The Calder and Hebble Navigation. Ravensthorpe to Mirfield

 The Calder and Hebble Navigation is an inland waterway connecting Sowerby Bridge with Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Opened in 1770 to extend the navigational parts of the River Calder, the canal runs through 27 locks on its 21.5 mile journey from the canal basin at Sowerby Bridge to it's junction with the Aire and Calder Navigation at Fall Ings Lock, Wakefield. The canal unlike many others has never fallen out of use, with commercial traffic still using the canal until 1981, and leisure traffic increasing since the reopening of Tuel Lane lock and tunnel at Sowerby Bridge in 1996.

The pictures below were taken on the canal between Ravensthorpe Bridge and Bull Bridge, Mirfield. This stretch includes sections of cutting and river that are navigable. They were taken on the 8th April 2015 with a Polaroid is2132 camera.

This was taken just past Ravensthorpe Bridge looking in the direction of Mirfield. The navigation is on the River Calder at the moment.

The canal is still on the River Calder, the lock seen in the middle of the picture is Greenwood Lock. The lock allows traffic to leave the river section and enter Greenwood Cut.

This agian shows part of the River Calder section of the navigation, Greenwood cut is just off picture to the left.

This weir can be found at the top of Greenwood Cut End just before Shepley Bridge Marina. The canal ane river are a joint navigation for a short spur here. 

Shepley Bridge. This section of the navigation is a river and canal joint bit, the canal bears off through Shepley Lockseen near the centre of the picture underneath the bridge. The River Calder continuing beyond.

Shepley Bridge Marina, Nr Mirfield.

Shepley Bridge Marina and Lock.

Wheatley Bridge, Mirfield.

The abutments above and below used to carry the Mirfield to Low Moor Railway (Cleckheaton Branch) over the canal. The line closed in 1965 along this stretch.

Gill Bridge, Mirfield. Just saw the 2 lads fishing and quietly letting the day pass buy. I took the picture as it reminded me of my youth and attempt at fishing, I quickly learnt it's not a hobby for me.

The Calder and Hebble at Mirfield.

Bull Bridge, Mirfield.

On the day I walked the navigation from Saville Town, Dewsbury to Brighouse. I'm posted the pictures in individual post's of various sections of the canal.

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Spen Valley Greenway. Low Moor to the M62.

The Spen Valley Greenway is a cycle-pedestrian corridor connecting Low Moor with Ravensthorpe, West Yorkshire, passing through the towns of Cleckheaton, Heckmondwike and Liversedge on route. The route runs for approx. 8 miles along the former routes of the Spen Valley Railway and Ravensthorpe Branch Lines. 

The Greenway was planned after Sustrans acquired the trackbed in 1998, and opened in 2000. In addition to the remaining bridges, occasional railway signposts and ornamental benches along the route, there are artworks including Sally Matthews flock of Swaledale sheep and Trudi Entwistle's Rotate. The route is traffic free and pretty flat along it's length, with a few small gentle slopes up and down. There are supermarkets along the route including a Tesco alongside the former site of Cleckheaton Station and a Morrison's a short walk from the site of what was Heckmondwike Station.

The following is a short video i put together of the pictures I took along the line, it includes images of the station sites whilst still operational.

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Before conversion from an overgrown and abandoned former railway to a pleasant tarmacked cycle and pedestrian route, the greenway had a life as a railway known as the Mirfield and Low Moor Railway. The original double track line opening was in 2 stages, from Low Moor to Mirfield on the 18th July 1848, and the Ravensthorpe Branch connecting Thornhill with Heckmondwike on the 1st June 1849. At it's height the line had 8 stations along it's route which included Low Moor, Cleckheaton Central, Liversedge Central, Heckmondwike Central after which the line split with stops at Northorpe North Road and Mirfield along the Mirfield route, and Ravensthorpe Lower and Thornhill along the Ravensthorpe Branch Line. The line remained in use until passenger services were withdrawn in July 1965 and goods traffic ended in the late 1980's.

There are currently small campaigns trying to get the line reopened, as much of the trackbed remains clear and unbuilt upon this seems an easy but perhaps expensive plan. There is currently a population of over 50000 along the Spen Valley Route with limited access to rail without commuting. There are competing plans featuring heavy rail and light rail proposals.

The following pictures are taken on the route from Low Moor to the M62 Motorway Bridge at Chain Bar. They were taken on the 30th December 2019 with a Nikon d3300.

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Ravensthorpe Railway Station

Ravensthorpe Railway Station is a small suburban stop on the Huddersfield Line between Mirfield and Dewsbury. West Yorkshire. A little used station with only 35342 passengers using it in 2018 - 19, approx. 680 people per week, you can't help but think it would be a much busier with station if platforms were added to the lines towards Wakefield which branch off just before arriving at Ravensthorpe. 

Opened in 1890 this was the 2nd station to serve the area with the first station opening in 1869 on the Ravensthorpe branch of the Spen Valley Line. This station was closed in 1962. This station was built with a good shed to attract freight traffic, some 42 years after the line was opened and quite grand station buildings which were listed prior to a fire which led to them being demolished and replaced by basic shelters. The station has a unique character which is hard to explain, it's location in an industrial suburb of Dewsbury means it should have the feel of a busy commuter but when your stood on the platforms you get the feel of rural countryside stop.

The station has basic facilities with limited shelters on both platforms, no toilets or ticket purchase machines. There are information boards and timetables, the station is unstaffed. Access to platform 2 is via the bridge and steps.

The pictures below were taken on December 30 2019, there are a total of which can also be seen on my ClickASnap account where they are full size, resolution and un-watermarked.

The lines to the left of the picture, there has never been a station serving
those line at this location, this may change as there are plans to demolish
and re-site the station just beyond the bridge in the picture, as part of plans to
put 4 tracks along this route.

Thanks for looking and please take a moment to share and follow me on social media. Clicking any image should open a link in another window to a higher resolution, un-watermarked version of the image on Clickasnap.

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.