Leeds Skyrack Express

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Sun 23 Sep, 2007 9:39 pm

Does anyone else remember this local free paper?It used to be delivered on a Thursday (same day as the Leeds Weekly News) but was only circulated in the East Leeds area?It was far superior to the LWN which had even more adverts in, tucked between recycled stories from the YEP in it.The "Skyrack" had several interesting regular articles in it, including the history of East Leeds by an apparently well versed chap who lived at Whitkirk (sorry, I can't remember his name).They even used to have an office on Austhorpe Road where you could call in and pick up a copy if it hadn't been delivered.Oddly, despite it being a free paper it actually had a price on the front cover, although no-one ever paid for it.Sadly it just seems to have fizzled out and vanished from the letterboxes of the area without so much as a whimper.I think it was part of the same group as the Pontefract Express which is still going as the in-laws live out that way and get a copy of that every week.Co-incidentally, the LWN is apparently still in circulation although I'd wager it's 10 years or more since I last received a copy. That might explain why the council print all their legal notices in it - a paper people don't get is ideal for hiding stuff you don't want a fuss kicking up about....

simonm · Post by **simonm** » Sun 23 Sep, 2007 9:50 pm

Aye, but it was also delivered up North Leeds. My grandparents lived in moortown and they used to get it each week!

Post by **chameleon** » Sun 23 Sep, 2007 10:10 pm

The Skyrack was around long before the LWN, in the original 'large' newspaper format, I think then published on Fridays and if I remember rightly, I think then you did pay for it, only later 'shrinking to the tabloid size and delivered free each week.It really was a local newspaper then with real local news rather than being filled with emi-seanationalism and even more advertising space sold to meet rising production costs. Every area had its own dediacted column.Pictures and drawings of the (then) old days did indeed feature regularly; I used to keep the cuttings and a few still survive today as well as a few prints purchased, of the line drawings.I supose like most such things, costs if not apathy have taken their toll.If I remember rightly, (for anyone it might mean something to!) was this one of the first papers to use Howson's (of the Coal Road then), Web-Offset system to give superior quality of printing?

Croggy · Post by **Croggy** » Mon 24 Sep, 2007 1:08 am

I remember it too, and the LWN is still going, although probably printed by the YEP ...I believe the name of the chap you are thinking of is John Gilleghan - he has written a few books on local history as I am sure you know ..

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Mon 24 Sep, 2007 10:51 am

yes i remember the skyrack well and as i recall it was a far better read than the LWN i also recall seeing large piles of the wonderful skyrack floating down the wykebeck after being dumped there by the trusted people who delivered it LOL.

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Mon 24 Sep, 2007 12:31 pm

They Syrack was great. I used to keep and cut out all the old Leeds stuff. You've got me wondering now if I still have it all- if I do it will be pretty yellow. If not does anyone know if there are any cuttings in the library?

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Mon 24 Sep, 2007 12:31 pm

They Syrack was great. I used to keep and cut out all the old Leeds stuff. You've got me wondering now if I still have it all- if I do it will be pretty yellow. If not does anyone know if there are any cuttings in the library?

wiggy · Post by **wiggy** » Mon 24 Sep, 2007 12:57 pm

just had a look online,seems its been going since 1924 (Skyrack)i loved the skyrack,i was in it once,when some scrags pilfered me pigeons!

dave305 · Post by **dave305** » Tue 02 Oct, 2007 1:11 am

Its a shame that its no longer around. I didnt actually notice til reading this hehe. Ditch the garbage and bring back the Skyrack i say

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Fri 05 Oct, 2007 10:52 pm

Just been a'Googling* and have found a link that shows The Leeds Skyrack Express was part of the Johnstons Press stable in 1994 and had a circulation of 53,000 copies.Now I could be wrong but I seem to recall that Johnstons Press also own (or owned) the YEP, who published the Leeds Weekly News.Another link brings up an article on the YEP website about John Gillegan (the Whitkirk Historian) which includes the following "He also wrote more than 1,000 local history articles for the Skyrack Express newspaper and later for the YEP sister paper the Leeds Weekly News."It's a fairly logical step from there to assume that there would be little point for the same company to publish rival papers catering for a very similar market and competing for the same advertising revenue. I wonder if that is the fate that befell the Skyrack?What a shame - the Skyrack was always far superior to the LWN.* - the Google search also brings up this very thread several times. It's the first time I've been on Google