East Leeds Parkway

[whoshotjimmi]

As many of you will be aware, funding has been secured to plough ahead with the proposed East Leeds Parkway Station. As a West Yorkshire passenger, I have taken quite an interest in this, especially as for trips to York and beyond, I drive to Garforth station and take the train from there.

I have a number of queries and worries however as to the proposals. Is capacity available for the proposed services? Is the planned 1 bay platform and 2 through platforms enough considering the possibility of future expansion? What other services will stop there?

Here is my thinking on the matter. I am led to believe that the proposed terminating services are to be those from the Huddersfield line. If this is so, does this mean that the TransPennine route is therefore earmarked for electrification? What would that mean for the planned introduction of more DMU's at FTPE? I cannot see exactly how the service will be correctly integrated. If the line East of Leeds were electrified, EMU's would have to terminate at Leeds or go on to Airedale/Wharfedale or Doncaster. Services from Huddersfield would still be DMU which makes me wonder why electrification is necessary.

Does anyone have any information on the situation? I am open to speculation! What would be the best way to integrate East Leeds Parkway into the network? I know there are plenty here who like to think up ways of running the service! If there are some cold, hard facts out there, I am very interested to hear them.

Also, would anyone care to choose an alternative location for a Parkway station in West Yorkshire?

The floor is open!

 

[j0hn0]

go on then

Having lived previously lived in Leeds for years, owning a house there and still having strong ties in the area, I would say that as long as it is not in the hands of Leeds City Council then it will be a winner.

Any parkway station for me would have to have all platforms seperate from the mainline to minimize impact on through services. 2 through and a bay sounds fine.

Locations - it will probably be Stourton on the Castleford line. My preferred choice would be the site between East Ardsley and Thorpe on the electrified wakefield line. There is loads of land that has been free for years where the old sidings used to be, although I haven't been there for years and houses have probably already been built on it.
Somewhere near Garforth would also make sense but wouldn't be so hot on distances between stations.

All in all, Leeds infrastructure is all over the place and I will remain sceptical as to whether this will happen or not.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

Locations - it will probably be Stourton on the Castleford line. My preferred choice would be the site between East Ardsley and Thorpe on the electrified wakefield line. There is loads of land that has been free for years where the old sidings used to be, although I haven't been there for years and houses have probably already been built on it.
Somewhere near Garforth would also make sense but wouldn't be so hot on distances between stations.

Just to clarify, the location for the parkway station has already been chosen. It will be located on the York and Selby lines outside Micklefield. I have heard Stourton being mentioned a few times. Any other ideas?

All in all, Leeds infrastructure is all over the place and I will remain sceptical as to whether this will happen or not.

This pretty much hits the nail on the head as far as I am concerned - bits and bobs of infrastructure here and there, some excellent, some apalling.

 

[The_Rail_WAy]

I have heard that this out-of town station will feature 2 platforms long enough to serve longer trains and a bay platform for local services that I presume would be terminating from Leeds.

Obviously catering for commuters I know a park and ride scheme is propsed with capacity for 500 cars+ and it is scheduled to be ready by around 2012 (i think) although this is a 'speculative' date. It will also be the pioneering point for electrification of this route and onwards.

Hope this info helps,

The_Rail_WAy

 

[j0hn0]

Just to clarify, the location for the parkway station has already been chosen. It will be located on the York and Selby lines outside Micklefield. I have heard Stourton being mentioned a few times. Any other ideas?



This pretty much hits the nail on the head as far as I am concerned - bits and bobs of infrastructure here and there, some excellent, some apalling.

Interesting that they consider Micklefield to be "East Leeds", yes it is east 'of' Leeds but IMO, a ridiculous location because it is miles out. You would still be better off at Garforth!

Still, I am pretty sure that the majority of traffic coming into Leeds comes from the south and M62 directions. Stourton would be most obvious choice seeing as they were going to use that site for the not so supertram. But that didn't happen either. There is talk of trolley buses for Otley Road and tram-trains for the Harrogate line, but this would require more than LCC has to offer. They are unable to take any complex project past the planning stage

Aire Valley is electrified and also needs a Parkway station to help relieve the idiotic, chaotic Kirkstall Road, down by the railway pub in Rodley/Calverley would also be an option. I believe WYPTE are building stations at Kirkstall Forge and Apperley Bridge. Fine, but build a bleedin parkway on the ring road ASAP. I heard they were going to put a bus lane all the way down Kirsktall road, that'll relieve the traffic eh? I don't know what people think of a speed camera every 100 yards on a road for 10 miles when the average speed rearely gets above 10.

I think I should stop know, there are too many things wrong in Leeds to begin. I went back last weekend and nothing has changed.

 

[D841]

As many of you will be aware, funding has been secured to plough ahead with the proposed East Leeds Parkway Station. As a West Yorkshire passenger, I have taken quite an interest in this, especially as for trips to York and beyond, I drive to Garforth station and take the train from there.

I have a number of queries and worries however as to the proposals. Is capacity available for the proposed services? Is the planned 1 bay platform and 2 through platforms enough considering the possibility of future expansion? What other services will stop there?

Here is my thinking on the matter. I am led to believe that the proposed terminating services are to be those from the Huddersfield line. If this is so, does this mean that the TransPennine route is therefore earmarked for electrification? What would that mean for the planned introduction of more DMU's at FTPE? I cannot see exactly how the service will be correctly integrated. If the line East of Leeds were electrified, EMU's would have to terminate at Leeds or go on to Airedale/Wharfedale or Doncaster. Services from Huddersfield would still be DMU which makes me wonder why electrification is necessary.

Does anyone have any information on the situation? I am open to speculation! What would be the best way to integrate East Leeds Parkway into the network? I know there are plenty here who like to think up ways of running the service! If there are some cold, hard facts out there, I am very interested to hear them.

Also, would anyone care to choose an alternative location for a Parkway station in West Yorkshire?

The floor is open!

If I remember correctly, this was originally a GNER proposal. Electrify from Hambleton South Jn to Neville Hill, and run more KX services that way. The Parkway station is located with regard to good road access, and so that people don't have to go into Leeds city centre to catch trains.

I didn't know about the plans to terminate Huddersfield services there, but I assume this is just a move to increase platform capacity at Leeds City.

 

[bluenoxid]

Note this (the Huddersfield line trains using it) is his thinking on the matter. What is actually intended is going to be a little different.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

Note this (the Huddersfield line trains using it) is his thinking on the matter. What is actually intended is going to be a little different.

That isn't really a very helpful comment. Firstly, I think I need to specify my knowledge of the situation a little more. I know quite a lot about this particular project. My thinking on the matter is derived from what I have read on official documents, news items etc. There is one particular document that states Huddersfield trains will be the ones to cross the city. I can't remember which one but will do some searching. As for my open question to the floor, I just want to know if anyone has heard anything different to what I have and what ideas people have to make it a plausible project.

Bluenoxid - if you think the services will be different, or have other knowledge that I am unaware of, please share it instead of just making an idle comment.

Here is what I understand the project to be having read many documents and news items about it:

The station will be long enough for a full length intercity train, will have two through platforms and a bay and will be located outside Micklefield on the York and Selby line. The line will be electrified as part of the process. I am led to understand that, currently, planned stopping services will be the two local services to York and Selby plus a third train which will be an extentsion to the existing Huddersfield services which will then open up terminating capacity at Leeds. I also know that it is already funded by the Yorkshire and Humber Transport Board and is planned to open in 2012.

This is the extent of my knowledge. It leaves open a number of questions. To work properly, a parkway station in my mind needs more than three trains an hour running to Leeds. As such, what other services would be planned to stop there? Intercity to Harrogate? FTPE? How would extra services be digrammed into the already busy section between Leeds and Micklefield? If the extra services WERE the Huddersfield trains I mention, they would be DMU's so what would be the point of electrification unless there is some other scheme I do not know about? I am also interested to see what other ideas people have to integrate a Parkway station into the West Yorkshire/Leeds region - whether that be through other locations, more services, changes to existing services etc.

I have opened this thread to garner more information and for people to be creative. So please, if you have a comment, make it count!

 

[bluenoxid]

The problem is that the plans aren't firmed up yet. As far as I have been told, the plans are to extend the Triangle services to the Parkway in the initial stages because this provides the quickest way of slotting in paths.

Few people have any idea of what the plan is. Whilst funding is virtually allocated, it now needs to be designed and inserted into the timetable which is going to take a lot of work as this work needs to take into account various options that are going to affect the route (London services, extra local services, etc. Micklefield to Leeds is already running at an intensive level (4TPE's, 2 Locals and 1 XC).

Just because Huddersfield and Bradford have been thrown into the pan, does not mean that they will be directly served by this new station. It may just allow extra services to shunt into the terminus platforms.

The comment was made to prevent the thread being derailed by an assumption based on one mention in an official document.

 

[1D53]

From what I understand delivery of extra capacity on the line is reliant on four aspect signalling being installed fully from Micklefield to Church Fenton and the reintroduction of the loops at Cross Gates.

 

[bluenoxid]

I don't have much time at the moment to discuss this but personally I think it is a complete joke to place such an idea in to be honest.

It's going to gain very little respect amongst motorists. It's on the wrong axis (the A64 is way north of this) and not near a Motorway road junction.

Personally, I would support them redeveloping and installing a brand new station at the former tank factory between Garforth and Crossgates with a turnback installed at Micklefield (although once past there, what stops them going to Selby?). The direct link road could come from the M1 junction near Brown Moor and push across the fields and the railway to the site.

Four tracks could be installed from Crossgates to just west of Garforth with flyover to allow trains to terminate there. I also think a park and ride could be installed at Whinmoor for the A64 with a PRT (Personalised Rapid Transit (think of those pod thingies) along the former Wetherby branch taking those passengers from there to a direct platform interchange at the new station

To deliver additional services to Selby and York, I think more thought needs to be put into running via Castleford too.

I think it will beat the East Leeds White Elephant at Micklefield