LEEDS CENTRAL STATION

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LEEDS CENTRAL STATION

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Күн бұрын

Central Station was one of three major railway stations that were once in Leeds. It fell victim to the massive cuts in the 1960s and was closed in 1967.Today there is very little to show that the station existed.

Пікірлер: 83

@cluds136 2 жыл бұрын

As a little child Central was the station I loved. You somehow seemed closer to the great steam engined monsters. Later, in 1965 or 66 I was with a group of cricketers waiting for the Bradford train and I found a fiver and a shopping list on the floor of the station. At the age of 72 I now apologise to whoever lost it. My mates and I spent it that night!

@tankmicr00man Жыл бұрын

An amazing record and so many gems there! I halved the playback speed and cut the sound so as to enjoy each image more fully. Thank you so much for posting

@SirNigel60007 11 жыл бұрын

Absolutely magic!! Takes me right back to being a child. Some of those scenes I will never forget. Thank you for putting the photos together and sharing them.

@greengreen4251 4 жыл бұрын

Really wish I could have experienced the place too. What a station! Such a loss! :(

@af757 7 жыл бұрын

In a day where we were not bombarded by social media, vandalism and torment of everyday life as we are now. Today's modern world is, in my opinion, not a better place than it was when these pictures were taken. Yes we move on but to better things ? I'm not convinced.

@georgegunn9387 6 жыл бұрын

Agree...well said!

@andytangent944 6 жыл бұрын

Leeds was full of soot. Black clouds belching from miles and miles of drab red brick back to back houses half way to Wakefield. You smelled coal burn all day long in winter. The buildings were all soot blackened. I was there. I have nostalgia sure... but i was illegal to be Gay, everywhere you went people were smoking (even in hospitals) there was just as much poverty and corruption, just as much crime. Even though I'm a steam train fan (why I'm on this page) the sheer scale of the smoke generated by a busy mainline station was incredible. Go and have a look at your local heritage railway and see the amount of smoke kicked out by ONE small steam engine. Then imagine 40 an hour. All day. Every day. And wonder why rich peoples homes were never near the railway lines. The slums, the huge tower blocks. Lead in all the petrol. No legislation to stop all the chemical chaos we were causing. I do not for one minute suggest it is "way better now than then". There are colossal and just-as-serious problems now as there were then. But I do not agree in the idea of aiming for a point in the past that nostalgia convinces us was "better". I believe in aiming for a point in the future that IS better.

@jeanhodgson8623 6 жыл бұрын

We used to have a grey cat.

@vihuelamig 5 жыл бұрын

@@andytangent944 Not to mention working conditions (horrid for many), medicine has advanced, we are now spoilt for entertainment choice. . . . the list is endless. We certainly aren't going back to steam trains. They are now where they belong, an enthusiasts or tourist attraction. I'm thankful for that too. Electric trains are so much smoother but a steam train is pure theatre.

@greengreen4251 4 жыл бұрын

I love steam locomotive steam and smoke, but yes can see how it could get a bit much for people. I'm just sad that they knocked down a wonderful piece of architecture and such a historical station. Compared to the amount of cars on the roads and emissions of aeroplane flights, the emissions of combined UK heritage railways today aren't worth comparing to the impact of such other sources. Its a drop in the ocean today thankfully. But in the days of steam when every engine in use on the network puffing out a lot of smoke, I can see that there was a much bigger impact

@stevewright7745 3 жыл бұрын

I worked on the new Bond St shopping centre that was being built as apprentice Joiner ( which has been renamed since ) and in the summer of 1975, a gang of Joiners & myself were sent down to the old goods yard areas to make up shutters for the floor levels, they used to get transported to the site from there, we must have rented the land, we were there for about 3 or 4 months, it was eerie seeing evidence of it once being a busy station with the outlay of tracks still visible. I've had a soft spot for that area ever since, hate that so much has been built in that area now.

@Wagoo 2 жыл бұрын

Do you know if there are any hidden/disused areas in Bond St. now? Like for example the old Odeon cinema was just bricked up and locked in the Merrion centre

@alanoakey7168 11 жыл бұрын

What a superb collection of photo's. You should make them into a book...I would buy a copy

@661cyclist 7 жыл бұрын

Way back at the end of the 1960s, I remember going to visit a friend in Leeds, then a place new to me: and he promised to show me some of the 'sights' of the city - including the Central station, which he explained to me had recently been closed, its functions taken over by what was then called "Leeds City" station (now it's just "Leeds"). Sadly, we discovered that the Central station was no more - it must have just before then been demolished. The present-day Leeds mega-station, with its umpteen platforms, is just like any large station nowadays. They're all clones of one another. Nothing in the way of character. And I enjoyed the choice of Beethoven 2 to accompany this. A concerto which sadly is performed far less often than Beethoven's others. Thanks!

@ComputerMoses 3 жыл бұрын

I always liked going to railway stations and travelling by train. I liked the atmosphere and I never suffered from travel sickness when I travelled by train, unlike I did when travelling long distances by bus.

@ernestoguevara8930 2 жыл бұрын

Your work on this is absolute cerebral gold dust. Images lost forever, never to be imagined again, brought back to a generation who think everything will be provided tomorrow!

@peterclarke945 10 жыл бұрын

Wow ...... no moving pics but the stills were even MORE evocative. This deserves recognition!!!!! Thank you. Do you remember the scene from 1993 movie Jurassic Park, when Sam Neill says "You have T Rex?"? Well, I am like "You have Thompson B1's?"

@kenstevens5065 Жыл бұрын

I went there a couple of times as a train spotter in the early sixties, what a cramped run down place it was but you could get up close to top link locomotives. It amazes me how many people still say things were much better under BR but they weren't. The fares were high for the average wage earner, the system was run down in spite of modernisation and I felt a lot of the timetables were more for the convenience of the staff getting to and from shifts than the public. Enjoy the video, it might get pulled, there is a Robertson jam advert lurking in it!

@kennethstill5945 2 жыл бұрын

Yes it was a “grotty” place in the sixties for the mainline station to Kings Cross but what a history, and with it’s magnificent two level multi-company goods yard in Wellington St. I was fortunate enough to work there from 1961 to 65 on the Deltics ( early day problems etc).and was able to see a grand array of steam Pacific’s daily. Coply Hill was an interesting place too. Suggest reading history of Leeds to Thirsk Rlwy, later renamed Leeds Northern with its magnificent viaducts and tunnels enroute to Harrogate.(does Thirsk Row and Northern St either side Central suggest anything?) This was a very enjoyable film thank you.

@BevMattocks 5 жыл бұрын

Not the most architecturally inspiring station for a big city, but fond memories of getting the train to Bradford as a kid - I remember the cobbles and the grime!

@edwardbarr1533 8 жыл бұрын

Very enjoyable the starting point of my first trip to the capital in 1962 ,can just about remember it,happy days

@andrewbeaumont5492 3 жыл бұрын

The photo at 7:20 is the entrance to Wellington Street forwarding office, not Leeds central station. Arthur Hallas was the chief clerk, Wally Tanner the head foreman.

@waldenhouse 9 жыл бұрын

I remember it well. Train spotting with my brother! Fascinating, yet sad review.

@Terry.W 4 жыл бұрын

Ah the memories of my train spotting days ...good times..

@eliazabethjoynson8123 4 жыл бұрын

Went from here on my annual holidays back in late 50s to early 60s my uncle John Joynson was an inspector . He used to get a porter to meet us off the bus and take our cases up the slope and onto the train , loved the three wheel electric buggy things they used to pull mail about with! Kev J

@silasfatchett5693 9 жыл бұрын

In 1960 I slipped and fell on the cobbles of the Leeds Central concourse while carrying a Bren gun . The Bren gun was undamaged.

@boz750 8 жыл бұрын

+Silas Fatchett I laughed at this. Typical squaddie - the bren matters more than your bones - good on ya!

@jeanhodgson8623 6 жыл бұрын

To Silas Fatchett: A g-g-g-g-gun? Ooh, don't tell Bliar.

@MarkHenstridge 3 жыл бұрын

I enjoyed that, thanks for uploading it.....cheers from an Australian railway nut

@johnjackson1106 5 жыл бұрын

Lovely film. Enjoyed the cars also.

@patriciagaunt2293 3 жыл бұрын

Paradise. It should never have been closed. I used to travel here by train from Laisterdyke(Bradford) via the two Pudsey stations to spot at Leeds Wellington in the very early 1950s. My trains were invariably hauled by an N1 locos. Edward Gaunt.

@soundnicetome 8 жыл бұрын

Great video,with lots of interesting content....such a pity our railway expertise,was destined to be destroyed,all in the name of progress and `greed`? I wish sometimes I could be transported,back to a time when things we all took for granted,gave us so much pleasure....progress ..NOT??

@stephenhodgson3506 4 жыл бұрын

With all the planning to increase the capacity of Leeds City if instead of pulling it down they had mothballed it the capacity would have already been in existence. This could apply to the whole rail network, I always have the thought that somebody wanted to make sure their growing businesses would never be put under threat so they eliminated them.

@BevMattocks 4 жыл бұрын

I remember it as a small child. Probably due to my height back then, I remember the cobbles mainly. We used to get the train to Bradford once a month to collect the rents from the terraced houses my great grandad built there.

@titup2 8 жыл бұрын

thanks. well worth your effort to compile this.

@laticsfan 4 жыл бұрын

Remember going train spotting there and sitting on a wall somewhere but I've no idea where the wall was.

@666LUFC 3 жыл бұрын

Under your backside? :)

@PK-yf3hd 7 ай бұрын

There was something continental and romantic sbout the concourse of central station...did it feature in billy liar where he fails to catch the train ?

@hoppinonabronzeleg9477 6 жыл бұрын

Not full of Leeds scuffers & pan handlers like nowadays!. Everyone was going somewhere then. Even the homeless had a place in society if you will pardon the oxymoron!

@alhumphrey81 4 жыл бұрын

We could do with Leeds Central back now.

@greengreen4251 4 жыл бұрын

Yes and Amen!

@agimackenzie2361 4 жыл бұрын

Yar

@johnbryant6572 4 жыл бұрын

All the a4 Pacific engines came into here from kings cross before the deltics i used to walk up the ramp through a yard you could sit and see all the platforms.1963 /' 65 used to love watching the steam engines.was part of the old l.n.e.r. railway had copley hill shed when leeds had 2 stations.this went to Doncaster and kings cross.leeds city to London went into st.pancras.before they put the link in from leeds city.this is the origional line that goes out round past elland road football ground.you can follow the line back into leeds It went over the top of the line to Shipley /Skipton.leeds central line also ran out on the north of the Shipley line and out to horsforth and harrogate over Kirkstall viaduct.and linked into the l.n.e.r. to york.you could once travel from leeds to Skipton via ilkley until they took the ilkley bridge down.and also menston through otley it had a station to harrogate.before everyone had cars.armley Kirkstall /newly &horseforth/ carvery&rodley /Appley bridge were station open and manned along the way to Shipley.going back to the sixtys used to watch the steam trains speeding through Appley bridge when I was 5.

@mckendrick4046 6 жыл бұрын

Superb pix.

@kiwitrains 4 жыл бұрын

Great days train spotting, the memories

@Masire0009 6 жыл бұрын

My dad was born in Leeds

@boz750 8 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the memories, tinged with a bit of sadness. I remember being thrown out of here as a kid. It was a scary place full of burly engineers & black faced drivers. City station was clean. This was full of PROPER working men. Good memories.

@PreservationEnthusiast 7 жыл бұрын

Smash and demolish that old station, it was shite.

@jeanhodgson8623 6 жыл бұрын

To SteamLocoScrapper: It is one of the ugliest set of premises that I have ever seen. Glad it was removed.

@michaeljones8016 5 жыл бұрын

@@PreservationEnthusiast It was a great station unlike todays piece of steel ..It had character.Had some of the best trains of that time stopping there.

@jodypitt3629 6 жыл бұрын

What's the backing music? Sounds like Herr Mozart

@williamwoolhouse3702 5 жыл бұрын

It is Beethoven's 2nd Piano Concerto.

@mondieannan4249 10 жыл бұрын

I couldn't really recognise where I was looking. Seems like it wasn't the site of the railway station now.

@MartinJames389 10 жыл бұрын

No, it was just a short distance down the road in Wellington Street. The present station (City Station) was there at the same time, but has now been greatly extended to the south. There were no through lines, just terminal ones, so a through train would go out in the opposite direction.

@johnbryant6572 4 жыл бұрын

Opposite the central station pub in Wellington Street where they built the post office building both have gone now And near the national bus station.

@showmanpete2805 2 жыл бұрын

wow what a great vid

@mrcynical9368 5 жыл бұрын

Have you got any photos of york station

@jasperj1000 9 жыл бұрын

Lovely pictures !! What is the music please ?

@JohnAGood 8 жыл бұрын

+jasperj1000 Beethoven Piano Concerto No 2

@jasperj1000 8 жыл бұрын

+JohnAGood Many thanks !

@blackandwhiterag1117 7 жыл бұрын

Beethoven Piano Concerto No 2

@rickyraw5457 Жыл бұрын

You could probably catch a train back then which was actually on time......

@john80c 3 жыл бұрын

Grand train spotting

@bobtudbury8505 Жыл бұрын

6:42 that should read > the labour party axe falls as they shut the lines never beeching, who got an award from the labour party by the by

@arrakisspicetrader8794 8 жыл бұрын

3 stations? excluding Leeds Central and the present one, what and where was the other station?

@garyhawkins805 8 жыл бұрын

Before 1938 there were indeed 3 stations. Central station - Wellington Station and New Station . Wellington and New were amalgamated in 1938 to create Leeds City.

@jeanhodgson8623 6 жыл бұрын

The very first one was at Marsh Lane. It was the terminus of the Leeds and Selby line. Then, the arches were built, giving trains access to downtown Leeds, specifically the station called Leeds City, which is now the present (and only) one.