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Location notes
Southfield Lane Bridge is located on the Wakefield Kirkgate to Huddersfield line, about 5 miles west of Wakefield. It is in a quiet rural location well away from any main road yet only a few yards from residential properties.
Railway type and traffic
The main traffic on the line is Northern Rail DMUs consisting of Class 142, 144 , 150 and 158 providing hourly services from Wakefield to Huddersfield and frequent Leeds to Sheffield/Nottingham workings.
There are occasional freight workings, but only a handful during daylight hours. The busiest time for freight is between 12:00 and 14:00 when it might be possible to see two Freighliner Class 66 hauled binliners, the Preston Docks to Lindsey DBS Class 66 hauled empty bitumen tanks and possibly a Hunslet East to Tunstead DBS Class 66 empty cement tanks train.
The line is also used by rail tours from the Crewe/Manchester/Preston areas heading towards York, Scarborough and Edinburgh and in the summer by Crewe to Scarborough steam excursions.
Because of the infrequency of loco hauled trains it is one of those locations where it is best to visit when you know in advance which workings are running.
There are occasional freight workings, but only a handful during daylight hours. The busiest time for freight is between 12:00 and 14:00 when it might be possible to see two Freighliner Class 66 hauled binliners, the Preston Docks to Lindsey DBS Class 66 hauled empty bitumen tanks and possibly a Hunslet East to Tunstead DBS Class 66 empty cement tanks train.
The line is also used by rail tours from the Crewe/Manchester/Preston areas heading towards York, Scarborough and Edinburgh and in the summer by Crewe to Scarborough steam excursions.
Because of the infrequency of loco hauled trains it is one of those locations where it is best to visit when you know in advance which workings are running.
Environment
A quiet rail over bridge in a pleasant rural area where you will only meet dog walkers and occasional vehicles to the nearby Slazengers Sports fields. Not regarded as a problem area for vandals and overlooked by housing.
Road directions
Horbury Town Centre is about 5 minutes drive from M1 Junction 40. Head through Horbury and onto the A642 Horbury Bypass. Once on the bypass head westwards and turn left onto Daw Lane and then immediately right onto the downward sloping Southfield Lane. As you turn the bend on Southfield Lane you will see a lane on the left. Follow this over the railway bridge and park up at the far side of the bridge.
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Southfield Lane Bridge, Horbury, Wakefield map co-ordinates
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Southfield Lane Bridge, Horbury, Wakefield map co-ordinates
Parking
There is sufficient space for one car at the far side of the bridge and this is hardly ever used as it is not a vehicle thoroughfare except for traffic accessing the sports fields which have their own car park. Your car will be in full view. If the space is being used, return over the bridge and park on Southfield Lane. There are unlikely to be any safety problems given the proximity of houses.
Public transport
The location is about 20 minutes walk from Horbury Town Centre. Frequent buses from Wakefield and Dewsbury call at Horbury and you would follow the directions as above (i.e. onto the Bypass and then down Southfield Lane.)
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
The nearest cafes, shops, pubs etc are in Horbury and there are plenty to choose from.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Southfield Lane Bridge, Horbury, Wakefield
Streetmap links
Southfield Lane Bridge, Horbury, Wakefield general view map
Southfield Lane Bridge, Horbury, Wakefield close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Southfield Lane Bridge, Horbury, Wakefield
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Southfield Lane Bridge, Horbury, Wakefield
Googly map
Southfield Lane Bridge, Horbury, Wakefield general view map
Southfield Lane Bridge, Horbury, Wakefield close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Southfield Lane Bridge, Horbury, Wakefield
Who likes this location on facebook
Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
Good shots can be had in both directions with a stone cutting making the westward looking one particularly interesting. On very sunny days the sunlight favours the westward looking shot until early afternoon and the eastward shot can be in shadow. Noise from highways is not particularly high for video shots.
General views - All photographs © Neil Scarlett unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking west
Looking towards Addingford Bridge and Healey Mills Yard.
Fig 2 - Looking east
Looking towards Horbury Junction.
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
