Bantamzen
Established Member
No. Rumours persist about a new station somewhere on the incline out of the Interchange around an area where nobody would ever use a new station. But rest assured it'll never happen, its just a hangover from NPR.
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Wortley Curve West Yorkshire
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Halifaxlad
Established Member
So you would rather leave freight on a congested two track section between Ravensthorpe & Leeds, send them through Leeds station then on a congested two track viaduct, (potentially 3/4 track eventually to West of Garforth) to then continue on a congested two track line to Church Fenton ?
yoyothehobo
Member
- Joined
- 21 Aug 2015
- Messages
- 555
But it already goes via Castleford without needing a new curve to send freight up towards Wakefield on the ECML and also ruin all the services between Halifax and Leeds via Bradford.
YorkRailFan
On Moderation
Disused rail line sells at auction for £47,000
The Wortley Curve – a disused stretch of rail line that was once a key part of Bradford’s rail links - has been sold at auction for £47,000.
Apologies for using a Telegraph Article. A lot of things up in the air for the Curve, such as who bought it and what will they do with the Curve.
fishwomp
Member
Eh? No. Calder Valley -> Brighouse -> Mirfield -> Wakefield K -> Normanton -> Castleford -> York.
dpemberton
Member
Disused rail line sells at auction for £47,000
The Wortley Curve – a disused stretch of rail line that was once a key part of Bradford’s rail links - has been sold at auction for £47,000.www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk
Apologies for using a Telegraph Article. A lot of things up in the air for the Curve, such as who bought it and what will they do with the Curve.
They didn't buy the bridges nor the right to pass over or under them; so it could be hard to use it as a railway line.
Iskra
Established Member
Bought by Network Rail
www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk
Mystery buyer of disused Wortley Curve is revealed
THE long-disused Wortley Curve seems to have been safeguarded for any future rail use after Network Rail revealed they purchased the land at auction…
THE long-disused Wortley Curve seems to have been safeguarded for any future rail use after Network Rail revealed they purchased the land at auction this week.
The stretch of rail line in Leeds was once key in linking the Bradford to Wakefield without having to travel to Leeds city centre.
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The stretch of line was closed in 1985, but there have been calls to re-open the link to improve services to and from Bradford.
But any future proposals for the curve seemed to be in jeopardy when, earlier this week the land went to auction with a guide price of just £15,000.
It had been listed by Railway Paths Ltd, a charity that owns and manages former railway land.
When the auction ended yesterday it emerged that the lot had sold for £47,000 – but there were no details about the successful buyer.
Now Network Rail – which owns and manages rail infrastructure - has told the Telegraph & Argus that it is the new owner of the Wortley Curve.
The T&A had made enquiries over the purchase, and this afternoon a Network Rail spokesperson said: “We can confirm that Network Rail has purchased the land at the former Wortley Curve. Plans for the future usage of the site continue to be discussed internally and with stakeholders."
YorkRailFan
On Moderation
Does Network Rail own the surrounding bridges?Bought by Network Rail
Mystery buyer of disused Wortley Curve is revealed
THE long-disused Wortley Curve seems to have been safeguarded for any future rail use after Network Rail revealed they purchased the land at auction…
YorksLad12
Established Member
Both admirable suggestions. I thought of craning in a Pacer and setting fire to it. A sort of Wicker Man meets the KLF burning a million quid. Four-part Netflix series, they'll show anything.Says a lot when the consensus on the forum is that the best use for an old railway alignment is to harvest the knotweed and sell Jam.
I guess its some form of preservation society
We do need a forumwide tier list to rate reopening potential of lines on, the "less useful than Jam" tier sounds special...
That certainly does like something Network Rail would do...
Iskra
Established Member
I’m sure they have the ability to acquire them if they wished, but I doubt it’s going to be needed any time soon!
dpemberton
Member
Railway Paths is an independent charity. We own and manage former railway land to provide paths suitable for cycling, walking, horse riding and wheel-chair use. You can find a map of our land here. Typically, we maintain the original railway structures and our tenants build and manage paths. To pay for the structures maintenance we raise money through the sale of land and easements, and heritage grants.
As Network Rail has publicly said they were the purchaser, I'm happy to confirm this, and that they didn't buy the bridges or any rights to pass over or under the two bridges. We will continue to maintain the bridges, but our maintenance regime is safety and not original design strength.
As Network Rail has publicly said they were the purchaser, I'm happy to confirm this, and that they didn't buy the bridges or any rights to pass over or under the two bridges. We will continue to maintain the bridges, but our maintenance regime is safety and not original design strength.
jpaul81
Member
- Joined
- 5 May 2019
- Messages
- 9
The long-disused Wortley Curve seems to have been safeguarded for any future rail use after Network Rail revealed they purchased the land at auction this week.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyjk8pd4r34o
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyjk8pd4r34o
quantinghome
Established Member
- Joined
- 1 Jun 2013
- Messages
- 2,265
Great to hear Network Rail have bought it. I will have to ask them for a knotweed jam making franchise...
Had they, or a predecessor, sold it off initially,when perhaps it was tumbleweedy and not needed, before it became knotweeded?
Must knotweed be controlled or eradicated like ragwort, or can it be 'contained'? Either way now a liability, as well as opportunity.
Kingston Dan
Member
Economic booms are more often than not caused by infrastructure investment rather than random market forces.
There is no Network North.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Glad to hear it's Network Rail who have bought it rather than a more cash-strapped body such as the West Yorkshire Combined Authority or one of the councils.
Still a long way from being a viable reopening prospect even leaving the knotweed issue aside, due to the knock-on effects that would come from pathing services that way.
Still a long way from being a viable reopening prospect even leaving the knotweed issue aside, due to the knock-on effects that would come from pathing services that way.
Pretty much all (if not literally all, as I suspect) cross-Pennine freight runs via Healey Mills not Dewsbury, and avoids Leeds entirely.
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Halifaxlad
Established Member
I don't know what it is but I have quite often seen freight services head through Leeds.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
They don't come from the Morley direction though.
quantinghome
Established Member
- Joined
- 1 Jun 2013
- Messages
- 2,265
It's got to be controlled - you can be prosecuted for causing it to spread.
Unfortunately there is knotweed all over the railway network so NR are probably best placed to deal with it.
AFAIUI the Wortley Curve was held by BRB (Residuary) Ltd, which was responsible for all the residual bits of British Rail post-privatisation - including pensions and non-operational property. Some of this property was then transferred to "Railway Paths Ltd." which worked closely with Sustrans. Quite how the Wortley Curve ended up with them I don't know - it has no obvious role as a pedestrian or cycle route.
Halifaxlad
Established Member
Id be more interested in how it ended up with the BRB especially if it wasnt lawfully closed.
I’ve often thought that the empty formation left when the line up to Bramley was reduced from four tracks to two would make an excellent cycle path (or tram route!), perhaps a better investment than the cycle track built next to the main road a few years back - fully away from the road without conflicts at junctions etc, and with a gentle gradient. I guess they’d need a decent fence to protect the adjacent active railway from trespass and vandalism. The Wortley curve could have linked this to the proposed Holbeck ‘high line’ cycle track on the viaduct into the centre, though I think they’re keen to retain that for potential rail use.
It might have made a decent walking route towards Elland Road, quite a lot of people walk over there from the area for matches.
Halifaxlad
Established Member
I do also feel that the section which used to be four track is underutilized I have also previously thought about that section being used for trams although Im inclined to think it should be reinstated as four track to Bramley, with the station rebuilt so that the platforms are on the outside to facilitate fast lines down the middle. Also so you could build a station at Armley without affecting other services. I don't know how this would affect the Wortley curve thou although it depends what it would be used for.
Justin Smith
Member
What about an open access operator, e.g. GC Trains ?
It'd be much faster than via Halifax but at the same time LNER could not accuse it of abstracting fare income (from Leeds).
Incidentally is 1975 a significant date in Wortley Curve's history ?
I do not understand why (could have been a typo) but I have 1975 and 1985 as the date of its closure in various books I have annotated. Was 1975 when it was OOU and 1985 when it closed ?
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GC is about connectivity to London from various places such as Halifax/Brighouse/Mirfield. Why should they miss out on a direct service to London just to make it quicker from Bradford?
GC’s business plan is based on connectivity from these areas of Calderdale and Kirklees. It makes no sense for them to lose this business (and ultimately money).
fishwomp
Member
The further from Leeds you get (eg. Halifax, Brighouse, Pontefract) the more value the journey time has (as you're nearer London, and the journey to Leeds/Wakefield and connection takes extra time) vs LNER, on the other hand by catchment Bradford is the largest stop. I imagine it's loads disproportionately better at stops other than Bradford, but have never been on it to know.
In 1981 the Bradford Executive ran on it:
07:40 Bradford "Exchange" (I thought the name change was earlier than that, the station had already moved to the Interchange site in 1973).
07:49 New Pudsey
08:09 Wakefield Westgate
08:35 Doncaster
09:30 Peterborough
10:20 Kings Cross
Today's 07:58 GC service arrives Kings Cross at 11:14, via the scenic route.