Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
I was in our offices today which are built on the site of the long demolished Central Station and NER, GN, LNWR and L&Y goods yards and sheds.
The area is shown bounded on this 1914 OS extract from NLS (National Library of Scotland).
And on this image (again from NLS). Also seen are two of the three ex-NER roundhouses and the Turning Shops. It's also interesting to see how the new buildings follow the old track alignment which becomes obvious from the map as the Central Station and approaches were built on a viaduct.
As part of the development the sad remains of the viaduct over the River Aire and Leeds-Liverpool Canal has been turned into a pleasing raised walkway with gardens. A new access has been provided.
When you reach the top you are greeted with this.
The developers have also replaced colonade supports where necessary - albeit similar to but not exactly to the same design as the originals. But hey, give them credit for trying to maintain the originality.
As you reach the other end towards the bridge which originally crossed the ex Midland lines to Bradford and Skipton you start to see the lines diverge. Where the lines crossed there was the GN Holbeck High Level and Midland Holbeck Low Level stations (evident on the earlier OS map). The proximity of the GN Holbeck station to the Central station is almost akin to Holborn Viaduct and Ludgate Hill.
There is still alot of building going on of offices and apartments around the area.
Two obligatory train photos. A LNER London service and a Northern service from Harrogate.
The centrepiece within the Wellington Place office complex is this sole remaining ex LNWR/L&Y wagon hoist. It is currently shrouded as it is being preserved and will contain a small museum with the history of the railways and industry of the immediate area.
The pièce de résistance is back on landscaped walkway. Part of the original GN/NER/LNER infrastructure - this lone wooden signal post which seems to have somehow survived the decades
.
The area is shown bounded on this 1914 OS extract from NLS (National Library of Scotland).
And on this image (again from NLS). Also seen are two of the three ex-NER roundhouses and the Turning Shops. It's also interesting to see how the new buildings follow the old track alignment which becomes obvious from the map as the Central Station and approaches were built on a viaduct.
As part of the development the sad remains of the viaduct over the River Aire and Leeds-Liverpool Canal has been turned into a pleasing raised walkway with gardens. A new access has been provided.
When you reach the top you are greeted with this.
The developers have also replaced colonade supports where necessary - albeit similar to but not exactly to the same design as the originals. But hey, give them credit for trying to maintain the originality.
As you reach the other end towards the bridge which originally crossed the ex Midland lines to Bradford and Skipton you start to see the lines diverge. Where the lines crossed there was the GN Holbeck High Level and Midland Holbeck Low Level stations (evident on the earlier OS map). The proximity of the GN Holbeck station to the Central station is almost akin to Holborn Viaduct and Ludgate Hill.
There is still alot of building going on of offices and apartments around the area.
Two obligatory train photos. A LNER London service and a Northern service from Harrogate.
The centrepiece within the Wellington Place office complex is this sole remaining ex LNWR/L&Y wagon hoist. It is currently shrouded as it is being preserved and will contain a small museum with the history of the railways and industry of the immediate area.
The pièce de résistance is back on landscaped walkway. Part of the original GN/NER/LNER infrastructure - this lone wooden signal post which seems to have somehow survived the decades
.
