Kirkstall Forge railway station

Last updated

Kirkstall Forge
National Rail logo.svg
Opening day, Kirkstall Forge railway station (19th June 2016) 019.jpg
The platforms and footbridge June 2016
General information
Location Kirkstall, City of Leeds
England
Coordinates 53°49′31″N1°37′37″W / 53.8254°N 1.6270°W / 53.8254; -1.6270
Grid reference SE249364
Managed by Northern Trains
Transit authority West Yorkshire (Metro)
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeKLF
Fare zone2
Classification DfT category F2
History
Original company Midland Railway
Key dates
1 July 1860 (1860-07-01)Opened
31 July 1905Closed
19 June 2016Reopened
Passengers
2019/20Increase2.svg 289,528
Newlay & Horsforth   Midland Railway
Leeds and Bradford Railway
  Kirkstall

Planning and construction

The derelict site of Kirkstall Forge seen in December 2014. Site of the former Kirkstall Forge, Kirkstall, Leeds (30th December 2014) 005.jpg
The derelict site of Kirkstall Forge seen in December 2014.

In 1999, Metro announced that Kirkstall Forge and Apperley Bridge were among five new or reopened stations which they wished to see achieved over the ensuing five years. Glasshoughton opened in 2005.

In July 2007, Leeds City Council approved a planning application to redevelop the Kirkstall Forge site, and the developer, Commercial Estates Group, committed £4 million to build a railway station and provide new rolling stock.

In September 2008, the West Yorkshire PTE announced that the Yorkshire & Humber Regional Transport Board had approved funding for its "rail growth programme" which included stations at Apperley Bridge and Kirkstall Forge. A public exhibition of the plans took place in June 2009 [13] with the planning application submitted to Leeds City Council in March 2010 [8] and approval being granted in June 2010. [14]

Despite significant private sector funding, the larger Rail Growth Programme including Apperley Bridge was listed as a schemes under government review in June 2010. [15]

Following the Comprehensive Spending Review in Autumn 2010 the Leeds Rail Growth Package was included in the "Development" pool of schemes. Metro submitted a "Best & Final Funding Bid" in September 2011 and funding was confirmed November 2011 as part of the National Infrastructure Plan. [5] [6]

On 29 May 2014 the Department for Transport committed £9.5 million from a total of £16 million towards the Leeds Rail Growth scheme which included both Kirkstall Forge and Apperley Bridge stations. Works began in November 2014 by designers Amey Plc and the principal contractor C Spencers Ltd on behalf of Network Rail with completion of both stations expected by winter 2015. [16] Partly due to flooding, work for the wider non-rail Kirkstall site ran behind schedule [17] and its opening was delayed until June 2016. [18] It eventually opened on 19 June. [19]

References

  1. Bairstow, Martin (2004). Railways Through Airedale and Wharfedale. Farsley: Bairstow. p. 11. ISBN   1-871944-28-7.
  2. "David Heys steam diesel photo collection - 49 - AIRE VALLEY LINE 1". www.davidheyscollection.com. Retrieved 15 March 2018.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. Binns, Donald (1984). Steam in Airedale. Skipton: Wyvern. pp. 11–12. ISBN   0907941117.
  4. "300 Jobs Axed". Yorkshire Evening Post. 14 November 2001. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  5. 1 2 National Infrastructure Plan 2011 Archived 1 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine HM Treasury
  6. 1 2 "New stations for Kirkstall Forge & Apperley Bridge". 29 November 2011. Archived from the original on 1 December 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  7. Kirkstall Forge station facilities National Rail Enquiries; Retrieved 29 November 2016
  8. 1 2 3 "Planning permission sought for new station at Kirkstall Forge" (Press release). Network Rail. 17 March 2010. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
  9. GB eNRT May 2016 Edition, Tables 36, 37 & 38
  10. "Kirkstall Forge Station: "There's no point opening new stations if trains don't stop"". 29 November 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  11. "Half hourly service for Kirkstall Forge Station". West Leeds Dispatch. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  12. Table 37 National Rail timetable, December 2019
  13. Reeves, Rachel (27 July 2010). "'Join my campaign to save Kirkstall Forge station' - MP". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  14. "Kirkstall Forge agreed". Rail. No. 647. 30 June 2010. p. 16.
  15. Broadbent, Steve (30 June 2010). "Twenty rail funding schemes now 'under Government review'". Rail. No. 647. pp. 14–15.
  16. "Kirkstall Forge site greenlit as government agrees to fund two new rail stations". Yorkshire Evening Post. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  17. "April opening for Kirkstall Forge". Rail Magazine. 25 February 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  18. "First trains due at Kirkstall Forge on Sunday". West Leeds Dispatch. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  19. "Leeds Kirkstall Forge railway station opens". BBC News. BBC. 19 June 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.