Operator(s) Northern | Owner Network Rail | |
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Locale West Yorkshire
Yorkshire and the Humber Depot(s) Neville Hill (On the Leeds to Selby Line Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ⁄2 in) standard gauge Rolling stocks British Rail Class 333, British Rail Class 321, British Rail Class 322, British Rail Class 158 | ||
The Wharfedale line is one of the rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England. The service connects Ilkley with Leeds and Bradford, and is operated by Northern. West Yorkshire Metrocards are available for use on the line, covering Zones 3–5. The line is served predominantly by four-coach Class 333 electric multiple units.
Contents
The airedale and wharfedale lines p2
The route
The line was originally owned by the Midland Railway from Leeds to Burley-in-Wharfedale. At this point the line became joint property, with the North Eastern Railway, and was known as the Otley & Ilkley Joint Railway (O&IJt). The two lines from Leeds and Bradford come together at Esholt Junction – the location of an 1892 crash – south of Guiseley.
The route from Leeds leaves the main line near Calverley and continues along the Aire valley until climbing a hill to:
A new station, Kirkstall Forge, opened on the Aire Valley section of the route between Leeds and Guiseley. The station at Kirkstall Forge is expected to provide a service on the Wharfedale line outside of peak hours only. Plans also exist to reinstate the O&IJt branch line to Otley from Milner Wood Junction, between Menston and Burley.
The first section of the route from Bradford Forster Square is also used by the Airedale and Leeds–Bradford lines. The service to Ilkley branches north of Shipley railway station to:
The line was electrified throughout using 25 kV AC Overhead between 1994 and 1995 by British Rail. The now-closed and lifted Midland line continued west of Ilkley via Addingham, Bolton Abbey and Embsay to Skipton. The section from Embsay to Bolton Abbey has been reopened by enthusiasts who operate steam locomotives as the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway.