Wharfedale Line
Encyclopedia
The Wharfedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England. The service connects Ilkley
with Leeds
and Bradford
, and is operated by Northern Rail
. West Yorkshire Metrocards are available for use on the line, covering Zones 3 - 5. The line is served predominantly by four-coach Class 333
electric multiple unit
s.
from Leeds to Burley-in-Wharfedale. At this point the line became joint property, with the North Eastern Railway
, and was known as the Otley & Ilkley Joint Railway
(O&IJt). The two lines from Leeds and Bradford come together at Esholt Junction - the location of an 1892 crash
- south of Guiseley
.
The route from Leeds leaves the main line near Calverley
and continues along the Aire
valley until climbing a hill to:
A new station, Kirkstall Forge
, is planned on the Aire Valley section of the route between Leeds and Guiseley. Plans also exist to reinstate the O&IJt branch line to Otley
from Milner Wood Junction, between Menston and Burley.
The first section of the route from Bradford Forster Square
is also used by the Airedale
and Leeds-Bradford Line. The service to Ilkley branches north of Shipley
railway station
to:
The line was electrified throughout using 25kV AC Overhead between 1994 and 1995.
The now-closed and lifted Midland line continued west of Ilkley via Addingham
, Bolton Abbey
and Embsay to Skipton
. The section from Embsay to Bolton Abbey has been reopened by enthusiasts who operates steam locomotives as the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
.
Ilkley
Ilkley is a spa town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, in the north of England. Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the metropolitan borough of Bradford. Approximately north of Bradford, the town lies mainly on the south bank of the River Wharfe...
with Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, and is operated by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
. West Yorkshire Metrocards are available for use on the line, covering Zones 3 - 5. The line is served predominantly by four-coach Class 333
British Rail Class 333
The British Rail Class 333 electric multiple units were built by Siemens and CAF are based on the Class 332 trains operated by Heathrow Express.-Description:...
electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s.
The route
The line was originally owned by 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....
from Leeds to Burley-in-Wharfedale. At this point the line became joint property, with 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...
, and was known as the Otley & Ilkley Joint Railway
Otley and Ilkley Joint Railway
The Otley and Ilkley Joint Railway was a railway line running between the towns of Otley and Ilkley in West Yorkshire. The line was a managed and run jointly by the Midland Railway and the North Eastern Railway and was long...
(O&IJt). The two lines from Leeds and Bradford come together at Esholt Junction - the location of an 1892 crash
Esholt Junction rail crash
The Esholt Junction rail crash occurred on Thursday 9 June 1892, at the point at which the Otley and Ilkley Joint Railway from Ilkley divides, one branch in the direction of Leeds and the other Bradford, a short distance after Guiseley railway station. Two trains collided at around three thirty in...
- south of Guiseley
Guiseley
Guiseley is a small town in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Situated south of Otley and Menston, it is a suburb of north west Leeds. At the 2001 census, Guiseley together with Rawdon had a population of over 21,000. The A65, which passes through the town, is the...
.
The route from Leeds leaves the main line near Calverley
Calverley
Calverley is a village in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England, on the A657 road, midway between Leeds city centre and Bradford...
and continues along the Aire
River 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....
valley until climbing a hill to:
- GuiseleyGuiseleyGuiseley is a small town in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Situated south of Otley and Menston, it is a suburb of north west Leeds. At the 2001 census, Guiseley together with Rawdon had a population of over 21,000. The A65, which passes through the town, is the...
railway stationGuiseley railway stationGuiseley railway station is a railway station in Guiseley, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England. On the Wharfedale Line between Ilkley and Leeds/Bradford Forster Square, it is served mostly by Class 333 electric trains run by Northern Rail, which also manages the... - MenstonMenstonMenston is a village and civil parish in the county of West Yorkshire, England. Along with Burley in Wharfedale, Menston is part of Wharfedale Ward in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford. It has a population of 4,660.-Landmarks:...
railway stationMenston railway stationMenston railway station is a railway station in Menston, in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. On the Wharfedale Line between Ilkley and Leeds/Bradford Forster Square, it is served by Class 333 electric trains run by Northern Rail, who also manage the station.-Services:During Monday to... - Burley-in-Wharfedale railway stationBurley-in-Wharfedale railway stationBurley-in-Wharfedale railway station is a railway station in Burley-in-Wharfedale, in the City of Bradford metropolitan district, West Yorkshire, England. On the Wharfedale Line between Ilkley and Leeds/Bradford Forster Square, it is served by Class 333 electric trains run by Northern Rail, who...
- Ben RhyddingBen RhyddingBen Rhydding is a Wharfedale village in the Metropolitan Borough of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It is part of the Ilkley urban area and civil parish....
railway stationBen Rhydding railway stationBen Rhydding railway station is a railway station in Ben Rhydding, situated a mile to the east of Ilkley, West Yorkshire, England. On the Wharfedale Line between Ilkley and Leeds/Bradford Forster Square, it is served by Class 333 electric trains run by Northern Rail, who also manage the... - IlkleyIlkleyIlkley is a spa town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, in the north of England. Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the metropolitan borough of Bradford. Approximately north of Bradford, the town lies mainly on the south bank of the River Wharfe...
railway stationIlkley railway stationIlkley railway station is a railway station in Ilkley, in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. On the Wharfedale Line, it is served by Class 333 electric trains run by Northern Rail, who also manage the station.-Services:...
A new station, Kirkstall Forge
Kirkstall Forge railway station
Kirkstall Forge is a proposed station between Leeds and Shipley, West Yorkshire, England. Metro, the Passenger Transport Executive for West Yorkshire, intends to open the station along with Apperley Bridge....
, is planned on the Aire Valley section of the route between Leeds and Guiseley. Plans also exist to reinstate the O&IJt branch line to Otley
Otley
-Transport:The main roads through the town are the A660 to the south east, which connects Otley to Bramhope, Adel and Leeds city centre, and the A65 to the west, which goes to Ilkley and Skipton. The A6038 heads to Guiseley, Shipley and Bradford, connecting with the A65...
from Milner Wood Junction, between Menston and Burley.
The first section of the route from Bradford Forster Square
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
is also used by the Airedale
Airedale Line
The Airedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the Metro area of northern England. The service is operated by Northern Rail, on the route connecting Leeds and Bradford with Skipton in the North of England. Some services along the line continue to Morecambe or Carlisle...
and Leeds-Bradford Line. The service to Ilkley branches north of Shipley
Shipley, West Yorkshire
Shipley is a town in West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, north of Bradford and north-west of Leeds....
railway station
Shipley railway station
Shipley railway station serves the town of Shipley in West Yorkshire, England.Train services are mostly commuter services between Leeds and Bradford, the Airedale Line , and the Wharfedale Line...
to:
- Baildon railway stationBaildon railway stationBaildon railway station serves the town of Baildon near Shipley in West Yorkshire, England. The station re-opened on 5 January 1973, having been closed for exactly 20 years, and is north of Bradford Forster Square on the Wharfedale Line...
a reopened station - Esholt: station closed
- Apperley Junction for the line from Leeds
- and on to Guiseley, Menston, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Ben Rhydding, and Ilkley
The line was electrified throughout using 25kV AC Overhead between 1994 and 1995.
The now-closed and lifted Midland line continued west of Ilkley via Addingham
Addingham
Addingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of West Yorkshire. It is situated on the A65, west of Ilkley, north west of Bradford and around north west of Leeds. It is located in the valley of the River Wharfe and is only from the Yorkshire Dales National Park...
, Bolton Abbey
Bolton Abbey
Bolton Abbey is the estate within which is located the ruined 12th-century Augustinian Bolton Priory in North Yorkshire, England. It gives its name to the parish of Bolton Abbey.-Bolton Priory:...
and Embsay to Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
. The section from Embsay to Bolton Abbey has been reopened by enthusiasts who operates steam locomotives as the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England, . It is part of the former Midland Railway branch from Skipton to Ilkley . The E&BASR currently runs from Embsay via Draughton and Holywell to Bolton Abbey station, a distance of...
.