Nidd Valley Light Railway
Encyclopedia
The Nidd Valley Light Railway, was a light railway
in upper Nidderdale
in North Yorkshire
, England. It was owned by Bradford Corporation Waterworks Department and the Corporation also operated its public passenger services.
As far as the Waterworks Department was concerned, the railway’s primary purpose was to carry goods, materials and labour to construction sites high in the Nidd valley, where two large reservoirs were built at Angram
(1904-1919) and Scar House
(1921-1936). However, the 6-mile stretch of line between Pateley Bridge
and Lofthouse-in-Nidderdale
was constructed under the terms of a pre-existing Light Railway Order of 1901, taken over by Bradford Corporation in 1904, which obliged the Corporation to operate a public passenger service between those two places.
Passenger stations were provided at Pateley Bridge
, Wath, Ramsgill
, and Lofthouse, which was the public passenger terminus of the line. The station also possessed a modest yard where wagons were assembled for the steep climb to the reservoir sites, a further 6 miles up the valley. The industrial 0-6-0T locomotives used by the Corporation and the contractor, John Best & Sons of Edinburgh, could take only 3 - 4 loaded wagons each up the grades to the reservoirs, so even quite short trains had to be banked.
The NVLR was opened in 1907, closed to passengers on the last day of 1929, and was closed completely in 1937.
Light railway
Light railway refers to a railway built at lower costs and to lower standards than typical "heavy rail". This usually means the railway uses lighter weight track, and is more steeply graded and tightly curved to avoid civil engineering costs...
in upper Nidderdale
Nidderdale
Nidderdale is one of the Yorkshire Dales in North Yorkshire, England. It is the upper valley of the River Nidd, which flows south through the dale, forming several reservoirs including the Gouthwaite Reservoir, before turning east and eventually joining the River Ouse.The only town in the dale is...
in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England. It was owned by Bradford Corporation Waterworks Department and the Corporation also operated its public passenger services.
As far as the Waterworks Department was concerned, the railway’s primary purpose was to carry goods, materials and labour to construction sites high in the Nidd valley, where two large reservoirs were built at Angram
Angram Reservoir
Angram Reservoir is the first of three reservoirs on the River Nidd in Upper Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, England, the others being Scar House Reservoir and finally the compensation reservoir Gouthwaite Reservoir. It is located at OS map reference...
(1904-1919) and Scar House
Scar House Reservoir
Scar House Reservoir is the second of the three reservoirs in Upper Nidderdale, the others being Angram Reservoir and Gouthwaite Reservoir. Between them they attract around 150,00 visitors a year....
(1921-1936). However, the 6-mile stretch of line between Pateley Bridge
Pateley Bridge
Pateley Bridge is a small market town in Nidderdale in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, on the River Nidd.It has the oldest sweet shop in England and is the home of the Nidderdale Museum....
and Lofthouse-in-Nidderdale
Lofthouse, North Yorkshire
Lofthouse is a small village in Nidderdale in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England about a mile south of Middlesmoor. It has a primary school, memorial , post office-cum-shop and public house, The Crown Hotel....
was constructed under the terms of a pre-existing Light Railway Order of 1901, taken over by Bradford Corporation in 1904, which obliged the Corporation to operate a public passenger service between those two places.
Passenger stations were provided at Pateley Bridge
Pateley Bridge
Pateley Bridge is a small market town in Nidderdale in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, on the River Nidd.It has the oldest sweet shop in England and is the home of the Nidderdale Museum....
, Wath, Ramsgill
Ramsgill
Ramsgill is a small village in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, England about two miles south east of Lofthouse. It lies near Gouthwaite Reservoir. It is chiefly known for the Yorke Arms, a Michelin-starred restaurant on the village green....
, and Lofthouse, which was the public passenger terminus of the line. The station also possessed a modest yard where wagons were assembled for the steep climb to the reservoir sites, a further 6 miles up the valley. The industrial 0-6-0T locomotives used by the Corporation and the contractor, John Best & Sons of Edinburgh, could take only 3 - 4 loaded wagons each up the grades to the reservoirs, so even quite short trains had to be banked.
The NVLR was opened in 1907, closed to passengers on the last day of 1929, and was closed completely in 1937.