Esholt & Knostrop

[Ossiewaller]

Leeds 9er wrote: It will be interesting to see what if any remnants of track are exposed by the roadworks on the bottom end of Pontefract Lane. They workmen are currently digging exactly where the Paddy line was routed. I seem to remember years ago that Cattons had the lines still in place at their entrance to the site running through the tarmac. I remember the track being used; must be mid to late 60's. I am sure the local nickname for the train was "Puffing Billy". My uncle used to live near by in the Neville's and I used to love watching the train pulling the coal wagons.

[raveydavey]

My dad, who has a great love of steam trains, has often told me of the railway coming up from the sewage works / power station sites and crossing Cross Green Lane near the Bridgefield pub - where the bookies is now - on a level crossing.

[grumpytramp]

For anyone interested in the locomotives at Esholt you might be interested in a new DVD called 'Industry of Steam - 5 . Yorkshire' which appears to have footage of HC1888 at Esholt.Additionally of local interest footage at the NCB collieries at Saville, Peckfield, Wheldale & Prince of Wales, Glasshoughton Coking Works and various collieries around Wakefield/Barnsley/Doncaster areaSee http://www.visionsinternational.biz/htm ... yorks.html

[Samson]

Some great posts here and links.As a child I remember quite clearly three lines from Waterloo Pit.1. One went across the road just down from the Bridgefield and finished at the coal Staithes at the bottom of Easy Road.( There was a ginnel from the Glencoe's that came out near there and opposite were a couple of Prefabs from just after the war)2. There was another line that went to Neville Hill sidings and I think the coal went into a large tower that was used to fill coal trucks etc. This line had an incline and sometimes I think that the tank engines were doubled up on this run. (I think it went past a farm that we knew as 'Austins farm'3 The other line was seved by a 'point' (the one to Knowstrop) as there was a lever there. Once when down trespassing as a silly ten year old catching newts a couple of mates and I heaved the lever back and we changed the lines to go to a different place (Knowstrop). So the next Paddy train thinking it was going to the Bridgefield crossing ended up on the wrong lines. I remember running away and thinking I had been involved in something really stupid and if my father had found out............How times change.I think there were four tank engines employed from Waterloo. I definitely remember 'Sylvia' and 'Antwerp' and they were the ones that crossed the road near the Bridgefield. From the links on this thread I seem to remember the one called 'Jess' that nearly always used to run to Neville Hill and not go to Easy Road, but the name of the other tank engine escapes me - as does a lot of my memories!!!!Help anyone!!!!