Exploring former Silkstone Waggonway route near Barnsley October 2023

Описание: The pilot for a set of short videos I'm making documenting disused lines around the UK. I'll be focusing on some of the more relatively obscure ones as well as just those that Dr Beeching brought down his hammer of destruction on.

This one is of a former horse-drawn narrow gauge railway in Silkstone near Barnsley in Yorkshire. Known as the Silkstone Waggonway operated between 1809 and 1870, assisting in the conveyance of goods and coals between the mainline railway and Barnsley canal.  The line was generally flat except for a pair of steep back to back inclines between Silkstone and the neighbouring village of Silkstone Common. The waggonway and its industry was sadly blighted by the Huskar pit disaster of 1838 which occurred at Silkstone Common.  


Currently quite a large section of this historic former line survives to explore, with sleeper stones found still in situ along the paths that follow its way. A former rail hopper has been set on top of preserved track at the junction of Barnsley Road and High Street scattered history boards along the route should help people learn more about its past. 

 As this is only an experimental test run I've only taken the segment between Silkstone High St and Royd Lane. 

A further part between Silkstone Common and Barnsley Rd should be included at a later stage to come soon. 

Apologies for the lack of credits and onscreen details, as well as my fingers intervention at the top left for the last ten seconds. Due to the limitations of mobile video editing I was unable to have this part removed.

Having since acquired more professional editing software, this route will hopefully be fully reshot in 2024.

Filmed and commented on entirely by Dave Attrill.

Silkstone, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK. October 2023. 

#SilkstoneWaggonway
#Silkstone
#SilkstoneCommon
#disusedrailway
#Barnsley
#Dave'sDeadLines