Bradford FS 4th Platform (Construction updates)

[Rikki Lamb]

They really did make a complete mess of the downsizing of the station. Removing any sense of a proper entrance into the station from the urban core and squeezing it into a site that is much smaller than it needed to be. Particularly in terms of passenger facilities. They left Bradford with a station that feels like it should be at an out of town shopping centre.

Meanwhile most of the remainder has sat derelict or was developed into out of town style sheds.

It is a masterclass in how not to do something. Feels like whole thing was an exercise in selling off the absolute maximum extent of land, probably not for any sort of premium price, rather than ensuring Bradford was left with a decent if tiny (compared to the original) station.

That Bradford suffered exactly the same approach x 2 adds to the kicking it received.

If you were to roll the clock back then surely a much more imaginative design would be possible.

I completely agree. The current Forster Square station was designed in 1987 to be incorporated into a shopping development called Broadstones. In the end all that was built was the station and the retail park. The old station was retained for a year as an entrance but a spate of muggings ended that and it was pulled down a year later leaving an absolute mess of a site.

Yes definitely, maximum land sale and very little thought for the replacement station - it's as though the sale of the land was more important than the passengers.

 

[3RDGEN]

"it's as though the sale of the land was more important than the passengers."

To BR in the mid 80's it would most certainly have been the case given the money saved on maintaining the old station compare to the new one and off loading the land for a sale would be a top priority, either that or close the line from Shipley completely. I guess the local council was probably supportive of the changes too as it released a large area for redevelopment, similar to Blackpool South and Morecambe stations.

Compared to other projects this new platform has progressed quickly so hopefully LNER can put on extra services in the Summer 25 timetable for the City of Culture year.

 

[Halifaxlad]

Yes, as daft as it sounds. This end of the platform starts roughly where the old platform 1 ended

Do you know that BR sold the freehold as a fact or as an assumption ?

On a seperate note: its probably worth reminding that before the old station was pulled down it was a shadow of its former self, with its overall roof removed many years prior to its demolition. Overall what replaced it was quite modern and attractive at the time, its just a shame the buffer stops were moved away from beside the Midland Hotel.

 

[modernrail]

Do you know that BR sold the freehold as a fact or as an assumption ?

It would be very odd and unsual for the developer who took it on to have accepted anything less, unless a very long lease, which is effectively the same thing.

I suppose it is possible they left a strip there in case of a new platform but that would have been a very odd way to do it vs just having retained that strip as you probably then need to pay the developer compensation (as few developers would accept spending money on the strip without compensation).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Dec 2024 ==

I completely agree. The current Forster Square station was designed in 1987 to be incorporated into a shopping development called Broadstones. In the end all that was built was the station and the retail park. The old station was retained for a year as an entrance but a spate of muggings ended that and it was pulled down a year later leaving an absolute mess of a site.

Yes definitely, maximum land sale and very little thought for the replacement station - it's as though the sale of the land was more important than the passengers.

It is that lack of frontage into the urban core that really gets me. I remember seeing it as a kid and thinking, where is the station? It just doesn’t make sense in terms of the basics of town planning.

The old frontage was always going to have to go because they literally created a mugging alley but there are so many other ways they could have created a modest but decent entrance.

 

[Rikki Lamb]

Do you know that BR sold the freehold as a fact or as an assumption ?

The adjacent site was sold off in the 90s to the developers of retail park. The rest of the station site was sold to the owners of the Midland Hotel and The Inland Revenue. I believe NCP leased part of the site and concourse for a number of years as a car park when it stopped been used as a parcel depot in 1981.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Dec 2024 ==

It would be very odd and unsual for the developer who took it on to have accepted anything less, unless a very long lease, which is effectively the same thing.

I suppose it is possible they left a strip there in case of a new platform but that would have been a very odd way to do it vs just having retained that strip as you probably then need to pay the developer compensation (as few developers would accept spending money on the strip without compensation).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Dec 2024 ==


It is that lack of frontage into the urban core that really gets me. I remember seeing it as a kid and thinking, where is the station? It just doesn’t make sense in terms of the basics of town planning.

The old frontage was always going to have to go because they literally created a mugging alley but there are so many other ways they could have created a modest but decent entrance.

It hidden away isn't out of sight. They could have done a much better job. Even from Midland Road the entrance looks like any other car park. Even from either of the the other entrances it doesn't have a frontage just like you say. It's just there somehow

 

[Halifaxlad]

Managed to grab a couple of pics from the Bridge today.


The platform is currently being paved to match the existing ones.

 

[MichaelTrains]

The departure screens and platform signs are now up.

It’s all exciting to welcome these LNER trains which will finally provide Bradford will greater connectivity to the capital.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Feb 2025 ==

Another positive development is that the beggars and drug users have now all been moved towards city hall.

 

[xotGD]

All the Quail-level yellow-penners will soon be having to make a trip to Bradford.

Hopefully they'll stay long enough to take in some of the culture.

 

[Notabene]

Off to Smiths to buy a stock

 

[xotGD]

There's an article about the new gates across the arches on the BBC website:

Work completed on Bradford Forster Square railway arches gates

Gates have been installed in archways previously used by rough sleepers near a Bradford station.

www.bbc.co.uk

Work to close off 10 archways next to Bradford Forster Square station by installing metal gates with artistic designs has been completed.

The arches, which were once used by rough sleepers, were cleared by the council in August.

Homeless charities branded the decision to move a group of people living in tents away from the area as "heartless", but Bradford Civic Society welcomed it...

 

[Meerkat]

There's an article about the new gates across the arches on the BBC website:

Work completed on Bradford Forster Square railway arches gates

Gates have been installed in archways previously used by rough sleepers near a Bradford station.

www.bbc.co.uk

It’s impressive how they have made presumably expensive artistic gates look so temporary and grotty!

 

[Spartacus]

There's an article about the new gates across the arches on the BBC website:

Work completed on Bradford Forster Square railway arches gates

Gates have been installed in archways previously used by rough sleepers near a Bradford station.

www.bbc.co.uk

Jeez, they look like someone's just found some old lockers in a disused factory and made them fit!

 

[19Gnasher69]

Jeez, they look like someone's just found some old lockers in a disused factory and made them fit!

I think that you’re being too generous with your description. I walked past these fence panels this morning and, whilst the design of the mesh is okay, the frames are simply too austere and the mesh appears to be rusting already but not in the way of corten steel. It all looks very poor.
Needless to say there is already litter accumulating behind the fencing, which was predictable given they’re not high enough. I’m not sure whose responsibility is the cleaning of the arches.
Mind you, if the mess is left in situ it would provide a continuous litter-strewn journey into the city centre via Forster Square Station - the banking between the railway lines and Midland Road is a disgrace.
I realise that this is an issue alongside railways nationwide but not everywhere is promoting itself as the Capital of Culture 2025.

 

[Halifaxlad]

It looks like the platform is now complete with finishing off works to the rear ongoing.

 

[MichaelTrains]

Platform 0 at Bradford Forster Square is now open.

The improvements are modest. There still isn't a working toilet and no full cover between the ticket office and platforms.

 

[duffield]

Platform 0 at Bradford Forster Square is now open.

The improvements are modest. There still isn't a working toilet and no full cover between the ticket office and platforms.

As far as toilet facilities go, at least there's usually a train sitting at one of the platforms for an extended period so you can use the facilities on that even if you're waiting for a different train.

 

[Class 170101]

Platform 0 at Bradford Forster Square is now open.

The improvements are modest. There still isn't a working toilet and no full cover between the ticket office and platforms.

Surely the working toilets are already there and within the existing station building rather than as part of Platform 0 works?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 May 2025 ==

As far as toilet facilities go, at least there's usually a train sitting at one of the platforms for an extended period so you can use the facilities on that even if you're waiting for a different train.

Assuming Northern train crew haven't locked up the unit, as it seems they like to do, according to posters on this forum, and gone away somewhere.

 

[InkyScrolls]

Assuming Northern train crew haven't locked up the unit, as it seems they like to do, according to posters on this forum, and gone away somewhere.

You make it sound like the crew have a say in whether a unit is disposed or not. I can assure you we don't.

 

[skyhigh]

Assuming Northern train crew haven't locked up the unit, as it seems they like to do, according to posters on this forum, and gone away somewhere.

There is no real mess room at Forster Square, so it's unlikely for the crew to go anywhere. Unless the unit is stabling there without crew (from memory one per day on the old timetable) it's very unusual for it to be locked up.

The caveat to this is I have no idea what the new diagrams look like, so if there's now more booked unit swaps at Bradford you may find more trains being locked up when awaiting the next crew.

 

[LUYMun]

Only took one year from construction to completion. Impressive.

 

[InkyScrolls]

We're not allowed to take breaks at BDQ as there is no messroom (as @skyhigh correctly stated). There is currently a unit diagram wherein a 333 is stabled there throughout the offpeak hours.

 

[Bradford1]

Stupid question, but I was just wondering what exactly was the reason for building this new platform so long

Platform 2 is already long enough for LNER (whose new services are not even hourly), and I haven't seen any plans for Northern to introduce six-car trains to Bradford.

 

[InkyScrolls]

There will be a single 6-car of a weekday afternoon from Ilkley, and being that long means a unit can be stabled without blocking 1 or 2.

Platform 0 is now in use - it's a very novel experience driving out of it!

 

[Rikki Lamb]

Surely the working toilets are already there and within the existing station building rather than as part of Platform 0 works?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 May 2025 ==


Assuming Northern train crew haven't locked up the unit, as it seems they like to do, according to posters on this forum, and gone away somewhere.

There are no toilets on the station at BDQ full stop.

 

[xotGD]

Looks like the 06:41 to Lancaster was the first departure from 0 this morning.

Any yellow-penners on board, I wonder?

 

[matt]

As construction has now finished we will bring this thread to a close.