SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Were there ever plans for a combined Bradford station between Forster Square & Exchange? From google maps, hey look very closely alignnd & I think there's only about a 30ft height difference between them. The alignment looks too close to be just a coincidence.

The idea of connecting the two lines has raised its head on a number of occasions, but failed to be implemented, probably on account of the cost of city centre land, and because of the effect of dividing the city by a falling embankment or viaduct - a bit like how Leeds south of the railway seems to be somewhat cut off from the centre.In the late nineteenth century the Midland railway had serious plans to extend their line from Royston to Dewsbury Goods at Saville Town to make an end-on connection with Forster Square station (then known as Market Street), which would have cut off several miles off the London to Scotland journey. It would have cost some very expensive engineering, had the same effect on Bradford city centre as the above proposition, and, of course, bypassed Leeds into the bargain. The idea seems to have been forgotten by the time of the1914 war. The alignment coincidence you notice is probably due to both lines following a more or less straight watercourse valley.    

I'm sure posts like this are made in good faith and could be of interest but, please remember that Secret Leeds is intended to host disscuccions about 'Leeds, its Built Environment and PeopleIf other cities are introduced it will not be long before the bpards are clogged with tales from here there and everywhere and the site will loose its identity.Admin have adked us to take a stronger line with the forum content. I'm sure there will be other places where discussions can be held about different areas.    

jim wrote: The idea of connecting the two lines has raised its head on a number of occasions, but failed to be implemented, probably on account of the cost of city centre land, and because of the effect of dividing the city by a falling embankment or viaduct - a bit like how Leeds south of the railway seems to be somewhat cut off from the centre.In the late nineteenth century the Midland railway had serious plans to extend their line from Royston to Dewsbury Goods at Saville Town to make an end-on connection with Forster Square station (then known as Market Street), which would have cut off several miles off the London to Scotland journey. It would have cost some very expensive engineering, had the same effect on Bradford city centre as the above proposition, and, of course, bypassed Leeds into the bargain. The idea seems to have been forgotten by the time of the1914 war. The alignment coincidence you notice is probably due to both lines following a more or less straight watercourse valley.     I always thought that the viaducts on Denby Dale Road in Wakefield and at Horbury Bridge were a part of this Royston to Dewsbury project.

Absolutely correct majorhoundii. Had the full project been realised the effect on Leeds as a railway centre would have been considerable. In the end the Midland ended up with little used goods yards in Dewsbury and Huddersfield, and Leeds retained its place as a main centre of the Midland route from London to Carlisle and Scotland. Leeds Wellington station was where all passenger trains reversed and were re-engined from Holbeck depot.