A DECISION. BRADFORD OR HALIFAX?

As I think I suggested in my last post, we're avoiding Bradford at the moment. We will be back there, but there's plenty more to do before that. Anyroad, as they say around here, we''ve turned towards Halfax (the map is here) and the first stop is the GNR station at Queensbury, a triangular affair. It has all vanished now.

Here is Queensbury High Street.

Bradford trams reached Queensbury.

Trams from Halifax also served Queensbury, though there was no physical connection between the two.

South now, to Ovenden station, L&YR.

What looks to be a LMS excursion calls.

One could once sample locally brewed Webster's beer at the Yew Tree, Northowram. Not any more...... Webster's and the pub are no more.

The Stump Cross Inn, in the village of the same name, was closed in August 1991, but has since reopened. Meanwhile, there's a bus rally passing by.

Just up the hill, an ancient charabanc tackles the climb in 1989.

High above Halifax is Shibden Hall.

The Red Lion, high above Shibden at Boothtown, seems to have vanished into the ether! Apparently, it suffered a fire.

The nearby Sportsman doesn't seem to be open as well. 

Buses from the Halifax bus rally once took passengers up to the Sportsman.

As we enter Halifax, we find the Old Shears Inn, Dean Clough, where it never rains! It has now changed into a music bar called the Hop Monkey and has a selection of cask ales.

Next time...... a good look at Halifax.

BRADFORD & BINGLEY? NO.....T'OTHER WAY ROUND

 First stop, Bingley ralway station, in Midland days.

There's still a reminder of the MR.

Modern diesel and electrics serve Bingley today.

Bradford's trams once reached Bingley. Car 236 is seen on Main Street.

Firstbus is the main bus operator these days.

TLC have a small share of the local routes.

Opposite the railway was Foundry Hill, since renamed as Peacock Bar.

Close by was Off The Tap. It used to have decent real ales, but now it's been renamed and only sells keg.

The Library Tap is just around the corner.

The Myrtle Grove is Bingley's Wetherspoons.

The Bingley Tavern has now closed its doors, seemingly for ever.

There's a brilliant micropub nearby, the Chip N Ern.

The Ferrands Arms, seen here as a Taylor's house, has since been renamed as the Market Square Tavern.

Down by the river is the Brown Cow, a lovely Taylor's pub.

Into the hills now, to find the long gone Great Northern Railway, seen here at Cullingworth.

The remote GNR station at Denholme.

Lets follow the GNR into the outskirts of Bradford, where we find the signal box at Thornton.

Bradford's trolleybuses terminated at Thornton.

Another Bradford trolley, no. 785, seen on the move in Thornton.

That's it for this post. Where next? Well, not Bradford (we'll come back there in the future). Anyway, here's the route so far.

PASSING THROUGH THE LAND OF TITUS

Just to the west of Saltaire is the industrial village of Saltaire. Titus Salt was a Bradford mill owner, He decided to diversify from using sheep's wool to using that of alpaca, which required really clean water. The Bradford Beck was unsuitable for that so he built his new model village and mill just upstream alongside the River Aire and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. So, Saltaire was built with all the modern facilities needed by his workers (but no pubs!).

Here's Salt's Mill beside the River Aire (Creative Commons License).

The Leeds & Liverpool Canal passes between the mill buildings.

Ice cream anyone?

Saltaire has become a tourist attraction today.

The Midland Railway opened a station to serve Saltaire.

After a period of closure under BR, Saltaire station reopened and is served by Skipton line electric trains

Bradford's trams also served Saltaire. Here's no. 222 by Gordon Terrace.

Trolleybuses later replaced the trams.

Bradford Corporation built a depot in Saltaire. Originally constructed for trams, it was later converted to house trolleybuses and this cut down AEC.

Saltaire depot survived into the motorbus and PTE era.

The old depot has now become a pub!

Sir Titus would turn in his grave if he knew there are now other pubs in his model village. First up is Fanny's Alehouse. 

There's also the Victoria, though it's now become the Salt Cellar.

And now, a micropub has opened, the Cap & Collar.

To the west of Saltaire, beside the canal, is the Dowley Gap, a local beauty spot.

We'll follow the Leeds & Liverpool towards Bingley and Dubb Bridge.

Bingley famous canal are the two sets of staircase locks. Here's the Three-Rise in 1996.

And next comes the Five-Rise in the early 20th Century.

We'll take a good look at the town of Bingley in the next post.