The Caldervale Line is the name given to rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England. These services are operated by Northern trains: its destinations include the following:
- Leeds/Bradford - Halifax
- Leeds/Bradford - Halifax - Huddersfield
- Leeds/Bradford - Halifax - Rochdale - Manchester Victoria
- Leeds/Bradford - Halifax - Burnley - Preston - Blackpool in north-west England.
MetroCards are available on the route to Walsden, near the border of West Yorkshire, south of Todmorden.
The route
General notes
Before the 1923 Grouping the first section of the line (Leeds - Bradford) was owned by the Great Northern Railway (GNR) ; a section of the route leading into Huddersfield by the London and North Western Railway (LNWR); and the entire remainder by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway L&YR), which had become linked with the LNWR.
For the section between Halifax and Burnley the line uses the valley of the River Calder, thus giving the services their name; it also follows the Rochdale Canal from Todmorden into Manchester. Since the route crosses the Pennines, there are many tunnels to negotiate en route.
The route description follows: for the initial section of the route: see article Leeds and Bradford Lines.
Bradford - Halifax
Many stations on this route have been closed all stops opened are in bold: original places served, and notes on the route:
- Bowling was named Bowling Junction for its link with the GNR at this point
- here is Bowling Tunnel 1648 yds (1483m)
- Low Moor also a junction with GNR. Station maybe reopening in the future.
- here was a triangular junction for the L&YR line to Dewsbury
- here are two tunnels: New Furnace Tunnel and Wyke Tunnel
- Wyke & Norwood Green
- here is junction for a line to Huddersfield: now closed, there was one station for Bailiff Bridge
- Lightcliffe: station renamed Brighouse
- here is Lightcliffe Tunnel
- Hipperholme
- here is Beacon Hill Tunnel 1105 yds (995m)
- Halifax
- All the services on the Caldervale line serve Halifax. The main line continues:
Halifax - Huddersfield
Halifax - Manchester Victoria
Many stations on this route have been closed (or are not served by the Caldervale Line trains): original stations served:
- here was the triangular junction for the line via Mirfield to Dewsbury; the former Brighouse station was on this line
- here is Bank House Tunnel
- here was Copley station
- the line now turns west into the Calder valley
- Sowerby Bridge
- here was Luddendenfoot station
- Mytholmroyd
- Hebden Bridge
- here is Weasal Hall Tunnel
- here was Eastwood station
- here are: Castle Hill Tunnel; Horsfall Tunnel; and Millwood Tunnel
- Hall Royd Junction: here the trains on the Blackpool service turn northwestward, following the Calder valley (see below)
- Todmorden here the line takes a southward direction, in the same valley as the Rochdale Canal
- Walsden: here the line crosses into the Rochdale District of Greater Manchester
- after Winterbutlee Tunnel follows Summit Tunnel, at 2885 yds (2597m) the longest on the L&YR lines
- Littleborough
- Smithy Bridge
- Rochdale: junction for two lines: to Bacup (closed to passengers 16 June 1947) and to Oldham
- Castleton: junction for a line to Bury
- Middleton Junction junction for two lines: Middleton branch; and Oldham (both closed)
- Moston
- Newton Heath
- Miles Platting
- Manchester Victoria
Blackpool route
Trains continue up the Calder valley to Burnley and Blackburn; it also runs parallel with the Leeds and Liverpool Canal from Burnley. The section from Todmorden to Burnley was opened by the L&YR on 12 November 1849; the Blackburn to Preston section on 1 June 1846. Many stations on this route have been closed (or are not served by the Caldervale Line trains): original stations served and other notes on the route:
- Hall Royd Junction: see above; there are now no stations on the route before Burnley; stations once served, and notes on the route:
- Stansfield Hall
- here is Kitsonwood Tunnel
- Cornholme station closed to all traffic 26 September 1938
- Portsmouth
- Towneley: serving the nearby Towneley Hall
- 'Burnley Manchester Road' station: there were also Burnley Barracks and Burnley Central
- Rose Grove
- here was the Rose Grove Junction for the alternative route to Blackburn via Padiham {closed to passengers 2 December 1957)
- Hapton
- Huncoat
- Accrington
- here was the triangular junction for the line to Bury (line closed)
- Church & Oswaldtwistle
- Rishton
- here was the other end of the line from Burnley at Great Harwood Junction
- Blackburn: junction of the line to Bolton
- Mill Hill
- Cherry Tree
- here was the L&YR/LNWR joint line (the Lancashire Union Joint Railway to Chorley and the West Coast Route) opened 1 November 1869 (now closed)
- Pleasington
- Bamber Bridge
- here were further junctions: one the through route to Southport
- Preston: the joint LNWR/L&YR station on the West Coast Route
- Lea Road
- Salwick
- Kirkham & Wesham
- here were junctions: for the direct route to Blackpool; and the coast route via Lytham St Annes on Sea
- Singleton
- Poulton le Fylde
- here was the junction for Fleetwood
- Bispham
- Blackpool North was named Talbot Road