Wednesday, September 28, 2022

AROUND HEBDEN BRIDGE

Now, we're up on the moors above Hebden Bridge, looking down into the town.



Here's Hebden Bridge from Wood Top.


Hebden old water wheel.


We now head into the town itself, finding the Old Bridge.


The Rochdale Canal runs through the town.


Next stop is Hebden Bridge railway station, as a class 47 passes through on a container train in 1988.


A Northern 158 passes the ex L&YR signal box.


Hebden Bridge station retains many of its original features.


Halifax's trams reached Hebden Bridge. Car 38 is seen at the terminus.


West Yorkshire PTE became the dominant bus operator in the 1970s and '80s.


Firstbus now run most services.



Other operators include TLC and Transdev.



Pub time now! First stop, a micropub. Seen here as Calan's, it's now renamed as The Pub.


The Hole in t' Wall has, sadly, now closed.


Moyles, another free house, is still closed after a big flood.


The Old Gate is quite upmarket, but has good beer.


Handy for the canal facilities, the Railway.


The White Lion, a former Whitbread house.


Opposite the Old Bridge is the White Swan.


Heading west out of town, we come across the Fox & Goose, now a co-operative community pub.


Following the Rochdale Canal, here is Bridge 19.


Stubbing Wharf Middle Lock.


And now the Upper Lock.


Of more importance perhaps, the Stubbing Wharf pub.


Up a great big hill now to Heptonstall


Luckily, there's a pub in Heptonstall, the Cross Inn.


We end this post at Hardcastle Crags, owned by the National Trust.


We'll be crossing the moors in the next post. Don't forget, you can follow the route here.

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

THE UPPER CALDER VALLEY

In the last post, I left you at Sowerby Bridge railway station, looking at the separate bit for the Rishworth branch. Here's the main station in L&YR times.



150220 arrives in 1988.


Adjacent to the station, the Refreshment Rooms. It is still described as "temporarily closed".


The Calder & Hebble Canal comes into Sowerby Bridge from the east and terminates.



The Navigation pub is alongside the Calder & Hebble.

Connecting with the Calder & Hebble is the recently reopened Rochdale Canal. Construction works included a new bridge and deep lock.


Now for a couple of old pictures of the town of Sowerby Bridge. This is Bolton Brow, circa 1903.

Clifton Street and Gratix Lane.

Halifax's trams reached Sowerby Bridge. Car 38 on West Street.

Pub time now. One could once drink Whitakers.

The Puzzle Hall Inn used to brew its own beer. It's seen here as a Ward's house. Now, it's a community-owned pub.


The Rams Head also brewed its own Ryburn Ales back in 1996. Both brewery and pub are now shut.

The story of the Works, a free house, is better. It is is now known as Hollins Mill.

Heading out of town, we come across the White Horse, but it has now shut for ever.

So we might as well walk along the towpath of the Rochdale Canal.

We step back in time as we arrive at Luddenden Foot - circa 1905.

The L&YR had a station here.

The LMS built some water troughs.

We now climb out of the valley to the hills above Luddenden itself.

After an "about turn" (see the map here), we arrive at the Hinchliffe Arms at Cragg Vale.

Nearby are Robin Hood Crags.


Down there, back in the Upper Calder Valley, is Mytholmroyd and the Rochdale Canal..

Mytholmroyd has a station, still open, but seen here in L&YR days.

Almost next door is the Shoulder of Mutton, an excellent place to finish this post.

We'll be in Hebden Bridge next.

TWIXT TWO PUBS (BUT THE LAST ONE IS CLOSED!)

  Having finished with the Wakefield area, we head in a northeasterly direction to Wrenthorpe, where find the Malt Shovel. The pub is still ...