Hull and Barnsley Railway
Encyclopedia
The Hull Barnsley & West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company (HB&WRJR&DCo.) was opened on 20 July 1885. It had a total projected length of 66 miles but never reached Barnsley
, stopping a few miles short at Stairfoot
. The name was changed to The Hull and Barnsley Railway (H&BR) in 1905. Its Alexandra Dock in Hull
opened 16 July 1885.
The main line ran from Hull to Cudworth
, with two other lines branching off at Wrangbrook Junction, the South Yorkshire Junction Railway
to Denaby, and The Hull & South Yorkshire Extension Railway
, an eight-mile branch to Wath-upon-Dearne
, opened 31 March 1902. The company also had joint running powers on the Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Railway
(Gowdall and Braithwell Railway).
Before the Grouping
of 1923, the line was taken over by the North Eastern Railway
. Following incorporation into the LNER, duplicated infrastructure was closed or reduced in function - notably Cannon Street station
and the Springhead Locomotive Works.
Closure of the greater part of the main line itself came during the time of British Railways. As of 2011 the elevated line in Hull with some of the extensions and alterations added by the NER and LNER are still in use and referred to as the Hull Docks Branch and has the Engineers' Line Reference
of HJS.
Goole had risen from nothing as a port on the Ouse with the creation of the Knottingley to Goole Canal in 1826 by the Aire and Calder Canal Company; the port, built to generous specifications rapidly gained inward and outward trade - much to the chagrin of Hull, and spurred the development of the extension of the Leeds to Selby Railway to Hull which opened in 1840. Additionally the North Eastern Railway - which had a monopoly on rail transport to Hull prevented other rail companies investing there, and so Goole gained its own railway by the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway (Later part of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway) in 1848. A custom built railway dock, as well the use of specialised coal barges and unloading facilities, as well as the backing of the Aire and Calder Canal company made it a very viable competitor to Hull for trade.
Additionally as a competitor to the port of Hull (and equally well placed for European trade), Grimsby began to grow after the 1840s when the Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway Company built a rail connection, and the Royal Dock was completed in 1852.
Hull had expanded rapidly during the 18th century with shipping tonnages increasing over ten times in that period, and numerous docks supplementing and connecting Old Dock (Queen's dock) being built by the Dock company in the 19th : Humber dock (Prince's dock) 1809, Junction dock 1829, by 1846 Railway dock connected to the Hull & Selby Railway (later part of the NER), as well as Victoria dock (1850), Albert dock (1869) and St. Andrews Dock (1883). Despite all this activity the Dock company was criticised for lack of action - specifically with regard to construction of facilities that would make Hull a foremost coal exporting port. Additionally the NER whose interests in the north east of England were in competition with Hull, and which held a monopoly on rail transport to Hull was viewed with mistrust, suspicion, dissatisfaction and even hate schemes for independent railways or a company other than the NER were proposed to build a line to Hull, including bridge over, and tunnels under the Humber were being actively promoted by Hull merchants.
The situation became untenable when in 1872 with the NER refusing or unable to transport shipments from the port, deliverys of fish delayed, and a general traffic jam on the railsThe running powers granted by the NER to the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
to its goods depot at Kingston Street (1873) in Hull may have exacerbated the situation.The Railways of Hull, C.T.Goode, p. 22 :
The plans finally found fruition in 1880 in the charge of Col. Gerald Smith (a Hull banker) and through the cooperation of the Hull Corporation (including sale of land to the railway, and an investment of £100,000 As part of the Hull Corporation's involvement with the scheme came the power to veto any joint workings with other railway companies or selling or leasing of land, and despite the opposition of the NER (which had been instrumental in blocking previous plans); the Bill of Parliament being passed with minor alterations on 26 August 1880. The company The Hull, Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company (actually formed 1879) began work on the new line and associated deep water dock which was completed by 1885.
and Lucas Brothers
).
The line was one of the earlier built with the aid of steam navvies. The spoil excavated by men and machines from tunnels and cuttings was used to build embankments elsewhere Around 8,000 navvies, including both Scots and Irish as well as English, were employed in the constructions; the largest concentration of which was to be found at Riplingham
(near to the Drewton tunnel). The average wage was 15 shillings for a 58 hour week.
The Weedley Tunnel
was not originally planned; the track was to skirt the hill to the south. However unstable ground meant that the line tunnelled through the hill instead. The South Kirby tunnel passed through Magnesian Limestone to reach the lower beds of Sandstone, and Clay. Excavation of tunnels and cuttings included the practice of tunnelling into the rock, placing charges then moving up the contractors wagons and detonating the charges so that the blasted rock would fall into the wagons.
One of the notable features of the line was the number of bridges it required, this was due to the elevated nature of the Hull section where it crossed both roads, waterways, and the NER. Additionally, being built after the Railway Mania
of the 1840s it had to cross numerous already existent lines in southern Yorkshire. Over one hundred bridges were required with over 20 within the urban area of Hull.C.T. Goode in Railways of Hull quotes a figure of 35 within the town boundary but undated, whilst G.D. Parkes (The Hull and Barnsley Railway) notes nine substantial underline bridges ... in the first four miles. A survey using Ordnance Survey
maps of the period shows that there were more than 20 within the urbanised area. Later developments in Hull led to the construction or alteration of further bridges.
The majority (eighty eight) of the bridges were of plate girder construction with usually three plate sides (one central) supporting cross beams on which the track was supported. For longer spans a girder "N" truss design was usedA close variation or example of the Pratt truss These larger bridges incorporate rollers on one end to allow for the thermal expansion of the bridge For other long spans, and for the two swing bridges on the line (Ouse and Hull bridges) open girder truss of approximately parabolic shape (open truss bowstring) were used. Both swing bridges were manufactured by Messrs. Handyside of Derby.
In addition to wrought iron bridges brick arches were also used, both for crossing small dykes and country lanes, as well as the abutments to bridges and in place of embankments on short sections between bridges.
At Beverley Road, Willerby & Kirkella, North Cave and Wallingfen were two story buildings with the upper story accessing the embanked track. Stations were built in the English Queen Anne revival style - with decorative external brick courses between floors and brick lintels, minor embellishments on other brick structures such as bridge buttresses roughly echoed the same style.
In July 1884 work stopped for 5 months due to failure to raise funds through a share issue to pay the workers. Parliament allowed the additional debts to be taken in order for the work to continue, by completion the total share issue was £6,000,000 and the loans £3,500,000. At this point the line was almost complete but the subsequent cost cutting meant that the planned grand terminus close to the centre of Hull was never built.
; a goods station and also the passenger terminus, and Neptune Street goods station; the main goods terminus.
The HB&WRJR&DCo's main asset was Alexandra dock. At the time of its construction it was the largest in Britain at 46.5 acre (188,179 m²) and was expanded by 7 acre (28,328 m²) in 1889. The entrance lock was 550 ft (167.6 m) long at 85 ft (25.9 m) wide. Two graving docks, one 500 ft (152.4 m) long and 60 ft (18.3 m) wide, the other a little bigger were also built at the northeast corner of the dock. Its primary purpose was the export of coal, in the opposite direction pit props, as well as cut wood were transported. Distances on the line (mileposts) were measured from Alexandra dock, and the up direction was from Hull to Barnsley. From here the track rose, joining the embankment and crossed Hedon RoadThe A1033 beginning its curved route round Hull by numerous bridges crossing roads, drains, and the North Eastern Railways own track; the first major crossing after Hedon Road being the NER's Hull to Witherensea line. Next was a minor goods yard was situated at Burleigh street, then the Foredyke Stream (a drainage canal) and the NER's Hull to Hornsea line were crossed close together. The line then crossed the river Hull at the Hull Bridge, and then branches (from the down direction) serving Sculcoates goods yard (southward) and the British Gas Light Company's gas works (northward). Westward from Sculcoates goods yard a spur ran backwards to serve Hull Corporation's own Electricity power plant (opened 1895). After Sculcoates junction and the Beverley and Barmston drain came Beverley Road junction where the line from Cannon Street station coming from the southeast joined the westward travelling main line.
The branch to Cannon Street station first passed Beverley Road station, almost immediately after the junction. Beverley Road station was a two-story building with the upper story accessing the embanked track.The far side platforms at Beverley Road were accessed by a brick-lined (and tiled?) passenger tunnel (subway) under the embankment, still in existence in 2010 but closed, the line then curved south and after a 1 in 50 descent reached the level again and terminated at Cannon Street. Initially Cannon Street was intended to be a carriage shed with the main station building situated closer to the centre of town at Charlotte street near Kingston Square where the company's offices where located.http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/museumcollections/collections/search-results/display.php?keywordsorig=black&titleorig=&personorig=&placeorig=&dateorig=&materialorig=&accessionnumberorig=&collectionorig=&museumorig=&keywords=hull+barnsley&SearchSubmit_x=0&SearchSubmit_y=0&SearchSubmit=Search&newsearch=new&title=&person=&place=&date=&material=&accessionnumber=&collectionall=all&museumall=all&location=any&EMUSESSID=lo4us1vlgkniriaffnlta5s8k5&portal=9.0.3+en-gb+us+UNITED+KINGDOM+81C6BA0508EF25AEE0440003BAC324B1+9279308B58A10CA89B1C9F8D09183313D14391C387A41E67B0D3BA778F5798E2CCE7AD5A317F8C47B6E7DA1009767E3B2926C9A443E025D39B94D8CD12A85BC1DD30488F0E6DC65E1EFFF1C3AE4D2284A8F321467E713662&ImagesOnly=yes&Sender=List&Page=1&irn=54878The Hull and Barnsley Railway Company's Offices, Charlotte Street] Hull Museums Collection, www.hullcc.gov.uk Lack of funds, and the expense of purchasing expensive real estate in the centre of the town meant that Cannon Street became the main terminus. The station was in one of the most densely populated areas of the town, close to the river and its associated seed oil and varnish works, the buildings quickly constructed of wood, and surrounded by the company's own coal yards, all of which would have given a poor impression compared to the facilities offered by the NER.
From Beverley Road junction the main line continued west crossing Newland Avenue, and the NER's Hull to Cottingham line before reaching a triangle of track (or Wye) where a line turned south to terminate at Neptune Street goods station.
Before reaching Neptune Street a smaller goods station at Dairycoates branched to the east of the north–south track. Before reaching Neptune street the line curved east and crossed the NER's main line to Paragon Station at Hessle road junction by an open girder truss bowstring bridge.
From the wye of track at Springbank junctions on the route towards Barnsley the line continued west past the Springhead works. The works were built on greenfield land north of the main line outside the urbanisation of Hull, and expanded considerably post opening At Springhead south of the main line there was a through goods loop which also gave access to considerable sidings operated from 1908 onwards. From the Springhead yard Hull Corporation's Springhead Waterworks was supplied with coal to power its steam-driven pumping engine.
by a brick viaductEppleworth viaduct with train passing Hull museums collection, www.hullcc,gov.uk (locally known as "five arches"). From here the line rose to Little Weighton station via a 83 ft deep cutting. Then the line reached a high point of 262 ft (79.9 m) after inclines of up to 1 in 100 before entering the 2116 yards (1,934.9 m) Drewton tunnel
after which the descent grade is 1 in 150 for seven miles, passing though Sugar Loaf Tunnel
and Weedley Tunnel
further west, both shorter tunnels of 132 yards (120.7 m) and then South Cave station and North Cave station.
Beyond North Cave the land is flat, and the line turned steadily southwest aiming for Barnsley, passing through Newport, then Sandholme, then Eastrington station before passing over the NER's Hull to Selby line followed by Howden and Barmby stations. The next major obstacle of the River Ouse
was crossed by a swing bridge. The minor station of Drax preceded a crossing under the NER's Selby to Goole line
after which was Carlton station and then the first of the junctions with other Railways through which the Hull and Barnsley obtained much of its traffic.
, a branch heading north-south joined the line at Aire junction; this was jointly operated by the H&BR and Great Central Railway
which opened in 1916 and was known as the Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Line
.
Less than a mile southwest of Aire junction a westward junction (Gowdall junction) connected the H&BR to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
(L&YR) at Hensall junction via a short chord. The main line continued southwest and crossed over the same L&Y line (the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway then owned by the L&YR). About a mile further on the line crossed over the NER main line to Selby (the former East Coast Main Line
via Shaftholme
and Selby
. The line then crossed the Knottingley and Goole Canal, then went over another L&YR line (connecting Knottingley to Shaftholme junction) before arriving in Kirk Smeaton station
.
After Kirk Smeaton the terrain becomes hilly again, but with Magnesian Limestone (see Dolostone
) replacing the softer chalk
found in the Wolds; after a cutting the line entered the 1226 yards (1,121.1 m) South Kirby Tunnel (commonly known as the Barnsdale Tunnel) before reaching Wrangbrook Junction. Here the South Yorkshire Junction Railway
(opened 1894) branched south and then southeast ultimately for Denaby
, whilst The Hull & South Yorkshire Extension Railway
(opened 1902) branched soon after travelling roughly south towards Wath, whilst the line heading for Barnsley continued roughly westsouthwest.
After Upton the line crossed over the Swinton and Knottingley joint line
(Midland
and North Eastern
railways), shortly after a branch west from Hemsworth East junction connected the line to the West Riding and Grimsby joint line which was operated by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire
(after 1897 the Great Central
) and Great Northern
railways; which was then passed over by the continuation of the H&BR main line. The next station was Hemsworth.
The final tunnel on the line was Brierly tunnel which is 685 yards (626.4 m) long. The line then passed westward through Brierly junction where a southward-turning chord connected with the Dearne Valley line
on which the H&BR had running powers. A northward continuation of the Dearne Valley line was then passed under.
Finally Cudworth was reached: first was Cudworth Goods station; then Cudworth North junction, where the line split into two main branches; a third branch west joined the Midland Railway via goods exchange sidings. The westernmost of the two main branches crossed the Midland Line by girder truss bridge, then a spur to Monk Bretton station
left west, whilst the final part of the line continued to Stairfoot junction where it joined the Great Central main line. The easterly branch ran to Cudworth station where there was a platform, but no connection.
The line's second locomotive depot was found at Cudworth, as well as marshalling yards. The whole main line as built was double tracked.
for a possible merger. Reasonable terms were made, but the proposal was rejected by the shareholders of the Hull company. An amalgamation by the NER itself was then proposed, which would have included the NER paying off the HB&WRJR&DCo.'s debts; this scheme too was rejected.
The Hull and Barnsley, unable to pay its debts, went into receivership for two years until 1889. The Hull Dock Company amalgamated with the NER in the early 1893 - requiring another act of parliament - one condition of which was that in the event of the NER building another dock in Hull (which had already been planned in 1891 as part of an unsuccessful merger attempt between the H,B&WRJ and the NER),) the Hull and Barnsley should give its consent, and be able to make the new dock a joint operation between the two railway companies. Additionally an agreement was reached that there would be no reduction in dock duties without prior agreement or discussion.
In 1894 the South Yorkshire Junction Railway
opened. Though independent, it was worked by Hull and Barnsley engines, and connected the company to more collieries.
In the following years of the 1890s various proposals, including another to merge the NER and HB&WRJR&DCo., and others for expansion of the Hull docks came, but were blocked by one party's interests or another's. Finally in 1899 both railway companies had agreed to the construction of a new dock, to the east of Alexandra dock, access to which was from the HB&WRJ's elevated line via an extension from Alexandra dock, and from a joint line branching off the H&BR at Bridges Junction.
In 1902 an extension from Wrangbrook junction opened, connecting to Wath and further collieries. From 1905 cooperation with the Midland allowed trains to run all the way to Sheffield via Cudworth. For these express trains bogie coaches were purchased and M. Stirling's 4-4-0 tender locomotives used. From 1907 at Sandholme there were marshalling yards and a turntable, enabling freight trains to be split in two for the steep section towards Hull into the Wolds hills.
After exiting receivership, the fortunes of the Hull and Barnsley recovered and it began to pay reasonable dividends on ordinary stock. In 1905 the Hull Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company officially changed its named to the shorter Hull and Barnsley Railway. The same year running powers were obtained and a junction made with the Dearne Valley Railway
. Also in that year the National Radiator company opened in Hull The site was served by a siding from Ella street on the H&BR line, as well as being accessed by a siding from the NER on the Hull to Bridlington line, forming a non-official line link between the networks of H&BR and NER.
Construction of the new dock - "King George V dock" - was completed by 1914.
In 1916 the Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Railway
opened, adding to the number of collieries from which the company could transport coal.
(Locomotive Superintendent of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
) who was acting as a consultant. Matthew Stirling
(son of Patrick Stirling
of 'Stirling Single'
fame) was the first and only Locomotive superintendent of the H&BR during its independence, and who undertook the rebuilding of some of Mr. Kirtley's designs, as well as contracting the construction of his own designs to various builders. His locomotives were typically domeless, and many of the original Kirtley engines were also rebuilt without domes.
Kirtley's locomotives were painted black with grey lining. Matthew Stirling subtly modified the livery - using invisible green (black except in bright sunlight) produced from a 50:50 mixture of 'drop black' and 'brunswick green'. Lining was of broad stripes of blue (Ultramarine
) with red (vermillion
) edges. The 2-4-0 and 0-6-0 tender locomotives procured by Kitley carried a small cursive monogram of the letters "HB&WRJR", other locomotives carried the initials "H&BR".
A total of 186 engines were operated by the Hull and Barnsley Railway, on merging into the NER the locomotives were briefly renumbered by adding 3000 to the original number. Following the incorporation into the LNER soon after the surviving locomotives were assigned numbers between 2405 and 2542 in no specific order. Most except the H&BR Class F3 (LNER Class N13) were withdrawn between 1930 and 1940, the B Class beginning withdrawal earlier in 1925. The last F3 was withdrawn in 1956.
ended the company's independence; from 1 April 1922 the Hull & Barnsley Railway became part of the NER. The locomotive works at Springhead was downgraded - the extent of locomotive maintenance was reduced and the carriage works closed being, skilled workers and machinery were relocated to Darlington.The closure was discussed in Parliament - with respect to the loss of skilled jobs in the Hull area. Source: Hansard
24 June 1994 (commons sitting) vol 175 cc231-3, 'Springhead locomotive works Hull', link 43 old engines were decommissioned at this time. Edward Watkin (General Manager) and Matthew Stirling also departed. Due to duplication a number of stations were renamed.Newport renamed as Wallingfen, Eastrington renamed as North Eastrington, Howden renamed as South Howden, Drax renamed as Drax Abbey, and Carlton became Carlton Towers. Source Lost Railways of North and East Yorkshire G. Suggitt, p. 143
Incorporation into the NER was just part of a larger scale of consolidation throughout the British railway system, and on 1 January 1923 the NER along with the Hull and Barnsley line became part of the London and North Eastern Railway
(LNER).
Mainline freight work commonly used the ex Great Central Robinson 2-8-0 locomotives
(later classified as LNER Class O4
). The NER Class P1
0-6-0, NER Class Y
4-6-2T, NER Class T
and NER Class T2
0-8-0 locomotives inherited from the NER also replaced Hull and Barnsley types on other freight work.
In 1929 a halt west of Springhead works and sidings was constructedThe station was added as part of the 'Hull and district interval service' - a regular service started in April 1929 in the Hull and surrounding area intended to halt a decline in passenger numbers. Source: Railways in East Yorkshire Vol.2 Editor: M.Bairstow, Section "The 1929 Hull and District Interval Service", Author : David R. Smith, pp. 21–27. The station was unstaffed, and possibly the smallest in Britain with two wooden platforms one coach in length each (25 ft). The same month the Springhead Halt opened passenger services between Wath and Kirk Smeaton ended.
Passenger services between South Howden and Cudworth ceased in 1932.
being ubiquitous. 8F
type 2-8-0 locomotives also became common on the southern sections of the line, after through working ended (1958). (A large number of the class were purchased by the LNER from the war department after world war 2, and in 1948 by the British Transport Commission
.)
In 1951 a single sided station halt (Boothferry Park Halt railway station
) was built on the branch in Hull between Springhead south junction and Neptune street to serve the Hull City Football club
(directly situated next to the line), the service ended in 1986.In 2002 Hull City moved to a new stadium rendering the halt obsolete, the old stadium "Boothferry Park
" was demolished between 2008 and 2010.
The locomotive shed at Cudworth closed in 1951.
Passenger services between Hull and South Howden ended in 1955. Through freight on the same line ended in 1958, with complete closure between Little Weighton and Wrangbrook junction in 1959. Freight working on remaining sections west of Hull (Springhead) closed completely in the next decade; the section between Moorhouse and Wrangbrook: 1963, between Little Weighton and Springhead : 1964, between Wrangbrook and both Monckton as well as Sproatbrough in 1967, Cudworth to Monckton in 1968.
In Hull the bridge over the NER main line at Hessle road was removed in 1962 and the elevated H&BR dock branch section became connected to the Hull to Selby line at Hessle road junction as part of a scheme to reduce the number of level crossings in Hull by routing all rail traffic to east Hull via the elevated Hull and Barnsley Line.
All traffic from Cudworth to Wranbrook junction ended in 1967. The branch to Cannon street closed completely in 1968. By 1970 the only parts of the line still with traffic were the Hull elevated section, and a few short sections with industrial uses. Alexandra Dock closed in the 1980s and the rail connection was removed, subsequently the dock re-opened but with out a rail connection.
Part of the elevated line to King George dock was converted to a single line in 1988 and one train working introduced, four years later increased amounts of imports; specifically coal; meant that staffed (tokenized
) working was reintroduced in 1992.
Part of the path of the line between Hensall and Drax was opened for Merry Go Round trains
to Drax Power Station in 1972, the swing bridge on the Ouse to the north east offered a link for future developments and was maintained until 1968, but was dismantled in 1976.
In 2007 over £10 million was allocated to a project to increase capacity on the former Hull and Barnsley Railway branch to the Hull docks. Network Rail
, Associated British Ports, Yorkshire Forward
, Hull City Council
and The Northern Way
were involved in funding or supporting the scheme. The work was to include partial re-doubling of the line, remedial and replacement work on the numerous bridges, and signalling upgrades, and to increase the line speed to 30 mph (48.3 km/h) except at Hull Bridge. The capacity of the line was to be increased from 10 to 22 trains in each direction.
In late 2007 the Network Rail gave the contract to GrantRail
(now VolkerRail). Work carried out included the re-instatement of a double track junction at Hessle Road (the junction with the main line, previously singled in 1984), restoration of double track from New Bridge Road to King George Dock, and removal of Ella Street bridge along with strengthening of 15 others. The upgraded line was formally opened in June 2008 by the transport minister Rosie Winterton
. Work continued on the line after the official opening; the upgraded signalling system began use in September 2008.
Work on the ABP owned portion of the track was carried out by Trackwork Ltd. of Doncaster, at a cost of over £2.5million.
was later preserved. source: It's Coming Home? www.adraper.co.uk
The cutting at Little Weighton was used after closure as a landfill facility. The same site is now used as a recycling facility.
In rural areas the embankments and earthworks remain as boundaries between fields, the trackbed west of Weedley tunnel forms part of the Yorkshire Wolds Way
and High Hunsley Circuit
walks, and a section of the embankment between Kirkella and Hull also carries a footpath whilst a section further west is covered by the B1232 road. A section over 2 miles long north of Newport
is now part of the eastern end of M62 motorway
. A number of the stations have been converted into private residences.
The areas of disused land west and east of Calvert lane in Hull (formerly Springhead works and sidings and the land between Springbank East, West and South junctions) have become a wildlife habitat, the area between the junctions being assessed as "ecologically outstanding". and are classed as Sites of nature conservance importance and is a candidate site for "Local Nature Reserve status". The disused railway bridge giving walkers access to the western site was removed in August 2009.
. No locomotives have survived.
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
, stopping a few miles short at Stairfoot
Stairfoot
Stairfoot is a village in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England.It is perhaps so named because it lies in the valley bottom between the directly opposed undulations of two small hills on the old road from Barnsley to Doncaster....
. The name was changed to The Hull and Barnsley Railway (H&BR) in 1905. Its Alexandra Dock in Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
opened 16 July 1885.
The main line ran from Hull to Cudworth
Cudworth, South Yorkshire
Cudworth is a semi-rural village on the outskirts of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. Cudworth has a busy village centre surrounded by some housing and green belt countryside...
, with two other lines branching off at Wrangbrook Junction, the South Yorkshire Junction Railway
South Yorkshire Junction Railway
The South Yorkshire Junction Railway is a railway which ran from Wrangbrook Junction on the main line of the Hull and Barnsley Railway to near Denaby in South Yorkshire. It was nominally an independent company sponsored by the Denaby and Cadeby Colliery Company but was worked by the Hull and...
to Denaby, and The Hull & South Yorkshire Extension Railway
The Hull & South Yorkshire Extension Railway
The Hull and South Yorkshire Extension Railway was incorporated on 6 August 1897 and on 25 July 1898 was transferred to the Hull and Barnsley Railway....
, an eight-mile branch to Wath-upon-Dearne
Wath-upon-Dearne
Wath-upon-Dearne is a small town on the south side of the Dearne Valley in the historic county of the West Riding of Yorkshire and the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, lying 5 miles north of Rotherham, almost midway between Barnsley and Doncaster. It has a population...
, opened 31 March 1902. The company also had joint running powers on the Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Railway
Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Railway
The Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Railway was a joint line which ran from Aire Junction, on the main line of the Hull and Barnsley Railway, near Gowdall and an end on junction with the Great Central and Midland Joint Railway at Braithwell Junction.-Description:The railway consisted of...
(Gowdall and Braithwell Railway).
Before the Grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
of 1923, the line was taken over by the North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
. Following incorporation into the LNER, duplicated infrastructure was closed or reduced in function - notably Cannon Street station
Cannon Street railway station, Hull
Cannon Street railway station was the passenger terminus in Hull of the Hull Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company, which was renamed in 1905 as the Hull and Barnsley Railway. It opened on 27 July 1885 and closed to passengers on 14 July 1924 after the London and North Eastern...
and the Springhead Locomotive Works.
Closure of the greater part of the main line itself came during the time of British Railways. As of 2011 the elevated line in Hull with some of the extensions and alterations added by the NER and LNER are still in use and referred to as the Hull Docks Branch and has the Engineers' Line Reference
Engineers line reference
An Engineers' line reference is a three or four-character code used in the British rail network to refer to a section of a track or route. These references are unique across the whole rail network, allowing identification of any part of the network...
of HJS.
Background
By the 19th century the coalfields of southern Yorkshire were producing large amounts of coal, the industrialised midland region was making manufactured goods, and the new industrial towns of the West Riding of Yorkshire and of Lancashire were producing cloth and other goods. Thus opportunities for trade, export and profit existed along the east coast of England as well as along the Humber and the tributary rivers feeding it.Goole had risen from nothing as a port on the Ouse with the creation of the Knottingley to Goole Canal in 1826 by the Aire and Calder Canal Company; the port, built to generous specifications rapidly gained inward and outward trade - much to the chagrin of Hull, and spurred the development of the extension of the Leeds to Selby Railway to Hull which opened in 1840. Additionally the North Eastern Railway - which had a monopoly on rail transport to Hull prevented other rail companies investing there, and so Goole gained its own railway by the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway (Later part of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway) in 1848. A custom built railway dock, as well the use of specialised coal barges and unloading facilities, as well as the backing of the Aire and Calder Canal company made it a very viable competitor to Hull for trade.
Additionally as a competitor to the port of Hull (and equally well placed for European trade), Grimsby began to grow after the 1840s when the Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway Company built a rail connection, and the Royal Dock was completed in 1852.
Hull had expanded rapidly during the 18th century with shipping tonnages increasing over ten times in that period, and numerous docks supplementing and connecting Old Dock (Queen's dock) being built by the Dock company in the 19th : Humber dock (Prince's dock) 1809, Junction dock 1829, by 1846 Railway dock connected to the Hull & Selby Railway (later part of the NER), as well as Victoria dock (1850), Albert dock (1869) and St. Andrews Dock (1883). Despite all this activity the Dock company was criticised for lack of action - specifically with regard to construction of facilities that would make Hull a foremost coal exporting port. Additionally the NER whose interests in the north east of England were in competition with Hull, and which held a monopoly on rail transport to Hull was viewed with mistrust, suspicion, dissatisfaction and even hate schemes for independent railways or a company other than the NER were proposed to build a line to Hull, including bridge over, and tunnels under the Humber were being actively promoted by Hull merchants.
The situation became untenable when in 1872 with the NER refusing or unable to transport shipments from the port, deliverys of fish delayed, and a general traffic jam on the railsThe running powers granted by the NER to the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
to its goods depot at Kingston Street (1873) in Hull may have exacerbated the situation.The Railways of Hull, C.T.Goode, p. 22 :
The plans finally found fruition in 1880 in the charge of Col. Gerald Smith (a Hull banker) and through the cooperation of the Hull Corporation (including sale of land to the railway, and an investment of £100,000 As part of the Hull Corporation's involvement with the scheme came the power to veto any joint workings with other railway companies or selling or leasing of land, and despite the opposition of the NER (which had been instrumental in blocking previous plans); the Bill of Parliament being passed with minor alterations on 26 August 1880. The company The Hull, Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company (actually formed 1879) began work on the new line and associated deep water dock which was completed by 1885.
The HB&WRJ Railway and Dock company
In full, the Hull, Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway and Dock company.Construction (1880–1885)
For construction of the line Parliament authorised a share issue of £3,000,0000 and loans of £1,000,000 The engineer for the main line was William Shelford, whilst Stephen Best was responsible for the Hull section, Benjamin Baker designed the Alexandra Dock. The contractors were Messrs. Lucas and Aird (see John Aird & Co.John Aird & Co.
John Aird & Co. was once a leading British civil engineering business based in London.-Early history:The company was founded in 1848 by John Aird with the objective of laying mains for gas and water companies in London....
and Lucas Brothers
Lucas Brothers, Builders
Lucas Brothers was a leading British building business based in London.-Early history:The business was founded by Charles Thomas Lucas and Thomas Lucas . They were the sons of James Lucas , a builder, of St Pancras, London...
).
The line was one of the earlier built with the aid of steam navvies. The spoil excavated by men and machines from tunnels and cuttings was used to build embankments elsewhere Around 8,000 navvies, including both Scots and Irish as well as English, were employed in the constructions; the largest concentration of which was to be found at Riplingham
Riplingham
Riplingham is a little hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.It is situated approximately south west of Beverley and east of South Cave.It is situated on the crossroads that link , South Cave, Welton, North Newbald and Raywell....
(near to the Drewton tunnel). The average wage was 15 shillings for a 58 hour week.
The Weedley Tunnel
Weedley Tunnel
Weedley Tunnel at is a disused tunnel on the former Hull and Barnsley Railway. Weedley Tunnel is 132 yards long with a slight curvature. It was originally built to carry two tracks. Access to the tunnel is now restricted, as gates were installed on both portals in 2010...
was not originally planned; the track was to skirt the hill to the south. However unstable ground meant that the line tunnelled through the hill instead. The South Kirby tunnel passed through Magnesian Limestone to reach the lower beds of Sandstone, and Clay. Excavation of tunnels and cuttings included the practice of tunnelling into the rock, placing charges then moving up the contractors wagons and detonating the charges so that the blasted rock would fall into the wagons.
One of the notable features of the line was the number of bridges it required, this was due to the elevated nature of the Hull section where it crossed both roads, waterways, and the NER. Additionally, being built after the Railway Mania
Railway Mania
The Railway Mania was an instance of speculative frenzy in Britain in the 1840s. It followed a common pattern: as the price of railway shares increased, more and more money was poured in by speculators, until the inevitable collapse...
of the 1840s it had to cross numerous already existent lines in southern Yorkshire. Over one hundred bridges were required with over 20 within the urban area of Hull.C.T. Goode in Railways of Hull quotes a figure of 35 within the town boundary but undated, whilst G.D. Parkes (The Hull and Barnsley Railway) notes nine substantial underline bridges ... in the first four miles. A survey using Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
maps of the period shows that there were more than 20 within the urbanised area. Later developments in Hull led to the construction or alteration of further bridges.
In addition to wrought iron bridges brick arches were also used, both for crossing small dykes and country lanes, as well as the abutments to bridges and in place of embankments on short sections between bridges.
At Beverley Road, Willerby & Kirkella, North Cave and Wallingfen were two story buildings with the upper story accessing the embanked track. Stations were built in the English Queen Anne revival style - with decorative external brick courses between floors and brick lintels, minor embellishments on other brick structures such as bridge buttresses roughly echoed the same style.
In July 1884 work stopped for 5 months due to failure to raise funds through a share issue to pay the workers. Parliament allowed the additional debts to be taken in order for the work to continue, by completion the total share issue was £6,000,000 and the loans £3,500,000. At this point the line was almost complete but the subsequent cost cutting meant that the planned grand terminus close to the centre of Hull was never built.
Hull to Springhead
Much of the assets of the Hull Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company (HB&WRJR&DCo) lay in Hull.The term 'junction' in the company's name means that it was a line that connected at a railway junction, rather than reaching a destination such as a major city; this junction (or junctions) lay at the Barnsley end of the line meaning that there was relatively little infrastructure at that end. The line terminated in Hull at three main points: Alexandra dock; for import and export of goods by sea, Cannon Street stationCannon Street railway station, Hull
Cannon Street railway station was the passenger terminus in Hull of the Hull Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company, which was renamed in 1905 as the Hull and Barnsley Railway. It opened on 27 July 1885 and closed to passengers on 14 July 1924 after the London and North Eastern...
; a goods station and also the passenger terminus, and Neptune Street goods station; the main goods terminus.
The HB&WRJR&DCo's main asset was Alexandra dock. At the time of its construction it was the largest in Britain at 46.5 acre (188,179 m²) and was expanded by 7 acre (28,328 m²) in 1889. The entrance lock was 550 ft (167.6 m) long at 85 ft (25.9 m) wide. Two graving docks, one 500 ft (152.4 m) long and 60 ft (18.3 m) wide, the other a little bigger were also built at the northeast corner of the dock. Its primary purpose was the export of coal, in the opposite direction pit props, as well as cut wood were transported. Distances on the line (mileposts) were measured from Alexandra dock, and the up direction was from Hull to Barnsley. From here the track rose, joining the embankment and crossed Hedon RoadThe A1033 beginning its curved route round Hull by numerous bridges crossing roads, drains, and the North Eastern Railways own track; the first major crossing after Hedon Road being the NER's Hull to Witherensea line. Next was a minor goods yard was situated at Burleigh street, then the Foredyke Stream (a drainage canal) and the NER's Hull to Hornsea line were crossed close together. The line then crossed the river Hull at the Hull Bridge, and then branches (from the down direction) serving Sculcoates goods yard (southward) and the British Gas Light Company's gas works (northward). Westward from Sculcoates goods yard a spur ran backwards to serve Hull Corporation's own Electricity power plant (opened 1895). After Sculcoates junction and the Beverley and Barmston drain came Beverley Road junction where the line from Cannon Street station coming from the southeast joined the westward travelling main line.
The branch to Cannon Street station first passed Beverley Road station, almost immediately after the junction. Beverley Road station was a two-story building with the upper story accessing the embanked track.The far side platforms at Beverley Road were accessed by a brick-lined (and tiled?) passenger tunnel (subway) under the embankment, still in existence in 2010 but closed, the line then curved south and after a 1 in 50 descent reached the level again and terminated at Cannon Street. Initially Cannon Street was intended to be a carriage shed with the main station building situated closer to the centre of town at Charlotte street near Kingston Square where the company's offices where located.http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/museumcollections/collections/search-results/display.php?keywordsorig=black&titleorig=&personorig=&placeorig=&dateorig=&materialorig=&accessionnumberorig=&collectionorig=&museumorig=&keywords=hull+barnsley&SearchSubmit_x=0&SearchSubmit_y=0&SearchSubmit=Search&newsearch=new&title=&person=&place=&date=&material=&accessionnumber=&collectionall=all&museumall=all&location=any&EMUSESSID=lo4us1vlgkniriaffnlta5s8k5&portal=9.0.3+en-gb+us+UNITED+KINGDOM+81C6BA0508EF25AEE0440003BAC324B1+9279308B58A10CA89B1C9F8D09183313D14391C387A41E67B0D3BA778F5798E2CCE7AD5A317F8C47B6E7DA1009767E3B2926C9A443E025D39B94D8CD12A85BC1DD30488F0E6DC65E1EFFF1C3AE4D2284A8F321467E713662&ImagesOnly=yes&Sender=List&Page=1&irn=54878The Hull and Barnsley Railway Company's Offices, Charlotte Street] Hull Museums Collection, www.hullcc.gov.uk Lack of funds, and the expense of purchasing expensive real estate in the centre of the town meant that Cannon Street became the main terminus. The station was in one of the most densely populated areas of the town, close to the river and its associated seed oil and varnish works, the buildings quickly constructed of wood, and surrounded by the company's own coal yards, all of which would have given a poor impression compared to the facilities offered by the NER.
From Beverley Road junction the main line continued west crossing Newland Avenue, and the NER's Hull to Cottingham line before reaching a triangle of track (or Wye) where a line turned south to terminate at Neptune Street goods station.
Before reaching Neptune Street a smaller goods station at Dairycoates branched to the east of the north–south track. Before reaching Neptune street the line curved east and crossed the NER's main line to Paragon Station at Hessle road junction by an open girder truss bowstring bridge.
From the wye of track at Springbank junctions on the route towards Barnsley the line continued west past the Springhead works. The works were built on greenfield land north of the main line outside the urbanisation of Hull, and expanded considerably post opening At Springhead south of the main line there was a through goods loop which also gave access to considerable sidings operated from 1908 onwards. From the Springhead yard Hull Corporation's Springhead Waterworks was supplied with coal to power its steam-driven pumping engine.
Springhead to Aire junction
Beyond Springhead the line continued on embanked track towards Willerby and Kirkella station, then crossing the small shallow valley at Eppleworth in the foothills of the Yorkshire WoldsYorkshire Wolds
The Yorkshire Wolds are low hills in the counties of East Riding of Yorkshire and North Yorkshire in northeastern England. The name also applies to the district in which the hills lie....
by a brick viaductEppleworth viaduct with train passing Hull museums collection, www.hullcc,gov.uk (locally known as "five arches"). From here the line rose to Little Weighton station via a 83 ft deep cutting. Then the line reached a high point of 262 ft (79.9 m) after inclines of up to 1 in 100 before entering the 2116 yards (1,934.9 m) Drewton tunnel
Drewton Tunnel
Drewton Tunnel is a disused railway tunnel on the now closed Hull to Barnsley railway line - , western portal and , eastern portal. The tunnel is cut through chalk and the lining is a mix of bare chalk walls and brick. The first rail traffic used the tunnel in 1885...
after which the descent grade is 1 in 150 for seven miles, passing though Sugar Loaf Tunnel
Sugar Loaf Tunnel
Sugar Loaf Tunnel is a disused railway tunnel on the former Hull and Barnsley Railway between Everthorpe and Little Weighton. The tunnel is 132 yards long and was built through magnesian limestone of Permian age, referred to locally as "chalk"...
and Weedley Tunnel
Weedley Tunnel
Weedley Tunnel at is a disused tunnel on the former Hull and Barnsley Railway. Weedley Tunnel is 132 yards long with a slight curvature. It was originally built to carry two tracks. Access to the tunnel is now restricted, as gates were installed on both portals in 2010...
further west, both shorter tunnels of 132 yards (120.7 m) and then South Cave station and North Cave station.
Beyond North Cave the land is flat, and the line turned steadily southwest aiming for Barnsley, passing through Newport, then Sandholme, then Eastrington station before passing over the NER's Hull to Selby line followed by Howden and Barmby stations. The next major obstacle of the River Ouse
River Ouse, Yorkshire
The River Ouse is a river in North Yorkshire, England. The river is formed from the River Ure at Cuddy Shaw Reach near Linton-on-Ouse, about 6 miles downstream of the confluence of the River Swale with the River Ure...
was crossed by a swing bridge. The minor station of Drax preceded a crossing under the NER's Selby to Goole line
Selby to Goole Line
The Selby to Goole Line was a standard gauge branchline connecting Selby and Goole built in 1910 by the North Eastern Railway The line closed in the 1960s as part of the Beeching cuts.-History:...
after which was Carlton station and then the first of the junctions with other Railways through which the Hull and Barnsley obtained much of its traffic.
South of Aire junction
Almost immediately after a bridge crossing over the river AireRiver Aire
The River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire, England of length . Part of the river is canalised, and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation....
, a branch heading north-south joined the line at Aire junction; this was jointly operated by the H&BR and Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
which opened in 1916 and was known as the Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Line
Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Railway
The Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Railway was a joint line which ran from Aire Junction, on the main line of the Hull and Barnsley Railway, near Gowdall and an end on junction with the Great Central and Midland Joint Railway at Braithwell Junction.-Description:The railway consisted of...
.
Less than a mile southwest of Aire junction a westward junction (Gowdall junction) connected the H&BR to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
(L&YR) at Hensall junction via a short chord. The main line continued southwest and crossed over the same L&Y line (the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway then owned by the L&YR). About a mile further on the line crossed over the NER main line to Selby (the former East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
via Shaftholme
Shaftholme
Shaftholme is a small hamlet in South Yorkshire, England that is located half a mile north of Bentley and two miles north of Doncaster....
and Selby
Selby
Selby is a town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. Situated south of the city of York, along the course of the River Ouse, Selby is the largest and, with a population of 13,012, most populous settlement of the wider Selby local government district.Historically a part of the West Riding...
. The line then crossed the Knottingley and Goole Canal, then went over another L&YR line (connecting Knottingley to Shaftholme junction) before arriving in Kirk Smeaton station
Kirk Smeaton railway station
Kirk Smeaton railway station opened on 22 July 1885. It is located on the east side of Willowbridge Road in Kirk Smeaton, North Yorkshire, England. The Company that ran the station on opening was the Hull Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company. The station closed to passengers...
.
Dolostone
Dolostone or dolomite rock is a sedimentary carbonate rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite. In old U.S.G.S. publications it was referred to as magnesian limestone. Most dolostone formed as a magnesium replacement of limestone or lime mud prior to lithification. It is...
) replacing the softer chalk
Chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary rock, a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate or CaCO3. It forms under reasonably deep marine conditions from the gradual accumulation of minute calcite plates shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores....
found in the Wolds; after a cutting the line entered the 1226 yards (1,121.1 m) South Kirby Tunnel (commonly known as the Barnsdale Tunnel) before reaching Wrangbrook Junction. Here the South Yorkshire Junction Railway
South Yorkshire Junction Railway
The South Yorkshire Junction Railway is a railway which ran from Wrangbrook Junction on the main line of the Hull and Barnsley Railway to near Denaby in South Yorkshire. It was nominally an independent company sponsored by the Denaby and Cadeby Colliery Company but was worked by the Hull and...
(opened 1894) branched south and then southeast ultimately for Denaby
Denaby
Denaby is a civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 326, and contains the village of Old Denaby, it is also full of tramps and screbs....
, whilst The Hull & South Yorkshire Extension Railway
The Hull & South Yorkshire Extension Railway
The Hull and South Yorkshire Extension Railway was incorporated on 6 August 1897 and on 25 July 1898 was transferred to the Hull and Barnsley Railway....
(opened 1902) branched soon after travelling roughly south towards Wath, whilst the line heading for Barnsley continued roughly westsouthwest.
Swinton and Knottingley Joint Railway
The Swinton and Knottingley Joint Railway was a British railway company formed to connect the Midland and Great Central lines at Swinton, north of Rotherham, with the North Eastern Railway at Ferrybridge, near Knottingley, a distance of sixteen miles, opening up a more direct route between York and...
(Midland
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
and North Eastern
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
railways), shortly after a branch west from Hemsworth East junction connected the line to the West Riding and Grimsby joint line which was operated by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
(after 1897 the Great Central
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
) and Great Northern
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
railways; which was then passed over by the continuation of the H&BR main line. The next station was Hemsworth.
The final tunnel on the line was Brierly tunnel which is 685 yards (626.4 m) long. The line then passed westward through Brierly junction where a southward-turning chord connected with the Dearne Valley line
Dearne Valley Line
The Dearne Valley Line is the name given to a railway line in the north of England running from York to Sheffield via Pontefract Baghill and Moorthorpe.-History:...
on which the H&BR had running powers. A northward continuation of the Dearne Valley line was then passed under.
Finally Cudworth was reached: first was Cudworth Goods station; then Cudworth North junction, where the line split into two main branches; a third branch west joined the Midland Railway via goods exchange sidings. The westernmost of the two main branches crossed the Midland Line by girder truss bridge, then a spur to Monk Bretton station
Monk Bretton railway station
Monk Bretton railway station was a railway station that served the village of Monk Bretton, South Yorkshire, England. It was built by the Midland Railway in their characteristic country style and is sited on the line between Barnsley Court House and Cudworth...
left west, whilst the final part of the line continued to Stairfoot junction where it joined the Great Central main line. The easterly branch ran to Cudworth station where there was a platform, but no connection.
The line's second locomotive depot was found at Cudworth, as well as marshalling yards. The whole main line as built was double tracked.
Operation and events (1885–1922)
The HB&WRJR&DCo. began business with large amounts of debt, and within a year of its opening a price war had begun between the Hull Dock Company and the Hull and Barnsley on dock charges, and between the Hull and Barnsley and the NER on transit charges. Neither of the two Hull-based companies could expect to win against the much larger North Eastern Railway. By 1887 the HB&WRJR&DCo. was seeking a way out of debt and approached the Midland RailwayMidland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
for a possible merger. Reasonable terms were made, but the proposal was rejected by the shareholders of the Hull company. An amalgamation by the NER itself was then proposed, which would have included the NER paying off the HB&WRJR&DCo.'s debts; this scheme too was rejected.
The Hull and Barnsley, unable to pay its debts, went into receivership for two years until 1889. The Hull Dock Company amalgamated with the NER in the early 1893 - requiring another act of parliament - one condition of which was that in the event of the NER building another dock in Hull (which had already been planned in 1891 as part of an unsuccessful merger attempt between the H,B&WRJ and the NER),) the Hull and Barnsley should give its consent, and be able to make the new dock a joint operation between the two railway companies. Additionally an agreement was reached that there would be no reduction in dock duties without prior agreement or discussion.
In 1894 the South Yorkshire Junction Railway
South Yorkshire Junction Railway
The South Yorkshire Junction Railway is a railway which ran from Wrangbrook Junction on the main line of the Hull and Barnsley Railway to near Denaby in South Yorkshire. It was nominally an independent company sponsored by the Denaby and Cadeby Colliery Company but was worked by the Hull and...
opened. Though independent, it was worked by Hull and Barnsley engines, and connected the company to more collieries.
In the following years of the 1890s various proposals, including another to merge the NER and HB&WRJR&DCo., and others for expansion of the Hull docks came, but were blocked by one party's interests or another's. Finally in 1899 both railway companies had agreed to the construction of a new dock, to the east of Alexandra dock, access to which was from the HB&WRJ's elevated line via an extension from Alexandra dock, and from a joint line branching off the H&BR at Bridges Junction.
In 1902 an extension from Wrangbrook junction opened, connecting to Wath and further collieries. From 1905 cooperation with the Midland allowed trains to run all the way to Sheffield via Cudworth. For these express trains bogie coaches were purchased and M. Stirling's 4-4-0 tender locomotives used. From 1907 at Sandholme there were marshalling yards and a turntable, enabling freight trains to be split in two for the steep section towards Hull into the Wolds hills.
After exiting receivership, the fortunes of the Hull and Barnsley recovered and it began to pay reasonable dividends on ordinary stock. In 1905 the Hull Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company officially changed its named to the shorter Hull and Barnsley Railway. The same year running powers were obtained and a junction made with the Dearne Valley Railway
Dearne Valley Railway
The Dearne Valley Railway was a railway line which ran through the valley of the River Dearne in South Yorkshire. It was incorporated by an Act of Parliament on 6 August 1897 to build a line between Brierley Junction, on the main line of the Hull and Barnsley Railway, to junctions with the Great...
. Also in that year the National Radiator company opened in Hull The site was served by a siding from Ella street on the H&BR line, as well as being accessed by a siding from the NER on the Hull to Bridlington line, forming a non-official line link between the networks of H&BR and NER.
Construction of the new dock - "King George V dock" - was completed by 1914.
In 1916 the Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Railway
Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Railway
The Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Railway was a joint line which ran from Aire Junction, on the main line of the Hull and Barnsley Railway, near Gowdall and an end on junction with the Great Central and Midland Joint Railway at Braithwell Junction.-Description:The railway consisted of...
opened, adding to the number of collieries from which the company could transport coal.
Locomotives
The H&BR never manufactured any of its own locomotives, all being built elsewhere. The first types in use were of the design W. KirtleyWilliam Kirtley
William Kirtley was the Locomotive Superintendent of the London Chatham and Dover Railway in England from 1874 until the merger to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway at the end of 1898.-Biography:...
(Locomotive Superintendent of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
London, Chatham and Dover Railway
The London, Chatham and Dover Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1859 until the 1923 grouping which united it with other companies to form the Southern Railway. Its lines ran through London and northern and eastern Kent to form a significant part of the Greater London...
) who was acting as a consultant. Matthew Stirling
Matthew Stirling (railway engineer)
Matthew Stirling was Locomotive Superintendent of the Hull & Barnsley Railway . He retired in 1922 when the H&BR was taken over by the North Eastern Railway .- Biography :* Matthew Stirling was born in Kilmarnock on 27 November 1856....
(son of Patrick Stirling
Patrick Stirling
Patrick Stirling was Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Northern Railway.His father Robert Stirling was also an engineer. His brother James Stirling was also a locomotive engineer...
of 'Stirling Single'
GNR Stirling 4-2-2
The Great Northern Railway No. 1 class Stirling Single is a class of steam locomotive designed for express passenger work. Designed by Patrick Stirling, they are characterised by a single pair of large driving wheels which led to the nickname "eight-footer"...
fame) was the first and only Locomotive superintendent of the H&BR during its independence, and who undertook the rebuilding of some of Mr. Kirtley's designs, as well as contracting the construction of his own designs to various builders. His locomotives were typically domeless, and many of the original Kirtley engines were also rebuilt without domes.
Kirtley's locomotives were painted black with grey lining. Matthew Stirling subtly modified the livery - using invisible green (black except in bright sunlight) produced from a 50:50 mixture of 'drop black' and 'brunswick green'. Lining was of broad stripes of blue (Ultramarine
Ultramarine
Ultramarine is a blue pigment consisting primarily of a double silicate of aluminium and sodium with some sulfides or sulfates, and occurring in nature as a proximate component of lapis lazuli...
) with red (vermillion
Vermillion
Vermillion is an alternative spelling for Vermilion, a red pigment and color. It may also refer to:-Locations:*Vermillion, Kansas*Vermillion, Minnesota*Vermillion, South Dakota*Vermillion County, Indiana*Vermillion River...
) edges. The 2-4-0 and 0-6-0 tender locomotives procured by Kitley carried a small cursive monogram of the letters "HB&WRJR", other locomotives carried the initials "H&BR".
| Locomotives of the Hull & Barnsley Railway | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year built | Class | Original numbers | Type | Designer | Builder | Notes | LNER Class |
| 1884-5 | A (later G1) | 1 to 12 | 0-6-0 tank | W. Kitley | Beyer Peacock and Co. Ltd. Beyer, Peacock and Company Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966... |
For shunting - Wheelbase too long for Alexandra dock | |
| 1885 | B (later D), E | 13 to 32 | 0-6-0 tender | For freight use, rebuilt 1897- | |||
| 1885 | C (later H, H1) | 33-42 | 2-4-0 tender | For passenger use, same tender as above, 5 rebuilt 1899–1900, 5 remainder rebuilt 1901–1903 to different specifications | |||
| 1886 | 43-48 | 0-4-0 tank | Kitson and Co. (Leeds) | Acquired for shunting in Alexander dock to replace G1 | |||
| 1889 | B | 49-56 | 0-6-0 tender | M. Stirling | Kitson and Co. | For goods use Later builds had larger boilers and increased boiler pressure, earlier engines rebuilt to the later standard. |
J23 |
| 1892 | 57-62 | ||||||
| 1892 | 63-66 | Vulcan Foundry Vulcan Foundry Vulcan Foundry was a British locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire .-History:It was originally opened in 1832 as Charles Tayleur and Company to produce girders for bridges, switches and crossings, and other ironwork following the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway... |
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| 1897-8 | 70-78 | Yorkshire Engine Company Yorkshire Engine Company The Yorkshire Engine Company was a small independent locomotive manufacturer in Sheffield, England. The Company was formed in 1865 and continued to produce locomotives and carry out general engineering work until 1965... |
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| 1898 | 79-84 | Kitson and Co. | |||||
| 1900 | 85-90 | ||||||
| 1900 | 91-96 | Yorkshire Engine Company | |||||
| 1908 | 132-141 | Kitsons and Co. | |||||
| 1892 | G2 | 67-69 | 0-6-0 tank | M. Stirling | Robert Stephenson & Co. Robert Stephenson and Company Robert Stephenson and Company was a locomotive manufacturing company founded in 1823. It was the first company set up specifically to build railway engines.- Foundation and early success :... |
Similar to B class tender engines but with slightly smaller boiler, and lower and coal water capacity | J80 |
| 1900 | F1 H&BR Class F1 The H&BR Class F1 was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotives of the Hull and Barnsley Railway. The locomotives were part of a batch built by Kitson & Co. for the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway , but the order was cancelled because the LD&ECR was unable to pay for them.... |
97-101 | 0-6-2 tank | Kitsons and Co. | Built for the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway | N11 | |
| 1901 | F2 H&BR Class F2 The H&BR Class F2 was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotives of the Hull and Barnsley Railway.... |
102-110 | 0-6-2 tank | M. Stirling | Kitson and Co. | N12 | |
| 1901 | G3 | 111-116 | 0-6-0 tank | M. Stirling | Yorkshire Engine Company | Similar to class F2 | J75 |
| 1908 | 142-151 | Kitsons and Co. | |||||
| 1907 | A H&BR Class A The H&BR Class A was an 0-8-0 heavy freight engine designed by Matthew Stirling and built by the Yorkshire Engine Company of Sheffield. They were the largest of the engines on the Hull and Barnsley Railway. The Class A was developed to deal with the steeply graded eastern section of the H&BR... |
117-131 | 0-8-0 tender | M. Stirling | Yorkshire Engine Co. | For heavy goods | Q10 |
| 1910 | J | 33,35,38,41,42 | 4-4-0 tender | M. Stirling | Kitson & Co. | For Sheffield to Hull trains via the Midland Railway | |
| 1913 | F3 H&BR Class F3 The H&BR Class F3 was a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotives of the Hull and Barnsley Railway.Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, 1948 edition, part 4, page 52http://www.lner.info/locos/N/n13.shtml They were designed by Matthew Stirling to work goods trains to and from the King George... |
152-156, 13,15,18,23,27 | 0-6-2 tank | M. Stirling | R & W Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. Hawthorn Leslie and Company R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Limited, usually referred to as Hawthorn Leslie, was a shipbuilding and locomotive manufacturer. The Company was founded on Tyneside in 1886 and ceased building ships in 1982.-History:... |
N13 | |
| 1911 | L1 | 16,17,19,24,31 | 0-6-0 | M. Stirling | Kitson and Co. | goods engines Class LS (and some L1) used superheated steam, the only type of H&BR locomotive using superheating |
J28 |
| 1912 | 14,25,29,30,32 | ||||||
| 1915 | L | 157-161 | Yorkshire Engine Company | ||||
| 1915 | LS | 20,21,22,26,28 | Kitson and Co. | ||||
| Numbering of H&BR locomotives was sequential, once a locomotive was rebuilt it was added to the supplementary list and the suffix "A" added, the original number being reused for new locomotives. (Sources) | |||||||
A total of 186 engines were operated by the Hull and Barnsley Railway, on merging into the NER the locomotives were briefly renumbered by adding 3000 to the original number. Following the incorporation into the LNER soon after the surviving locomotives were assigned numbers between 2405 and 2542 in no specific order. Most except the H&BR Class F3 (LNER Class N13) were withdrawn between 1930 and 1940, the B Class beginning withdrawal earlier in 1925. The last F3 was withdrawn in 1956.
Rolling stock
Initially the railway used 30 ft 2-axle coaches, by the time services to Sheffield were introduced the company had 4-axle 51 ft composite corridor coaches on bogies. Most of the rolling stock was for freight; in 1923 the company had 4,808 freight wagons of which over 3,000 were open wagons. Additionally the company possessed a snow plough, since the cuttings in the Yorkshire wolds were prone to drifts when snow occurred.As part of the NER (1922–1923)
The Railways act of 1921Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
ended the company's independence; from 1 April 1922 the Hull & Barnsley Railway became part of the NER. The locomotive works at Springhead was downgraded - the extent of locomotive maintenance was reduced and the carriage works closed being, skilled workers and machinery were relocated to Darlington.The closure was discussed in Parliament - with respect to the loss of skilled jobs in the Hull area. Source: Hansard
Hansard
Hansard is the name of the printed transcripts of parliamentary debates in the Westminster system of government. It is named after Thomas Curson Hansard, an early printer and publisher of these transcripts.-Origins:...
24 June 1994 (commons sitting) vol 175 cc231-3, 'Springhead locomotive works Hull', link 43 old engines were decommissioned at this time. Edward Watkin (General Manager) and Matthew Stirling also departed. Due to duplication a number of stations were renamed.Newport renamed as Wallingfen, Eastrington renamed as North Eastrington, Howden renamed as South Howden, Drax renamed as Drax Abbey, and Carlton became Carlton Towers. Source Lost Railways of North and East Yorkshire G. Suggitt, p. 143
Incorporation into the NER was just part of a larger scale of consolidation throughout the British railway system, and on 1 January 1923 the NER along with the Hull and Barnsley line became part of the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
(LNER).
As part of the LNER (1923–1948)
Cannon Street station in Hull ceased to be used a passenger station in 1924, this coincided with the construction of a chord to the NER line just northwest of Walton street crossing to the elevated line.Mainline freight work commonly used the ex Great Central Robinson 2-8-0 locomotives
GCR Class 8K
The Great Central Railway Class 8K 2-8-0 is a class of steam locomotive designed for heavy freight. Introduced in 1911, and designed by John G. Robinson, 126 were built for the GCR prior to the First World War...
(later classified as LNER Class O4
LNER Class O4
The London and North Eastern Railway Class O4 initially consisted of the 131 ex-Great Central Railway Class 8K 2-8-0 steam locomotives acquired on grouping in 1923. The engines were designed by John G...
). The NER Class P1
NER Class P1
The NER Class P1 was a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotives of the North Eastern Railway.Class P1 was a development of Class P, having a boiler four inches longer, and a firebox six inches longer; to accommodate these, the wheelbase was increased by nine inches. The cylinder stroke was also increased...
0-6-0, NER Class Y
NER Class Y
The North Eastern Railway Class Y 4-6-2T tank locomotives were designed whilst Wilson Worsdell was Chief Mechanical Engineer, but none were built until 1910 by which time Vincent Raven had taken over.-Overview:...
4-6-2T, NER Class T
NER Class T
The NER Class T was a class of 0-8-0 steam locomotives of the North Eastern Railway Ian Allan ABC of British Railways Locomotives, 1948 edition, part 4, pp 24-25 .-Sub-classes:...
and NER Class T2
NER Class T2
The North Eastern Railway Class T2, classified as Class Q6 by the LNER, is a class of 0-8-0 steam locomotive designed for heavy freight. 120 were built at Darlington Works between 1913 and 1921 to the design of Vincent Raven, based on the NER Class T and T1 .All passed into British Railways...
0-8-0 locomotives inherited from the NER also replaced Hull and Barnsley types on other freight work.
In 1929 a halt west of Springhead works and sidings was constructedThe station was added as part of the 'Hull and district interval service' - a regular service started in April 1929 in the Hull and surrounding area intended to halt a decline in passenger numbers. Source: Railways in East Yorkshire Vol.2 Editor: M.Bairstow, Section "The 1929 Hull and District Interval Service", Author : David R. Smith, pp. 21–27. The station was unstaffed, and possibly the smallest in Britain with two wooden platforms one coach in length each (25 ft). The same month the Springhead Halt opened passenger services between Wath and Kirk Smeaton ended.
Passenger services between South Howden and Cudworth ceased in 1932.
As part of British Railways (1948–1994)
Mainline freight continued to be worked by 2-8-0 locomotives, with WD Austerity 2-8-0WD Austerity 2-8-0
The War Department "Austerity" 2-8-0 is a type of heavy freight steam locomotive that was introduced in 1943 for war service. A total of 935 were built.- Overview :...
being ubiquitous. 8F
LMS Stanier Class 8F
The London Midland and Scottish Railway's 8F class 2-8-0 heavy freight locomotive is a class of steam locomotive designed for hauling heavy freight...
type 2-8-0 locomotives also became common on the southern sections of the line, after through working ended (1958). (A large number of the class were purchased by the LNER from the war department after world war 2, and in 1948 by the British Transport Commission
British Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
.)
In 1951 a single sided station halt (Boothferry Park Halt railway station
Boothferry Park Halt railway station
Boothferry Park Halt railway station opened in 1951 on an embankment of the former Hull and Barnsley Railway to serve the Boothferry Park football stadium which had opened in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire in August 1946...
) was built on the branch in Hull between Springhead south junction and Neptune street to serve the Hull City Football club
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
(directly situated next to the line), the service ended in 1986.In 2002 Hull City moved to a new stadium rendering the halt obsolete, the old stadium "Boothferry Park
Boothferry Park
Boothferry Park was a football stadium in Kingston upon Hull, and was home to the football club Hull City for over 50 years from 31 August 1946 until December 2002, when they moved to the Kingston Communications Stadium....
" was demolished between 2008 and 2010.
The locomotive shed at Cudworth closed in 1951.
Passenger services between Hull and South Howden ended in 1955. Through freight on the same line ended in 1958, with complete closure between Little Weighton and Wrangbrook junction in 1959. Freight working on remaining sections west of Hull (Springhead) closed completely in the next decade; the section between Moorhouse and Wrangbrook: 1963, between Little Weighton and Springhead : 1964, between Wrangbrook and both Monckton as well as Sproatbrough in 1967, Cudworth to Monckton in 1968.
In Hull the bridge over the NER main line at Hessle road was removed in 1962 and the elevated H&BR dock branch section became connected to the Hull to Selby line at Hessle road junction as part of a scheme to reduce the number of level crossings in Hull by routing all rail traffic to east Hull via the elevated Hull and Barnsley Line.
All traffic from Cudworth to Wranbrook junction ended in 1967. The branch to Cannon street closed completely in 1968. By 1970 the only parts of the line still with traffic were the Hull elevated section, and a few short sections with industrial uses. Alexandra Dock closed in the 1980s and the rail connection was removed, subsequently the dock re-opened but with out a rail connection.
Part of the elevated line to King George dock was converted to a single line in 1988 and one train working introduced, four years later increased amounts of imports; specifically coal; meant that staffed (tokenized
Token (railway signalling)
In railway signalling, a token is a physical object which a locomotive driver is required to have or see before entering onto a particular section of single track. The token is clearly endorsed with the name of the section it belongs to...
) working was reintroduced in 1992.
Part of the path of the line between Hensall and Drax was opened for Merry Go Round trains
Merry-go-round train
A Merry-go-round train, often abbreviated to MGR, is a block train of hopper wagons which both loads and unloads its cargo while moving. In the United Kingdom, they are most commonly coal trains delivering to power stations...
to Drax Power Station in 1972, the swing bridge on the Ouse to the north east offered a link for future developments and was maintained until 1968, but was dismantled in 1976.
Hull Docks Branch enhancements
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
, Associated British Ports, Yorkshire Forward
Yorkshire Forward
Yorkshire Forward is the regional development agency for the Yorkshire and the Humber region of the United Kingdom. It supports the development of business in the region by encouraging public and private investment in education, skills, environment and infrastructure...
, Hull City Council
Hull City Council
Hull City Council is the governing body for the unitary authority and city of Kingston upon Hull. It was created in 1972 as the successor to the Corporation of Hull, which was also known as Hull Corporation....
and The Northern Way
The Northern Way
The Northern Way is a 20 year British governmental strategy to transform the economy of the North of England. It aims to bridge a £30 billion output gap between the North and the average for England....
were involved in funding or supporting the scheme. The work was to include partial re-doubling of the line, remedial and replacement work on the numerous bridges, and signalling upgrades, and to increase the line speed to 30 mph (48.3 km/h) except at Hull Bridge. The capacity of the line was to be increased from 10 to 22 trains in each direction.
In late 2007 the Network Rail gave the contract to GrantRail
GrantRail
VolkerRail is part of VolkerWessels UK, a multi-disciplinary construction and civil engineering group. VolkerRail specialises in providing railway infrastructure services across the UK and Ireland.- History :...
(now VolkerRail). Work carried out included the re-instatement of a double track junction at Hessle Road (the junction with the main line, previously singled in 1984), restoration of double track from New Bridge Road to King George Dock, and removal of Ella Street bridge along with strengthening of 15 others. The upgraded line was formally opened in June 2008 by the transport minister Rosie Winterton
Rosie Winterton
Rosalie "Rosie" Winterton is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Doncaster Central since 1997. Formerly a minister within both the Blair and Brown Governments, she first entered the Shadow Cabinet in May 2010 as the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons...
. Work continued on the line after the official opening; the upgraded signalling system began use in September 2008.
Work on the ABP owned portion of the track was carried out by Trackwork Ltd. of Doncaster, at a cost of over £2.5million.
Use of the line post closure
Drapers Metal merchants used the Sculcoates, and later part of the former Neptune Street goods yards as part of their scrap metal business - during the 1960s many steam locomotives were dismantled there.As many as 730 were scrapped by Drapers, one a Black 5LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0
The London Midland and Scottish Railway's Class 5 4-6-0, almost universally known as the Black Five, is a class of steam locomotive. It was introduced by William Stanier in 1934 and 842 were built between then and 1951...
was later preserved. source: It's Coming Home? www.adraper.co.uk
The cutting at Little Weighton was used after closure as a landfill facility. The same site is now used as a recycling facility.
In rural areas the embankments and earthworks remain as boundaries between fields, the trackbed west of Weedley tunnel forms part of the Yorkshire Wolds Way
Yorkshire Wolds Way
The Yorkshire Wolds Way is a National Trail in Yorkshire, England. It runs 79 miles from Hessle to Filey, around the Yorkshire Wolds...
and High Hunsley Circuit
High Hunsley Circuit
The High Hunsley Circuit is a 25½ mile circular walk in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England that visits the villages of Walkington, Skidby, Brantingham, South Cave and Bishop Burton....
walks, and a section of the embankment between Kirkella and Hull also carries a footpath whilst a section further west is covered by the B1232 road. A section over 2 miles long north of Newport
Newport, East Riding of Yorkshire
Newport is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately east of the market town of Howden. It lies on the B1230 road to the south of the M62 motorway...
is now part of the eastern end of M62 motorway
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
. A number of the stations have been converted into private residences.
The areas of disused land west and east of Calvert lane in Hull (formerly Springhead works and sidings and the land between Springbank East, West and South junctions) have become a wildlife habitat, the area between the junctions being assessed as "ecologically outstanding". and are classed as Sites of nature conservance importance and is a candidate site for "Local Nature Reserve status". The disused railway bridge giving walkers access to the western site was removed in August 2009.
Preservation
The Hull & Barnsley Railway Stock Fund owns and restores the few surviving vehicles which once belonged to the H&BR. Two coaches, two wagons and a tool van are kept on the North Yorkshire Moors RailwayNorth Yorkshire Moors Railway
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England. First opened in 1836 as the Whitby and Pickering Railway, the railway was planned in 1831 by George Stephenson as a means of opening up trade routes inland from the then important seaport of Whitby. The line...
. No locomotives have survived.
Gallery
Primary sources
- The Hull & Barnsley Railway, G.D. Parkes, The Oakwood Press, 1970 reprint, early history of the line, concise full description, references to early literature and periodical sources
- Railway Memories No.12 : The Hull & Barnsley Railway, Stephen Chapman, Bellcode Books, 1999, image based history including LNER and BR eras, track plans of major stations and junctions
- The Railways of Hull, C.T. Goode, 1992, detailed history of Hull railways
- The North Eastern Railway, Cecil J. Allen, Ian Allan Ltd., 1964 (3rd edition 1974). History of the North Eastern Railway
Other sources
- Humber perspectives - A region through the ages, Editors: S. Ellis, D.R. Crowther, Hull University Press, 1990.
- The Yorkshire Coast, Editor: David B. Lewis, Normandy Press, 1991.
- A History of Hull, Edward Gillett, Kenneth A. MacMahon, Oxford University Press, 1980.
- also similar coverage The beginnings of the East Yorkshire Railways, K.A. MacMahon, East Yorkshire Local History Society, 1953.
- The Hull & Barnsley Railway The London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) Encyclopedia, www.lner.info
- Railways in East Yorkshire, Martin Bairstow, 1990, pp. 58–64, brief history and images
- Railways in East Yorkshire Vol. 2, Martin Bairstow, 1995, brief description of swing bridges and engine sheds, background to springhead halt
- Railway in East Yorkshire Vol. 3, Martin Bairstow, 2007, sections on Hull Docks and the closure of Hull Cannon Street
- Lost Railways of East Yorkshire, P.G. Mason, Wolds Publications, 1990, Chapter 8, "Hull and Barnsley Line", pp. 45–49, brief history and images, also historical background to railway construction in East Yorkshire.
- Lost Railways of North & East Yorkshire, Gordon Suggitt, Countryside Books, 2005, Chapter 13 "The Hull & Barnsley Railway", pp. 140–147, brief history and images.
- Lost Lines: North Eastern, Nigel Welbourn, Ian Allan Publishing, 1997, Chapter 5 "Hull & Barnsley", pp. 20–24, brief history and images.
- The train now standing (Vol1) : The Life and Times of the Hull and Barnsley Railway, Ted Dodsworth, Hutton Press, 1990, social history, posters, postcards, publications and other emphera associated with the H&BR, also King George Dock
- A History of the Hull Railways, George Gladstone MacTurk, Publisher (reprint): Nidd Valley Narrow Gauge Railways Ltd., originally published 1879. contemporary description giving insight into the railway situation in Hull at the time of the inception of the Hull and Barnsley Railway
Locomotives and rolling stock
- An album of Hull and Barnsley Railway engines and rolling stock 1885, Martin Barker, Publisher: NERA, 2004. details of coaches and wagons with basic side elevation drawings and dimensions, less full description of locomotives
- An illustrated history of Hull and Barnsley railway locomotives Vol 1, The locomotive classes, Martin A. Barker, Publisher: Challenger, 1996. Comprehensive coverage of locomotives; technical, working, and historical information
- Locomotives of the Hull and Barnsley Railway : a concise guide to the locomotives designed by Kirtley, Stirling and Kitson, Ron Prattley, Publisher: Historical Model Railway Society, 1997. non technical description of all types with basic side plan drawings with dimensions, notes on livery and external appearance, numbering details and withdrawal dates
- British locomotive catalogue, 1825–1923 Vol.5A, North Eastern railway, Hull and Barnsley railway, Bertram Baxter, Publisher: Moorland Publishing Company, 1986.
Infrastructure and construction
- Building the Hull and Barnsley Railway : Hull and Barnsley Railway 100; 1885–1985, Publisher: Hull City Museums, 1985. A useful collection of notes and archive photographs showing the construction of the line. Emphasis on line from Hull to Drax
- Notes on the geology of the Hull, Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway and Dock, Edward Maule Cole, Publisher: M C Peck and Son, 1886. A purely geological work, covering a wider area than the railway itself, very brief mentions of strata found in the construction of tunnels, cuttings, and the dock with diagrams
- The Iron Bridges on the Hull, Barnsley, and West Riding Junction Railway. (Students' Paper, KO. 186.), Frederick Wilfred Scott Stokes, Minutes of the Proceedings, Vol. 82, Issue 1885, pp. 348–364, (Publication: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers (UK) ). Comtempary (1885) engineering discussion of the main types of bridges used on the line
- The Springhead works of the Hull and Barnsley Railway, N.P. Fleetwood, Publisher: Railway World, 1985.
Further reading
- The Hull and Barnsley Railway. Vol 1, Editor: K. Hoole, Publisher: David & Charles, 1972. further details of inception and construction of railway, emphasis on company management, shareholders, finances, and statistics
- The Hull and Barnsley Railway. Vol 2, Editor: A. Barnette, B. Hincliffe, Publisher: Turntable, 1980. details of the H&BR's (and NER's) port facilities, as well as description of Wool sheds at National Avenue, Hull
External links
Remains post closure
- via www.forgottenrelics.co.uk
- Sugarloaf Tunnel www.forgottenrelics.co.uk
- Drewton Tunnel www.forgottenrelics.co.uk
- Barnsdale Tunnel www.forgottenrelics.co.uk
- "Over The Top" The story of Little Weighton Cutting and Drewton Tunnel Little Weighton cutting
- also interior images of Weedley tunnel.
- Hull Cannon Street station also links to Beverley Road, Springhead Halt, Willerby & Kirk Ella, Little Weighton, South Cave, North Cave, Wallingfen, Sandholme, and South Howden & Kirk Smeaton stations, via www.subbrit.org.uk