24/Mar/2024. Bike Ride: Dewsbury – Fitzwilliam.

When I set out this particular day I hadn’t expected to cycle all the way to Fitzwilliam from Dewbury. My intention was to cycle over to Wakefield and return on the train possibly via Mirfield depending on connections.

However, when I got to Wakefield Kirkgate there wasn’t a train to Mirfield for around three hours so, as it was a nice enough day, I changed my focus to Sandal & Agbrigg. This was then changed again to Fitzwilliam as I wanted to see/film trains on the Crofton West Jn-Hare Park Jn line.

One further reason for the outing was flying the drone over Healey Mills yard – or rather what’s left of it! It’s hard to believe it was so busy forty odd years ago!

good morning and welcome to another video we’re at dewsbury just got off the train from cottingley P to pad service and uh didn’t get a chance to start the video at cotting a little bit rushed and we got the bike with us this time so uh I’m going to cycle over towards Wakefield uh and fly the Drone hopefully over Healey Mill or left of it um so let’s head on down that way now I’ve got the chest harness with me so about to get some forward video footage as I ride the bike okay let’s do it right we’re on an Old Railway now and we’re going to cross the road we just cycled along is Breton street so there’s another longer Bridge up here and that is over the uh River CUA some years since there was a train over here now you’re talking probably at least 30 probably for near 40 years I think since the last train ran across this bridge but behind us it is used by the C trains thank you kindly now unfortunately although I said i’ got the chest harness with me I haven’t got the little attachment to use it so we’re having to do it and ELD so we’re now crossing the river cuer on a double span gerder Bridge I’ve actually walked across here all years ago I think with the bik out at the time when I was a teenager nice see the house in the distance over there there’s a tunnel underneath that mound we’re going to go through there hopefully cuz that’s the old Great Northern line from dby Central to WS W Field West is getting Beyond now we just doubled back well almost the uh bridge over there is what we just come across now this way and this will come out according to the map it will come out that’s Sans Lane now this actually was the track bed of the uh Great Northern but there’s no Bridge here now because s lane bridge was very low when the railway was here so they’re just taken it away and uh put like a flat Crossing in are almost flat so there’s the tunnel it curves that’s why I can’t see through it been planning on doing this for ages theyve raised the road there the road was a bit more of a dip oh it’s dark in here look at this I got sunglasses on that’s why I think it’s dark right at the other end of this tunnel where Z’s eating station I put one of my lights on so heading towards Wakefield at the moment someone else is coming through with a dog right well say’s eatting station was at the end of this tunnel it wasn’t literally right at the end of the tunnel like perhaps the old Marley was it’s 100 yards or so I don’t think there’s anything left of it at all the platforms were dug away soon after closure the rest of the station was demolished not much after that it’s difficult to see where the Trap bed goes now here cuz it’s so overgrown so this is where ear’s eatting station was it’s just it’s it was all here most of the buildings were on the upside I think which is what this direction would have been towards W field obviously in London and let’s keep going a bit further now there’s a couple of bridges down here that’s been taken away demolished whatever I’m sure the there’s two or even three I think there was might only been Farm access but I think that road on the left now is p Lane whether the 126 or 127 bus goes but correct me if I’m wrong so we’re still on the track bed here now if it’s a slightly different level maybe slightly lower down or higher up who knows yeah this is definitely the old alignment it was double track of course don’t forget it wasn’t a single track Branch it was a secondary main line but if a climb coming up quite a steep climb coming up this has been filled in and ramped it wouldn’t have been as steep as this in Steam days so not far off Runing Lane Junction which is where the chicken Le Branch direct from Batley would have converged cuz obviously that line came first oh dear right we joined the direct line from battley just behind us now that’s what that is so it’s a little bit mismatched here sort of thing has run things laying Junctions further on that was let’s turn the camera around and let’s get going again right the sight of rling Lane Junction is just up ahead yeah it would have been handy as a diversionary route if anything broke down at due Central or thereabouts go straight over to Batley and miss it out anyone for DS we could just change on to LW couldn’t they to Wellington Road so it should have been kept right this is about the sight of rings L Junction now here I think this is about the end of the track now down here so we’ll have to head down towards he mids next fly the Drone if we can all right this is about it now I don’t think the track continues any further but better this than nothing if there’s a level cross in here at one time or a bridge this is Queen Street now I think it’s about here where there was a bridge where this wall is on the left it’s been modified obviously since then but that is roughly where the brid yeah can see let’s check that out properly I just saw something of interest just where this van is right there I strongly suspect that has something to do with the Old Railway Station AET cuz it was only just up there and coming across here there was like a switch back a notable switch back over the road cuz I think it was quite low as this bridge obviously the tech house is not needed and it it’s too low for a Decker there’s a bus stop up there so obviously that’s what they’ve done that for right let’s get on down this way now towards hey Mills right we come down that path down there just the side those bits of trees and bushes Healy Mills uh is over to the side this fence now and it stretches either way so down that way towards merfield and wherever osfield Bri house and then that way is more towards Wakefield right there’s another path just up there which uh we’ll do it’s a bit of a steep path but it’s not too bad it go up there left come back across where we were earlier and then come back down not on this path we’ve just done but this path just here next to the fence so we’ll do that it would take us about quar of an hour to do that I think maybe even less because there’s a there’s a grant Central service due in about half an hour now we just walked up from down there it’s a bit difficult to see where they let’s lowered it down a bit that’s a bit better so yeah uh just walked up there and turned to the left to come on here uh oset Academy is right behind me it’s quite a quite a big school is that just across there so we’ll go down this way out and uh cross our previous path down to the bottom turn left all right without going too quick obviously we’re riding now I wonder if they do cross country over here very likely it’s quite an easy path to walk on or CH on and yeah I bet they do there’s a Gateway there right it was this side of the fence or rather between the fences some using a jet wash there this is dicey you mides fling out I found a swing it’s a long time since I’ve done it like this almost feels a bit like Last of the Summer Wine doesn’t [Music] it right that man over there that man that man that man foggy go compo that man didn’t he oh oh dear oh okay hope it don’t give way don’t forget how heavy we are I think we’ll call that a do oh cracky so that was that a nice little tire suspended off of a tree there’s another little thing as well here some uh other ones used to have these on campsites years ago back in the ‘ 80s things like that that looks stronger actually does that right this is where we were earlier you still see my tire track there so I went down there from up that way let’s go down here now looks like there’s a path should be probably to walk it down here there’s no else it can be [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] y [Music] [Music] n [Music] n [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] n [Music] oh [Music] w [Music] [Music] w [Music] w [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] right uh that shot was quite good actually and uh seeing the freight there we bit unexpected uh there’s a trans penine service due through very shortly which is um it’s not a transparent service that would be coming this way like from hfield to leads V noront because they’re going the normal way obviously because you we used it this morning from C to jewsbury what it actually is is because the H Valley is shut or should I say still shut it’s been shut for about nine days I think this is the last day now and um there’s one of those um it’s a shuttle Ser just from Manchester Sheffield I think nonstop although there was a a sort of diagram stop at Huddersfield but it wasn’t actually for passengers probably just for crew and that is due down but shortly now so get that one and then we’ll head over towards wake [Music] okay [Music] [Music] this road I I should I say dirt track takes us up to STS Hill Road I think it is it’s the road you would have seen crossing the Eastern end of a Mills yard that Iron Bridge so go across that and take the main rout straight towards Wakefield for a short distance probably a mile or so perhaps we cut down and cut back alongside the railway towards KET oh this is so annoying forgetting the whats it it’s so dodgy do anyway having to hold it right on the road again now might get rid of some of this mud off the tires the back is absolutely kicked in crap we’re coming up to that bridge now You’ just seen it on the AAL shots from the Drone over we go this is looking towards Wakefield and that Freight’s still there so we’ have been waiting a long time to see that go through it is on the other side now and just look there quite a lot of tracks still there but it’s all just so overgrown and disused miles and miles of track that were here years ago in the Glorious Days not just in Steam but in the 70s and 80s let’s get back on the bike now I’ve moved off the main road and alongside the railway here now Harbor Junction is just ahead there’s a lot of water and whatever around here I can’t use the Drone anymore now cuz the battery is too too low so we’ll just cycle along here towards Wakefield how do there’s a barrier up ahead should be able to get around that I think can we cycle straight round it I wonder I think we might be able to do actually ah so that car that came out it’s obviously come out of this G Gateway here right that’s Harbor junction box how long it’s got left who knows so yes we can just go around here now under the mot away now I suppose there some glass around here but anything obvious yet let over to the oh hang on no it’s not that way is it that was under the railway straight forward up here I think we’ve seen this path countlessly times from the train when we’ve been on it cuz it literally is yards away Fe even it’s so close bit further up here it is must never forget that chest dness connection again that’s what I got it for so I didn’t have to do this hold it in me hand right real land’s just up there now there’s a golf course to the on the left hand side right we just came underneath that bit of a bridge there under the railway I think we should be on the opposite side but whilst we’re here we’ll see this barge go past looks like a fourman crew on it I think it’s quite a large boat that it’s not a narrow boat Scouts oh yes afternoon Angus Ferguson Scout wake up elb hi Nigel K Thomas if you want to follow on on YouTube Nigel K Thomas on YouTube lovely day for getting well I don’t say getting wet but lovely day for the for for getting onto water in some vessel isn’t it right let’s get the bike guess what we found a little Railway I don’t know having a ride on it’s near a quid but where I can leave the bike yank diesel locco here Union Pacific with wi mirrors as well so driver can check whether everyone’s behaving themselves oh look at this now looks like a scale down tlin type loer isn’t [Music] it [Applause] a it’s off the cute scale isn’t it there’s a black five coming around now 51 57 glasgo Highlander there we are black fives coming round hi something closer to the real ones uh two days ago at worth Valley in case I haven’t mentioned it this is Thorn’s Park and it is really busy especially this play area it’s incredible let’s go get an ice scream by the engine shed now Steam test involved taking it down so that is Jackie O and uh can’t see some in front of it there’s a another little one coming round inside over there that’s uh managing a fair turn of speed is that [Applause] one it’s called Gala is’s that other one on the far side there so yes this is uh quite a nice place to come to on a Sunday afternoon there a lot of people here and uh whatever the railway is uh doing Swift business not going to bother going up myself cuz uh I ain’t got cash for one thing so it’s a bit difficult anyway swing the camera around and look at the [Applause] park so there are there’s a lot of uh a lot of activity here Thorns Park South of w field city center southwest I think this one’s going to move it’s a shame the Drone is uh [Music] [Applause] unavailable you doing a trip with [Applause] it I’m we just changing different roads right I’ve made it to wait fori Kurt gate but sadly there is nothing happening here in the next 10 to 15 minutes uh it said please stand clear platform to but nothing went through so unless it was a phantom train something did go around the curve though from Turner Lane to CER Bridge so unless it was triggered by that it’s a light engine I think it was so I had thought of going by murfield to go back home but it’s a minus 2 minute connection with the whole train at murfield next Grand Central and that isn’t for somewhere it was a three hours so I’ll have a little cycle down towards sandland egb and possibly have a look at the uh the former connection onto the uh Midland Mainline let’s have a look at that right we’re at the far end of the car park now at sandin agbg and the station’s just up ahead up there so we could have got the 1520 but uh we’ll have another hour or so uh or even two hours possibly have a walk around this is obviously the uh the main leads donc cter chef field London line and that train is just approaching now oh it’s a 195 was coming up what is it you can see the trainer station down there now we’ll get the next one in another hour so I another little wander around up here now or cycle around CU this is uh but what leads on to a connection to the Midland Mainline that was up here not sure just where the points were but uh obviously with it being a gradient not be quite a steep gradient up to the main line so the line the actual existing line climbs slightly so to climb to get over another one that goes across this would obviously require some gradient it would yeah we we’ll be on the alignment now there like a wall to the left something coming oh 91 bit a CU of the trees but Flying Scotsman not the Flying Scotsman now then we missed the trans per and going towards Manchester but there’s one coming to other way a bit unexpected there’s a grant Central service in about 20 minutes as well from now near enough so I’ll chill for a bit I’m going to cycle on to Fitz William now CU I think’s a bit [Music] nearer it’s coming down to a red signal that’s why it’s only going slow but the junction is only 20 M hour is hair park off this line so this is the cofton West Junction hair Park Junction section of track [Music] some people on [Music] that some just got on the main line towards leads oh he’s got the road now so it’ll go straight on towards moror and whatever to Sheffield right the gr Central one is approaching so once this is gone we’ll head on to Fitz William don’t plan to go any further than that I didn’t plan to go any further than W field to be quite honest there’s a track Walker there inspecting in case he finds any defects so the actual the downline here actually is uh where he’s walking is currently suspended whil he does that inspection but the up Line’s okay it should be a voyager should this one here it is and he’s got the road straight through onto the main line now we just come through the gate there over that field and that was the worst yet it’s disgrace it was so muddy and wet anyway we’re going down this way now having to walk with a I think I ride it on it actually walk it a little way so yeah we’re heading for Fitz William now hopefully we’ll get the 17 20 with a bit of look let’s just get on now I think this is Angler’s lake or something think is it on this nice little path here it’s a bit silhouetted because of the the bright Skyline it’s dark we’re riding Sun’s just behind the clouds up to the right now afternoon all afternoon so go through Ry Hill that way I think towards Fitz William now we are now where we are supposed to be got a little bit wrong back Yonder it’s about 25 now to get to Fitz William otherwise it’s another hour so come out at uh newstead all that are RI hoft sometimes pronounced chav craftt the Great Northern line is over to the right the way field line on the other side is the featherston street house l and y anyway I better get going now not got much time well we’ve done it with a few minutes to spare so it’s duing about 5 minutes it’s a minute too late but yeah that was some ride at the end there couldn’t do much in the way filming cuz I’ve been risking missing this train I don’t want to wait another hour now I’m ready to call it a day so can’t see it just down there yet but uh let’s switch cameras or turn it around rather that’s looking towards the South Doncaster sheffy London and this is looking towards W field which is dog leg down there is they I never noticed that before right here’s our train approaching there’s a corresponding leap shefy service on the opposite side we’ll get this one now 15214 F to leads P Carriage we need [Applause] oh my word I’ve done it we’re on the train now let’s get to late and just came down that road down there a few minutes ago from aoft and newstead coming up to hair Park Junction now which is where we were earlier when we saw the Grand Central service and the TP one before I’ll say bit of a gradient change that’s where the old fi alignment used to be just there up and and down that was whole M Junction right we’re just coming into leads now platform 12 91 there and as a crappy auma which may well be good at har it Sil skipped Sunday right we’re going to jump out here it finish they get over to platform 16 for the cly one hey on platform 128 let’s get over to 16 here we are our last train of today alter Manchester Picadilly it’s got three or well just over 3 minutes before it’s du away 1,800 hours this is is the same one I got back from Bruth yesterday really I think it is I didn’t actually do a video on that one but uh never mind just left leads now and you’ll see that connection that we used earlier coming in from Wakefield thanks William it’s been a while since I’ve done that card line especially coming into lead there’s one there coming in that’s uh probably from Notting well from b r i for guess is that one right well let’s get back to cotting the get off exuse us cheers I can still do all right we are back so let us train players out and then we’ll end the video yes it’s not been so bad cycled a lot further than I intended to and I all that say yes it’s dued to Fitz Williams over 20 miles it was well over May 22 23 I think it was I’ll check it anyway right so that’s heading off to Manchester padil [Music] there it is so uh so let’s get in I think I just got out the jet station and washed the bike off with a jet wash okay so till the next time K music see you next video bye for [Music] now [Music]