Nidd Valley Light RailwayTo contents
Lofthouse Station/ Tunnel near Goyden
Background A short history
Suggested Short Walks Following the route
A Trip Along The Route Today Photos as the route appears now
Further information Books and sites etc
The Nidd Valley Light Railway started life as a 3ft gauge contractor's railway connecting Pateley Bridge with Angram Reservoir constructed as part of the Bradford Corporation Waterworks project. It was taken over by Bradford Corporation and re-laid to standard gauge opened in 1907. As part of the light railway order the council were required to operate passenger services between Pateley Bridge and Lofthouse with intermediate stations at Wath and Ramsgill. The NVLR had it's own station in Pateley some distance away from the North Eastern Railway station and connected by a goods line across Pateley High Street. Above Lofthouse the line continued as a steeply graded contractors line with a short tunnel at Goyden.
The railway was the only corporation operated passenger light railway in the country
The line was closed to passengers in December 1929 although goods traffic continued until 1936 when Scar House Reservoir was completed with dismantling in the course of 1937.
Today, much remains of the trackbed and stations which are all occupied as private residences.
The section from Pateley to Ramsgill is visible from the Nidderdale Way which starts near the bridge at Pateley. After passing the houses the old station site comes into view now surrounded by a builders yard. It is difficult to spot where the engine shed would have been but the track bed is clearly visible. The footpath follows very close by until Wath where it veers towards the river. The trackbed is crossed at the end of Gouthwaite Dam and a nearby farm track runs parallel all of the way to Ramsgill. Unfortunately access is not permitted directly on to this section of trackbed as this is part of a nature reserve.
Above Lofthouse the trackbed is occupied by a private water authority road. Access is permitted along the road up to the carpark at Scar House passing the tunnel portals at Goyden en-route.
One of the locomotives, Illingworth remains in preservation and is currently undergoing a restoration project
1. Pateley to Wath -Park in Pateley Bridge and the path starts to the rigt hand side of the bridge and then follows the trackbed on right hand side with river on left. Return the same way -3 miles
2. Wath to Ramsgill - Park in lay-by at Wath. Follow path on other side of pack horse bridge across filed until reaching Gouthwaite Dam. Then follow track above shore of reservoir to Bouthwaite then Ramsgill returning via road -5 miles
3.Lofthouse to Goyden - Park in Lofthouse and follow private road to Goyden pot and tunnel. Return using footpath on other side of river- 4 miles.
4. Circuit of Scar House - Park in Scar House carpark and follow Yorkshire Water path- 5 miles
Pateley Bridge NER station Pateley Bridge NVLR station Pateley Bridge NVLR Station (2)
Looking North from the station site Just outside Pateley station looking South Outside Pateley looking North
Retaining wall between Pateley and Wath Trackbed near Wath looking South Trackbed near Wath looking North (2)
Near Wath looking North (3) Near Wath (4) Approaching Wath station Wath Station
Wath Station and railway embankment Trackbed at Wath Trackbed North of Wath
Approaching Gowthwaite dam Alongside Gowthwaite Reservoir Alongside Gowthwaite Reservoir (2)
Alongside Gowthwaite Reservoir (3) Ramsgill Station Remains of bridge over stream at Ramsgill
Trackbed at Sykes Brow Trackbed at Sykes Brow (2) Lofthouse Station Trackbed above Lofthouse
Tunnel portal at Goyden Pot Tunnel Northern entrance Trackbed above Goyden Trackbed approaching Scar House
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Pateley Bridge NER station - the railway ran across Pateley Bridge High Street To photo contents
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Pateley Bridge NVLR station surrounded by a highways maintenance yard To photo contents
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Looking North from the station site towards the engine shed To photo contents
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Near Wath (4) - the ballast still exists under the grass To photo contents
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Approaching Wath station (centre of picture) To photo contents
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Wath Station Once a public house before conversion to a station. Both Wath and Ramsgill were converted to houses well before the closure of the passenger services in 1929 To photo contents
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Wath Station and railway embankment viewed across field To photo contents
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Trackbed at Wath from former level crossing (looking North) - This section up to the dam was probably the steepest graded on the passenger railwayTo photo contents
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Trackbed near Gowthwaite Dam (looking South) To photo contents
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Approaching Gowthwaite dam (looking North) To photo contents
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Alongside Gowthwaite Reservoir -the railway ran very close to the waters edge To photo contents
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Ramsgill Station -this should really be called Bouthwaite as it is ½ mile from Ramsgill village To photo contents
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Trackbed at Sykes Brow - the early 3 feet gauge contractor's line started from near here To photo contents
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Lofthouse Station showing platform (along fence) The station was an antiques shop for a while during which time it was possible to see the booking hall original Bradford Corporation tiling and ticket window still in-situ To photo contents
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Trackbed above Lofthouse (trackbed to left) - the gradient becomes steep all the way to Scar House - Typically a heavy goods train would need 4 locos. To photo contents
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Tunnel portal at Goyden Pot -The tunnel was built in the early 1920's to ease the bend. The track doubled at this point one of the tracks following the sharply curved road To photo contents
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Trackbed above Goyden (the track was to the right hand side of the road) To photo contents
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Trackbed approaching Scar House (trackbed to left of road) To photo contents
There are two good books available
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The Nidd Valley Light Railway - DJ Croft - Published by Oakwood Press
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Lesser Railways Of The Yorkshire Dales - Bowtell - Published Plateway Press
Some material is displayed at the Nidderdale Museum located near St Cuthberts Church in Pateley Bridge
Links
Illingworth project http://www.harrogate.co.uk/niddrailway/index.html
Walking in the Yorkshire Dales