Underneath Leeds City Station

[glencairn]

When I was a lad the 'Dark Arches' under Leeds City Station was a no-go area. A no-go area in as much 'enter and get lost'. Once entering you could soon find it difficult to find the way out again.

Recently work has been done to utilise the area. There are three Youtube films of the work done. New car park and entrance to the station. A fascinating thing (imo) is the River Aire runs under the station.

A meal and a drink under the arches. The station above

Glencairn

[Bigmet]

...A fascinating thing (imo) is the River Aire runs under the station...

Been through Leeds many times while using the train, in order to visit my late parents after they had gone into care in West Yorkshire, and nary a clue of the water beneath.

[SRman]

...A fascinating thing (imo) is the River Aire runs under the station...

Been through Leeds many times while using the train, in order to visit my late parents after they had gone into care in West Yorkshire, and nary a clue of the water beneath.

Ditto here, except my late parents hadn't gone into care. They lived in Barwick-in-Elmet, so it was usually train and bus for me.

[glencairn]

Leeds Station is built on top of another, earlier station? Leeds’ first proper city rail station was Wellington Station built temporarily in 1846, before a permanent one was fixed up in 1850 on top of arches across the River Aire.

19 years later Leeds New Station was built adjacent to the first, which was how it stayed until 1923 when the two were grouped together. City Station was rebuilt in 1969 when Central Station was closed, but you can still see it from a distance, if you venture under the arches. What you can’t reach, however, are old platforms, tunnels and and offices that now gathering dust within spitting distance of the thousands of commuters that pass through the new station every day.

When I lived in Leeds I was often told there was a way through the Dark Arches that led to Kirkstall Abbey. I never ventured to find out.

Glencairn

[Phred]

glencairn wrote:
What you can’t reach, however, are old platforms, tunnels and and offices that now gathering dust

Sounds like a magnet for 'urban explorers'.

[glencairn]

glencairn wrote:
What you can’t reach, however, are old platforms, tunnels and and offices that now gathering dust

Sounds like a magnet for 'urban explorers'.

Back in the day, yes. Now it is all blocked off. Cannot have idiots wandering around.

On my wandering around the centre of Leeds, across the road from the Dark Arches is Sovereign Street. I remember the buildings being very dark with smoke and grime. The brickwork had lost most of its Leeds Brick Company red. Most of the buildings are gone now and new ones in their place.

.
Glencairn

[glencairn]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-4P2RfUTPI&t=233s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccJ9YCmyKdI&t=16s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPMJVPkB_qQ&t=12s

Glencairn