SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

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.

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.

Thanks for that buffaloskinner its nice to know the old brain cells are still working.

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

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.

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.

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?

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


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

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.

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