A bridge to far-the mystery line!

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Tue 11 Sep, 2007 9:16 pm

Recently having a good old nosey around the river & canals near Kirkstall lane at some ot the old industry i came accross this abandoned bridge, fenced off & overgrown at the bottom of Milford place just off Kirkstall road, I couldn't get too near it so payed it no more attention untill i had a good look on Google earth to see where it went too as the other side of the bridge is pretty much out of bounds cut off by industry & the river! I was pretty suprised to see what appears to be a fairly substantial rail network of sidings with what looks like old scrap wagons on it! The line appears to run right to the river where it suddenly stops! I've never known about any rail links to this area so if anybody knows what it is i'd be gratefull! I could be seeing things but it certainly looks like tracks to me! The bridge pic is courtesy of J.B303

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Tue 11 Sep, 2007 9:19 pm

The close up google image!

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Tue 11 Sep, 2007 9:21 pm

Area view with river & mainline rail line bottom left hand corner! Coordinates: Latitiude 53°48'10.61"N Longtitude 1°32'35.30"W

stevief · Post by **stevief** » Tue 11 Sep, 2007 9:27 pm

It's Armley Industrial Museum mate.I don't think the railway lines extend to the bridge,I suppose at one time it was a short-cut for the workers.You must have been round it phill!If not it's well worth it,I was there recently but unfortunately the water-wheel wasn't working.

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Tue 11 Sep, 2007 9:30 pm

Really? I've never looked in there! I didn't know there was so much track down! It looks like an old scrap yard! Cheers Ste. I must take a look!

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Tue 11 Sep, 2007 9:32 pm

Still doesn't look like a museum on Google! It looks a bit of a dump from up here! looks good to snap tho! That bit must be out of bounds to the public surely?

jf · Post by jf » Tue 11 Sep, 2007 9:36 pm

The sidings are part of Armley Mills industrial museum as far as I know. I don't know if they are an original feature of the complex or were added for the museum. I have a selection of old maps of this area, and one of them shows track on the bridge, but it stops abruptly at the end of the bridge. There's no connection at either end. I'll check them again for the sidings and perhaps upload a picture.Just east of here, the NER line that ran along between the river and the canal to providence mills (and later the highway depot - when the same line was electrified and tram operated) used to run up to Kirkstall Viaduct at least. The formation of this line is still there, but the track was lifted from this part very early on (possibly in the 19th century). I have a suspicion that this may once have continued as far as Armley Mills and may have looped round to serve these lower sidings and bridge. Unfortunately the circa 1850 map is not easy to read at the scale I have, and the next one is in the 1890's when Kirkstall viaduct has been built and canal road sits where the line may have run. It's a mystery that will only be solved by finding an intermediate map or larger scaled version of the 1850's mapping. There are earthworks west of Canal Road which could be part of this link, if it existed.On a slightly unrelated note, here's the same bridge earlier this year during the floods, bearing in mind this was the evening several hours after the water level peaked:http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsogmm/632924377/

jf · Post by jf » Tue 11 Sep, 2007 9:45 pm

1893 1:2500 map extract

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Tue 11 Sep, 2007 9:46 pm

Great stuff! J.f. Glad you added the unrelevant bit. Wow that water level is high. No i was just wondering about that track layout as it doesn't seem quite right. It appears to have crossed the river on this layout but like you say is it just added for the museun display or was it an actual working line! The bridge is substantially higher than the road level on Milford place. Maybe 18'' or more! This is a bit of a puzzle as i was looking at another closed bridge today the same height higher than the road over the meanwood beck! Whys that then i wonder?

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Tue 11 Sep, 2007 9:50 pm

jf wrote: 1893 1:2500 map extract Hard to get any info from that more's the pity, I'm sure someone will dig something out!