Schofield Railway Bridge - Dewsbury, UK - Railroad Bridges on Waymarking.com

The Calder and Hebble Navigation completed in 1770 consisted of artificial improvements to the River Calder and River Hebble to allow canal boats use what used to be un-navigable rivers.

It ran for 21 miles from the Aire and Calder Navigation at Wakefield to Sowerby Bridge, was one of the first navigable waterways into the Pennines. It was an extension westwards of the Aire and Calder Navigation.

Work began in 1758 to make the River Calder navigable above Wakefield. The navigation to Sowerby Bridge was completed in 1770, including a short branch to Dewsbury.

The Railway Bridge
This stone arch railway bridge originally carried the Manchester Victoria to Normanton Line (MVN). This was part of the Manchester and Leeds Railway and this part of the line opened in 1840, 70 years after the navigation. link

Although the bridge now also carries other rail routes, specifically the Huddersfield Line, he Railways Authority still designates the bridge number MVN2-206. As far as the Calder and Hebble Navigation is concerned it is Schofield Bridge (bridge 20).

The bridge is between Mirfield and Ravensthorpe railway stations. At some point the bridge was widened to cope with other rail routes that shared the bridge.

These days it carries trains on the following routes.

Eastbound, two trains per hour (approximately half-hourly) operate on weekdays and Saturdays towards Leeds, with an hourly service to Wakefield Westgate via Wakefield Kirkgate.
Westbound two trains an hour serve Huddersfield, with connecting services at Huddersfield to Bradford Interchange, Penistone, Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport. There is also an hourly daytime service to Manchester Victoria via Brighouse and Hebden Bridge - this was introduced as part of the December 2008 timetable alterations on the Caldervale Line. During the weekday morning peak an additional train runs to Leeds.

On Sundays, a two-hourly service operates to Leeds and Huddersfield. There are no Sunday services to Wakefield or Hebden Bridge/Manchester. link

Bridge Type: Arch Bridge Usage: Railroad Moving Bridge: This bridge is static (has no moving pieces)

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