Kirkstall Forge & Apperley Bridge

[Bantamzen]

A bit of a mixed bag of news regarding this weekend's opening at Apperley Bridge. On the one hand, NRE is showing the station as open and tickets available to buy, with 2tph in each direction (although not quite clockface running in the peaks). But on the other hand this story on certification still not done yet has been published this morning:

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co....on_Sunday___despite_safety_certificate_delay/

TRANSPORT chiefs say they remain "confident" that a new railway station in Bradford will be ready to open on Sunday, despite the fact it had still to receive the necessary safety clearance last night.

The £10 million Apperley Bridge station is built and timetables with new services are ready to be introduced but the site had not yet been given final approval from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

An ORR spokesman said yesterday that the station would be ready for its scheduled opening this weekend, but one councillor described the continuing doubts as "incredibly frustrating".
The new station - which will be the first to open in West Yorkshire since Glasshoughton in February 2005 - was scheduled to open in August, but the completion date was then put back to the autumn.

Prior to Sunday's revised opening date being announced, Councillor Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley), the Liberal Democrat group leader on Bradford Council, said she had been seeking answers from rail bosses to explain the reason behind the hold-up.
"All the timetables are ready, so the delays are just incredibly frustrating," she said yesterday.

"There appears to be a wall of silence from the Combined Authority and Network Rail, and people need to be better informed.
"It is a straight line, so has the platform been built in the wrong place, or too high or too low?

"Surely it should be relatively straightforward.

"It is beginning to look more and more like a serious problem, and people are growing more suspicious that something is wrong."

A spokesman for the ORR confirmed last night that final safety certificates had yet to be signed off.

"Our inspectors are still working on it, but we are confident that the certificates will be granted and we fully expect the station to be able to open on time for Sunday," he said.

A spokesman for Network Rail said it was still awaiting approval from the ORR, and a spokesman for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which oversees public transport, said it was hoping to confirm Sunday's opening date as soon as it could.

Apperley Bridge's old train station closed because of the Beeching Axe in 1965. Plans to re-open it were first announced in 1999, although years of delays followed.

Two trains per hour between Leeds and Bradford Forster Square or Skipton are scheduled to call at the new station in each direction from Monday to Saturdays, with an hourly service on Sundays.
In a statement announcing the December 13 opening date last month, Mark Tarry, route managing director for Network Rail, had said: "We know how important this is to the local community to improve access to jobs and education, as well as travel for leisure.

"We are pleased services will soon be able to call at the station."

 

[Cletus]

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley)

I take it Idle and Thackley is a place and not a local insult?

 

[crispy1978]

I take it Idle and Thackley is a place and not a local insult?

Thackley's certainly a town! Not sure on Idle!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Thackley's certainly a town! Not sure on Idle!

Have you never heard of what once was a staple joke of Yorkshire comedians in my era....

The Idle Working Mens Club.....

 

[Sapphire Blue]

Have you never heard of what once was a staple joke of Yorkshire comedians in my era....

The Idle Working Mens Club.....

Twinned with the Ugley Women's Institute.

 

[Bantamzen]

Thackley's certainly a town! Not sure on Idle!

Idle certainly is a place too. The WMC isn't bad, but the Brewery Tap pub is better!!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
News is just breaking that Apperley Bridge is now certificated and services will start on Sunday morning as planned. Yay! Looking forward to using the station when the weather gets nicer in Spring, as it's a steady 3 mile walk home from there along the canal.

 

[Deerfold]

WY Metro is advertising the opening of Apperley Bridge on Sunday on Facebook today (well, yesterday - just - Friday).

 

[Bantamzen]

The full text of the article I mentioned is below. So 2P02 Leeds To Bradford Forster Square will be the first service to call at Apperley Bridge tomorrow (Sunday).

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y97123/2015/12/13/advanced

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co...._will_be_Apperley_Bridge_at_8_42am_on_Sunday/

TRANSPORT bosses have confirmed that the new railway station at Apperley Bridge in Bradford will open to passengers on Sunday.

The new £10million station - the first to open in West Yorkshire for more than a decade - received the necessary safety clearance from the Office of Rail and Road this afternoon.

The first train scheduled to stop at the station will be the 8.42am service to Bradford on Sunday, due to arrive at Forster Square station at 8.56am.

The first service towards Leeds is due to reach Apperley Bridge at 9.14am, arriving at its destination at 9.28am.

A spokesman for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority said: "Today’s confirmation of final approval by the Office of Rail and Road means Apperley Bridge Station opens on Sunday.

"Two trains per hour, between Leeds and Bradford Forster Square or Skipton, will call at Apperley Bridge in each direction Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sundays."

The station includes fully accessible platforms and a 297-space car park, with new bus services 948 and 949 running from the station to Greengates, Idle, Thorpe Edge, and Eccleshill Hospital.

Councillor Val Slater, deputy leader of Bradford Council and portfolio holder for transport, said: "I’m delighted that the new Apperley Bridge station is about to open for passengers.

"Extra public transport links make a vital contribution to the economy of the region and improvements to the environment.

"Commuters in Bradford and around the wider region can look forward to enjoying the benefits of the new rail services.

"We have lobbied hard and did everything we could to get this station opened as quickly as possible."

Plans to re-open Apperley Bridge, which closed because of the Beeching Axe in 1965, were first announced in 1999, but have been beset by years of delays.

Details of the new timetables can be found via the Metro website at

www.wymetro.com/TrainTravel/traintimetables/leedsbradfordline and

www.wymetro.com/TrainTravel/traintimetables/AiredaleLine.

 

[yorksrob]

Ooh, I'm tempted to go and get a first day ticket

(though strictly speaking, I don't need one with my metro card!)

 

[Bantamzen]

Ooh, I'm tempted to go and get a first day ticket

(though strictly speaking, I don't need one with my metro card!)

I'd key one eye on the weather though. With heavy rain and subsequent flood warnings along the Aire, it's opening could still be scuppered if the river bursts it's banks at Kirkstall again...

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Trains being cancelled tonight in Wharfdale line.

The opening.went not with a bang but a splash!

 

[Bantamzen]

And now a flood alert at Kirkstall...

 

[Ploughman]

And now a flood alert at Kirkstall...

Is that at the usual spot at Br 24?

 

[Bantamzen]

Is that at the usual spot at Br 24?

Not sure of the bridge numbers but the EA site shows two spots, directly north and east of Kirkstall Forge and at Kirstall Bridge (Bridge Rd). The good news is that the rain has stopped to the west on Baildon and not much more is forecast, although the temp has dropped which could still make things intetesting for any emergency works / inspections.

 

[yorksrob]

I'd key one eye on the weather though. With heavy rain and subsequent flood warnings along the Aire, it's opening could still be scuppered if the river bursts it's banks at Kirkstall again...

Indeed, I've been out and about today and it's been fairly moist!

 

[johntea]

Major flooding issues at the moment let alone tomorrow!

I'm currently on the 18:15 departure from Shipley to Leeds (at 19:40!) we eventually managed to get away from Shipley but now stuck between Apperley Bridge and Kirkstall.

Northern have now in fact recommended against ALL travel on pretty much the entire Leeds to Carlisle / Morecambe routes and a few other routes, so the ribbon might be a bit wet in the morning

 

[yorksrob]

My heart goes out to all those in the Cumbria area. I have to say, I'm also getting heartily sick of bloody rain

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Indeed, I've been out and about today and it's been fairly moist!

Understatement of the year there! Having got drenched both before and after the Town game, reports of lots of cancellations between Batley and Leeds I ended up contributing to the West Yorkshire minicab industry in order to arrive in time for the gig at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds... The PIS at Dewsbury was telling porkies for one thing! The rain in this neck of the woods seems to have abated for the time being at least but I wouldn't be surprised if the first service to Apperley Bridge is an RRB...

 

[HowardGWR]

Understatement of the year there! Having got drenched both before and after the Town game, reports of lots of cancellations between Batley and Leeds I ended up contributing to the West Yorkshire minicab industry in order to arrive in time for the gig at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds... The PIS at Dewsbury was telling porkies for one thing! The rain in this neck of the woods seems to have abated for the time being at least but I wouldn't be surprised if the first service to Apperley Bridge is an RRB...

Commiserations from a southern softie, although we have had our upsets (think Cowley Bridge, Broom Lane and Dawlish). Is there any stretch which one could claim is fundamentally unfit, if this kind of weather gets worse every year?

 

[yorksrob]

Understatement of the year there! Having got drenched both before and after the Town game, reports of lots of cancellations between Batley and Leeds I ended up contributing to the West Yorkshire minicab industry in order to arrive in time for the gig at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds... The PIS at Dewsbury was telling porkies for one thing! The raplease
in in this neck of the woods seems to have abated for the time being at least but I wouldn't be surprised if the first service to Apperley Bridge is an RRB...

Ah yes, was out East and it was a bit moist.

Used to live not far from the Brudenell social. Been to some good gigs there

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Ah yes, was out East and it was a bit moist.

Used to live not far from the Brudenell social. Been to some good gigs there

At risk of getting a long way off topic...

They often have two separate gigs on, tonight is The Burning Hell in the games room and Sham 69 in the main bit.Never before has it been so easy to tell who's here for which show!

 

[yorksrob]

At risk of getting a long way off topic...

They often have two separate gigs on, tonight is The Burning Hell in the games room and Sham 69 in the main bit.Never before has it been so easy to tell who's here for which show!

Ha ha, yes they sound like fairly disparate fan bases for. Still, bumping into new people was always part of the fun of the Brudenell!

 

[Gathursty]

At about 2.49pm today I was at Apperley Bridge station car park and the approach road had/has a dead cow upturned on the side of the road. Has the cow been moved yet or is it there for free beef burgers for the opening tomorrow morning?

 

[Saint66]

Who mentioned the Brudenell? I live five minutes down the road.. I hope I'm not this close to a fellow forum user again..

 

[yorksrob]

Who mentioned the Brudenell? I live five minutes down the road.. I hope I'm not this close to a fellow forum user again..

Would've been but I moved out of Leeds around ten years ago!

 

[Saint66]

Would've been but I moved out of Leeds around ten years ago!

Ha, I bet you miss the wonders of Hyde Park and Woodhouse!

Anyway, passed through Kirkstall Forge last weekend, and it was nice to see it edging closer and closer to completion!

 

[telstarbox]

Did Apperley Bridge open this morning?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Who mentioned the Brudenell? I live five minutes down the road.. I hope I'm not this close to a fellow forum user again..

That would be me, though I have now retreated a safe distance!

 

[robbeech]

Lots of things on Twitter about it. One comical tweet saying the station opened but the train was late. So it looks like it's opened and trains are running to Leeds. How far back they're getting the other way I don't know. Northern still on about lots of cancellations and delays.

 

[bluenoxid]

Did Apperley Bridge open this morning?

Yes, I will get the photos/videos up later.