Colin Green Photography

Saturday, 4 December 2021

The Rishworth Branch Line December 2013

One of my favourite places to explore with my camera is the remains of the Rishworth Branch Line, a railway that connected the Ryburn Valley with the mainline at Sowerby Bridge. The line had stations and halts at Rishworth, Ripponden, Triangle and Watson's Crossing. Much of the line remains in tact with a number of Bridges still providing crossings over the former trackbed. The Scar Head Tunnel is still running underneath the Norland Hillside although inaccessible for people wanting to look inside, and the platform at Rishworth still remains although now covered by vegetation. The former pedestrian bridge, Ripponden Bank road bridge and wooden trellis bridge that connected Rishworth Station with the turnpike have all been removed since the line closed in addition to all the station buildings.

The Rishworth Branch line was opened as the first stage of a much bigger scheme to shorten the railway connection between Sowerby Bridge and Littleborough by approx 5 miles by tunnelling underneath the Pennines separating Lancashire and Yorkshire. This plan was abandoned when the company responsible ran in to a number of difficulties in completing the line to Rishworth.

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway line along the Ryburn Valley was authorised in 1865 and the line to Ripponden completed in 1878. This was extended to Rishworth in 1881 with stations opening there and in Triangle the same year. Upon completion the line was built to double track but for much of it's life only utilised one line with the 2nd track being used to store carriages.

At the turn of the 20th century motor railcars were introduced along the line and this led to a new halt opening at Watson's Crossing in 1907, this was probably the height of the lines usage as growing competition from trams and motor cars led to a decline in passenger numbers and this service was withdrawn on the 8th July 1929 with only goods traffic continuing. The line between Ripponden and Rishworth was closed in March 1952 due to engineering issues and completely on the 1st September 1958. Much of the former trackbed is now accessible for walkers, although some stretchers are in private ownership.

The pictures were taken on the 7th December 2013 with a Samsung Galaxy Tablet.

These first set of pictures were taken on the stretch of line from Scar Head Tunnel to the site of Triangle Station.

Scar Head Tunnel Portal

The former site of Triangle Station

The next selection of pictures were taken on the lines remains between Triangle Station and Ripponden Station.

The former Ripponden station used to sit at the top of the abutment.

The following pictures were taken on the line between the site of Ripponden Station and the Rishworth terminus. This section was the last to open in 1881 and also the first to fully close in 1953.