The Caldervale Line is the name given to rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England. These services are operated by Northern trains: its destinations include the following:

• Leeds/Bradford - Halifax
• Leeds/Bradford - Halifax - Huddersfield
• Leeds/Bradford - Halifax - Rochdale - Manchester Victoria
• Leeds/Bradford - Halifax - Burnley - Preston - Blackpool in north-west England.

MetroCards are available on the route to Walsden , near the border of West Yorkshire, south of Todmorden.

The route

General notes

Before the 1923 Grouping the first section of the line (Leeds - Bradford) was owned by the Great Northern Railway (GNR) ; a section of the route leading into Huddersfield by the London and North Western Railway (LNWR); and the entire remainder by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway L&YR), which had become linked with the LNWR.

For the section between Halifax and Burnley the line uses the valley of the River Calder, thus giving the services their name; it also follows the Rochdale Canal from Todmorden into Manchester. Since the route crosses the Pennines, there are many tunnels to negotiate en route.

The route description follows: for the initial section of the route: see article Leeds and Bradford Lines

Bradford - Halifax

Many stations on this route have been closed: original places served, and notes on the route:

• • Bowling was named Bowling Junction for its link with the GNR at this point
  • here is Bowling Tunnel 1648 yds (1483m)
  • Low Moor also a junction with GNR
  • here was a triangular junction for the L&YR line to Dewsbury
  • here are two tunnels: New Furnace Tunnel and Wyke Tunnel
  • Wyke & Norwood Green
  • here is junction for a line to Huddersfield: now closed, there was one station for Bailiff Bridge
  • Lightcliffe : station renamed Brighouse
  • here is Lightcliffe Tunnel
  • Hipperholme
  • here is Beacon Hill Tunnel 1105 yds (995m)
  • Halifax
• All the services on the Caldervale line serve Halifax. The main line continues:

Halifax - Manchester Victoria

Many stations on this route have been closed (or are not served by the Caldervale Line trains): original stations served:

• • here was the triangular junction for the line via Mirfield to Dewsbury; the former Brighouse station was on this line
  • here is Bank House Tunnel
  • here was Copley station
  • the line now turns west into the Calder valley
  • Sowerby Bridge
  • here was Luddendenfoot station
  • Mytholmroyd
  • Hebden Bridge
  • here is Weasal Hall Tunnel
  • here was Eastwood station
  • here are: Castle Hill Tunnel; Horsfall Tunnel; and Millwood Tunnel
  • Hall Royd Junction: here the trains on the Blackpool service turn northwestward, following the Calder valley (see below)
  • Todmorden here the line takes a southward direction, in the same valley as the Rochdale Canal
  • Walsden : here the line crosses into the Rochdale District of Greater Manchester
  • after Winterbutlee Tunnel follows Summit Tunnel, at 2885 yds (2597m) the longest on the L&YR lines
  • Littleborough
  • Smithy Bridge
  • Rochdale: junction for two lines: to Bacup (closed to passengers 16 June 1947) and to Oldham
  • Castleton: junction for a line to Bury
  • Middleton Junction junction for two lines: Middleton branch; and Oldham (both closed)
  • Moston
  • Newton Heath
  • Miles Platting
  • Manchester Victoria

Blackpool route

Trains continue up the Calder valley to Burnley and Blackburn; it also runs parallel with the Leeds and Liverpool Canal from Burnley. The section from Todmorden to Burnley was opened by the L&YR on 12 November 1849; the Blackburn to Preston section on 1 June 1846. Many stations on this route have been closed (or are not served by the Caldervale Line trains): original stations served and other notes on the route:

• • Hall Royd Junction: see above; there are now no stations on the route before Burnley; stations once served, and notes on the route:
  • Stansfield Hall
  • here is Kitsonwood Tunnel
  • Cornholme station closed to all traffic 26 September 1938
  • Portsmouth
  • Towneley : serving the nearby Towneley Hall
  • Burnley Manchester Road station: there were also Burnley Barracks and Burnley Central
  • Rose Grove
  • here was the Rose Grove Junction for the alternative route to Blackburn via Padiham {closed to passengers 2 December 1957)
  • Hapton
  • Huncoat
  • Accrington
  • here was the triangular junction for the line to Bury (line closed)
  • Church & Oswaldtwistle
  • Rishton
  • here was the other end of the line from Burnley at Great Harwood Junction
  • Blackburn: junction of the line to Bolton
  • Mill Hill
  • Cherry Tree
  • here was the L&YR/LNWR joint line (the Lancashire Union Joint Railway to Chorley and the West Coast Route) opened 1 November 1869 (now closed)
  • Pleasington
  • Bamber Bridge
  • here were further junctions: one the through route to Southport
  • Preston: the joint LNWR/L&YR station on the West Coast Route
  • Lea Road
  • Salwick
  • Kirkham & Wesham
  • here were junctions: for the direct route to Blackpool; and the coast route via Lytham St Annes on Sea
  • Singleton
  • Poulton le Fylde
  • here was the junction for Fleetwood
  • Bispham
  • Blackpool North was named Talbot Road

External links

• West Yorkshire Metro