SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

[quote="volvojack"]Though i did vaguely remember the Old Police Station on Marsh Lane junct. with Saxton Lane i had no idea that it was used for housing Homeless Families into the early 1970s and looking at the Grim photos and reading below the even more Grim comments below it makes me thankful that i was never in that position.
One good thing from that old photo is that it shows a clear view of the Tramlines.

If you wish to read some comments from the poor unfortunates who stayed there for a while try
" Old Police Station Marsh Lane Leeds 9 Leodis."

You mean this one from Leodis


31st December 1907. View of the Police station at the junction of Marsh Lane (left) with Saxton Lane, numbered 66 Marsh Lane. This replaced the old station which was on the opposite side of the road at 111 Marsh Lane. The new station opened in 1907 and contained a mortuary. It continued as a Police Station until 1936 when it was used by the Training Department. It was closed in 1961. After 1961 the Police Station was used as a refuge for homeless families with the cells on the ground floor converted to bedrooms. On the far left is the North Eastern Railway Bridge on Marsh Lane with the Old Railway Inn next to it.

That's the one thanks.

I see that there are only one set of Tram lines on the picture so i assume the Tram ran down there into Town and returned on York Street.




(As that looks like an earlier picture of Tilly in the white apron perhaps he can enlighten us )

I have decided to post here the 3 photos that I took on November 7 2017. They show some removed tram tracks that seem thicker than I had expected. Though there was work going on these were the only tram tracks that I saw. The photos were taken just after 12:00 on a wet day and having been caught out in heavy rain I was soaked as I got to York Street/Marsh Lane! I was also approached and asked why I was taking photos and on explaining that I was taking them for historical interest that was accepted pleasantly.

I had a look on November 16 2017 but there did not seem to be any tram tracks visible and where the work had been going on at the area where the tram tracks had been removed was now being filled in.
Edit added November 20 2017. I have now realised that the photos were taken on York Street before that merges into Marsh Lane but I have been unable to amend the photos titles.

A bit like icebergs are tram rails Leodian. No-one expects them to be so hefty until they see them exposed. The size, especially of the foot, is neccessary to distribute the single point heavy wheel loading of each wheel to prevent the rails sinking straight down to the supporting land formation.

About 1950 going to Town with my Dad we used to leave (alight) from the Tram just where it came round from York Rd. onto Marsh Lane, roughly where the new Woodpecker Pub was relocated. There was a Three Storey building there with a Tobacconists and they sold 1 or 2 cigarettes for folks like my Father who could not afford to buy a pack of five. I have an idea that it was some sort of listed building and i do remember it was still stood some years later.
Maybe someome can find and show a picture of it

I recall that you could buy Woodbines in packs of 2s, 5s and 10s, in the 50s.

Is this the building you mean Jack


From Leodis

I seem to remember that Freddie Tomasso of the well known street piano family and a nationally known jazz trumpet player had the tobacconists shop in the 1960s, and probably earlier.

jim wrote:I seem to remember that Freddie Tomasso of the well known street piano family and a nationally konwn jazz trumpet player had the tobacconists shop in the 1960s, and probably earlier.

Yes That's the One Thank You both.
Now I think back it was more like 1945 /46 when we called in there.
The Old Woodpecker was on the other side of York Road and had a clock over the front door.

jim wrote:A bit like icebergs are tram rails Leodian. No-one expects them to be so hefty until they see them exposed. The size, especially of the foot, is neccessary to distribute the single point heavy wheel loading of each wheel to prevent the rails sinking straight down to the supporting land formation.

Thanks Jim for that interesting information .

PS. I am amused to see that the shortened title of this thread in the 'Transport' section of the 'Main Forums' section is given as "Re: Tram lines exposed on Mars".