HISTORICAL buildings, beautiful scenery and the aftermath of a terrible accident can be seen in these photographs of Esholt.

All the images are from the archives of Aireborough Historical Society and date back as far back as the Victorian era.

A shocking image of the aftermath of a train accident was captured in 1892 and shows a locomotive belonging to the Midland Railway lying on its side after crashing into the rear of a passenger train at Esholt Junction.

The Leeds to Ilkley train collided with the Ilkley to Bradford train, destroying the six rear sections and overturning its own engine and tender.

The accident happened because the Leeds signal was hidden by foliage and the engine driver mistakenly thought the Bradford signal was for him.

He continued down the line instead of waiting and crashed into the other train, leaving five people dead and many more injured.

An undated photograph shows a train steaming into Esholt Station. The station, which opened in 1876, was on the Midland Railway line. It was closed in 1940 but the buildings remained until 1953.

Waterloo Mill, which belonged to the Esholt Estate, can be seen in an image dating back to around 1907. The mill is described on old maps as a scribbling mill.

The AHS website says: “Scribbling was the preparation of raw fleece for spinning by a basic form of carding ie the separation of wool fibres.

“This was a process traditionally done by children using a hand held device when cloth manufacture had been carried out at home.

“From around the 1780s machines were being used in mills for the process.”

A fabulous undated tinted postcard shows the village smithy. One of the men pictured was Sam Nunwick.

A coloured postcard of Esholt Springs was sent in 1905 to a Mrs Uttley in Leicestershire. A message on the reverse read: “ Dear Mrs Uttley, I expect you will know the place shown on this view, if you don’t you have missed one of the prettiest walks around Bradford. Shall be giving you a look up in about a months time. Hope you are well, H Dennison.”

At the grander end of the scale Esholt Hall is also pictured in an early view dating back to the 1800s. Another photograph shows a group of people gathered outside the hall. Built on the site of Esholt Priory the hall and estate were bought by Robert Stansfield in 1755, his family remained there until 1904.

The AHS website says: “From around the 1860s there were problems on the Esholt estate caused by Bradford Council’s attempts to dispose of sewage via a beck which deposited waste along it’s course, including Esholt.

“In 1869 Major General Stansfield had taken out an injunction against the Council to force them to stop this practice as a result Bradford Council were forced to invest in treatment facilities.

“The City fathers then tried to compulsorily purchase Esholt estate but the House of Lords refused to sanction this move.

"When the decision was known in Esholt village there was much jubilation.Villagers met the train at Apperley Station on which the Misses Stansfield had travelled back from London and cheered them home.”

In 1904 the Hall and estate were sold to Bradford Council for £239,742. It later became the property of Yorkshire Water.

Esholt Main Street can be seen in an image from 1906. In more modern times the street became famous to many as the location for Emmerdale.