Notes: The line from Bradford to Thornton via Queensbury was opened as a joint venture between the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway and the Great Northern Railway between 1876 and 1878. Once out of Bradford, the line was mostly rural and necessitated the construction of many earthworks, viaducts and tunnels. Its hilly nature earned it the nicknames of 'the Alpine route' or 'the switchback' from its loyal drivers. Although the National Archive record the station as opening 14.4.1897 it appeared in Bradshaw before the end of 1878 but the first stopping train is shown as May 1879.

Queensbury station was fairly unique, having a triangular layout with platforms serving all three directions; the only other local example is Shipley, which only covered two sides of the triangle until the 1980's. When the 'new' Queensbury station was opened in 1.1.1890, only Ambergate in Derbyshire had a similar layout.

Queensbury claims to be the highest village in the UK at a height of 1,150 ft above sea level. Unfortunately, the only place where the station could be built was down a mile long dimly lit footpath 400 ft lower than the township. Even so, the station had to be built on an escarpment built up with rubble and earthworks, and the Bradford/Keighley platforms were built of wood atop a brick viaduct. Although fairly well used by local residents, the station was of more use as an interchange between the three lines.

Goods services were minimal, being a few small coal mines which closed fairly early in the station's history and a local brickworks; the striped chimney of which serves as a convenient landmark in the photographs.

Upon leaving Queensbury for Halifax, trains had to enter the Queensbury tunnel underneath the village. At 1 mile 741 yards long, this was the fourth longest tunnel in West Yorkshire. Water seepage in the tunnel was always a problem and the subsequent damage to the tunnel lining was cited as one of the reasons for the closure of the line. Towards the end, enormous icicles forming in the tunnel in winter caused damage to trains, so a small engine had to be parked in the tunnel at night producing enough steam to melt the ice.

The site has poor road access and the ground is too muddy to be of any commercial use today, but this has not stopped the whole station from being demolished. Only the station house remains, which is in private ownership. Even the subway shown in the photo has been demolished in the past twelve months, possibly for the valuable Yorkshire stone used in its construction.

In May 2005 a section of the railway was brought back to life as the Great Northern Trail. The first section of the new trail runs from Cullingworth to Harecroft Eventually the new trail will cover a distance of 10 kilometres between Queensbury and Cullingworth but it will be five years before it is completed.

The new trail is availbale for walkers, cyclists and horse riders and is also suitable for wheelchairs. The section of the trail already open includes two viaducts including the listed Hewenden Viaduct near Cullingworth

Other web sites: The Lost Railways of West Yorkshire & Queensbury Village web site

Further reading: The Queensbury Triangle by Alan Whittaker 1979

To see the other stations on the Halifax - Bradford - Keighley lines click on the station name: Halifax St. Pauls, Pellon,
Halifax North Bridge, Ovenden, Holmfield, Clayton, Great Horton, Horton Park, Manchester Road, St. Dunstan's, Bradford Adolphus Street, Thornton, Denholme, Wilsden, Cullingworth & Ingrow East