Leeds Industrial History

Bunkers, shelters and other buildings
TABBYCAT
Posts: 375
Joined: Mon 02 Apr, 2007 6:55 pm

Re: Leeds Industrial History

Post by TABBYCAT »

tilly wrote:I could be wrong but i think one entrance was a metal door under the flyover on i think Bridge Street.
I think you may have something with that one Tilly it sounds familiar.

@Blackprince.

Many thanks for the tip BP much appreciated.

User avatar
buffaloskinner
Posts: 1435
Joined: Sun 01 Apr, 2007 6:02 pm
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: Leeds Industrial History

Post by buffaloskinner »

See here on Leodis

http://www.leodis.org/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

http://www.leodis.org/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

http://www.leodis.org/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

See below the two subway entrances on Bridge Street, one a locked metal door and opposite is a bricked up entrance.
Attachments
Locked Door Bridge St.JPG
Locked Door Bridge St.JPG (61.65 KiB) Viewed 3844 times
Blocked Door Bridge St.JPG
Blocked Door Bridge St.JPG (43.74 KiB) Viewed 3844 times
Last edited by buffaloskinner on Thu 26 Jan, 2017 11:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Is this the end of the story ...or the beginning of a legend?

User avatar
tilly
Posts: 2209
Joined: Mon 11 Jan, 2010 2:32 pm

Re: Leeds Industrial History

Post by tilly »

Thanks for that buffaloskinner its nice to know the old brain cells are still working.
No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.

User avatar
Leodian
Posts: 6478
Joined: Thu 10 Jun, 2010 8:03 am

Re: Leeds Industrial History

Post by Leodian »

Fascinating stuff. I had thought that the locked door (and at one time the now bricked up 'door' of the bridge) is to allow access to check the condition in the tunnel beneath the New York Road flyover and do any repair work needed.

PS. If anyone wants to know what it states on the red sign I posted that in this thread on Sept 7 2016 http://secretleeds.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=6116
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

User avatar
blackprince
Posts: 878
Joined: Tue 04 Sep, 2007 2:10 pm

Re: Leeds Industrial History

Post by blackprince »

What a GA mess the "powers that be" have made of those walls! At least when the original white tiling was done they had some civic pride.
It used to be said that the statue of the Black Prince had been placed in City Square , near the station, pointing South to tell all the southerners who've just got off the train to b****r off back down south!

User avatar
buffaloskinner
Posts: 1435
Joined: Sun 01 Apr, 2007 6:02 pm
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: Leeds Industrial History

Post by buffaloskinner »

The Subway behind the old metal door, runs from Bridge Street to Regent Street, it was cleared up during the construction of the Inner Ring Road. The subway meets a dead end around the Regent Street area. I assume the tunnel still runs to the Woodpecker junction, where there is still an access door at the side.
During construction of the Inner Ring Road is when the subway from Bridge Street to North Street was abandoned, that is why it is now sealed off.
Attachments
Subway entrance door 2.JPG
Subway entrance door 2.JPG (106.95 KiB) Viewed 3731 times
YR Subway.jpg
YR Subway.jpg (208.37 KiB) Viewed 3731 times
Is this the end of the story ...or the beginning of a legend?

User avatar
Leodian
Posts: 6478
Joined: Thu 10 Jun, 2010 8:03 am

Re: Leeds Industrial History

Post by Leodian »

Quote

post by buffaloskinner » Thu Jan 26, 2017 2:42 pm

The Subway behind the old metal door, runs from Bridge Street to Regent Street, it was cleared up during the construction of the Inner Ring Road. The subway meets a dead end around the Regent Street area. I assume the tunnel still runs to the Woodpecker junction, where there is still an access door at the side.
During construction of the Inner Ring Road is when the subway from Bridge Street to North Street was abandoned, that is why it is now sealed off.

Unquote.

Thanks buffaloskinner for the further fascinating stuff which all seems new to me.

I vaguely recall that during the early construction of the Inner Ring Road in that area an unexpected underground space was found. If I recall correctly (a big if with me!) it was at or near where there was a Grandways supermarket (small things in those days). I think it was thought that it might have been a forgotten air raid shelter but I don't recall ever hearing what it had been nor what happened to it (presumably filled in or perhaps it's still there). Probably not, but I now wonder if it might have been related to the subway in question?
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

User avatar
buffaloskinner
Posts: 1435
Joined: Sun 01 Apr, 2007 6:02 pm
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: Leeds Industrial History

Post by buffaloskinner »

According to Leodis, the subways were turned into Air Raid Shelters in 1938


http://www.leodis.org/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL
Is this the end of the story ...or the beginning of a legend?

harrym1byt
Posts: 140
Joined: Sun 22 Mar, 2015 10:07 pm

Re: Leeds Industrial History

Post by harrym1byt »

blackprince wrote:I just found this fascinating report on a series of visits to Leeds industrial concerns by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in 1903.
If you have any interest in the history of the great industrial firms in Leeds you might like to read this:
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1903_Insti ... er_Station
Many of the firms in this report will be familiar names to anyone who grew up or lived in Leeds when it was still an industrial powerhouse.

I have a personal interest in the early electrification of Leeds because my great grandfather moved to Leeds from London to work for Yorkshire House to House electric company in 1894.
Would that power station have perhaps been on Whitehall Road, not to far from City Square I wonder? (Whitehall Road Power Station?) If so I remember looking in there in the 1950's when it was still in operation.

User avatar
blackprince
Posts: 878
Joined: Tue 04 Sep, 2007 2:10 pm

Re: Leeds Industrial History

Post by blackprince »

Yes that's it - the first power station built in Leeds to convert it from gas to electric lighting. I used to visit it with my grand father in the 1950's. I think it was on Aire Street just off Whitehall Rd.
Sorry for the delay in replying btw.
BP
It used to be said that the statue of the Black Prince had been placed in City Square , near the station, pointing South to tell all the southerners who've just got off the train to b****r off back down south!

Post Reply