Huddersfield Line

The Huddersfield Line is the name given to one of the busiest rail services on the West Yorkshire MetroTrain network in northern England. Local services are operated by Northern Rail with longer distance services operated by TransPennine Express. The line connects Leeds and Huddersfield with Manchester (Victoria & Piccadilly), Manchester Airport and Liverpool.

The route travels SSW from Leeds through Dewsbury. After a short westward stretch through Mirfield (where it runs on the ex-L&YR section), it continues SW through Huddersfield, using the River Colne valley to its headwaters. The long Standedge Tunnel just after Marsden crosses under the watershed and the majority of the run down to Manchester is in the Tame valley. After Manchester, the line reaches the Liverpool and Manchester Railway line over Chat Moss to Liverpool.

The Government announced on 29 November 2011 that this route will be electrified in the near future.

History
At the time of the 1923 Grouping most of the route followed by the line was over London and North Western Railway (LNWR) metals, the exception being a short stretch around Mirfield which was the property of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR). The first section of the line, between Huddersfield and Stalybridge, was opened by the Manchester, Stockport and Leeds Railway on 1 August 1849. The line became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway after 1923.

Route details
Metro (West Yorkshire) pre-paid tickets and concessionary fares are available between Leeds and Marsden. TfGM fares are available for the Greenfield-Manchester section. Many of the intermediate places no longer have rail facilities. All stations that are still open are in bold.:

Leeds-Huddersfield

 * Leeds
 * Copley Hill
 * Cottingley (Leeds)
 * Farnley and Wortley
 * Churwell
 * Morley
 * Batley
 * Staincliffe & Batley Carr
 * Dewsbury: previously Dewsbury (Wellington Road)
 * Ravensthorpe was named Ravensthorpe and Thornhill
 * here is Dewsbury Junction with the L&YR. Trains from Wakefield (Westgate and Kirkgate railway stations) join the Huddersfield Line here, giving connections from the Pontefract, Hallam and Wakefield Lines.
 * Mirfield L&YR junctions here to Low Moor (closed) and Halifax (the Caldervale Line): the service from the Huddersfield Line operates to Brighouse
 * ''Heaton Lodge/Heckmondwike Junctions return the route to the ex-LNWR line
 * Bradley
 * Deighton
 * Huddersfield : served by the Caldervale and Penistone Line lines. The station here was LNWR/L&YR joint owned.

Huddersfield-Manchester

 * here is Springwood Tunnel and Springwood Junction for the trains on the Penistone Line
 * Longwood and Milnsbridge
 * Golcar
 * Slaithwaite
 * Marsden
 * here is Standedge Tunnel : three parallel tunnels, two single-line, one double 5340 yd (4806 m) in length
 * Diggle
 * Diggle Junction with lines to Oldham and Stalybridge via Friezland
 * Saddleworth
 * Greenfield
 * Mossley
 * Stalybridge
 * Ashton-under-Lyne
 * Manchester Victoria

Manchester to Liverpool

 * Manchester Piccadilly
 * Manchester Airport
 * Irlam (peak only)
 * Manchester Oxford Road
 * Birchwood
 * Warrington Central
 * Hunts Cross (peak only)
 * Liverpool Lime Street

Tourism
Owing to a large number of easily accessed and nationally acclaimed pubs along the route (particularly on the station platforms themselves at Dewsbury, Huddersfield and Stalybridge), the route has also acquired the informal title of Rail Ale Trail and featured on the BBC's Oz and James Drink to Britain. Of particular interest are:
 * West Riding Licensed Refreshment Rooms (on the platform at Dewsbury Station, 2006 runner up CAMRA National Pub of the Year)
 * The Kings Head, formerly known as The Station Tavern, in the east wing of Huddersfield station
 * The Head of Steam in the west wing of Huddersfield Station
 * Sair Inn (with its own brewery, in Linthwaite, across the river from Slaithwaite station, 1997 National Pub of the Year)
 * Riverhead, Marsden (with the Riverhead Brewery in the basement, in the town a little down from the station and tunnels)
 * Station Buffet at Stalybridge (original Victorian Station Buffet with marble counter, on the platform at Stalybridge station)

Although there are many other worthy candidates close by to these and other stations on the line.