SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Never mind Jim. It was worth a try wasn't it?I still think it's worth an organised, professional approach to the powers that be for a little visit under there (which again is why i was so miffed originally at the Y.E.P story girl getting in) we still haven't seen her stuff I'll say no more lol P.S Chameleon i was wondering who would be the first to ask Jim     

Phill, have you thought of writing to your MP on the subject? Freedom of information act and all that........or maybe you could get the brick man to shout at them................I'll get my coat.

jim wrote: Phill, have you thought of writing to your MP on the subject? Freedom of information act and all that........or maybe you could get the brick man to shout at them................I'll get my coat. Haha. Yes Jim.. Get your coat Actually Mr Mullholland has been very helpful in the past at opening doors thanks to Mr Csnosi lol.I'm sure with a few S.L heads together we will be able to pull something off eventually.

jim wrote: Hi Dogduke, I worked with ODM fitters and electricians all over the West Riding from 1957 to 1995. During this time I had several periods of responsibility for maintenance at Leeds City during which the two Otis lifts in Aire Street Office Block were in my care. If you wanted a white-knuckle ride I can thoroughly recommend the roof of the fast lift in operational mode!During the '50s and '60s our staff working this job were quartered in the switch room in the basement and the electricians had to access all areas, including the whole of the basement and sub-basement, (which,out of interest, were above the cinema and it's pumps described in an earlier posting) and having visited every corner of both can confidently state that there were no further exits to points internal or external within the basement complex other than the lifts and the main stairwell.     That fast lift was like a white knuckle ride in the lift itself.Many times it would arrive on the 6th floor abov floor level and then settle like something on a bungi rope before levelling off and the doors opening.One thing about those Otis lifts was the emergency stop switch,you could set off pell mel from ground to 6th,throw the emergency stop about floor 3,stop,release the switch and continue.Don't suppose that did the 'workings'much good.Some of th epoor old sods who turned up to find both lifts out of order were neither use nor onrament when they finally reached their desks and some of these were on the first three floors!

mhoulden wrote: Another bit I remember about Leeds station is that where the tourist Information centre is now used to be a walk through to the booking area with a small Beauty Without Cruelty make up shop. This was in the early 80s when The Body Shop was still relatively new and it seemed rather unusual to have such a specialist place there, unless BR were letting it out cheaply because I think it was a bit run down. My memory is pretty hazy because I was only born in 1978 but I know my mum was quite fond of BWC. When I was a child long long ago in the days of yore (the early 1950s and possibly a little after!) where, or about where, the tourist centre is, there was a short connection between the inside and outside of the station. There was a branch of W H Smith's on both sides of the connection, with the larger of the two being on the left coming out of the station. At one time queues used to line up outside the station there waiting for a day excursion train to arrive and then being let in to get the train to such as Scarborough. There was always then a mad dash through the connection to try to get a compartment for the family (if it was not a corridor train with connections between each coach). Simple times.

Leodian wrote: mhoulden wrote: Another bit I remember about Leeds station is that where the tourist Information centre is now used to be a walk through to the booking area with a small Beauty Without Cruelty make up shop. This was in the early 80s when The Body Shop was still relatively new and it seemed rather unusual to have such a specialist place there, unless BR were letting it out cheaply because I think it was a bit run down. My memory is pretty hazy because I was only born in 1978 but I know my mum was quite fond of BWC. When I was a child long long ago in the days of yore (the early 1950s and possibly a little after!) where, or about where, the tourist centre is, there was a short connection between the inside and outside of the station. There was a branch of W H Smith's on both sides of the connection, with the larger of the two being on the left coming out of the station. At one time queues used to line up outside the station there waiting for a day excursion train to arrive and then being let in to get the train to such as Scarborough. There was always then a mad dash through the connection to try to get a compartment for the family (if it was not a corridor train with connections between each coach). Simple times. But for all that good times Leodian.

"But for all that good times Leodian." Very true tilly. The childhood anticipation of a day trip by train to such as Scarborough, Blackpool, Belle Vue zoo and fun park, etc was always great. Oh, and one particular recollection of Blackpool was its vast network of rail tracks where there is mostly just space nowadays not far from the Pleasure Beach (well there was when I was last in Blackpool in 2006).     

Cardiarms wrote: Posted on: 10-Mar-2010 12:06:08. Was the ford above, on, or below the dam?I still can't get my head around how the got from the Dark Arches on the north side got to Swinegate itself. That's quite a fall and must have involved a couple of weirs. 'scuse delay in replying"There was a ford in the shallows BELOW Bondman Weir within sight of the manor house, still significant enough to be shown on the Giles map of 1815; that map has no other ford but an 'Old Ferry' downstream near Hunslet"Prof M Beresford East End, West End, Leeds 1684-1842    

Sorry forgot to addThe 1207 "new bridge" at bottom of Briggate was built "close to the ford".

HI,

I spent my childhood - 1968 ( 10 years old ) till 1975 playing in all these areas. I lived on Manor Road. There are loads and loads of tunnels and very large chambers. We found and took loads of Treasure!!! We really had no idea of fear or privacy. We broke through old wooden boards and used ropes to access all types of passages. Two of these tunnels go under the river and came out into a factory basement.