Barnoldswick railway station
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Barnoldswick railway station was the only railway station on the Midland Railway's 1 mile 64 chains long Barnoldswick Branch in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The line left the Skipton to Colne Branch at Barnoldswick Junction 55 chains from Earby Railway Station. (Barnoldswick has been in the Pendle District of Lancashire since 1974).
Contents |
[edit] Opening
The line was built by the Barnoldswick Railway Company and worked by the Midland Railway from its opening on 8th February 1871. The Midland absorbed the Barnoldswick Railway in 1899.
[edit] Layout
[edit] Station Area
The station was at the end of a single line branch with a single platform on which was sited the stone and wood station building. The stone part being the original Barnoldswick Company’s building, the wooden parts being added in two stages by the Midland Railway. Also on the platform was a swan-necked water crane, originally fed from a large water tank in the Coal Yard but later connected to the town supply. At the opposite end of the platform to Barnoldswick Junction was a level crossing that gave access to the Coal Yard. Steps at the platform end gave access to the level crossing, there being no ramp at this end. The level crossing had to be used to run-round any train, the gates being opened & closed by hand. It was unusual in that when closed against the railway both gates swung to cover the platform side, the goods yard being left unprotected.
[edit] Goods Yard
The Goods Yard was opposite to the platform. Against the level crossing was an end loading accessed from the run-round loop. Further from the level crossing was a large wooden goods shed that had been extended at some time and near to the station throat a platelayers hut. Near this hut the lines led off to the goods shed, a siding that stopped short of the goods shed and a further siding that extended right past the goods shed to reach Wellhouse Road. Passing under Bridge No 10 (Rainhall Road) the line entered a cutting with a crossover to the main line and the start of a long headshunt. The crossover was controlled by a 2-lever ground frame open to the elements and unlocked by the key on the end of the Branch Staff. The headshunt was also used for storing the branch passenger stock. Bridge No 9 (Rook Street) crossed both the running line and the headshunt.
[edit] Coal Yard
At one time a large iron water tank on wooden legs stood in the coal yard adjacent to Station Road and next to the level crossing. A small collection of Coal Merchants offices stood just inside the double entrance gates on an area that was part covered in setts. Only 1 siding could be accessed from the platform line so as to allow locomotives to run-round. All the others could only be accessed from the run-round loop. The 1892 Ordnance Survey map shows the goods yard to have been very short with a total of 4 sidings. The 1909 map shows that 3 of the sidings have been doubled in length. They were extended again in 1913 as near as they could be to Skipton Road. This extension was built on an embankment so advantage of this was taken to build coal drops with road access from Skipton Road. A ground frame in a standard Midland Railway hut was situated just inside the goods yard near the level crossing but on the opposite side of the tracks to the coal offices. There was also a small engine shed built by 1880 that was a sub-shed to Skipton shed but this had closed by July 1912 to make way for extra coal sidings.
[edit] Signalling
Despite the station's size there was never a signal box. At the end of the platform was the only signal, a single crossbar stop signal topped by a lamp. This was hand operated from the base of the post and was not interlocked to any points or the level crossing gates. This signal however, for quite a period, was seldom used.
[edit] Traffic
The 1881 timetable shows that all trains were ‘mixed’ i.e. comprised of both passenger and goods stock. 8 trains were run each way with no Sunday service. The first train left Barnoldswick at 7.35am and arrived at Earby at 7.43am. The last train left Earby at 6.50pm and arrived at Barnoldswick at 7.00pm. The locomotive for these trains was shedded at Barnoldswick. Advertised excursions at this time show trains running from Barnoldswick to Leeds (en route to Scarborough) and back. Also the L&YR ran excursions from Barnoldswick to Colne (en route to Blackpool) and back. These later trains saw L&YR engines and stock at Barnoldswick.
The 1903 timetable showed the number of trains as 11 during the week with 2 extra late trains on a Saturday from Barnoldswick and 10 during the week with 2 extra late trains on a Saturday from Earby. Whether these trains were still mixed trains isn’t known.
The 1911 timetable shows a more frequent but complicated service with most trains running as passenger only, the actual number of trains varying depending on the day of the week. 2 trains ran each way as mixed and there was 2 goods trains to, and 3 from, Barnoldswick. Sundays saw 5 passenger and 2 mixed trains to Barnoldswick with 6 passenger trains from but no mixed trains.
The 1921 service was as frequent as the 1911 but simplified.
(To be continued)
[edit] Locomotives and Stock
(To be added)
[edit] Last Trains
The last passenger train ran on 25th September 1965. The last coal train ran on 30th July 1966.
[edit] Trivia
The goods yard was one of the few places where the Midland Railway officially allowed its locomotives to tow wagons on an adjacent line by rope.
[edit] Post-Closure
The station was subsequently demolished, a supermarket and car park being built on the site. The coal yard is now landscaped and a new road built across it. The goods yard wall is still standing and is the car park boundary. The platform retaining wall can be seen down the side of the supermarket. Above this wall the former Station Master's house built by the LMS is still occupied. The town War Memorial was moved down from Letcliffe Park and onto the area of the platform gates.
[edit] References
- Binns, Donald (1995) "The Skipton-Colne Railway and The Barnoldswick Branch", Trackside Publications, Skipton, N. Yorkshire, UK. ISBN 1-900095-00-9
- ”Midland Record”, Editor – Bob Essery, Wild Swan Publications, Didcot, Wilts, UK. ISBN 9-771357-639007 (Numbers 7 & 10)
[edit] External Links
- Railway section of a Local chat forum - One Guy from Barlick[1]
- Railway section of another Local chat forum [2] (Scroll down past the Questionaire).
[edit] Photos Links
Photos of the Station and Junction captioned by local railway historian Robin Higgins[3]
| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earby | Barnoldswick Branch |
(Terminus) | ||
 |
This article or section is currently in the middle of an expansion or major revamping. However, you are welcome to assist in its construction by editing it as well. Please view the edit history should you wish to contact the person who placed this template. If this article has not been edited in a while please remove this template. While actively editing, consider adding {{inuse}} to reduce edit conflicts. |
