SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Leo: Approaching the steps top the bus station from Vicar Lane, I recall there was a small, level landing area, on the right hand side of which there was a door leading into what I think was the enquiry office (at street level). The steps themselves were quite wide, certainly sufficient to accommodate three or more people side by side I think. Where exactly is the top of the staircase you have been shown? I have a very vague memory of sitting on the forms at the bottom of the stairs and to the right and drivers/conductors emerging from a door way at that level (close to the waiting room entrance?) which would logically suggest a further service staircase from ground level to the platforms. I think also that the staff rest room and offices occupied the first floor up from Vicar Lane.

Hiya chameleon . Thanks for your reply, which is appreciated.From your reply the steps would have been at the enquiry office and as they seemed much narrower than the public steps then they may have been for use by the staff.

Yeah, they lead down to a tunnel that goes to Kirkstall Abbey

As you looked at the wide straight staircase from Vicar Lane, there was indeed a level area first from which a door on the right did lead into the enquiry office - that office incidentally also had a door on Vicar Lane adjacent to Buckle's newspaper kiosk. Further along the wall of the staircase (not sure if at enquiry office level or further down the steps) a narrow staircase joined at 90 degrees from the upstairs canteen - so the stairs were shared by public and staff alike right to the bottom. The bottom of the stairs ended on what had been the last platform/stand of the station as originally built, but when land was bought and the station was doubled in size in the 1950s the stairs became half way along the new facility.    

Thanks Blakey for that very informative reply. I wonder if more steps may still be there waiting to be found when further work goes on the site. I have not however asked the two blokes doing the work while I have seen it if they have gone onto the steps to see what they may lead to. You never know, the steps might lead to almost the outside at the bus area!PS. I wonder if there are, or ever were, cellars at least beneath the station building?

BLAKEY wrote: As you looked at the wide straight staircase from Vicar Lane, there was indeed a level area first from which a door on the right did lead into the enquiry office - that office incidentally also had a door on Vicar Lane adjacent to Buckle's newspaper kiosk. Further along the wall of the staircase (not sure if at enquiry office level or further down the steps) a narrow staircase joined at 90 degrees from the upstairs canteen - so the stairs were shared by public and staff alike right to the bottom. The bottom of the stairs ended on what had been the last platform/stand of the station as originally built, but when land was bought and the station was doubled in size in the 1950s the stairs became half way along the new facility.     Cheers Blakey, glad my imagination wasn't entirely in overdrive for once!!

Leodian wrote: Thanks Blakey for that very informative reply. I wonder if more steps may still be there waiting to be found when further work goes on the site. I have not however asked the two blokes doing the work while I have seen it if they have gone onto the steps to see what they may lead to. You never know, the steps might lead to almost the outside at the bus area!PS. I wonder if there are, or ever were, cellars at least beneath the station building? There are indeed. Apparently quite extensive.One of the doors at the back on Edward Street leads to the cellars, never dared venture in though from what I remember there are no steps there now, just a large drop!

LS1 wrote: Leodian wrote: Thanks Blakey for that very informative reply. I wonder if more steps may still be there waiting to be found when further work goes on the site. I have not however asked the two blokes doing the work while I have seen it if they have gone onto the steps to see what they may lead to. You never know, the steps might lead to almost the outside at the bus area!PS. I wonder if there are, or ever were, cellars at least beneath the station building? There are indeed. Apparently quite extensive.One of the doors at the back on Edward Street leads to the cellars, never dared venture in though from what I remember there are no steps there now, just a large drop! Thanks LS1 for that interesting information. I wonder if any 'memorabilia' related to the bus station may have been placed/dumped in the cellars and still remains?

The following is a short extract from an interesting article on pages 16 and 17 in the YEP today (Feb 12 2016) in its City Buzz section:-

“The Old Red Bus Station on Vicar Lane is set to become a new multi-purpose venue for art, music, food and drink. The building – whilst not the most photogenic – is steeped in history. It opened back in 1936 and was an important transport hub for decades until it finally closed in 1994 when the new Leeds city bus station was launched. It’s also home to the North Bar stone – a post Medieval carved stone marking one of the north entrances to the city. Champion Up North are taking over the venue in the city’s Northern Quarter on a five-year lease...It will open on February 22 with an exhibition by Leeds College of Art called ‘GIDE’, which runs until February 24...The sad news is the building could get demolished in five years, as there are plans to turn it into a car park for the nearby Victoria Gate site”.

The article has a good photo labelled ‘West Yorkshire Bus Station in 1959’ that shows buses which (apart from a tall chimney on a building beyond) still looks much the same (with no buses of course!). It’s good to see that the YEP knows that the North Bar stone is there, though I think “one of the north entrances to the city” may be wrong unless there were more at one time! Can a bus station be “launched”?

Hi leo
I also read this article on there website,the steeped in history built in 1936 made me wonder what history is that.The site itself is steeped in history but not one we should celebrate.http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Leeds/