This viaduct, which spans the river Irwell, was part of the Bury–Holcombe Brook branch line built in 1882. The railway line closed in 1963 but the old track bed is still in use today as the Kirklees Trail cycle way and footpath.
Opened in 1882 by the Bury and Tottington District Railway the line was taken over by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1888. Initially the line had stations at Woolfold, Greenmount, Tottington and Holcombe Brook with additional halts opening at Woodhill Road, Brandlesholme Road, Sunnywood and Knowles Crossing in 1905.
Passenger services operated until 1952, while freight services continued to Holcombe Brook until 1960 and Tottington until 1963.
Electrificationedit
In 1912 Dick, Kerr & Co.‘s Preston factory were considering tendering for a Brazilian contract and approached the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway to use the branch for test purposes at Dick, Kerr's expense. The line from Bury Bolton Street Station to Holcombe Brook was electrified with the overhead 3.5 kV dc system, rolling stock was also supplied at their cost. After prolonged trials the trains entered public use on 29 July 1913. The L&Y purchased the equipment and stock on the successful completion of the trials in 1916. During 1917 work started on the branch to convert to third rail to match the Manchester to Bury system. The third rail trains started to run on 29 March 1918.
Kirklees Trailedit
"Kirklees Trail" redirects here. For the 72-mile walk in Kirklees, Yorkshire, see Kirklees Way.
The start of the Kirklees Trail at Greenmount in 2007
The section of the line from Greenmount to Bury town centre has been converted into a pedestrian and cycle route, the Kirklees Trail, forming part of National Cycle Route 6. Sustrans built a new 65 metres (213 ft) long bridge over the Kirklees Valley to replace the demolished Woolfold viaduct.[1][2][3]
Signal Boxes on Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Lines: North and West of Manchester: Part Two by Chris Littleworth (Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society, 2014: ISBN978-0-9559467-6-9)
^"Railway line renovation in Bury". Sustrans. Retrieved 12 February 2018. Includes photograph of new bridge
^"Kirklees Trail". Visit Bury. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
^"Bury's bid for £500,000 towards Kirklees Trail". Bury Times. 29 November 2007. Retrieved 12 February 2018. Includes description of demolition of old viaduct
External linksedit
April 15, 2024
bury, holcombe, brook, line, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, february, 2018, learn, when, remove, this, templa. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Bury Holcombe Brook line was a 3 3 4 mile 6 0 km single track railway line which ran between Bury Bolton Street railway station and Holcombe Brook railway station via seven intermediate stations Woodhill Road Halt Brandlesholme Road Halt Woolfold Sunny Wood Halt Tottington Knowles Halt and Greenmount This viaduct which spans the river Irwell was part of the Bury Holcombe Brook branch line built in 1882 The railway line closed in 1963 but the old track bed is still in use today as the Kirklees Trail cycle way and footpath Bury to Holcombe Brook LineLegendHolcombe BrookGreenmountKnowles L C HaltTottingtonSunny Wood HaltWoolfold To RossendaleBrandlesholme Road Halt RamsbottomWoodhill Road Halt SummerseatBury Bolton StreetTo SalfordTo BoltonKnowsley StreetTo Manchester Bury InterchangeEast Lancashire Railway Contents 1 History 2 Electrification 3 Kirklees Trail 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editBury and Tottington District Railway Act 1877Act of Parliament nbsp Parliament of the United KingdomLong titleAn Act for making a Railway from Bury to Tottington with branches in the county palatine of Lancaster Citation40 amp 41 Vict c clviiDatesRoyal assent2 August 1877Text of statute as originally enactedOpened in 1882 by the Bury and Tottington District Railway the line was taken over by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1888 Initially the line had stations at Woolfold Greenmount Tottington and Holcombe Brook with additional halts opening at Woodhill Road Brandlesholme Road Sunnywood and Knowles Crossing in 1905 Passenger services operated until 1952 while freight services continued to Holcombe Brook until 1960 and Tottington until 1963 Electrification editIn 1912 Dick Kerr amp Co s Preston factory were considering tendering for a Brazilian contract and approached the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway to use the branch for test purposes at Dick Kerr s expense The line from Bury Bolton Street Station to Holcombe Brook was electrified with the overhead 3 5 kV dc system rolling stock was also supplied at their cost After prolonged trials the trains entered public use on 29 July 1913 The L amp Y purchased the equipment and stock on the successful completion of the trials in 1916 During 1917 work started on the branch to convert to third rail to match the Manchester to Bury system The third rail trains started to run on 29 March 1918 Kirklees Trail edit Kirklees Trail redirects here For the 72 mile walk in Kirklees Yorkshire see Kirklees Way nbsp The start of the Kirklees Trail at Greenmount in 2007The section of the line from Greenmount to Bury town centre has been converted into a pedestrian and cycle route the Kirklees Trail forming part of National Cycle Route 6 Sustrans built a new 65 metres 213 ft long bridge over the Kirklees Valley to replace the demolished Woolfold viaduct 1 2 3 See also editLYR electric unitsReferences editSignal Boxes on Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Lines North and West of Manchester Part Two by Chris Littleworth Lancashire amp Yorkshire Railway Society 2014 ISBN 978 0 9559467 6 9 Lost Railways of Lancashire by Gordon Suggitt ISBN 1 85306 801 2 Railway line renovation in Bury Sustrans Retrieved 12 February 2018 Includes photograph of new bridge Kirklees Trail Visit Bury Retrieved 12 February 2018 Bury s bid for 500 000 towards Kirklees Trail Bury Times 29 November 2007 Retrieved 12 February 2018 Includes description of demolition of old viaductExternal links editBritish Railways in 1960 The Holcombe Brook line Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bury Holcombe Brook line amp oldid 1205515767 Kirklees Trail, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
