# Wakefield line

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{{Short description|Railway from Leeds to Sheffield}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rail line
|name        = Wakefield line
|color       = {{WYM color|Wakefield}}
|logo        =
|logo_width  =
|image       = 331028 approaching Adwick le Street.jpg
|image_width = 280px
|caption     = A [Northern](/source/Northern_Trains) electric service from Leeds to Doncaster at Adwick
|type        =
|system      =
|status      =
|locale      = {{ubl|[West Yorkshire](/source/West_Yorkshire)|[South Yorkshire](/source/South_Yorkshire)}}
|start       = {{rws|Leeds}}
|end         = {{stn|Sheffield}}
|stations    =
|routes      =
|open        =
|close       =
|owner       = [Network Rail](/source/Network_Rail)
|operator    =
|depot       =
|stock       =
|linelength  =
|tracklength =
|gauge       = {{RailGauge|uksg|allk=on}}
|speed       =
|elevation   =
|map         = 280px<br />([Click to expand](/source/%3Acommons%3AFile%3AWakefield_line.png))
|map_state   = expanded
}}
{{Wakefield Line|collapse=y}}
{{Wakefield Lines}}
The '''Wakefield line''' is a railway line and service in the [West Yorkshire Metro](/source/West_Yorkshire_Metro) and [South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive](/source/South_Yorkshire_Passenger_Transport_Executive) areas of northern England. The Wakefield line is coloured yellow on maps and publications by West Yorkshire Metro.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rail network map Metro|url=http://wymetro.com/traintravel/InteractiveMap/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130416062455/http://www.wymetro.com/traintravel/interactivemap/|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 April 2013|website=wymetro.com|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref>  The line was electrified in 1989, between Leeds & Wakefield Westgate, as part of the programme to electrify the East Coast Main Line.<ref>{{cite web|title=Leeds West|url=http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/leeds%20west.htm|website=www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Intercity 225: Fastest in the fleet|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/976815.stm|access-date=18 January 2016|work=BBC|date=17 October 2000}}</ref>

The service connects [Leeds](/source/Leeds) and [Wakefield](/source/Wakefield) with [Sheffield](/source/Sheffield) and [Doncaster](/source/Doncaster) with the section of the line between Leeds and Doncaster forming part of the [East Coast Main Line](/source/East_Coast_Main_Line).<ref>{{cite web|title=Moving ahead – Route Plan G East Coast|url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/RoutePlans/PDF/RouteG-EastCoastandNorthEast.pdf|website=Network Rail|publisher=NR|access-date=18 January 2016|page=4|date=2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120926131729/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/RoutePlans/PDF/RouteG-EastCoastandNorthEast.pdf|archive-date=26 September 2012}}</ref> The local stopping service is operated by [Northern](/source/Northern_(train_operating_company)) with services between Leeds, Wakefield and either Doncaster or Sheffield. Inter-city operators are [London North Eastern Railway](/source/London_North_Eastern_Railway), [East Midlands Railway](/source/East_Midlands_Railway) and [CrossCountry](/source/CrossCountry) who provide services from Leeds to [London](/source/London) and the [South of England](/source/South_of_England).

Some sections of the line are shared with the [Huddersfield](/source/Huddersfield_line) (orange) and [Pontefract line](/source/Pontefract_line)s (light blue).

West Yorkshire "Metrocards" are available for all trains as far as {{rws|South Elmsall}} on the Doncaster section of the line and to {{rws|Moorthorpe}} on the Sheffield section.<ref>{{cite web|title=MetroCard – bus travel with rail zones 2–5|url=http://www.wymetro.com/TicketsAndPasses/MetroCards/BusZones2-5/|website=www.wymetro.com|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref>

==Pre-nationalisation ownership==
At the time of the [1923 Grouping](/source/Railways_Act_1921) the line was owned by different railway companies:
* '''Leeds Central–Wakefield''' 
[Great Northern Railway](/source/Great_Northern_Railway_(Great_Britain)) (GNR) – with {{rws|Wakefield Westgate}} station being jointly owned by the GNR and [Great Central Railway](/source/Great_Central_Railway)s (GCR).
* '''Wakefield–Doncaster''' 
[West Riding and Grimsby Joint Railway](/source/West_Riding_and_Grimsby_Joint_Railway) (WRGJt) itself being of joint Great Northern Railway and Great Central Railway ownership.
* '''Moorthorpe–Swinton'''
[Swinton & Knottingley Joint Railway](/source/Swinton_%26_Knottingley_Joint_Railway) itself being of joint Midland Railway (MidR) and [North Eastern Railway](/source/North_Eastern_Railway_(UK)) (NER) ownership.
* '''Swinton–Sheffield''' 
[Midland Railway](/source/Midland_Railway) (MidR)

==The route==
Trains on the line serve the following places; however, some stations have closed:

===Leeds City–Fitzwilliam===

* {{rws|Beeston|West Yorkshire}} (closed)

''Ardsley Tunnel''
* {{rws|Ardsley}} (closed)
* '''{{rws|Outwood}}''' (formerly known as Lofthouse and Outwood)

At Outwood there were junctions with two joint undertakings; East & West Yorkshire Union (a short line connecting the Great Northern / Midland Railway main lines via Rothwell and Methley Joint Railway (owners being Great Northern, [Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway](/source/Lancashire_and_Yorkshire_Railway) and [North Eastern Railway](/source/North_Eastern_Railway_(UK))) connecting to various lines in the Castleford area.

''Wrenthorpe Junction''

From this junction was a line to [Dewsbury](/source/Dewsbury) which was partially closed in 1963 and complete closure came in 1965 – some artefacts still remain to this day.

* '''{{rws|Wakefield Westgate}} '''
''[Ninety–Nine Arches Viaduct](/source/Ninety%E2%80%93Nine_Arches_Viaduct)''
* '''{{rws|Sandal and Agbrigg}}''' (originally 'Sandal', closed 1957; reopened 1987 by [British Rail](/source/British_Rail) with new name)
* {{rws|Hare Park & Crofton}} (closed) 
''Nostell North & South Junctions with Great Central Railway''
* Nostell (closed) 
* '''{{rws|Fitzwilliam}}''' (replaced an earlier station of the same name a short distance away)
* Hemsworth (closed)
''Junction with the [Hull and Barnsley Railway](/source/Hull_and_Barnsley_Railway) (HBR)''

''Junction with Sheffield branch to the south''

===Fitzwilliam–Doncaster===
* '''[South Elmsall](/source/South_Elmsall)'''
* {{rws|Hampole}} (closed)
* ['''Adwick'''](/source/Carcroft) (originally 'Carcroft & Adwick-le-Street' station, closed 1967; reopened by [British Rail](/source/British_Rail) a short distance away with new name in 1993)
* '''{{rws|Bentley|South Yorkshire}}'''
* '''{{rws|Doncaster}}'''

===Fitzwilliam–Swinton===
Part of this section is also worked as the [Dearne Valley line](/source/Dearne_Valley_line):
* '''{{rws|Moorthorpe}}'''
* {{rws|Frickley}} (closed)
''Branch line to [Frickley Colliery](/source/Frickley_Colliery)''
* '''{{rws|Thurnscoe}}''' 
''Hickleton Junction for the [Dearne Valley Railway](/source/Dearne_Valley_Railway)'' ''(worked by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway)''
* '''{{rws|Goldthorpe}}'''
* '''{{rws|Bolton-on-Dearne}}'''
''Junction with the Great Central Railway Penistone–Doncaster line.''
* '''{{rws|Swinton|South Yorkshire}}'''

===Swinton–Sheffield===
From Swinton towards Sheffield, the Midland Railway and Great Central had parallel lines following the course of the [River Don](/source/River_Don%2C_South_Yorkshire). The lines of the competing companies were so close that in 1965 [British Railways](/source/British_Railways) built a new junction complex at [Aldwarke](/source/Aldwarke_Junction) and the current Wakefield Line now follows the former Great Central line to reach the reopened {{stn|Rotherham Central}}. Intermediate stations were to be found at:
* {{rws|Parkgate and Aldwarke}} (closed)
* {{rws|Rotherham Road}} (closed)
* '''{{stn|Rotherham Central}}'''
''Taking a new curve, the line joins the Sheffield and Rotherham Railway.''
* '''[Meadowhall](/source/Meadowhall_Interchange)'''(opened 1990; replaced {{rws|Wincobank}} which closed in 1956 which was on same site)
* {{rws|Brightside}} (closed)
''Grimesthorpe Junction the line leaves the Sheffield & Rotherham and takes the Midland Railway line built in 1870. ''
*{{rws|Attercliffe Road}} (closed)
* '''{{stn|Sheffield}}'''

;Route maps of the route 1910–1913
<gallery>
File:Leeds RJD 40.jpg|Railway lines in Leeds in 1913
File:Cutsyke, Crofton, Normanton, Altofts, Methley, Lofthouse, Oakenshaw & Wakefield RJD 52.jpg|The route via Ardsley and Lofthouse through Wakefield in 1912
File:Bierley, Cudworth, Monk Bretton, Nostell, Shafton & Stairfoot RJD 109.jpg|Railway lines around Nostell in 1911
File:Hemsworth- Hickleton South- Mexboro'- Moorhouse- South Elmsall- South Kirkby- Swinton- Wath- ath Road & Lowfield RJD 44.jpg|Railway lines around Hemsworth and South Emsall; Moorthorpe, Hickleton, Bolton-upon-Dearne, and Swinton in 1910
File:Applehurst, Askern, Doncaster, Kirk Sandall, Shaftholme, Stainforth & Thorne RJD 23.jpg|Railway lines around Doncaster in 1914
File:Brightside, Shefield & Blackburn Valley Treeton RJD 67.jpg|Railway lines in Sheffield in 1912
</gallery>

==See also==
*[Metro (West Yorkshire PTE)](/source/West_Yorkshire_Passenger_Transport_Executive)
* [Travel South Yorkshire (South Yorkshire PTE)](/source/South_Yorkshire_Passenger_Transport_Executive)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{South Yorkshire People's Network}}
{{Railway lines in Yorkshire and the Humber}}
{{West Yorkshire railway stations}}

Category:Rail transport in West Yorkshire
Category:Rail transport in South Yorkshire
Category:Rail transport in Sheffield
Category:Transport in Leeds
Category:Railway lines in Yorkshire and the Humber
Category:Transport in the City of Wakefield

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Wakefield line](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakefield_line) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakefield_line?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.