Wakefield Kirkgate - lost opportunity

[yorksrob]

Grand Central do serve Wakefield Kirkgate (Virgin East Coast use Westgate):

https://www.grandcentralrail.com/tickets-timetables/routes/

Alan
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Thanks.

Where abouts on the station is this room? I cannot envisage where on the station this room will be.

I am travelling up to Wakefield for the day on Grand Central later this month and it would be nice to have somewhere warm to wait for the return journey back to London.

Alan

It's in the main building on the Leeds bound platform. However, last time I was there it looked very closed (but at least there's the cafe!).

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Grand Central do serve Wakefield Kirkgate (Virgin East Coast use Westgate):

https://www.grandcentralrail.com/tickets-timetables/routes/

Alan

Yes, I know. I was responding to anti-pacer's mention of the lounge at Westgate.

 

[lejog]

In any event it wouldn't be staffed at the times you are worried about. I doubt the ticket office would be open beyond 17/1800 or before 07/0800 leaving the station exactly as it is now. The simple point is that no one will pay for the staff.

Although the opening times for Northern Connect station ticket offices have been redacted from the Franchise Agreement, IIRC Northern previously announced they were to be 6am to 10pm.

 

[anti-pacer]

Yes, I know. I was responding to anti-pacer's mention of the lounge at Westgate.

Sorry for any confusion but I was just stating that Kirkgate doesn't "appear" to have a First Class Lounge, although Westgate does, meaning there are facilities in this city for First Class passengers, albeit not GC ones.

Just out of interest, are XC First Class ticket holders allowed to use the lounge at Westgate, or is it VTEC only?

 

[matacaster]

Sorry for any confusion but I was just stating that Kirkgate doesn't "appear" to have a First Class Lounge, although Westgate does, meaning there are facilities in this city for First Class passengers, albeit not GC ones.

Just out of interest, are XC First Class ticket holders allowed to use the lounge at Westgate, or is it VTEC only?

When in the cafe recently, I thought I saw the suggestion of a first class lounge at the far end of the cafe through some doors - I may have been misled though?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

When in the cafe recently, I thought I saw the suggestion of a first class lounge at the far end of the cafe through some doors - I may have been misled though?

If GC have issued leaflets saying there's a first class lounge, it's hopefully safe to assume that there is one or at least there will be one soon. How long it will avoid being broken into and trashed is another thing altogether though!

 

[HowardGWR]

If GC have issued leaflets saying there's a first class lounge, it's hopefully safe to assume that there is one or at least there will be one soon. How long it will avoid being broken into and trashed is another thing altogether though!

See my suggestion in post 60 of this thread.

 

[Mugby]

If GC have issued leaflets saying there's a first class lounge, it's hopefully safe to assume that there is one or at least there will be one soon. How long it will avoid being broken into and trashed is another thing altogether though!

Well when I was there on Saturday, the (former) Snooty Fox, although barricaded off, appeared to have been broken into and some of the contents were strewn around outside!

 

[johntea]

Nice to see Grand Central trying to brighten up the subway a bit!

http://www.pontefractandcastleforde...on-subway-gets-an-artistic-makeover-1-8352290

 

[Mugby]

Nice to see Grand Central trying to brighten up the subway a bit!

http://www.pontefractandcastleforde...on-subway-gets-an-artistic-makeover-1-8352290

Well it looks very nice but the trouble with the subway at Kirkgate is that the entrance on Platform 1 faces the wrong way!

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Well it looks very nice but the trouble with the subway at Kirkgate is that the entrance on Platform 1 faces the wrong way!

It might look nice but the last couple of times I've been at Kirkgate they'd added a "sound installation" which plays a short sample of a Yorkshire brass band playing "Jerusalem" on a loop. It's a lovely piece of music but any piece of music played over and over again gets irritating to the point of annoyance!

 

[HowardGWR]

Nice to see Grand Central trying to brighten up the subway a bit!

http://www.pontefractandcastleforde...on-subway-gets-an-artistic-makeover-1-8352290

It looks great (against all that was written here previously about the subway). Is that vinyl covering I see? Easy to wash off the inevitable graffiti, one hopes.

Why is the subway entrance on Platform 1 facing the wrong way? I didn't get that one.:-?

 

[NorthernSpirit]

It might look nice but the last couple of times I've been at Kirkgate they'd added a "sound installation" which plays a short sample of a Yorkshire brass band playing "Jerusalem" on a loop. It's a lovely piece of music but any piece of music played over and over again gets irritating to the point of annoyance!

The short sample of Jerusalem plays for about five minutes, I wonder where the PC is for this "sound installation"? Might add a few more tracks to it such as every National Anthem going incliding the USSR anthem, at least you won't just have Jerusalem on a loop.

 

[Domh245]

If you are going for the full Yorkshire effect, why not have some of Dvorak's New World Symphony second movement going?

 

[yorksrob]

The short sample of Jerusalem plays for about five minutes, I wonder where the PC is for this "sound installation"? Might add a few more tracks to it such as every National Anthem going incliding the USSR anthem, at least you won't just have Jerusalem on a loop.

Every National Anthem ? Some of them are pretty dire !

The USSR's (the tune of which is also modern Russia's) is pretty good though. As is the Marseillaise.

 

[Mugby]

Why is the subway entrance on Platform 1 facing the wrong way? I didn't get that one.:-?

Because from the main entrance you have to walk some distance along Platform 1 then do a U turn and double back to access the subway.

In other words, the subway entrance faces Leeds rather than the station entrance.

 

[Busaholic]

'And was Jerusalem builded here...' At Wakefield Kirkgate?!

 

[HowardGWR]

Because from the main entrance you have to walk some distance along Platform 1 then do a U turn and double back to access the subway.

In other words, the subway entrance faces Leeds rather than the station entrance.

Thanks, you gather I have never been there. There must be an historical reason for that. Possibly ground conditions?

 

[yorksrob]

Thanks, you gather I have never been there. There must be an historical reason for that. Possibly ground conditions?

It looks as though there used to be a staircase within the building, as at Huddersfield until recently.

 

[D1009]

'And was Jerusalem builded here...' At Wakefield Kirkgate?!

Yes, among the dark satanic mills.

 

[Cletus]

Was a bit odd hearing that music last Saturday when I was there. It was just after I'd paid 60p for a can of Diet Coke and a bottle of water, I knew I was up North! Lol

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Thanks, you gather I have never been there. There must be an historical reason for that. Possibly ground conditions?

Historically platform 1 (and 2) stretched further towards Leeds so the top of the ramp wasn't right at the platform end. There was also a staircase I believe, so the ramp wouldn't be used by the majority.
Considering the history of the station, I'm wondering if there was a footbridge in the past- in part because the subway is pretty narrow and being ramped I'm wondering if it was originally used for parcels traffic rather than being the main passenger crossing point. Needs someone with better knowledge than me though!

 

[sheff1]

Considering the history of the station, I'm wondering if there was a footbridge in the past- in part because the subway is pretty narrow and being ramped I'm wondering if it was originally used for parcels traffic rather than being the main passenger crossing point.

The layout suggests that might be the case, but in this photo from the 1960s there is no footbridge.

 

[anti-pacer]

Yes, among the dark satanic mills.

Wakefield wasn't really a mill town.

 

[anti-pacer]

Was a bit odd hearing that music last Saturday when I was there. It was just after I'd paid 60p for a can of Diet Coke and a bottle of water, I knew I was up North! Lol

Please tell me where in my fair city you can purchase a can of Diet Coke AND a bottle of water for 60p.

 

[Iskra]

Please tell me where in my fair city you can purchase a can of Diet Coke AND a bottle of water for 60p.

Perhaps one of the two items fell out of the machine, as sometimes happens.

Also, I'd suggest Dark Satanic mills is being taken a little too literally and not as intended if it's being applied to Wakefield. It was more of an anti-establishment reference, rather than referring to actual mills.

 

[Cletus]

Please tell me where in my fair city you can purchase a can of Diet Coke AND a bottle of water for 60p.

It was on my walk from Westgate to Kirkgate.

Google maps tells me it was Fultons. The can has 65p on it + the water. Thought it was a bit odd, but the lady on the till said 60p, so 60p it was!
https://goo.gl/maps/vtvAVpmh4YP2

 

[superkev]

I can't help thinking that the people of Wakefield and Castleford would make good use of a transpennine service to Manchester and York perhaps diverting one an hour away from congested Leeds. I'm sure too there's a place for some innovative solution to getting between Westgate and Kirkgate.
K

 

[DarloRich]

I can't help thinking that the people of Wakefield and Castleford would make good use of a transpennine service to Manchester and York perhaps diverting one an hour away from congested Leeds. I'm sure too there's a place for some innovative solution to getting between Westgate and Kirkgate.
K

why would you divert a train a way from 100 passengers to pick up 10?

 

[yorksrob]

why would you divert a train a way from 100 passengers to pick up 10?

As I understand it, the Huddersfield - Wakefield stopper is due to be extended to Castleford. I could see the service being a lot more useful if it were to be extended to York.