Loose_Grip/Pete's photos with the keyword: Line

No, it's not some long-lost Byzantine or Roman ruins in the middle of the former West Riding but the architecture is almost as impressive in my opinion. It is, in fact, a masterpiece of Victorian engineering, the Heckmondwike - and what a great Yorkshire name that is - railway Cutting on the former LNWR Leeds New Line opened in 1900. Three of the 6 bridges over the deep stone-walled cutting are in this view. The route was also referred to as the Spen Line. Despite the expenditure and effort, after the 1923 Grouping & nationalisation it was considered as an unnecessary duplicate of the LYR/LNWR line to Leeds. Passenger services ceased in the 1950s with full closure in stages between 1960 and 1990. Today it is a cycle and footpath known as the Spen Valley Ringway. The houses just in view through the last bridge were built on the site of Heckmondwike Spen station which closed in 1953. HWW to everyone. Have a great day.

The end of the Line! And what a line it used to be! The Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway, later MSLR/GCR/LNER/BR, Woodhead Route opened through Hadfield in 1845 and was a major trans-Pennine transport link for nearly 140 years. Approved by the LNER pre-war the line was finally electrified by BR at 1500 vDC in 1955. It was the most modern railway in Britain at the time but was unfortunately the only main line using 1.5 kVDC and this system was soon superseded by the later network standard of 25 kV AC. When the infrastructure needed upgrading the decision was made to close the line instead and all traffic between Hadfield and Penistone ceased in 1981. The Manchester commuter lines were eventually upgraded to 25 kV AC and trains still run to Hadfield & Glossop via Dinting Junction. Interestingly the original 70-year old overhead structures have been reused...

The train now departing. The Battlefield Line ran its Santa trains from November 2021and the motive power was visiting Western Manor 4-6-0 7822 Foxcote Manor in BR black livery. Here the train approaches the foot crossing at the south end of the station. HFF to everyone & have a great weekend.

Any colour as long as it's black... Visiting Great Western Manor 4-6-0 7822 Foxcote Manor prepares to depart from Shenton the southern terminus of the Battlefield Line.

Great Western Railway Modified Hall 4-6-0 6989 Wightwick Hall departing southwards from Market Bosworth. The loco is visiting the Battlefield Line from Quainton. This preserved line runs from Shackerstone to Shenton over part of the old Ashby and Nuneaton Joint Railway opened in 1873 and closed in 1970 .

I'm not a bus-lover but this brought back childhood memories. At North Weald we transferred to 1950-built Green Line RT 3238, registration KYY 967, for the journey back to Epping LT station. We then decided to go the whole hog and stay onboard to sample the journey by RT to Shenfield station on the Liverpool Street to Ipswich main line. In what looks like an everyday scene RT 3238 emerges from under the main line railway bridge on Hutton Road by Shenfield station. For a 69 year old vehicle it felt modern inside and was very smooth running.