi2yybnedhzuy_b42b0d07-4a1e-464f-af45-a6268d850c17_0_MaintainAspect.jpg (39.81 KiB) Viewed 1965 times
A fool spends his entire life digging a hole for himself.A wise man knows when it's time to stop!(phill.d 2010)http://flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/

Phill_d
Posts: 2638
Joined: Wed 21 Feb, 2007 6:22 am

Post by Phill_d »

Courtesy of Leodis. Dunlop & Ranken on the right looking towrds the city on Whitehall road
Attachments
__TFMF_yaa5e2ixwnmzi2yybnedhzuy_fb4900fb-605b-48a5-8ef1-8b7d81b57858_0_MaintainAspect.jpg
__TFMF_yaa5e2ixwnmzi2yybnedhzuy_fb4900fb-605b-48a5-8ef1-8b7d81b57858_0_MaintainAspect.jpg (23.01 KiB) Viewed 1965 times
A fool spends his entire life digging a hole for himself.A wise man knows when it's time to stop!(phill.d 2010)http://flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/

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