Nidd Valley Light Railway
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Nidd Valley Light Railway was a
light railway A light railway is a railway built at lower costs and to lower standards than typical "heavy rail": it uses lighter-weight track, and may have more steep gradients and tight curves to reduce civil engineering costs. These lighter standards allow ...
in upper
Nidderdale Nidderdale, historically also known as Netherdale, is one of the Yorkshire Dales (although outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park) in North Yorkshire, England. It is the upper valley of the River Nidd, which flows south underground and then ...
in the
West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...
, England. It was owned by Bradford Corporation Waterworks Department and the corporation also operated its public passenger services. Power & Traction Ltd of London obtained a Light Railway Order for the railway from
Pateley Bridge Pateley Bridge (known locally as Pateley) is a small market town in Nidderdale in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies on the River Nidd. It is in the Yorkshire Dales and ...
to Lofthouse in 1900, but these powers were taken over by Bradford Corporation. A contract to build
Angram Reservoir Angram Reservoir is the first of three reservoirs on the River Nidd in Upper Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, England, the others being Scar House Reservoir and finally the compensation reservoir Gouthwaite Reservoir. It is located at OS map refe ...
was awarded to John Best & Son in 1903, and he also won the contract to build the public railway and a private extension to the reservoir site. This was initially built to gauge but was converted to standard gauge by 1907, when the public railway opened. Best had his own locomotives, and Bradford Corporation equipped the public railway with second hand locomotives and carriages from the
Metropolitan Railway The Metropolitan Railway (also known as the Met) was a passenger and goods railway that served London from 1863 to 1933, its main line heading north-west from the capital's financial heart in the City to what were to become the Middlesex su ...
. The Angram Reservoir project was completed in 1916. The corporation had obtained powers to build another reservoir at Scar House in 1913, and in 1920 decided to proceed, using direct labour rather than a contractor. The railway was upgraded, with the purchase of new and second hand locomotives, a
railmotor Railmotor is a term used in the United Kingdom and elsewhere for a railway lightweight railcar, usually consisting of a railway carriage with a steam traction unit, or a diesel or petrol engine, integrated into it. Steam railcars Overview In th ...
for the public services, and second hand carriages for the workmen's trains. Curves on the line above Lofthouse were eased, and a short tunnel was built. At its height, the corporation were running fourteen locomotives, three steam navvies and 19 or 20 steam cranes. The work was essentially completed by 1931, but filling of the reservoir did not begin until 1935 and the official opening was the following year. With the work complete, the railway was lifted, and a sale was held at Pateley Bridge. Scar Village, which at its peak had housed 1,135 people, of whom 780 worked on the project, was reduced to eight occupied houses by 1936, with seven pupils at the school. The railway workers were not entitled to a pension, but pensions were awarded to four men who had served for many years.


History

The origins for a railway in the upper Nidd Valley can be traced back to 1887–88, when Bradford Corporation began to investigate the valley as a source for the public water supply, following the discovery that Leeds Corporation had obtained rights to the waters of the River Burn, a tributary of the
River Ure The River Ure in North Yorkshire, England is approximately long from its source to the point where it becomes the River Ouse. It is the principal river of Wensleydale, which is the only major dale now named after a village rather than its r ...
, above
Masham Masham ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It had a population of 1,205 at the 2011 census. Etymology In Wensleydale, on the western bank of the River Ure, the name derives from the An ...
. Alexander Binnie, who was the Waterworks Engineer for Bradford at the time, and Professor
Alexander Henry Green Alexander Henry Green Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (10 October 183219 August 1896) was an England, English geologist. Life Green was born at Maidstone on 10 October 1832, was the eldest son of Thomas Sheldon Green, head-master of the Ashby Gr ...
, a
geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althou ...
from
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, visited the area, and Green advised Binnie that the valley was suitable for the construction of large dams. The Bradford Corporation Water Act 1890 was obtained on 14 August 1890, authorising the construction of four dams, but in the meantime, Binnie had moved on to work for London County Council as their Chief Engineer, and was replaced by James Watson of
Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
. A second
Act of Parliament Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...
was obtained on 27 June 1892, by which time the four reservoirs were Angram, Haden Carr, High Woodale and Gouthwaite. Gouthwaite Reservoir was designed as a compensation reservoir, to maintain flows in the Nidd further down the valley. Haden Carr reservoir was completed in 1899, together with a pipeline (the
Nidd Aqueduct The Nidd Aqueduct is an aqueduct or man-made watercourse in North Yorkshire, England. It feeds water from Angram and Scar House reservoirs in upper Nidderdale, North Yorkshire to Bradford in West Yorkshire. The aqueduct supplies of wate ...
) to deliver the water to Chellow Heights service reservoir on the outskirts of Bradford. The route included over of tunnels. Gouthwaite reservoir was built concurrently by a different contractor, between 1893 and 1901. The Corporation next turned their attention to Angram, but the level of activity in the valley had attracted outside interest, and Power & Traction Ltd of London applied for a Light Railway Order to construct a line from the terminus of the
Nidd Valley Railway The Nidd Valley Railway was a long single-track branch railway line that ran along the valley of the River Nidd in North Yorkshire, England. Built by the North Eastern Railway, it ran from Ripley Junction, on the Harrogate to Ripon Line, to ...
at
Pateley Bridge Pateley Bridge (known locally as Pateley) is a small market town in Nidderdale in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies on the River Nidd. It is in the Yorkshire Dales and ...
to Lofthouse. The board of Power & Traction included Thomas Greenwood of
Greenwood and Batley Greenwood & Batley were a large engineering manufacturer with a wide range of products, including armaments, electrical engineering, and printing and milling machinery. They also produced a range of battery-electric railway locomotives under the ...
, which made electric vehicles and equipment for electric tramways. Following a hearing at Harrogate on 9 October 1900, the Light Railway Commissioners awarded an order to Power & Traction for a gauge railway. Bradford Corporation initially agreed to invest £2,000, by buying shares in the light railway, but following meetings between them, the newly formed Nidd Valley Light Railway Company, Power & Traction, and Henry Jackson the nominated contractor, the Company decided not to proceed with the project, and Bradford withdrew their offer to buy shares. In 1903, Bradford invited tenders for the construction of Angram Reservoir, and the project was awarded to John Best in October–November, at a contract price of £365,492. Meanwhile, the corporation had reached provisional agreement with the Nidd Valley Light Railway Company to purchase the powers awarded to them to build the light railway. There was some debate about the gauge of the railway. Bradford wanted to ask the Light Railway Commissioners for permission to increase it to , probably influenced by Best, who knew that there were supplies of suitable contractors stock available for such a railway. They also wanted to ensure that they bought enough land to allow a standard gauge railway to be constructed "at any future time." The North Eastern Railway, owners of the Nidd Valley Railway, argued that it should be standard gauge from the outset, since they were running excursions to Pateley Bridge twice a week, and these could continue over the Nidd Valley Light Railway. It would also remove the necessity of
transshipping Transshipment, trans-shipment or transhipment is the shipment of goods or containers to an intermediate destination, then to another destination. One possible reason for transshipment is to change the means of transport during the journey (e.g. ...
goods. The Board of Trade were reticent about allowing a Municipal Authority, in this case Bradford, to build a railway which was located outside its area of jurisdiction, and was not connected to a railway which started within its area. However, on 30 December 1903, a transfer order was granted, with powers to borrow up to £30,000 to fund the project. In May 1904, the Board of Trade agreed to a change to standard gauge, and borrowing powers were increased to £66,000 in 1908, because of the extra costs of building the wider formation. The document was signed by
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...
, the
President of the Board of Trade The president of the Board of Trade is head of the Board of Trade. This is a committee of the His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Privy Council of the United Kingdom, first established as a temporary committee of inquiry in the 17th centu ...
. In addition to the main reservoir contract, John Best was awarded a contract to build the light railway to Lofthouse for £23,000, and a tramway from Lofthouse to Angram for £5,385.


Construction

Prior to Best starting on the main contract, Holme and King had been awarded a contract in April 1902 to build a road from Lofthouse to Angram. Bradford had purchased enough land to allow the light railway to be built beside the road, and although Best was awarded a contact for the railway in 1903, it appears that Holme and King built a gauge contractor's railway beside part or all of the road. They had two locomotives on site, both 0-4-0 saddle tanks, one bought second hand some years earlier and moved to the site in spring 1902, after working on several other projects, and the second bought new for delivery to Pateley Bridge. By mid-1904, there was a line from Angram, which crossed the
River Nidd The River Nidd is a tributary of the River Ouse in the English county of North Yorkshire. In its first few miles it is dammed three times to create Angram Reservoir, Scar House Reservoir and Gouthwaite Reservoir, which attract a total of aroun ...
on a bridge just before it reached Lofthouse. Best began extending the line towards Pateley Bridge, and by 13 July 1904, it had reached a level crossing at Sykes Bank, below Lofthouse, and work had commenced at several other sites. On that date, a party of 150 members of Bradford City Council, with invited guests, arrived by train at Pateley Bridge, and were transported to Gouthwaite Dam in carriages. Here there was a ceremony in which the Lord Major cut the first sod for the Nidd Valley Light Railway. The party then proceeded to Sykes Bank, where a train was waiting, which consisted of 15 wagons fitted with makeshift seats, and two locomotives, one of which was Holme and King's ''Xit'' and the other was Best's ''Angram''. It took about an hour to reach Angram, where there were presentations, and Alderman Holdsworth cut the first sod for the dam. Refreshments were then served and the party returned to Lofthouse by train and to Pateley Bridge by carriage. The gauge line soon reached Pateley Bridge, and ''Angram'' became the 'route engine', working the main line, with another named ''Bunty'' shunting the sidings there. The standard gauge rails were laid from Lofthouse outwards in both directions, and when the first standard gauge locomotive arrived, it was towed along the road to Sykes Bank by a Foden steam lorry, its flanged wheels making a mess of the road surface. The main line and sidings became
mixed gauge In railway engineering, "gauge" is the transverse distance between the inner surfaces of the heads of two rails, which for the vast majority of railway lines is the number of rails in place. However, it is sometimes necessary for track to c ...
for a while, although the third rail was gradually removed from 1906. At the Angram Dam site, a village for the workers was built, and the railway terminated in several sidings, which included a locomotive shed. The sidings were at a similar level to the crest of the dam. A branch left the main line and descended to the valley floor, where there was a cement mixing plant and more sidings. This line included a winch-operated
incline Incline, inclined, inclining, or inclination may refer to: *Grade (slope), the tilt, steepness, or angle from horizontal of a topographic feature (hillside, meadow, etc.) or constructed element (road, railway, field, etc.) *Slope, the tilt, steepn ...
which descended on a gradient of 1 in 15 (6.7%). Another incline, of gauge, ascended the far side of the valley, giving access to Nidd sluice and lodge. A third incline brought rock down to the main line from a quarry, some below the terminus. At
Pateley Bridge Pateley Bridge (known locally as Pateley) is a small market town in Nidderdale in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies on the River Nidd. It is in the Yorkshire Dales and ...
, the Nidd Valley Light Railway station was to the north west of the North Eastern Railway's Pateley Bridge railway station, close to the River Nidd. The two were connected by a single track which crossed a
level crossing A level crossing is an intersection where a railway line crosses a road, Trail, path, or (in rare situations) airport runway, at the same level, as opposed to the railway line crossing over or under using an Overpass#Railway, overpass ...
. There were a series of sidings immediately after the level crossing, with the station and more sidings beyond that. A carriage shed and a locomotive shed were located a little further along the valley of the Nidd. Best built two-storey stone buildings for the stations at Pateley Bridge,
Wath Wath may refer to: Places in England * Wath, Cumbria, a U.K. location * Wath (near Ripon), a village in Harrogate district, North Yorkshire * Wath, Ryedale, a village in North Yorkshire * Wath-in-Nidderdale, a village near Pateley Bridge in Har ...
,
Ramsgill Ramsgill is a small village in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, England, about south-east of Lofthouse, located near Gouthwaite Reservoir. It is chiefly known for the Yorke Arms, formerly a Michelin-starred restaurant on the village green whic ...
and Lofthouse. He built a signal box at Pateley Bridge, with the other stations having ground frames and simple signalling. Operation of the line was controlled by the
Tyer's Electric Train Tablet Tyer's Electric Train Tablet system is a form of railway signalling for single line railways used in several countries; it was first devised in Great Britain by engineer Edward Tyer after the Thorpe rail accident of 1874, which left 21 people d ...
system, and six machines were ordered at a cost of £360. Both intermediate stations had goods sidings on the eastern side of the main track, while Lofthouse had a passing loop and sidings to the west.


Operation

Best had a number of locomotives, both gauge and standard gauge, which operated over the entire line from Pateley Bridge to Angram during the construction phase. For the opening of the Nidd Valley Light Railway proper, the from Pateley Bridge to Lofthouse, Bradford Corporation ordered six open wagons and two brake vans from
Hurst Nelson Hurst, Nelson and Company Ltd was a railway rolling stock manufacturer based in Motherwell, Scotland. The company also built many railway wagons, as well as trams and trolleybus carosseries for several local authorities. Products Glasgow Subwa ...
of
Motherwell Motherwell ( sco, Mitherwall, gd, Tobar na Màthar) is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, south east of Glasgow. It has a population of around 32,120. Historically in the parish of Dalziel and part of Lanarks ...
. Locomotives and carriages were obtained second-hand from the
Metropolitan Railway The Metropolitan Railway (also known as the Met) was a passenger and goods railway that served London from 1863 to 1933, its main line heading north-west from the capital's financial heart in the City to what were to become the Middlesex su ...
in London. These consisted of ten 4-wheeled coaches and two 4-4-0 Beyer Peacock side tank locomotives. All had become surplus to requirements, as electrification of the line had been completed in 1905. The locomotives were fitted with condensing equipment, for working in the tunnels under London, but the price of £1,350 for the pair included removal of this, and the fitting of cabs. All twelve vehicles arrived at Pateley Bridge, with one engine in steam, and were driven to the exchange sidings by Mr McCallum, who worked for Best & Sons. The locomotives were named ''Holdsworth'' and ''Milner'' after two Aldermen who had served Bradford Waterworks since 1898. An inspection of the line was carried out by Colonel von Donop for the Board of Trade on 24 July 1907. Its condition was found to be suitable for passenger traffic, with just a few minor recommendations needing to be carried out. An official opening took place on 11 September, when a train consisting of three carriages and the Corporation saloon were hauled by ''Holdsworth'' from Pateley Bridge to Lofthouse, with stops at Wath and Gouthwaite reservoir. At Lofthouse the engine was replaced by one of Best's engines, and continued to Angram where luncheon was served in the village reading room. Invited guested included a number of men from the
Midland Railway The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...
and the North Eastern Railway. The secretary of the Power & Traction Company was also invited, but it is not known whether he was there on the day. The two locomotives were much too heavy to comply with the Light Railway Order, which specified a maximum axle loading of 6.5 tons. They weighed 46.6 tons in working order, with 36.7 tons carried by the two driving axles. The Corporation applied for an increase in the axle loading, specifying the weight as "over 42 tons". ''Milner'', the newest of the two locomotives, dating from 1879, did not perform well, and was replaced by a
Hudswell Clarke Hudswell, Clarke and Company Limited was an engineering and locomotive building company in Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. History The company was founded as Hudswell and Clarke in 1860. In 1870 the name was changed to Hu ...
0-6-0 side tank, also named ''Milner'' in May 1909. The original ''Milner'' was sold to the North Wales Granite Company at
Conwy Conwy (, ), previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy on ...
in 1914. Following discussions with the Board of Trade in 1906, the Corporation and the North Eastern Railway had obtained permission for three passenger trains per week to pass over the goods yard and sidings at Pateley Bridge, so that excursions could continue up to Lofthouse between June and September only. Despite the agreement, when the first excursion was due to make the journey on 14 September 1907, the NER decided not to allow their stock to pass onto the Nidd Valley Light Railway, nor to allow the Corporation engine and carriages to come to their station, and so the passengers had to walk between the two stations. In order to avoid confusion for parcels traffic, Lofthouse station became Lofthouse-in-Nidderdale on 12 December 1907, and Wath became Wath-in-Nidderdale in February 1908 for similar reasons.


Scar House

The work on Angram reservoir drew to a close in 1916. It had been allowed to fill in late 1915, and overflowed in January 1916. The school at Angram village was closed by June 1916, and the population was depleted. A certificate of completion was awarded to John Best & Sons on 4 August 1917. For a contract worth £365,493, and lasting fourteen years, it had overrun by just £7,267, which included the cost of some large granite rocks, located near the dam for decoration. Bradford Corporation had already obtained an Act in 1913, allowing them to abandon their plans for a reservoir at High Woodale, and instead to build a much larger one at Scar House. It would submerge the site of Haden Carr reservoir, and the Act allowed them to start construction "when appropriate". The cost of the new works was estimated at £2,161,500, and although three tenders were received, they decided on 14 May 1920 to build it themselves, using direct labour. Scar village was built between 1920 and 1921, consisting of ten hostels for a total of 640 men, a school, canteen, recreation room, concert hall, mission church and some bungalows. Plans to electrify the railway using
hydro-electric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined an ...
power, were considered in March 1920, but rejected as being uneconomic. ''Holdsworth'', dating from 1866, was thought to be too heavy for the line, but when no buyers could be found, it was used as a stationary steam supply for a further 14 years. There were plans to overhaul ''Milner'', to obtain another lighter engine, and to purchase two
railmotor Railmotor is a term used in the United Kingdom and elsewhere for a railway lightweight railcar, usually consisting of a railway carriage with a steam traction unit, or a diesel or petrol engine, integrated into it. Steam railcars Overview In th ...
cars. From August 1920, work was carried out to improve the line between Lofthouse and Angram. This included easing the alignment on many of the curves, the addition of loops near Lofthouse and at Woodale, just below the Scar House site, and the construction of a tunnel near Goyden Pot, which was used by up trains only. The line at Angram was extended to a small quarry in 1921, along the trackbed of Best's gauge line beyond the dam. Stone was extracted for remedial work, caused by wind and wave erosion of the southern bank of the reservoir near the dam. Near the Scar House dam site, a network of sidings were constructed, zig-zagging down to the Nidd, and back up the other side of the valley. A double track self-acting incline provided access to the Carle Fell Quarry, to the north of the reservoir, and as the quarry was worked, two further inclines were constructed. One was single track, with a winding engine at the top, and around 1930, an incline worked by locomotives was added. Above the later quarry face, a
Simplex In geometry, a simplex (plural: simplexes or simplices) is a generalization of the notion of a triangle or tetrahedron to arbitrary dimensions. The simplex is so-named because it represents the simplest possible polytope in any given dimension. ...
petrol locomotive worked on a track, removing overburden. Hydro-electric power for the works was generated using water from Angram reservoir, which was discharged into Haden Carr reservoir. A pipeline supplied the turbines. This was later supplemented by a steam generating station. Two locomotive sheds were built, one near the village and another on the north side of the River Nidd, with a further two at Carle Fell Quarry. All had two tracks. Twelve four-wheeled carriages were bought from the
Maryport and Carlisle Railway The Maryport & Carlisle Railway (M&CR) was an English railway company formed in 1836 which built and operated a small but eventually highly profitable railway to connect Maryport and Carlisle in Cumbria, England. There were many small collieries ...
, to provide transport for the workers and their families from Scar House to Lofthouse, and a two-track carriage shed was built to the east of the main complex. Six locomotives worked in the quarry. ''Allenby'', ''Beatty'', ''Haig'' and ''Trotter'' were based at the shed at the top of the main self-acting incline, while ''Ian Hamilton'' and ''Stringer'' were based in a shed at a higher level. Three steam navvies were used to load stone into the railway wagons, and there were nineteen or twenty steam cranes, all of which were self-propelled and ran on the tracks either in the quarry or on top of the dam. An official visit by officers of the corporation on 5 June 1925 used motor transport to reach Scar House, but the party then made the zig-zag railway journey to cross the valley and inspect the steam generating plant, which was on the far side. They ascended the incline to Carle Fell Quarry, sitting in wagons fitted with transverse seats, and having inspected the new workings, descended again, a scene which was officially recorded by a photographer. The main engineering work was almost complete by the time of another official visit on 24 September 1931, but for whatever reason, filling of the reservoir did not start until 5 July 1935, when the main overflow valve was closed. The official opening was more than a year later, on 7 September 1936. Scar House, which gave its name to the reservoir, and which had been the home of Allan Best during the construction of Angram Reservoir, and of the resident engineer for this project, was demolished. A new Scar House was built, at the foot of the incline from Carle Fell Quarry, which provided a home for the reservoir keeper, and a boardroom for official visits. A project to re-route the waters from Armathwaite Gill and Howstean Beck through a tunnel and into the reservoir began in May 1929. A gauge line was laid, on which two battery-electric locomotives and twelve wagons ran.


Decline

The start of work on Scar House Reservoir led to an overhaul of existing stock. Seven of the original Metropolitan Railway coaches were upholstered and repainted, while the remaining five were used for the workmen. A steam railmotor was obtained in 1921, which had previously been owned by the
Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran ...
. It was named ''Hill'' and was fitted with electric lights in 1923. It worked on the public section of the railway, and never travelled beyond Lofthouse. Numerous new and secondhand locomotives were purchased, most for use on construction work, but two, ''Blythe'' and ''Gadie'', were fitted with vacuum brakes, and so worked goods trains from Pateley Bridge to Scar House, as well as passenger trains between Scar House and Lofthouse and sometimes Pateley Bridge. Passenger trains for the residents of Scar village ran on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the mid-week ones connecting with ''Hill'' at Lofthouse, and the Saturday ones running through to Pateley Bridge. The 1927 printed timetable showed five trains a day between Pateley Bridge and Lofthouse, but also showed the trains onwards to Scar Village, with a note that these were for exclusive use of residents. Saturday trains were hauled by ''Blythe'' or ''Gadie'', but were banked at the rear by another engine above Lofthouse because of the steep gradients. Traffic returns showed 106,216 journeys by workmen in 1921, and 41,051 by ordinary passengers. The figure for workmen was not declared after 1922, as the accommodation at Scar Village was available. The peak year for journeys was 1923, with 63,020, after which there was a gradual decline, with 24,906 journeys for the final nine months before closure. The line made a total operating loss of £36,435 between 1908 and 1924, and then made a modest profit until 1929. Fares were cut by one third in early 1929, in the face of competition from motor buses, and a decision was taken to close the line in April 1929. An approach to the
London and North Eastern Railway The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) was the second largest (after LMS) of the " Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain. It operated from 1 January 1923 until nationalisation on 1 January 1948. At th ...
to take over the railway was unsuccessful, and on 31 December 1929, the railway closed to public passenger and goods services. The sections below and above Lofthouse continued to be run as a private railway. The Saturday train to Pateley Bridge for the residents of Scar Village continued until 1932. The construction of the main dam at Scar House finally severed the line to Angram in 1933. By 1936, with construction completed, the railway was lifted, and a sale was held at Pateley Bridge on 1 March 1937, where everything was sold as a single lot. The staff of the Nidd Valley Light Railway were laid off, and although their jobs did not qualify for a pension, pensions were paid to G Pearson, who had worked for the company as a locomotive driver for 30 years, and to J Brown, who had been a platelayer for 20 years. Pensions were also to be paid to another platelayer and the locomotive fireman on reaching the age of 65. At its peak, the Scar House reservoir project had employed about 780 men, and the population of Scar Village had been 1,135. By 1936, there were just eight houses occupied, and seven pupils at the school, which closed on 31 January 1938.


Rolling stock


Locomotives

Most of the locomotives were saddle tanks, and there were four distinct groups. Holme & King Ltd owned two gauge locomotives, which were used during the building of the road from Lofthouse to Angram. John Best and Son, the main contractor for the Angram Reservoir project, owned five gauge and nine standard gauge locomotives, which were initially used on the whole line and then only above Lofthouse, while Bradford Corporation, as owners of the Nidd Valley Light Railway, had sixteen of their own standard gauge locomotives. Holme & King Ltd *''Xit'', 0-4-0 saddle tank,
Manning Wardle Manning Wardle was a steam locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Precursor companies The city of Leeds was one of the earliest centres of locomotive building; Matthew Murray built the first commercially s ...
no. 475 of 1873. Arrived 1902 from Brighouse. Left after 1904 for
Courtaulds Courtaulds was a United Kingdom-based manufacturer of fabric, clothing, artificial fibres, and chemicals. It was established in 1794 and became the world's leading man-made fibre production company before being broken up in 1990 into Courtaulds ...
factory at
Coventry Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its ...
. *''Nidd'', 0-4-0 saddle tank,
W G Bagnall W. G. Bagnall was a locomotive manufacturer from Stafford, England which was founded in 1875 and operated until it was taken over in 1962 by English Electric. History The company was founded in 1875 by William Gordon Bagnall. The majority of ...
no. 1658 of 1902. Bought new. Sold after 1907 for work on
Leighton Reservoir Leighton Reservoir is a reservoir which drains via the River Burn to the River Ure in North Yorkshire, England. It neighbours Roundhill Reservoir and is about west of Masham. It takes its name from the nearby village of Leighton. Work on t ...
, Colsterdale. John Best & Son *''Eileen'', 0-4-0 saddle tank, Andrew Barclay no. 297 of 1887. Arrived 1904 from an Irish contract, and left 1911 to work on Delph Reservoir,
Bolton Bolton (, locally ) is a large town in Greater Manchester in North West England, formerly a part of Lancashire. A former mill town, Bolton has been a production centre for textiles since Flemish people, Flemish weavers settled in the area i ...
. Formerly named ''Tullibardine''. *''Angram'', 0-4-0 saddle tank, Hudswell Clarke no. 397 of 1892. Arrived by 1906 from an Irish contract, and left 1908 for Delph Reservoir. Formerly named ''Whittle Dean''. *''Bunty'', 0-4-0 wing tank, W G Bagnall no. 1480 of 1896. Arrived 1904 from an Irish contract. Sold by 1908 to Sir John Jackson Ltd for a project in
Kinlochleven Kinlochleven () ( gd, Ceann Loch Lìobhann) is a village located in Lochaber, in the Scottish Highlands and lies at the eastern end of Loch Leven. To the north lie the Mamores ridge; to the south lie the mountains flanking Glen Coe. The village ...
. Formerly named ''Crosshaven''. *''The Nidd'', 0-4-0 wing tank, W G Bagnall no. 1423 of 1893. Arrived by 1906 from
Penicuik Penicuik ( ; sco, Penicuik; gd, Peighinn na Cuthaig) is a town and former burgh in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the west bank of the River North Esk. It lies on the A701 midway between Edinburgh and Peebles, east of the Pentland Hills. Na ...
aqueduct project near Edinburgh. Sold by 1908 to Sir John Jackson Ltd for a project in Kinlochleven. *''Firefly'', 0-4-0 saddle tank, Black Hawthorn no. 252 of 1873. Arrived 1910 from Butterknowle Colliery, West Auckland. Left 1913 to work on Delph Reservoir. John Best & Son *No. 12 ''Midge'', 0-4-0 saddle tank, Andrew Barclay no. 688 of 1891. Arrived after 1906 from
Leith Leith (; gd, Lìte) is a port area in the north of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith. In 2021, it was ranked by '' Time Out'' as one of the top five neighbourhoods to live in the world. The earliest ...
Docks project. Sold to a sand and gravel company. *No. 13 (unnamed), 0-4-0 saddle tank, possibly Andrew Barclay no. 241 of 1882. Arrived 1906. Possibly sold at Pateley Bridge in 1920. *No. 14 ''Glencoe'', 0-4-0 saddle tank, Andrew Barclay no. 723 of 1892. Arrived 1906 from
Ballachulish The village of Ballachulish ( or , from Scottish Gaelic ) in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, is centred on former slate quarries. The name Ballachulish (Ballecheles, 1522 – Straits town) was more correctly applied to the area now called No ...
. Sold at end of contract. *No. 15 ''Gameshope'', 0-4-0 saddle tank, Andrew Barclay no. 820 of 1898. Arrived 1906 from Talla Waterworks, Edinburgh. It worked as the 'route engine' bringing materials up from Pateley Bridge to Angram. Left by 1914 for Edinburgh, and then sold. *No. 17 ''Jim'', 0-4-0 saddle tank, Andrew Barclay no. 754 of 1895. Arrived 1906 from Penicuik. At Vogrie Colliery, Fushiebridge by 1918. *No. 18 ''John Best No 18'', 0-4-0 saddle tank by Andrew Barclay. Arrived 1906. Disposal uncertain. *No. 19 ''J.B.'', 0-4-4 side tank, Hudswell Clarke no. 612 or 1902. Arrived from Talla. Restricted to working between Scar House Quarry and Angram, as it did not negotiate the curves very well. Later sold to
Armstrong Whitworth Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. With headquarters in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth built armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles and a ...
at Tyneside. *No. 20 ''Warriston'', 0-4-0 saddle tank, Black Hawthorn, other details uncertain. Arrived 1906. Used to supply steam to a pump in 1910/11. Disposal uncertain. *''Molly'', 0-4-0 saddle tank, other details uncertain. Arrived some years after the contract started. Severely damaged when the boiler was lit up without water. Broken up on site. Bradford Corporation *No. 1 ''Holdsworth'', 4-4-0 side tank, Beyer Peacock no 707 of 1866. Ex-Metropolitan Railway A Class. Arrived 1905. Used as a steam source after 1921. For sale in 1934, and broken up soon afterwards. *No. 2 ''Milner'', 4-4-0 side tank, Beyer Peacock no 1878 of 1879. Ex-Metropolitan Railway B Class. Saw limited use, and its name was erased in 1909. Sold to North Wales Granite Company in 1914. *''Milner'', 0-6-0 side tank, Hudswell Clarke no. 882 of 1909. Bought new to replace the previous ''Milner''. It worked the main line, but after 1921, was based at Scar Village for use on passenger and goods trains. Sold 1934. *''Gadie'', later ''Craven'', 0-4-0 saddle tank, Hudswell Clarke no. 1411 of 1920. Bought new, and renamed ''Craven'' in 1925, when its nameplates were transferred to another locomotive. Moved to
Laisterdyke Laisterdyke is an area of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, situated to the east of the city on the border with City of Leeds and located in the Bradford Moor ward and in the Bradford East parliamentary constituency. Laisterdyke borders Bark ...
Gas Works, run by Bradford Corporation Gas Department in 1930. *''Watson'', 0-6-0 saddle tank, Hudswell Clarke no. 1197 of 1916. Arrived 1921 from the Gretna factory of the
Ministry of Munitions The Minister of Munitions was a British government position created during the First World War to oversee and co-ordinate the production and distribution of munitions for the war effort. The position was created in response to the Shell Crisis of ...
. Sold 1934, and worked on the
Ladybower Reservoir Ladybower Reservoir is a large Y-shaped, artificial reservoir, the lowest of three in the Upper Derwent Valley in Derbyshire, England. The River Ashop flows into the reservoir from the west; the River Derwent flows south, initially through How ...
contract in Derbyshire. Watson was the chief engineer of the Waterworks Department from 1891 to 1919. *''Mitchell'', later ''Illingworth'', 0-6-0 saddle tank, Hudswell Clarke no. 1208 of 1916. Arrived 1921 from Gretna factory. Sold 1934, and worked on Ebbw Vale Steelworks construction. Mitchell was the corporation's engineer, who resigned in 1930. Councillor Illingworth was a member of the Waterworks committee. Although officially scrapped in 1957, it survived intact, and in 2014 was being restored for use on the
Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway The Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway (E&BASR) is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England, formed in 1979 and opened in 1981. The preserved railway was part of the former Midland Railway route from Skipton to Ilkley which was clo ...
. *''Pioneer'', later ''Haig'', 0-6-0 saddle tank, Manning Wardle no. 1224 of 1891. Acquired 1921 by Bradford Corporation from Gretna factory, and may have worked at Chellow Heights briefly before transfer to the Nidd Valley. It was the first locomotive to work in Carle Fell Quarry. Sold 1934 and worked on the London Transport Ruislip extension. *''Ian Hamilton'', 0-6-0 saddle tank, Hudswell Clarke no. 480 of 1897. Arrived from Gretna factory. It worked between the north concrete plant and the dam, and later on the top level of the quarry. Sold 1934. *''Allenby'', 0-6-0 saddle tank, Manning Wardle no. 1379 of 1898. Arrived 1921 from
Rosyth Dockyard Rosyth Dockyard is a large naval dockyard on the Firth of Forth at Rosyth, Fife, Scotland, owned by Babcock Marine, which formerly undertook refitting of Royal Navy surface vessels and submarines. Before its privatisation in the 1990s it was fo ...
. Worked in the quarry. Sold 1934, and subsequently worked at
ROF Chorley ROF Chorley was a UK government-owned munitions filling Royal Ordnance Factory (Filling Factory No. 1). It was planned as a ''permanent'' Royal Ordnance Factory with the intention that it, unlike some other similar facilities, would remain op ...
in Lancashire. *''Beatty'', 0-6-0 saddle tank, Manning Wardle no. 1669 of 1905. Arrived 1921 from Rosyth or Newport. Worked between the concrete plant and dam at Scar, then supplied steam to a pump in 1924, and later worked in the quarry. Sold 1934, and worked at Dunston-on-Tyne steelworks. *''Kitchener'', 0-6-0 saddle tank,
Peckett and Sons Peckett and Sons was a locomotive manufacturer at the Atlas Locomotive Works on Deep Pit Road between Fishponds and St. George, Bristol, England. Fox, Walker and Company The company began trading in 1864 at the Atlas Engine Works, St. George, ...
no. 939 of 1902. It worked between the quarry incline and the stone crusher. Sold 1934, and worked at
Millom Millom is a town and civil parish on the north shore of the estuary of the River Duddon in southwest Cumbria, historically part of Cumberland, England. It is situated just outside the Lake District National Park, about north of Barrow-in-Furne ...
Iron Works, Cumberland. *''Blythe'', 0-6-0 saddle tank,
Avonside Engine Company The Avonside Engine Company was a locomotive manufacturer in Avon Street, St. Philip's, Bristol, England between 1864 and 1934. However the business originated with an earlier enterprise Henry Stothert and Company. Origins The firm was original ...
no. 1894 of 1922. Bought new. It was based at Scar Village and worked goods trains to Pateley Bridge. It was fitted with vacuum braking and an electric generator, and also worked Saturday passenger trains to Pateley Bridge. Sold 1931 or 1932, and worked at Southampton New Docks. *''Gadie'', 0-6-0 saddle tank, Andrew Barclay no. 1866 of 1925. Bought new. The nameplates were transferred from the previous ''Gadie'' on arrival. It was based at Scar Village and worked goods trains to Pateley Bridge. It was fitted with vacuum braking and an electric generator, and also worked Saturday passenger trains to Pateley Bridge. Sold 1934, and worked at Whifflet Foundry,
Coatbridge Coatbridge ( sco, Cotbrig or Coatbrig, gd, Drochaid a' Chòta) is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, about east of Glasgow city centre, set in the central Lowlands. Along with neighbouring town Airdrie, Coatbridge forms the area known as ...
. Lt. Colonel Anthony Gadie (later Sir Anthony) was a prominent person in the Waterworks Department from the 1890s until completion of Scar House Reservoir in 1936, and later chairman of the Waterworks Committee. *''Trotter'', 0-4-0 saddle tank, Andrew Barclay 1810 of 1925. Bought new. Worked in the quarry. Sold 1931 or 1932. Alderman Trotter was a member of the Waterworks Committee from 1912. *''Stringer'', 0-4-0 saddle tank, Andrew Barclay no. 1877 of 1925. Bought new. Worked in the quarry. Transferred to Laisterdyke Gas Works in 1931 or 1932. *''Hill'', 0-4-0 steam railmotor,
Kerr Stuart Kerr, Stuart and Company Ltd was a locomotive manufacturer in Stoke-on-Trent, England. History It was founded in 1881 by James Kerr as "James Kerr & Company", and became "Kerr, Stuart & Company" from 1883 when John Stuart was taken on as a ...
no. 906 of 1905. Ex-Great Western Railway, arrived 1921. Fitted with electric lighting, and worked the Pateley Bridge to Lofthouse public passenger service. For sale 1934, scrapped 1937.


Coaches

* Ten 4-wheel, ex-Metropolitan Railway, bought 1906 or 1907. Upgraded in 1921. Sold 1934. * Twelve 4-wheel, ex-
Maryport and Carlisle Railway The Maryport & Carlisle Railway (M&CR) was an English railway company formed in 1836 which built and operated a small but eventually highly profitable railway to connect Maryport and Carlisle in Cumbria, England. There were many small collieries ...
, bought 1921 for workmen's trains. Sold 1934.


Route

The railway began in Pateley Bridge, close to the River Nidd, with the goods yard just to the north of the B6265 road. The passenger station was a little further north, and is now occupied by a road called "The Sidings". It headed north along the east bank of the river, and this section of it now forms part of the
Nidderdale Way The Nidderdale Way is a circular long distance footpath in Nidderdale in North Yorkshire, England. The trail can be started and completed anywhere on the route, but the usual starting points are Ripley, linked by the frequent route 36 bus to ...
, a long-distance footpath. Wath station was just to the south of the minor road that crosses Wath Bridge, and had two sidings. The footpath leaves the course of the railway before the station, and follows the bank of the river, crossing over the railway trackbed by Gouthwaite Dam. The trackbed was close to the shore of the reservoir, and the footpath rejoins it after a deviation to the north west. Ramsgill Station was at
Bouthwaite Bouthwaite is a hamlet in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated in Nidderdale, to the north of Pateley Bridge, close to the village of Ramsgill. The Nidderdale Way and Six Dales Trail both pass through the hamlet. T ...
, rather than
Ramsgill Ramsgill is a small village in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, England, about south-east of Lofthouse, located near Gouthwaite Reservoir. It is chiefly known for the Yorke Arms, formerly a Michelin-starred restaurant on the village green whic ...
, just to the south of Bouthwaite Bridge, where the Ramsgill to Bouthwaite road crosses Lul Beck. The footpath rejoins the trackbed briefly at Low Sikes, where there was a level crossing over the Ramsgill to Lofthouse road. Lofthouse station was to the south of Lofthouse, sandwiched between the road and the River Nidd. The railway crossed the river on the bridge which is now the road bridge, and turned north, along a route which is now a metalled road owned by
Yorkshire Water Yorkshire Water is a water supply and treatment utility company servicing West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the East Riding of Yorkshire, part of North Lincolnshire, most of North Yorkshire and part of Derbyshire, in England. The company has its ...
, but open to the public. The bricked up tunnel can be seen about from Lofthouse, where the road and river turn sharply west. There is a picnic spot near the southern portal of the tunnel. At Scar Village there is another picnic spot and a car park. The railway followed the most northerly of the two tracks at this point. Another track down to the weirs follows the course of one of the zig-zag tracks across the valley. A footpath crosses the dam to the north side of the lake, where the incline to the quarry is still clearly visible. Another road, open to the public on foot, follows the trackbed along the southern edge of Scar House Reservoir, to reach Angram dam. The course of the railway is clearly visible on the modern 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey map for almost the entire length of the railway.


See also

*
Nidd Valley Railway The Nidd Valley Railway was a long single-track branch railway line that ran along the valley of the River Nidd in North Yorkshire, England. Built by the North Eastern Railway, it ran from Ripley Junction, on the Harrogate to Ripon Line, to ...


Notes


References


Bibliography

* * * {{coord, 54, 10, 50, N, 1, 56, 22, W, display=title Rail transport in North Yorkshire Closed railway lines in Yorkshire and the Humber Nidderdale Railway lines opened in 1907 History of Bradford Light railways Reservoir construction railways