Wharfedale Line

The Wharfedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England. The service connects Leeds and Bradford with Ilkley, and is operated by Northern Rail. West Yorkshire Metrocards are available for use on the line, covering Zones 3 - 5. The line is served by four-coach Class 333 electric multiple units.

The route

The line was originally owned by the Midland Railway from Leeds to Burley-in-Wharfedale. At this point the line became joint property, with the North Eastern Railway, and was known as the "Otley & Ilkley Joint Railway" (O&IJt). The two lines from Leeds and Bradford come together at "Esholt Junction" - the location of an 1892 crash - south of Guiseley

The route from Leeds leaves the main line near Calverley and continues along the Aire valley until climbing a hill to:
* Guiseley railway station
* Menston railway station
* the now disused "Milner Wood Junction" with the O&IJT from Otley
* Burley-in-Wharfedale railway station
* Ben Rhydding railway station
* Ilkley railway station - the now-closed Midland line continued on the branch line via Addingham, Bolton Abbey and Embsay to Skipton. The section from Embsay to Bolton Abbey has been reopened by enthusiasts and operates steam locomotives as the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway.

The first section of the route from Bradford Forster Square is also used by the Airedale and Leeds-Bradford Line (qv). The service to Ilkley branches north of Shipley railway stationto:
* Baildon railway station a reopened station
* Esholt: station closed
* Apperley Junction for the line from Leeds
* and on to Guiseley, Menston, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Ben Rhydding, and Ilkley

The line was electrified throughout using 25kV AC Overhead between 1994 and 1995.

External links

* [http://www.wymetro.com/TrainTravel/MetroTrainTimetablesAndRoutes/WharfedaleLine.htm West Yorkshire Metro]
* [http://www.wrug.ilkley.org/ Wharfedale Rail Users' Group]
* [http://www.geoffspages.co.uk/tripsntours/a_york_figure_of_eight.htm A description of a journey along the route]