Esholt & Knostrop

Green Godess · Post by **Green Godess** » Mon 03 Dec, 2007 5:20 am

Hi folks,I'm conducting some research into the private railways that once served the sewage works at Esholt & Knostrop, apparently both were quite extensive with Esholt having some 22 miles of track and sidings, in both standard and 2ft narrow-gauge track. I have little information on Knostrop and its system. Over the years Esholt had 13 standard gauge steam locomotives - between 1878 and 1958.Can anyone please help with additional information, large scale maps showing the site and the rail lines or better still old photographs showing the locomotives at work. Anything of interest and on topic gratefully appreciated.Best regards fromG G

Skrappy · Post by **Skrappy** » Sun 23 Dec, 2007 11:40 pm

Ehyup,I work at Knostrop will have a look see if there is any info for you, also check out North Bierley Stw they had a Hunslet loco that as far as i know is still running on a light railway in wales.RegardsSK

rikj · Post by **rikj** » Mon 24 Dec, 2007 11:20 pm

I think there may be some stuff at the Industrial Railway Society, but you probably have it already.Couple of pics here, with the promise of more, so might be worth getting in touch.http://www.sharpos-world.co.uk/mainindx ... /page2.htm

Green Godess · Post by **Green Godess** » Thu 27 Dec, 2007 7:09 pm

Hello Ehyup,I would appreciate anything you can find out about the railway system. Seems a shame so much of this has vanished with little or no record, which is why I'm trying to research it, so that hopefully it'll not be forgotten forever.I'm sure many members of this group will concur that so much of our past and heritage have been lost forever with little or no documented history, just the memories of those still alive.Seasons Greetings to you all fromG G

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Fri 28 Dec, 2007 11:03 pm

Green Godess wrote: Hi folks,I'm conducting some research into the private railways that once served the sewage works at Esholt & Knostrop, apparently both were quite extensive with Esholt having some 22 miles of track and sidings, in both standard and 2ft narrow-gauge track. I have little information on Knostrop and its system. Over the years Esholt had 13 standard gauge steam locomotives - between 1878 and 1958.Can anyone please help with additional information, large scale maps showing the site and the rail lines or better still old photographs showing the locomotives at work. Anything of interest and on topic gratefully appreciated.Best regards fromG G darn it - can't find my Godfrey map for 1908 for knowsthorpe.In 1935 there was an extensive colliery railway at Knowsthorpe but it was connected with the Waterloo pit and the Hunslet goods yard.One solitary line seems to pass by the sewage works.Knowing not much about this, can we assume that dried out sewage was loaded to wagons and distributed to agriculture??In any case it would seem the local railways and colliery extensions served Knowsthorpe?????? So no real private railway?? Just a joint effort.....

big s · Post by **big s** » Fri 28 Dec, 2007 11:43 pm

seem to remember in the 60s as a young lad we would go down by the river past thwaite gate,knostrop and skelton grange and there was a lot of narrow gauge lines running along there.the main attraction was a small flat truck we could push up to speed and jump on for a ride.i thought i read somewhere that the minature railway at kirkstall got some track and rolling stock from knostrop.

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Sun 30 Dec, 2007 10:09 pm

big s wrote: seem to remember in the 60s as a young lad we would go down by the river past thwaite gate,knostrop and skelton grange and there was a lot of narrow gauge lines running along there.the main attraction was a small flat truck we could push up to speed and jump on for a ride.i thought i read somewhere that the minature railway at kirkstall got some track and rolling stock from knostrop. Jeez I forgot about Skelton Grange power station. It must have had the colliery railway serving it? All i have is my 1935 map and as I said sewage works at knowsthorpe were served (because of the proximity of the line on the map I assume this) by the colliery railwayfrom Ponte Lane to Dam pit.I now see that there was a second sewage works at that time which is the bigger one on Ponte Lane. The parks pit of the waterloo colliery was just beyond those works and bride pit just before so again the sewage works had colliery railways running by it.

grumpytramp · Post by **grumpytramp** » Sun 30 Dec, 2007 11:55 pm

You will find some useful source material in back issues of Irwell Press excellent Bylines Magazine (see http://www.irwellpress.co.uk/BYLINES%20 ... GAZINE.HTM ) and the following articles are in their catalogue (prefix L is for letter in response to article)RAILWAY BYLINES VOL.1Esholt Sewage Works 114, L-239RAILWAY BYLINES Vol.5Knostrop Sewage Works 378, L-434 RAILWAY BYLINES Vol.6Knostrop Sewage Works L-46 You may also find of interest the book "Hidden beneath our feet -Story of Sewerage in Leeds" by David Sellars which is out of print but available from the author see http://www.dsellers.demon.co.uk/sewers/hidden.pdf

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Mon 31 Dec, 2007 12:35 am

grumpytramp wrote: You will find some useful source material in back issues of Irwell Press excellent Bylines Magazine (see http://www.irwellpress.co.uk/BYLINES%20 ... GAZINE.HTM ) and the following articles are in their catalogue (prefix L is for letter in response to article)RAILWAY BYLINES VOL.1Esholt Sewage Works 114, L-239RAILWAY BYLINES Vol.5Knostrop Sewage Works 378, L-434 RAILWAY BYLINES Vol.6Knostrop Sewage Works L-46 You may also find of interest the book "Hidden beneath our feet -Story of Sewerage in Leeds" by David Sellars which is out of print but available from the author see http://www.dsellers.demon.co.uk/sewers/hidden.pdf Great stuff!!!!I'd be fascinated with what this reference material says. have you seen it GT?

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Mon 31 Dec, 2007 12:50 am

grumpytramp wrote: You will find some useful source material in back issues of Irwell Press excellent Bylines Magazine (see http://www.irwellpress.co.uk/BYLINES%20 ... GAZINE.HTM ) and the following articles are in their catalogue (prefix L is for letter in response to article)RAILWAY BYLINES VOL.1Esholt Sewage Works 114, L-239RAILWAY BYLINES Vol.5Knostrop Sewage Works 378, L-434 RAILWAY BYLINES Vol.6Knostrop Sewage Works L-46 You may also find of interest the book "Hidden beneath our feet -Story of Sewerage in Leeds" by David Sellars which is out of print but available from the author see http://www.dsellers.demon.co.uk/sewers/hidden.pdf Just read through Sellars stuff - fascinating - thanks.....Try it everyone!!