HULL AND BARNSLEY RAILWAY

The 'Hull and Barnsley Railway' (H&BR) was opened on 20th July 1885. It was incorporated as the 'Hull, Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway', having a total projected length of 66 miles; the Alexandra Dock in Hull, opened 16th July 1885 was included as parts of its construction. Various joint lines were operated in conjunction with the HBR.
The main line ran from Hull to
Cudworth, and the company included two other lines, the South Yorkshire Junction Railway from Wrangbrook Junction to Denaby, and later a connection to the Great Central Railway at Lowfield Junction, near Conisbrough and The Hull & South Yorkshire Extension Railway, in effect an eight-mile branch to Wath-upon-Dearne, opened 31st March 1902. Before the Grouping of 1923, the line was taken over by the North Eastern Railway.
Alexandra Dock remains in use to this day, though rail connection was severed following its closure during the 1980s. The embankment line built to carry traffic from the Neptune Street depot to Alexandra Dock, remains in use, albeit mostly singled, as the sole rail access to the King George Dock and Salt End oil refinery in east Hull. A small section was re-opened from Drax power station through Carlton Towers, in the 1970s, and MGR trains continue to use this line.
The wonderful steam powered Ouse swing bridge over the River Ouse was sadly dismantled in the 1970s.
The Railway Herald reported in issue 76, March 2007 that the Hull Docks branch will be upgraded to increase traffic capacity. This will include the installation of a double track junction at Hessle Road, and some restoration of double track. This will increase the capacity to 22 trains per day, and the work is due to commence in the summer, for completion early in 2008.
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Contents

See also

References

External links

See also

★ Locomotives of the Hull and Barnsley Railway

★ Matthew Stirling - Chief Locomotive Superintendent

References

1. The Railway Herald

External links

★ Hull and Barnsley Railway Stock Fund

★ Google Maps view of the remaining line in Hull, starting at Hessle Road (HBR branches to the north east)

★ Images of the Hull & Barnsley Railway