Thongsbridge railway station
| Holmfirth branch line | |
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Holmfirth station building
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| Overview | |
| Status | closed |
| Locale | West Yorkshire |
| Termini |
Brockholes Holmfirth |
| Stations | 2 |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 1 July 1850 |
| Closed | 2 November 1959 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 2 mi (3.2 km) |
| Number of tracks | Double |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
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The Holmfirth branch line is a disused railway line that ran for 2 miles (3.2 km) from Brockholes to Holmfirth, in West Yorkshire, England. The line was built as double track as there were plans to extend the line up the Holme Valley.
The Holmfirth branch was built by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway company. It was due to open on 24 June 1850 but problems meant this was delayed until 1 July 1850, when the first train left Holmfirth at 11:25 a.m. In the first week of operation 1,869 tickets were sold at Holmfirth, along with another 674 at the intermediate station of Thongsbridge.
Extensions to the line were proposed on a number of occasions, none of which saw any progress. Parliamentary authority was granted for a scheme in 1847, before the line was opened, which was costed at £56,000, however the powers lapsed in 1852 without any progress. One proposal was to extend the line up the Holme Valley, tunnel under Holme Moss, and connect with the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway.
The line ran from a junction with the Penistone Line near Brockholes railway station and headed south across Mytholmbridge Viaduct before reaching Thongsbridge station, then continued to Holmfirth station.
Mytholmbridge Viaduct was the source of some concern for members of the travelling public. The planned embankment had been replaced by timber trestle which was damaged by winds during construction. In an attempt to reassure the public of the safety of this and the Denby Dale Viaduct, L&YR appointed Robert Stephenson to produce a report on the structure, published 16 September 1851, in which he concluded that "both structures are perfectly safe".
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Wikipedia