SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I could be wrong because I'm slightly older but I think your positioning of Leek Street flats is slightly out. The circle you are showing is more between Joseph Street (where the victorian swimming baths were) and Church Street (up to Hunslet District Centre). However I think they were more between (and behind) Joseph Street and the Hunslet Distributor Road.Also I have always believed Leek Street Flats were renamed Hunslet Grange as Leek was too similar to leak (which is what they did).There are a lot of train tracks in roads in and around Hunslet (particularly Jack Lane )and I have always associated these with Engineering works producing and repairing rolling stock but I could have been under a misaprehensionThe area you have highlighted is actually just short of Stourton freight terminal on what is now the Knottingley/Pontefract line but was built as the Leeds (Hunslet) to Derby Line. There also appears to be freight wagons lined up outside the back of the factory on Midland Road.I have always been convinced that there is the remanants of a railway bridge just up from First Direct at Thwaite Gate but have wondered how it was possible for track to branch off the Derby line Below ground level and then go over that bridge.

Yeah i agree my circle may be slightly out, Near enough tnough. Were Hunslet down sidings are today is the road stone loading place you can see on the google image. Up to the 80's there used to be a good number of private sidings there & one in particular branched sharply away & was marked on the maps as 'government cold storage' It's that i'd like to know where it was really.

I believe the correct spelling was actually "Leak" street not "Leek" street as I mistakenly put in my first post. Also I think its the case that the flats were always officially called "Hunslet Grange", but were almost invariably called 'Leak street flats' by Leeds folk,

Google suggest you were right the first time Drapesyhttp://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=%22leek ... h&meta=and interestingly this thread is number 3 in the 32 hits. "Leak street" returns nada

Aghh ...Leak or Leek?? I was looking at some old photos on the Leodis site of the back-to-back slums that were cleared in the late 50s/early 60s and they referred to 'Leak' street , howver looking again I see they also have some photos that render it as 'Leek' Street!!!!On reflection I think 'Leek' is the more likely and that google (and my original post) were correctPhew!

tyke bhoy wrote: I have always been convinced that there is the remnants of a railway bridge just up from First Direct at Thwaite Gate but have wondered how it was possible for track to branch off the Derby line Below ground level and then go over that bridge. There was a bridge over the river, it was part of what I believe was the Beeston Line, you can see it quite clearly on http://www.ponies.me.uk/maps/osmap.html and ran to Skelton Colliery and KnowsthorpeAs for Leek Street, we lived there for 7 years 1973-1980 and it was terrible with damp and mould in most rooms, it deteriated badly with all sorts of low life been given accommodation there in its final years. Christ I had forgotten about the Pioneer, we only went in once I think, and once was enough for anyone.

That’s the line and confirms that a bridge did cross what is now the A61 just above first direct and also crossed what was then the Leeds-Derby line. The line then joins what is now the Wakefield line near Tommy Wass in Beeston and explains the bridge adjacent to where the Rex cinema was on Middleton ring road (which I had thought was part of the tram route through middleton woods).It looks like the spur to Knowsthorpe is still there (Google earth) although there are buffers at the canal end. It loops back to Neville Hill via Cross Green (strengthening/widening a bridge over it is part of the works required for the east Leeds link road)

And here is a picture of that bridge going over the river aire

The bridge was built because the canal company said they would be bringing tall ships in to Leeds at some point so this massive swing bridge was erected at great cost. It was the heaviest bridge in Leeds-so heavy infact that when it opened it dropped down 2'. It had to be jacked back up again. The canal company who hated the railways were delighted they had caused the railways so much grief & they soon dropped there plans for the tall ships & the bridge stayed firmly locked in place & never opened again. The line is intact from Neville hill down to the river & serves the oil refinery & a concrete/road stone company. It's not heavily used tho. Traces of the waterloo colliey line can also be seen on the other side of the river wiith coal staithes from Waterloo & Middleton colliery either side of the river. I have some pics here http://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn ... il/?page=9

Going back to the map you've posted above, I think Midland Road is now the motive power depot (todays posh name for an engine shed) for Freightliner.For the more ghoulish out there, the remains of the engine that was pulling the coal train that was involved in the Great Heck crash is in store there, presumably being used for parts for other loco's. Given that the driver died they are understandably sensitive about it.Given the location of the place the only way you can really see in from public land is from the bridge on Balm Road, if you can avoid the the local youths.