SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

The flood defence work on the Bridgewater Place side (Water Lane) seems to have finished recently as seen in these photos that I took on September 10 2015, though it is still ongoing on the opposite bank.

This is a photo I took on October 1 2015 of the flood defence work going on at the left bank of the River Aire (looking downriver) from the footbridge over the river just below the Leeds Station Southern Entrance (LSSE) site work. I hope the LSSE has strong protection from floods!

When in the area on January 28 2016 I noticed what seemed to be measuring going on of the river level (presumably in relation to the flood defence work there). While one of the two men in the small 'boat' was steering it the other man kept placing the measuring rod at places in the river. From the nearby (just out of view) recently built flood defence work a man was using a surveying instrument that was focussing on the boat. I could not help though think that it all looked a bit risky for the men in the boat! It was only when I saw the full-sized first image that shows the riverside that I noticed some rusty metal hooks in the wall (they do not show that well in the reduced image here). I wonder if they were used to moor barges in the past? Also more noticeable in the full-sized image is what seems to be a repaired bit of the wall at the river level where what presumably were once larger bricks that have been replaced by house type bricks. I wonder when that repair was done, how deep it goes and how it was done at river level?

Sorry for what may seem to be me rambling on a bit.

Coal barges tied up to the rings you can see. This picture is from just 43 years ago.
On the right is the Victoria Bridge Coal Wharf, with two travelling cranes. On the far left is the spot where the Hol Beck runs into the river, while beyond this is the lock leading to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The area between this and the Dark Arches is known as Canal Wharf. On the left side where the apartments (flats) are now was a boat building yard.

Picture © Leodis

Thanks for that buffaloskinner .

The overall view has changed a lot since that in 1972. In particular little of the Dark Arches can now be directly seen from that view point. I have not quite got my bearings but I wonder if the tall and long building is the old Royal Mail building that was between Wellington Street and Aire Street?

Royal mail building.Very significant , building strike 1972.

hyperioncantlogin wrote:Royal mail building.Very significant , building strike 1972.

Thanks for that confirmation .

The building seems to have demolished only a few years (if that) but I already find it hard to picture it in my mind.

Leo the sky scraper part was not demolished just reclad and added to to become West Point https://goo.gl/maps/VL2i6iTxJAw

tyke bhoy wrote:Leo the sky scraper part was not demolished just reclad and added to to become West Point https://goo.gl/maps/VL2i6iTxJAw

Thanks for that tyke bhoy .

I'm rubbish when it comes to recalling how things were even only recentish in Leeds!

I worked in Concordia Street overlooking the river where barges used to load and unload every day in the 1950s. Don't ever remember any flooding around that town centre area like nowadays or is it just my memory ?