Leeds - West Riding
A new, long term topic with its own Menu. All related topics already penned will transfer from Prototype & Traffic into it. I was brought up here and have a lot of material, from LNER and ER days. The RCH map of 1913 above shows the various line in pre-Grouping days. If it looks like a lot, well, Leeds is the 5th largest city in England and all the railway companies in the Midlands and the North served it.
The congested arrangement is because this is the edge of the Pennines and much of the ground is hilly, bisected by the River Aire which flows across the scene diagonally, from the top left, and exits to the right towards Hull as the Aire and Calder Navigation. The principal stations were built in a row along the valley with the city centre in the blank-looking space to the immediate north. Residential districts further away could not be tapped and there was no suburban service in that direction. Unlike other cities, Leeds was not criss-crossed by railways.
On the south side of the valley lay an industrial district and the docks, hence the goods depots around Hunslet.
Click on the image for a full-size version. Return by clicking the "x".
The stations are easy to see, Wellington and New eventually becoming Leeds City.
The engine sheds are not shown and five were located, from left to right:
Farnley - at the far left edge, on the red (LNWR) line near Farnley & Wortely station. Copley Hill - not far away, on the orange (GNR) line inside the triangle north of Wortley South Junction. Holbeck - just below the centre, on the green (MR) line by Engine Shed Jc. Stourton - was further along the same line, just past Hunslet and off the map. Neville Hill - was (and still is) on the yellow (NER) line on the far right, just off the map by the note "To Hull".There used to be two other sheds but they closed relatively early and enough said here for now. I shall be working up the various topics with, at first, a leaning towards the ER and former LNER group of companies.
If any former railwaymen would like to get in touch, I would be pleased to hear! Please get in touch via the Contact/feedbacklink the menus.
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