Huddersfield Gas Works Railway (Then & Now)

Hi All

A collection of photos taken in the 1950's & 2008 showing the old Beaumont Street Flyer taking coal from the old Midland Newtown Yard down Beaumont Street to the Gas works on Leeds Rd Huddersfield, The Gas works opened in 1822 but it was not for a further 100 years before it became rail connected in 1922, when the line from the Midland Railway's Huddersfield (Newtown) goods yard along the public roads down Beaumont Street and crossed the canal & Leeds main rd en route to the gas works length of route 1/4 Mile. Rail traffic ceased in in March 1966

Many thanks to John Whitaker for letting me use his photos
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.net/p50290168.html
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.net/p50290127.html
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.net/p50179883.html
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.net/p50179879.html
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.net/p50179872.html
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.net/p50179878.html
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.net/p50179874.html
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.net/p50179870.html

Plus a large collection of what it looks like today
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.net/c1504724_1.html

Neil

 

cracking stuff mate, cheers for that

 

Yeah - loved the two kids racing the train down the street, just feet away from the loco!

 

I seem to remember that up until they built the retail park not that long ago! ( anyone remember when they built it?)
the tracks were still down in the middle of Beaumont St

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s....77898&spn=0.001641,0.005681&t=h&z=18&iwloc=A

Where the street was still shows on google maps

and of course the tracks that go round the gasometer that are still there also looks like the line runs into the sheds still
been a while since i had a drive round might be time for another look

 

On one of the "now" pictures there are a couple of cracks in the tarmac that suggest that there may still be rails in situ underneath.

 

this one?

Photo from http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.net/p50179875.html

 

Yes, that's the one.

 

Having trouble viewing the above links. Error message appears. I work quite close to the gas works and would love to see the above pictures! Jason.

 

Yes, none of the links are working for me also.

 

My AV has blocked the IP address of the links as being suspicious from the Virgin Islands.

 

These are the old fotopic links that's why there is a problem

new links here
http://tinyurl.com/lxh9qjk

Neil

 

Very interesting series of pictures, thanks very much for the links.

 

Funnily enough, I bought a water colour painting last year which shows a view around the early sixties featuring a trolleybus and a Fairburn tank passing over the bridge to the station. What attracted me to it was it was painted from outside the George Hotel at exactly the same spot where I used to catch the bus to school. I will try and photo it and post.....it's very typical of the time.

 

I managed to photo the watercolour painting......the view is further to the left of the photos and would be late fifties/early sixties

 

Bye 'ell, there are a lot of memories there for us local lads Thanks for posting that.

 

Thought you'd like it....cost me £50 at an auction...there was another one with it just showing trolley buses, I kick myself for not getting that too. As I said, I used to catch the trolley to school at Bradley Bar from where the artist is positioned.......Fridays were a treat we used to get a glimpse of the morning Jubilee before rushing into the first lesson........memories indeed......anyone know the artist, signs himself MAX?

 

The location I think for that photo is Bradford Road heading away from Huddersfield, so possibly the destination indicator is all wrong as Lockwood/Folly hall are in the opposite direction, photo nowhere near St Georges Square/George Hotel
Photo here is the other side of the bridge

http://railway-photography.smugmug....ilway/22888643_KtKNfZ#!i=1326479666&k=LvxDv5x

Neil

 

Sorry Neil, I don't agree. The water colour photo, IMO, does show the trolley bus coming along TOWARDS The George and Lockwood would indeed have been the destination.
The spot where the bus is is now the entrance to Tesco car park and out of sight on the left is what is now "The Sportsman" pub, part of The Ale Trail.
I shall go today and check things out.
Oh, while I'm in Huddersfield I might just pop in to The Grove.

 

Totally muddled now .......title is "Sunbeam MS2 Trolleybus no 592 Viaduct St/Northgate"....any light on that Niell?

 

The men in white coats are coming for me....many apologies not by the George, you're right Niell.....so much has changed with the ring road....I think it's where the Jaguar dealership is....disappointing but still brings back some memories back of that era.