The Barber Line

The Barber Line is the name given to the Harrogate Gas Companys narrow gauge railway that carried coal to the gasworks from 1908 to 1956.


Images

Click on the image to see a larger one.

The following 19 pictures were taken by me, on the 21st of November 2000
A view from Bilton Lane A view down the site, taken from Bilton Lane. The two sides of the bridge which carried the line over the roadway up to the high platform can be seen.
The raised platform The end of the raised platform, standing on the main line, looking towards Bilton Lane.
Tar The side of the raised platform, on which can clearly still be seen lots of tar from where it was spilt on its way from narrow to standard gauge wagons.
More Tar The same tar viewed whilst standing on the raised platform.
Bridge? Standing on the raised platform side of the bridge, looking across to the other side, from where the line descended steeply down to the level of the yard below.
Brambles... Standing in the same place as the previous photo, camera aimed more to the right. The trees and weeds obscure the view, but this is looking down the yard towards the coal drops.
Coal Drops From the other end of the yard, looking across the coal drops and up towards the bridge. Mist and trees prevent the remains of the bridge being visible.
Wheel One of the wheels used to enable the narrow gauge engines to move wagons on the standard gauge platform above.
Coal Drops A view of the coal drops, which are in remarkably good condition considering they have been unused for almost 50 years.
Yard Standing next to the coal drops, looking down the yard away from Bilton Lane. As can be seen, houses are built on part of the end of the yard.
Bridge The remains of the bridge, from below. Looking towards Bilton Lane.
Coal Drops Another view of the coal drops.
Sign A sign placed on a fencepost at the other end of the row of houses that occupy part of the old yard. This is very near the old tunnel under the mainline embankment (see next picture).
Tunnel Somewhere here, behind the weeds and trees, is a bricked up tunnel mouth from the old tunnel under the main line. (Note: The Barber Line didn't go through here - it was, I believe, for pedestrians only.)
Willow Wood A view from next to the tunnel (see previous picture) looking at Willow Wood. The railway ran along here, probably through the left edge of the trees that are there today.
Plaque A plaque near Bilton Lane detailing the railway.
Plaque A sign on the gates to the yard, indicating that the area of the yard is now a Nature Reserve, maintained by the Bilton Conservation Group.
Platform A view of the end of the raised platform taken looking across Bilton Lane.
Platform Another view of the end of the raised platform, taken standing on the old trackbed across Bilton Lane.
tunnel The northern end of the tunnel, photographed in 1992 by Jon Marsh.