Aire Valley Power Stations

This video includes locations in an area where the former Lancashire & Yorkshire railway is accompanied in places by the Aire and Calder Navigation (Knottingley and Goole Canal section) and paralleled by the M62 motorway. It also follows the 1885 chord to the Hull and Barnsley Railway which had closed in 1959 but reopened in 1972 to give access to Drax power station. Reaching the power station entailed a new chord line and reopening of a short stretch of the North Eastern Railway's Selby to Goole Branch which had closed in 1964. At the end of the video is a short visit to the Doncaster north chord which was under construction in 2014

Sudforth Lane Signal Box controlled both a level crossing and access to Kellingley Colliery which was still open at the date of filming. OS Map.

High Eggborough Crossing where High Eggborough Lane crosses the railway was operated by a crossing keeper who obtained permission from Sudforth Lane when required. It has since been converted to CCTV operation.OS Map.

Snaith & Pontefract Highway lies on the A645 to the west of Hensall. Hensall signal box monitors the automatic half barrier operation here.OS Map.

Hensall signal box controls the level crossing at Hensall station. It is listed Grade II. OS Map.

Heck Lane Crossing is a former resident crossing keeper crossing named after Heck Lane which runs northward from the railway. To the south the road is designated New Road. The signaller obtained permission from Hensall when road traffic required to cross. It has since been converted to CCTV operation. OS Map.

West Bank Hall Crossing is located on the Hull and Barnsley line on the section that reopened in 1972. OS Map.

Linwith Lane Crossing is located on the Hull and Barnsley line on the section that reopened in 1972. OS Map.

Haywood Crossing is located on the Lancashire and Yorkshire line from Knottingley to Doncaster. OS Map.

Thorpe Crossing is located on the Doncaster North Chord line. OS Map.

The map links will place the location selected at the centre of the map panel, roll the mouse over the icon(s) to reveal what they represent. Increase the scale using the scale selector on the left to separate closely positioned icons.

This video is intended for viewing at a maximum screen resolution of 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels high. Please be aware that viewing at a larger size may result in a loss of clarity and a 'grainy' appearance.

Copyright © of the FARSAP videos belongs to the Friends of the National Railway Museum.
The material may be freely used except for sale or advertising purposes.

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Video Credits

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Key Chronology

1848	Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway opened their line from Wakefield to Goole including stations at Whitley Bridge and Hensall.
1875	Hensall signal box opened.
1885	Hull, Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway & Dock opened including a link to the L&Y from Hensall Junction to Gowdell Junction and a station at Carlton (Towers).
1905	Hull, Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway & Dock adopted the simpler name of Hull and Barnsley Railway.
1922	Carlton station renamed Carlton Towers.
1922	Hull & Barnsley Railway absorbed by the North Eastern Railway.
1931	Carlton Towers station closed.
1937	Hensall signal box lever frame replaced.
1959	Hull and Barnsley Railway closed.
1972	Hensall signal box lever frame largely replaced by an IFS panel to facilitate access to Drax. Hensall Junction to Drax section of Hull & Barnsley Railway reopened.
1965	Kellingley Colliery started production.
2014	Kellingley Colliery ceased productionSudforth Lane and Hensall signal boxes closed with the line resignalled and control transferred to Ferrybridge.
2016	Kellingley Colliery ceased production.

 

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Can you help?

The project would love to hear from you, especially if you worked or still work in a signal box, and you are willing to provide reminiscences and / or pictures. Please contact the webmaster in the first instance.

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