Railway in New Farnley

Railways, trams, buses, etc.
Post Reply
User avatar
blackprince
Posts: 876
Joined: Tue 04 Sep, 2007 2:10 pm

Post by blackprince »

Chris W wrote: Looks like the site of Farnley sheds could be gone forever. A planning application has been submitted for 156 house and 37 flats on the site.http://planningapplications.leeds.gov.u ... JB0FZ00I'd add a pic, but the uploader seems to be broken! A few of us are having the same problem - see the thread on Trouble posting.
It used to be said that the statue of the Black Prince had been placed in City Square , near the station, pointing South to tell all the southerners who've just got off the train to b****r off back down south!

nightrider
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri 05 Feb, 2010 5:41 pm

Post by nightrider »

My dad used to tell me about a line that came across the road just past Barkers Well Farm on Lawns Lane. Im sure it must have been a line from the fireclay.
Peter Tong

louleeds
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat 06 Feb, 2010 9:11 am

Post by louleeds »

Hello, I have been reading this with interest as I grew up near Farnley fireclay in the late 60's and 70's. I remember sliding down the banking near the tunnel previously mentioned, the old pumping station, which we called 'the waters' and also the 'roman wall' which I never dared climb. My dad and my grandad both worked at White's Dayhole, which I think closed down in the early 60's. I also recall the railway stopping just at the back of where the allotments are, as there was a big bumper there, but it must have gone on further; I asked my mum, but she couldn't remember. I have also been researching my family tree, and discovered that one of my Great-great-great uncles (not sure how many greats) was the manager of the Ironworks in 1896 and his father was before him. His family moved from Bradford to go to Farnley Ironworks. If I remember anything else, I'll pass it on.

Coalmining
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri 03 Sep, 2010 7:38 pm

Post by Coalmining »

I notice a very interesting post by Electricaldave:-My gggrandfather was William Woodhead and ggrandfather, James Woodhead (William's son) - William Woodhead & Son.My grandfather contested James' will and caused the family to split and I should be grateful for any information on the Woodheads of Farnley. My father used to talk about Duke William pit, Charles Pit and Philadelphia - better bed.My grandfather told my cousin that we owned the Bowling Iron Works (turns out we did not) - I think he exaggerated (i.e. lied) about many other things so I need facts.The family owned Lawns House, Watson house and the linked cottages - all lost to court costs in my grandfather's lengthy court case! Looks as though he was an awkward Yorkshireman - I know you will find this hard to believe Any help would be appreciated.

history
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed 17 Nov, 2010 5:09 am

Post by history »

Chris W wrote: Does anybody have any information of a railway branch that ran into New Farnley, Leeds?If you search for New Farnley in Google Earth and look to the left of the result, you can see a curved earthwork marked in the fields heading towards the housing estate.I remember as a kid playing on the embankment and what remained of a track bed behind the housing estate. I also saw a picture in an old local history book that showed a loco passing over Lawns Lane at the other end of the housing estate.Could the railway have been associated with Farnley Fireclay? I have attached a pic from Google Earth to show where I mean. Hi, i have just joined hear so havent had time to read all the information posted on here though it looks very interesting, i have lived on what was the cud hill pit in farnley since i was 7 years old and it used to be owned by farnley iron company, im trying my best to get as much information together on the site and pictures too but have been struggling for many years so hope this site can help me. Funny enough i work on whitehall eastate (former leeds fire clay) which owned cud hill pit and some work men have just been doing some ground works and revealed some of the railway brackets some 2 foot down, i knew that there was a line under there as my great great grandfarther used to work with the pit ponies and lived in the office im working from now. If anyone could help me it would be appreciated, in relation to the Dunlop and Ranken bridge i remmember it well and took video footage of it when it was been demolished and took one of the large stones as a memory of it,if you know of a row of houses called long row in farnley my great grandparents lived there and grandparents lived next door to them.

history
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed 17 Nov, 2010 5:09 am

Post by history »

I live on what was cud hill pit so if anyone can help me with information or pictures of it i would be greatful

history
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed 17 Nov, 2010 5:09 am

Post by history »

Curlew wrote: Chris W wrote: Does anybody have any information of a railway branch that ran into New Farnley, Leeds?If you search for New Farnley in Google Earth and look to the left of the result, you can see a curved earthwork marked in the fields heading towards the housing estate.I remember as a kid playing on the embankment and what remained of a track bed behind the housing estate. I also saw a picture in an old local history book that showed a loco passing over Lawns Lane at the other end of the housing estate.Could the railway have been associated with Farnley Fireclay? I have attached a pic from Google Earth to show where I mean. I recognise that I enter the debate on this question somewhat late. However, as someone who spent his childhood and youth in New Farnley in the 1940's and 50's, you may find my contribution of some use.The remains to which you refer are those of a mineral railway track that carried the raw materials, (coal, iron-ore and clay) to the Farnley Iron Company and Fireclay Works during the Industrial Revolution. The Company was founded in 1844 by the four Armitage brothers, sons of Edward Armitage of Farnley Hall.From your siting near to Well Holme Farm, the track curved in a S.W. direction past the brick structures which were air-shafts for underground workings and through the field to the west of Low Moor Side Lane and the site of the now demolished Long Row (originally miners' terraced cottages) to Sowden Pit. This pit was situated to the west of Low Moor Side Lane, close to the junction with Walsh Lane. From Sowden, the railway continued in a S.S.E. direction, crossing Low Moor Side Lane and through the field to the S.W. of Walsh Lane to meet and cross Whitehall Road at a point between what is now the Jewish Cemetery and the adjacent semi-detached houses, (the gateways still remain) Here, the railway headed in a S.E. direction down what is still called the 'wagon line' to a point just before it met the footpath from Wentworth Farm across the fields to Gildersome. Here it forked, with one element heading S. to Farnley Briggs Pit, (A large pit owned by Farnley Iron Co. In 1896, 125 colliers worked here extracting ironstone and manufacturing quality coal). The other section of track continued S.E. to the pits located close to Gelderd Road at St. Bernard's Mills. These were Farnley Simpson Pit, ( another large Farnley Iron Co.-owned pit, employing 96 men in 1896 on the extraction of manufacturing grade coal and ironstone), and Farnley Wood Lift Pit (coal and ironstone). Nearby was Raffles Pit at Beeston Royds and across Gelderd Road, situated close to Rooms Lane was Philadelphia Pit (In 1896 owned by W.Woodhead and Son, Farnley, Leeds, employing 55 men, it produced both household and manufacturing coal).Other pits in the area were:Cud Hill, Moortop, owned by the Farnley Iron Co., employing 87 workers in 1896 and producing manufacturing coal and coking coal.Dixon, Farnley, owned by the Farnley Iron Co. employing 47 in1896 and mining both household coal and manufacturing coal.Ashfield Dayhole,* Farnley, owned by Farnley Iron Co. employed 10 men underground in 1896. Minerals worked: manufacturing coal and fireclay.White's Dayhole,* Farnley, owned by Farnley Iron Co. and employing 113 workers (96 underground) extracting fireclay.*( A dayhole, known colloquially as 't'dayoil' was an adit mine with a horizontal entrance - built into a hillside)Other pits in the area were:Tenter Croft, WortleyWortley Busk.Wortley RoydsAll owned by The Leeds Fireclay Co.Wortley Manor, owned by W. Ingham and Sons, Wortley.Grave Colliery (near Harper Farm, Farnley), owned by W.G. Woodhead and Son, Farnley.Spring Gardens, Drighlington, owned by Fearnley Garforth, Drig.Gildersome Pit, Bradford, owned by W. and J.Towler.Two further pits owned by The Leeds Fireclay Co were in Halifax:Breakneck, Shibden Hall, Halifax.Well Royd, Shibden Hall, Halifax.Returning to your siting close to Well Holme Farm, the railroad tracked N.E. to Barker's Well, where it crossed Lawns Lane and headed due E. before turning S.E. into the Farnley Iron Co. and Fireclay Co. site to a point below Lodge Hill. From here, there appear to have been a complex series of points-systems enabling rail access to almost all the buildings in the yard and even taking trucks within the buildings. In addition there was a link via the Whitehall Road Bridge to main line.As far as I know, none of the mineral railway's road-crossings at Lawns Lane, Low Moor Side Lane or even Whitehall Road were provided with gates to stop road traffic. This sounds highly dangerous by today's standards, but it is important to remember that before 1911, the large majority of vehicles using the roads around New Farnley would be horse-drawn (the maiden run of the first 29-seater Rail-less Electric Car in Britain, travelling from Aire Street in Leeds to Farnley Moor Top did not occur until 1911, continuing to service the route until 1928 when motorbuses were introduced.)At its peak, the Farnley Iron Company and Fireclay Works employed in the region of 2000 workers (miners, ironworkers and furnacemen, brickmakers, glazers and kilnfirers, timber sawyers, blacksmiths, engine drivers etc.)As a village, New Farnley owes its existence to the exploitation of the minerals running beneath it. The hurriedly-built terraced houses of Long Row, Playground, Furnace Row, Forge Row and West End were purpose built (using bricks manufactured at the Fireclay Works) between about 1850-55 to house the Company's workers and their families, many of whom had migrated from the area around the Low Moor Iron Co. at Low Moor, Bradford.In addition to the exploitation of the mineral wealth of the area, we should not forget that it was only through the exploitation of the combined labour of hundreds of New Farnley workers that the Armitage family were able to enjoy their opulent lifestyle.                                                 **I am currently researching the lives and works of two New Farnley coalminers, both of whom lived in Long Row and worked for the Farnley Iron Company. They are Joseph Wade, (1843-1904), miner, ironworker and orchestral violinmaker, who lived at 1 Long Row, New Farnley.Rufus Hanson (1846-!900) miner, portrait artist and pioneer commercial photographer, whose home and studio were at 44 and 45 Long Row, New Farnley.If anyone has connections to, information on, or work produced by either of these 'Victorian Sons' of New Farnley, ( eg a violin made by Joseph Wade, or a painting or photographs by Rufus Hanson), I would be very pleased to hear from you.    

history
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed 17 Nov, 2010 5:09 am

Post by history »

Curlew wrote: Chris W wrote: Does anybody have any information of a railway branch that ran into New Farnley, Leeds?If you search for New Farnley in Google Earth and look to the left of the result, you can see a curved earthwork marked in the fields heading towards the housing estate.I remember as a kid playing on the embankment and what remained of a track bed behind the housing estate. I also saw a picture in an old local history book that showed a loco passing over Lawns Lane at the other end of the housing estate.Could the railway have been associated with Farnley Fireclay? I have attached a pic from Google Earth to show where I mean. I recognise that I enter the debate on this question somewhat late. However, as someone who spent his childhood and youth in New Farnley in the 1940's and 50's, you may find my contribution of some use.The remains to which you refer are those of a mineral railway track that carried the raw materials, (coal, iron-ore and clay) to the Farnley Iron Company and Fireclay Works during the Industrial Revolution. The Company was founded in 1844 by the four Armitage brothers, sons of Edward Armitage of Farnley Hall.From your siting near to Well Holme Farm, the track curved in a S.W. direction past the brick structures which were air-shafts for underground workings and through the field to the west of Low Moor Side Lane and the site of the now demolished Long Row (originally miners' terraced cottages) to Sowden Pit. This pit was situated to the west of Low Moor Side Lane, close to the junction with Walsh Lane. From Sowden, the railway continued in a S.S.E. direction, crossing Low Moor Side Lane and through the field to the S.W. of Walsh Lane to meet and cross Whitehall Road at a point between what is now the Jewish Cemetery and the adjacent semi-detached houses, (the gateways still remain) Here, the railway headed in a S.E. direction down what is still called the 'wagon line' to a point just before it met the footpath from Wentworth Farm across the fields to Gildersome. Here it forked, with one element heading S. to Farnley Briggs Pit, (A large pit owned by Farnley Iron Co. In 1896, 125 colliers worked here extracting ironstone and manufacturing quality coal). The other section of track continued S.E. to the pits located close to Gelderd Road at St. Bernard's Mills. These were Farnley Simpson Pit, ( another large Farnley Iron Co.-owned pit, employing 96 men in 1896 on the extraction of manufacturing grade coal and ironstone), and Farnley Wood Lift Pit (coal and ironstone). Nearby was Raffles Pit at Beeston Royds and across Gelderd Road, situated close to Rooms Lane was Philadelphia Pit (In 1896 owned by W.Woodhead and Son, Farnley, Leeds, employing 55 men, it produced both household and manufacturing coal).Other pits in the area were:Cud Hill, Moortop, owned by the Farnley Iron Co., employing 87 workers in 1896 and producing manufacturing coal and coking coal.Dixon, Farnley, owned by the Farnley Iron Co. employing 47 in1896 and mining both household coal and manufacturing coal.Ashfield Dayhole,* Farnley, owned by Farnley Iron Co. employed 10 men underground in 1896. Minerals worked: manufacturing coal and fireclay.White's Dayhole,* Farnley, owned by Farnley Iron Co. and employing 113 workers (96 underground) extracting fireclay.*( A dayhole, known colloquially as 't'dayoil' was an adit mine with a horizontal entrance - built into a hillside)Other pits in the area were:Tenter Croft, WortleyWortley Busk.Wortley RoydsAll owned by The Leeds Fireclay Co.Wortley Manor, owned by W. Ingham and Sons, Wortley.Grave Colliery (near Harper Farm, Farnley), owned by W.G. Woodhead and Son, Farnley.Spring Gardens, Drighlington, owned by Fearnley Garforth, Drig.Gildersome Pit, Bradford, owned by W. and J.Towler.Two further pits owned by The Leeds Fireclay Co were in Halifax:Breakneck, Shibden Hall, Halifax.Well Royd, Shibden Hall, Halifax.Returning to your siting close to Well Holme Farm, the railroad tracked N.E. to Barker's Well, where it crossed Lawns Lane and headed due E. before turning S.E. into the Farnley Iron Co. and Fireclay Co. site to a point below Lodge Hill. From here, there appear to have been a complex series of points-systems enabling rail access to almost all the buildings in the yard and even taking trucks within the buildings. In addition there was a link via the Whitehall Road Bridge to main line.As far as I know, none of the mineral railway's road-crossings at Lawns Lane, Low Moor Side Lane or even Whitehall Road were provided with gates to stop road traffic. This sounds highly dangerous by today's standards, but it is important to remember that before 1911, the large majority of vehicles using the roads around New Farnley would be horse-drawn (the maiden run of the first 29-seater Rail-less Electric Car in Britain, travelling from Aire Street in Leeds to Farnley Moor Top did not occur until 1911, continuing to service the route until 1928 when motorbuses were introduced.)At its peak, the Farnley Iron Company and Fireclay Works employed in the region of 2000 workers (miners, ironworkers and furnacemen, brickmakers, glazers and kilnfirers, timber sawyers, blacksmiths, engine drivers etc.)As a village, New Farnley owes its existence to the exploitation of the minerals running beneath it. The hurriedly-built terraced houses of Long Row, Playground, Furnace Row, Forge Row and West End were purpose built (using bricks manufactured at the Fireclay Works) between about 1850-55 to house the Company's workers and their families, many of whom had migrated from the area around the Low Moor Iron Co. at Low Moor, Bradford.In addition to the exploitation of the mineral wealth of the area, we should not forget that it was only through the exploitation of the combined labour of hundreds of New Farnley workers that the Armitage family were able to enjoy their opulent lifestyle.                                                 **I am currently researching the lives and works of two New Farnley coalminers, both of whom lived in Long Row and worked for the Farnley Iron Company. They are Joseph Wade, (1843-1904), miner, ironworker and orchestral violinmaker, who lived at 1 Long Row, New Farnley.Rufus Hanson (1846-!900) miner, portrait artist and pioneer commercial photographer, whose home and studio were at 44 and 45 Long Row, New Farnley.If anyone has connections to, information on, or work produced by either of these 'Victorian Sons' of New Farnley, ( eg a violin made by Joseph Wade, or a painting or photographs by Rufus Hanson), I would be very pleased to hear from you.     I have just read your information on farnley and it was very interesting, me and my farther own what was cud hill pitt, moortop, which was previously owned by the Farnley Iron Co, i have lived in farnley for over 30 years and my family history goes back to my great great grandfarther working for Leeds fire clay, both my great grandparents and grandparents lived on Long Row in farnley village, if anyone has any information or pictures of cud hill pitt you would make me and my farthers day, we have been searching for years with not much responce.

Jailhouse John
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 6:33 pm

Post by Jailhouse John »

Some years since I contributed to this old theme but I have found another old Leodis photo that should help in unravelling part of the problems with regard to the old Firecaly railway system.I mentioned in an earlier post that my Dad had always told me that there was a fireclay line that ran alongside the gelderd road side of the main LMS embankment from Dragon Bridge up to either a Fireclay works or Revels Pit located at the back of our farm (Highfield Farm on Royds Lane).http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... 61433047It clearly shows the line in question running just as my Dad said. In the background of the photo is the farm, Revels Pit, The Wheatsheaf pub to the left and in our (then) cow field a vent shaft for the pit which was knocked down and filled by the time I played in that field as a kid. The field with the cows in became our lime field as we tipped lime product from the newly built British Oxygen Company. In later years my Dad sold the lime to various sewage works
JJFROM ER TO ETERNITY

Steevo
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon 16 Jan, 2012 3:35 pm

Post by Steevo »

Looks like this post is not in use anymore but I thought id add a little note to explain my findings and what I understand from the bit of research ive done and my various walks round the old sites. The railway branched off from the farnley line near the sheds and carried on the curve round what is now the kirkdales - the curve of the estate dictated by railways direction. It then ran through a field which later on its left hand side was Dunlop and Ranken Steel works - there was also a brickworks / quarry here. It ran via a bridge over Whitehall Road to Farnley Iron Company / Farnley Fireclay works - a huge complex on Whitehall Road between Wortley and Coach Road in New Farnley - where the Lettershop Group and Whitehall industrial estate now sits. This whole area was the Fireclay works. From the Fireclay works it ran adjacent to the allotments (still there today) opposite the Cobdens. The railway cutting gradually descends into the fireclay from here - you can actually walk from royds lane through the old Subway that Phil D has photographed, over the disused railway bridge (the route of the old line is clearly visible from here) bearing right - through a field and join the line as it runs to Dunlop and Ranken now the site of the Forge Housing estate. Shots on Leodis show the Kirkdales with some garages in gardens - you can easily do a then and now shot from here. You come out where the bridge would have gone over Whitehall road. From here take the footpath up the steps behind the billboard and trace the old railway track along this path as it descends past the allotment (bearing left) and you can actually follow the route into the Fireclay as there is acces - you can just about trace the route in. You wander up Billey Lane and you can trace the old route of the line round the perimiter of the fireclay works - just on the top of the hill on your left is an old retaining wall of Fireclay building. There are many bricks here with the markings - Farnley Iron Co. If these are a forerunner to the Fireclay works then the bricks could be 130+ years old - correct me if i'm wrong. This is where a bit of adventure had to come into play. Before you go through the "little wood" you can turn left here and this goes down through the woods and you can trace some of the railway from here with a bit of detective work - the best way however is to walk up whitehall road turn right into a cutting just after Geldards Coaches and youll have the old Fireclay reservoir on your left. Follow this path up and you can link up with the path of the old railway near the perimiter of the Fireclay works -it went straight up towards barkers well farm still there today. (Theres a huge marquee here and a big wall which is near where the railway travelled.) and wander back through the wood rising to the path that leads up to Farnley park.However if you take the path from geldards coaches and bear left you can come to and old Fireclay entrance iron gate - stil intact today - this can be reached via this route or by walking down coach road and turning right and following the path right to the end. If you walk from here and bear left - you can actually trace the line of the railway proper as the new housing estate uses the curve of the line - There is the road of the housing estate and a wall but inbetween this (you can look on google earth and clearly see the path inbetween the wall and the house borders - is the path of the railway that curves North West. You can reach this from Lodge Hill Walk - turn right onto Stephenson Drive - Left onto Barkers well then right and at the end of this short path - not sure about access levels - to your left is the curve round of the old railway - clearly seen on google maps. This runs all the way round (dont know if you can get through the woods) just to the south of Barkers Well farm and comes out exactly where the railway crossed Lawns lane. You can follow it either way - It branched off north to an end in the field - you can follow it a short way. Or you can wander just passed birchfield on your left and take a dirt track that links back up to birchfield - this is actually where the railway ran. The curve of the street here is dicated by where the railway curved . . It ran over what is now lawns green - on a route towards what is now lawns close. It comes out of the esate here and this is the marking that chris W refers to in his original post. I found it fascinating to trace this route. It then runs round to a farm near Low Moorside lane and amazingly a path on this farm takes the exact line of the mineral railway (off limits to the public but clearly visible) over low moorside lane through a field to the side of the old Jewish cemetery where the path can still be traced down into the field where it carried on to a mine I beleive. I think its amazing so much of this exists - Ive put (or tried to put a paint map on to show it) Im happy to wander round one quiet afternoon if anyone is slightly interested in any of this. Thanks for your monumental patience Steevo

Post Reply