View source for Pontefract line

{{Short description|Leeds-Goole railway}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2023}}
{{refimprove|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox rail line
|name        =  Pontefract line
|color       = 6ccff6
|image       = British Rail Class 158 at Pontefract Monkhill railway station - Flickr 6 August 2021.jpg
|image_width = 300px
|caption     = A [[Northern Trains]] {{brc|158}} no.158815 at {{rws|Pontefract Monkhill}} station in August 2021
|type        = 
|system      = 
|status      = 
|locale      = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|start       = {{ubl|{{rws|Leeds}}|{{rws|Wakefield Westgate}}}}
|end         = {{rws|Goole}}
|stations    = 16
|open        = 
|close       =
|owner       = [[Network Rail]] 
|operator    = 
|depot       = 
|stock       =  
|linelength  =
|tracklength =
|gauge       = {{RailGauge|ussg|allk=on}}
|speed       = 
|map         = [[File:Pontefract line.png|300px]]<br />([[:commons:File:Pontefract line.png|Click to expand]])
|map_state   = expanded
}}
{{Pontefract Line|collapse=y}}
The '''Pontefract line''' is one of the rail services in the [[Metro (West Yorkshire)|West Yorkshire Metro]] area of northern England. The service is operated by [[Northern (train operating company)|Northern]], and links [[Wakefield]] and  [[Leeds]] with [[Goole]] via [[Pontefract]]. The Metro timetable for the line also includes services operated as the [[Dearne Valley line]] between [[York]] and [[Sheffield]] via Pontefract.

The line, which passes through the former mining areas to the east of Wakefield and Castleford, has the greatest number of stations opened by the West Yorkshire Metro. MetroCards are available on the route as far as [[Knottingley]]: a limited service of trains continues to [[Goole]] by this route.

==The route==

===History===
Railways in the area opened as follows:
* 1 April 1848:<ref>[http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Wakefield,_Pontefract_and_Goole_Railway Graces Guide]</ref> the ''[[Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway]]'', 27 miles (43&nbsp;km) in length, opened. This line passed through and served Knottingley, which was then producing some 65 000 tons of burnt lime a year, mainly used for agricultural and building purposes.
* February 1854 the [[Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)|Great Northern Railway]] (GNR) and [[Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway]] (L&YR) jointly administered [[Knottingley]] station.   
* August 1850: Knottingley to Burton Salmon line opened. Trains were able to run from London to York via Knottingley, which was the station to change to and from trains into the heart of the West Riding, and so it became a major junction. 
* May 1879: The ''[[Swinton and Knottingley Railway]]'', connecting [[Sheffield]] and York via Pontefract, opened; [[Ferrybridge]] station opened three years later.

Before the [[Railways Act 1921|1923 Grouping]] the lines over which the service operates were owned by:
* Leeds – [[Methley]]: [[Midland Railway]] (MR)
* Methley – Pontefract (Monkhill) – Goole: L&YR 
* Wakefield Westgate station: joint GNR/L&YR
* Wakefield – Pontefract (Monkhill): L&YR

===Description of route===

====Leeds–Goole====

Trains using the Pontefract line from Leeds use the same route as the [[Hallam line]] to ''Methley Junction'':
* '''{{stnlnk|Woodlesford}}'''
* here is ''Methley Junction'', where lines of the MR, L&YR and the [[Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)|Great Northern Railway]] (GNR) converged.
* '''{{stnlnk|Castleford}}''' (also on the [[Hallam line]] and [[Huddersfield line]])
* '''{{stnlnk|Glasshoughton}}''' (opened 21 February 2005)
* '''{{stnlnk|Pontefract Monkhill}}:''' junction with Wakefield line
* '''{{stnlnk|Knottingley}}:''' joint L&YR/GNR station. The Dearne Valley line has a junction at this point; there is also the [[Askern branch line]] for [[Doncaster]]
* '''{{stnlnk|Whitley Bridge}}'''
* runs under [[East Coast Main Line]]
* '''{{stnlnk|Hensall}}:''' junction for the [[Hull and Barnsley Railway]] (HBR – now to [[Drax power station#Coal supply and transport|Drax]]); and the joint [[Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Railway|GCR/HBR]] line crossed the line about a mile further east
* '''{{stnlnk|Snaith}}'''
* '''{{stnlnk|Rawcliffe}}'''
* Oakhills Junction with the [[Selby–Goole line]] closed in 1964
* '''{{stnlnk|Goole}}'''

====Wakefield–Pontefract====

The Wakefield service joins the Leeds service at Pontefract; the station served for this section are: 
* '''{{stnlnk|Wakefield Westgate}}''' (also served by the [[Wakefield line]]): the station was jointly owned by GCR and GNR; to the south was the ''West Riding and Grimsby Joint Railway'' (also owned by those companies)
* '''{{stnlnk|Wakefield Kirkgate}}''' (Previous terminus for most services on this line)
* leaving Wakefield there were a large number of junctions between there and [[Crofton, West Yorkshire|Crofton]]
* there were two stations on this line serving Crofton and [[Sharlston]] 
* '''{{stnlnk|Streethouse}}'''
* '''{{stnlnk|Featherstone}}'''
* '''{{stnlnk|Pontefract Tanshelf}}'''
* '''{{stnlnk|Pontefract Monkhill}}''' where the Leeds line joins

Both services now run hourly to [[Leeds]] from [[Knottingley]] to provide a combined half-hourly service between [[Knottingley]], [[Pontefract Monkhill]] and [[Leeds]]
[[File:Pontefract Rail Map.jpg|thumb|centre|350px|The Pontefract line centres on the town of Pontefract]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Pontefract Line}}
* [https://archive.today/20060315022709/http://www.wymetro.com/TrainTravel/MetroTrainTimetablesAndRoutes/PontefractLine.htm Pontefract line including map]

{{Railway lines in Yorkshire and the Humber}}
{{West Yorkshire railway stations}}

[[Category:Rail transport in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Transport in Leeds]]
[[Category:Railway lines in Yorkshire and the Humber]]
[[Category:Rail transport in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Rail transport in the East Riding of Yorkshire]]