SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Among the images in a Cambridge Air Photos section https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com/ in the Cambridge University website there are some showing Leeds Centre and also some of Templenewsam and Kirkstall Abbey. I have added below the links to 3 of the Leeds Centre photos. They can take a bit of working out what is where!

Edit:- I have now worked out how to add the actual images so I have added them!





https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com/location/byh1/ taken June 28 1976.
https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com/location/byh2/ taken June 28 1976.
https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com/location/byh3/ taken June 28 1976.

These are links to 3 more airborne photos in the Cambridge Air Photos section showing the centre of Leeds.
Edit: Having worked out how to add the actual images I have now added them!





https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com/location/rc8dr001/ taken October 12 1980.
https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com/location/rc8dr002/ taken October 12 1980.
https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com/location/rc8dr003/ taken October 12 1980.

[quote="Leodian"]Among the images in a Cambridge Air Photos section https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com/ in the Cambridge University website there are some showing Leeds Centre and also some of Templenewsam and Kirkstall Abbey. I have added below the links to 3 of the Leeds Centre photos. They can take a bit of working out what is where!

Edit:- I have now worked out how to add the actual images so I have added them!


https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com/location/byh1/ taken June 28 1976.
Great find Leodian and thanks for sharing. I'm not entirely convinced about the June 1976 date though.

Leeds Station still appears to be two separate stations albeit side by side. It is certainly post 1967 as Leeds Poly now Leeds Beckett is towards the top left corner. Bottom right also has the Draganora (now Hilton) which I think I have memories of being built so could indicate 70s as I would not remember 60s. Roads that are clearly evident include Briggate, Vicar Lane, Regent Street, North Street, Roseville Road and the beginings pf Roundhay Road, Meanwood Road Otley Road and Harrogzte Road. Buildings I can clearly pick out include Dudley House (K2?) , the Leeds Permanent HQ (now the light/Raddisons), City House, West Riding House and of course the Town and Civic Halls

Great photos. The date given looks about right to me. In the photo,the site of Central station,closed 1967,is totally cleared,being used for car parking.The Royal Mail building is completed.Also the station is still being used in 2 parts,the Wellington part solely for parcels traffic.

For anybody struggling with the 2nd 3 images, in conventional map making terms they would be considered upside down. No criticism of Leodian as the images are presented as stored.

Although probably not perfectly compass aligned the top edges are South, the bottom edges north with east to the left and west to the right.

Thanks unslet, it was the two parts that was confusing me. When did the two parts become one?

tyk bhoy, officially the two parts became one in 1936-38, when Wellington was completely rebuilt, along with the Queens Hotel. Prior to this date the two stations were Wellington and New, with the platforms at both starting at "One". Following that rebuiding, the whole complex was renamed Leeds City. with the platforms numbered sequentially from I at the north (Aire Street) side to 13 at the south side, followed by 14-17 for the east-facing bays contiguous to New Station Street.

As unslet says above, the Wellington platforms were segregated from the rest at the 1967 rebuilding of the station as a parcels only depot, and all except platform 6 covered over during the next rebuilding in the 1990s as the station car park. Platform 6, heavily altered and extended, still survives as the present platform 1 under the new numbering. I understand that there is a current proposal to disinter platform 5 as a new platform 0 to increase capacity at the continually ever overloaded station

Hi Jim my old mate how are you i hope you and the family are keeping well.

I'm fine since I got over this three month bronchitis Sid. Trust you are the same

Sorry to here about your illness glad you are ok im fine all the best Sid.