Leeds station improvement updates

[Bantamzen]

Preparation/survey work has been going on overnight for a while now. Recent rumours suggest that the Upper Crust will close and the barrier line be straightened out and lengthened, with Boots and the ticket office switching positions. How much of this is actually true remains to be seen...!

It would be interesting if they did, but as you say we'll have to wait and see. To be honest just getting rid of the current roof & replacing it a glass one to let in a bit more light will improve the concourse a fair bit. Hopefully as part of the works the two smaller departure boards close to M&S can be moved a little bit as they create a bit of a bottleneck by the nearest entrance doors.

 

[skyhigh]

It's also worth noting that as of the end of December, there won't be any customer parking at Leeds Station for the next two years due to the work on the new platform. If you want to drive to the station, LNER reccommends you park at Wakefield Westgate instead.

 

[bengley]

I wonder what the signalling improvements with entail? Recontrol/Resignalling with control handed over to York ROC? If that's all it is I can't see it being much of an improvement given other areas which have been handed over to the ROC in recent years...

 

[Ken H]

I wonder what the signalling improvements with entail? Recontrol/Resignalling with control handed over to York ROC? If that's all it is I can't see it being much of an improvement given other areas which have been handed over to the ROC in recent years...

York IECC has controlled Leeds since the early 2000's, according to Wiki

The overall control area is Danby Wiske on the ECML to north of Shaftholme Junction and from Gargrave (north of Skipton)/Bradford Forster Square/Ilkley/New Pudsey/Woodlesford/Cottingley/Bolton on Dearne/South Elmsall/Horsforth through Leeds station to York (via Church Fenton).

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York_IECC#Control_area

 

[Ploughman]

Wiki is nearly right.
Not Gargrave but about 1/2mile South of Hellifield was the boundary for the resignalling.
Gargrave maybe the last controllable signal by York, but track circuits and IBJs go all the way through to short of Hellifield.
How do I know? Because I put all the IBJ's in as part of Leeds NW up to 1994 - 5

 

[Ken H]

Wiki is nearly right.
Not Gargrave but about 1/2mile South of Hellifield was the boundary for the resignalling.
Gargrave maybe the last controllable signal by York, but track circuits and IBJs go all the way through to short of Hellifield.
How do I know? Because I put all the IBJ's in as part of Leeds NW up to 1994 - 5

One wonders how long Hellifield and Settle Jct boxes will exist. They could put control of one into the other, or just control it from York. Would not be a major scheme.

 

[bengley]

York IECC has controlled Leeds since the early 2000's, according to Wiki

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York_IECC#Control_area

Thanks - I sign the route, I'm aware the area is controlled by York IECC.

I'm talking about the area being recontrolled to York ROC.

 

[Ken H]

Thanks - I sign the route, I'm aware the area is controlled by York IECC.

I'm talking about the area being recontrolled to York ROC.

Ooh!

what the diff between IECC and ROC?

 

[bengley]

The ROC is the new 'box' which will replace most/all of the London North Eastern route's signalboxes when it is all eventually resignalled.

That includes the IECC, which is an older, 1980s installation.

 

[Ken H]

The ROC is the new 'box' which will replace most/all of the London North Eastern route's signalboxes when it is all eventually resignalled.

That includes the IECC, which is an older, 1980s installation.

so you are saying the IECC works well, but the new ROC doesnt?

 

[bengley]

They're both not great, although I suspect a lot of the odd/poor decisions are down to the automatic route setting rather than the boxes themselves. A lot of people here are critics of the ROC plan

 

[Halifaxlad]

Preparation/survey work has been going on overnight for a while now. Recent rumours suggest that the Upper Crust will close and the barrier line be straightened out and lengthened, with Boots and the ticket office switching positions. How much of this is actually true remains to be seen...!

Lets hope so, although with regards to Boots I would simply get rid of it!

Otherwise it would get in the way of opening up the access between both concourses and the restoration of the 1920/30's concourse back to its original length!

Anyway the other day on the 28th November I spotted workmen with a drilling rig carrying out ground investigations, on that disused site between Whitehall Road and Globe Road, the prominent one by the curve when approaching Leeds from the West. Does anybody know if this is rail related?

 

[rich r]

Anyway the other day on the 28th November I spotted workmen with a drilling rig carrying out ground investigations, on that disused site between Whitehall Road and Globe Road, the prominent one by the curve when approaching Leeds from the West. Does anybody know if this is rail related?

No, that is for a residential tower block scheme. Construction is due to start on next year.

 

[bluenoxid]

Appears that the IECC/ROC split will be a moot point after Christmas

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....to-carry-out-major-upgrade-to-railway-in-york

 

[Halifaxlad]

No, that is for a residential tower block scheme. Construction is due to start on next year.

For clarity the site which I saw the workmen and rig is highlighted in yellow, the green is the site that I Know of that is being developed and that does include a high rise tower almost directly adjacent to the rail line.

 

[rich r]

Yep - I work in the office block just above your red cross, and walk from the station to there and back along the canal.

Residential developments planned for both those areas. The green one (Mustard Wharf, 3 tower blocks) is well underway with the piling mostly complete now. The yellow one is at the core-sampling stage to clear the environmental survey part of the planning requirements. There's also another residential block planned just to the west of the railway bridge on Whitehall Road, on the site of former industrial units but that's not got past the demolition stage yet.

Lots of construction going on in this part of Leeds at the moment.

 

[Meerkat]

So basically they are blocking the west access to Leeds for NPR or some TPRU++?
Helpful.

 

[skyhigh]

Upper Crust/Cafe Ritazza on the main concourse appear to have closed now.

 

[Bantamzen]

Upper Crust/Cafe Ritazza on the main concourse appear to have closed now.

Also the two Northern TVMs on the southern concourse have been removed. With the boarding going up around the scaffolding supports there is considerably less floor place on the concourse now, could be fun at the evening peaks.

 

[johntea]

Quite funny really, they only did up that Upper Crust a couple of months ago and now it may never see the light of day again!

 

[Spartacus]

The sensible heads said to remove Upper Crust when the barriers first went in years ago, but what did we know......

 

[yorksrob]

There seemed to be a lot of work going on at the end of platform 1 (formerly W) this morning. I wonder whether its in connection with the new platform.

 

[AmateurRambler]

There seemed to be a lot of work going on at the end of platform 1 (formerly W) this morning. I wonder whether its in connection with the new platform.

Yes, platform 0 construction has commenced.

 

[AmateurRambler]

Upper Crust/Cafe Ritazza on the main concourse appear to have closed now.

These two retail units are due to be removed, with the gateline filling the whole width of what will be an increased opening from the South Concourse to the platforms.

 

[Halifaxlad]

Yes, platform 0 construction has commenced.

Had a look when passing through tonight it doesn't look like anything has changed, even the car park up to the platform edge was still in use.

 

[johntea]

Who decided to remove the rather useful cash machine next to Wetherspoons?!

 

[Halifaxlad]

Who decided to remove the rather useful cash machine next to Wetherspoons?!

Im glad they did!

 

[skyhigh]

Had a look when passing through tonight it doesn't look like anything has changed, even the car park up to the platform edge was still in use.

I believe the car parks close on 25/12.

These two retail units are due to be removed, with the gateline filling the whole width of what will be an increased opening from the South Concourse to the platforms.

Thanks - that's what I'd been told so good to know there's substance to it!

 

[rich r]

I wonder if either food place might move to the vacant unit next to KFC and Subway where the small WH Smiths used to be?

 

[Halifaxlad]

I wonder if either food place might move to the vacant unit next to KFC and Subway where the small WH Smiths used to be?

They have already closed so I doubt it. I think that spare unit might become home to Network Rails public reception.

The big question for me is: are they going to get rid of Boots and move the Ticket Office they're?

Im really hoping so, as it would allow the Southern concourse to be opened up and restored to its original length.