A Brief History of The Hull and Barnsley Railway
The Hull Barnsley and West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company was formed with the backing of Hull Corporation to break the monopoly on dock and rail traffic from Hull; it included a deep water dock (Alexandra Dock) to the east of Hull. The railway never reached Barnsley itself, terminating at Cudworth (junction with the Midland Railway) some four miles short having been vigorously opposed by the NER.
It was one of the last new main lines to be built, construction cost double the estimates, due in part to difficulties in cutting and tunnelling through unexpectedly hard chalk in the Yorkshire Wolds near Little Weighton.
Although it was constructed primarily for goods traffic to and from the new dock and the South Yorkshire coalfields, fine villa-style passenger stations were provided but though passenger traffic was sparse.
In 1905 the company name was shortened to the Hull and Barnsley Railway which was absorbed into the NER on 1 January 1923.
The line was gradually run down from the early 1930s with all passenger services ceasing in 1955. Today only the high level goods line around Hull and a short section serving Drax power station remain in use.
Read more about this topic: Kirk Smeaton Railway Station
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