Micklefield 1985

MICKLEFIELD

All 18.6.1985 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing

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An hour or so at Micklefield in Yorkshire back in 1985 produced a variety of trains, most of which would now be extinct! The station was still fairly original and was orientated east-west so afternoon photos would catch the sun right - except I never saw the sun out there!

Micklefield 19.5.1986

MICKLEFIELD

47 524 Micklefield 19.5.1986

56 098 Micklefield 19.5.1986

45 120 Micklefield 19.5.1986

45 118 Micklefield 19.5.1986

(All 19.5.1986 © Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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One of my favourite stations for passing trains back in the eighties was Micklefield in Yorkshire, which had a succession of trains including HSTs, DMUs, freight and light engines.

An hour or so on 19 May 1986 saw most of these come through. It was a busy station even back in the 80s, set in a typical Yorkshire village.

More info (from Wikipedia)

Micklefield railway station serves the village of Micklefield, near Garforth in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the York and Selby Lines, operated by Northern Rail, 9.75 miles (16 km) east of Leeds.

The station was originally opened by the Leeds and Selby Railway in 1834, with the line towards Church Fenton being added by the North Eastern Railway in 1869.

Just east of the station, the York and Selby lines split in their respective directions.

Services

Monday to Saturday daytime there is a half-hourly service all stations to Leeds with services continuing to Wakefield Westgate and Blackpool North both via Bradford Interchange. Evenings and Sundays, the service is hourly.

Eastbound there is an hourly service to York next stop Church Fenton (some direct to York) and Selby next stop South Milford respectively during Monday to Saturday daytimes. Evenings and Sundays. there is an hourly service to York only.

Annual rail passenger usage*
2004/05	0.123 million
2005/06	0.130 million
2006/07	0.138 million
2007/08	0.138 million
2008/09	0.184 million
2009/10	0.179 million
2010/11	0.194 million
2011/12	0.193 million
2012/13	0.179 million
2013/14	0.181 million
- Interchange	2,966

first generation DMUs in yorkshire

 

Micklefield is a busy little station in Yorkshire, the junction for lines from Leeds to York and Hull. Back on 6 April 1987 there was a constant dream of first generation DMUs running through, as well as some HSTs, class 45s, class 47s and one or two newer DMUs. Of course at the time I didn't appreciate any of this, but luckily snapped away anyway!

 

My favourite shot from this location was one of those really lucky ones. I was walking back to my lorry when I glimpsed this scene in the mist. I probably heard a train horn so knew one was approaching - result a lovely composition of soft afternoon light, straight lines, a first generation DMU and the gentle arch of the bridge dead centre! I've posted this on a general photographic group and people love the composition! A lot more pics of Micklefield are on the Rail Thing Facebook group Rails of Yorkshire.

micklefield 1987

(Micklefield 6.4.1987)

Back in the eighties I was a lorry driver (how uncool is that?) and got to travel all over the UK at someone else's expense, diverting all thetime to nice railway locations! This was at the tail end of the decline of rail and at the blandest point of the corporate livery days.

I was always trying to get both record and atmosphere shots, the top three here falling into the first category and the fourth into the latter.

I often stopped at Micklefield in Yorkshire and spent an hour or so at the station snapping whatever came through. These were caught on a misty afternoon in April.