Hi Darren - This is one I've been waiting for since your last visit around this area. I used to work in a shop built into one of the arches on Bishopgate Street (around 1972), and it had a very damp basement which went way back into the arch. If you went down into this basement, you got the smell of musty old water and could actually hear muffled voices from the other side of the wall which was weird. Rats used to be a big problem in those days, and looking at the maps, the goit must have run very close to this basement. Very much looking forward to Part 2!
A big thank you to Network Rail for allowing you to vlog under Leeds railway and surrounding areas. Great vlog as always Darren. You get to lots of places that we the (Joe public) couldn't get to. It's surprising how much is below the ground we are standing on, and very interesting to see. Very informative as always. Thank you Darren.....
Wow I can remember the subway! I used to run through it with my mum as it creeped me out! It’s a real shame some of it is going to be filled in. We’ve lost so many wonderful buildings in leeds this kinda just adds to the list . Great video Darren. X
If they are going to fill it in, they invariably use foam concrete which is specially designed for backfilling. It's easier to remove when they come to their senses in the future too. However with all that water coursing through underneath, the filling might be for extra protection of the facilities above, beit over-cautious or not.
The amount of work it took to build the stone and brick arches below the station and hotel is staggering. Great video Darren! Look forward to the next part. Cheers!
I love places like this, those old vaulted ceilings are masterpieces compared to what they do today. It bugs me why they feel the need to block up and fill in gems like here. Do they not realise there could be money to be made from tours in the future ? Years ago they filled in an old underground reservoir near Chorley. Before they did they opened it up to the public for tours, I was lucky (dragged the wife there too) to see it. It was all vaulted brick ceilings. A real engineering feat. I have a brochure from it too. Excellent vid Darren, thank you 👍🏼👍🏼
Very interesting, I have stood for hours in the station waiting for trains. You can understand why they want to fill areas in, its a real liability. great update 2x👍
Our lass's Dad (my partner's Dad) used to work as a Copper (Police Officer) in Leeds city centre and used to chase and aprehend bad lads in and amongst the underground cavities of that area. That was fifty years ago from 2023. I'll try and get more info from him that might add to your story. Big thanks to Network Rail for allowing you to bring history to life.
What a great video pently of history this pt 1 video I can't wait for next video Darren top job I hope that you and your family and friends are well and safe
Wow this is fascinating, and a definate location for a ghost hunt, its spooky woowky for sure !! Another great video with tons of history info of times gone by.
Totally fascinating Darren, It's great you manage to get access to these places, especially as it's all going to change and some of this history will be gone forever.
Thank you for the tour today. Living in the United States, its the first and probably last to see it live. An great experience, thanks Darren. Enjoy the rest of the weekend, and the week ahead! Cheers Darren! 😊
Darren just watched Leeds city station video yet again superb content and dialogue.very much looking forward to next week's videos.keep good work up Darren. At a guess one of the platforms you were under takes the trains to York.just saying.
Hi Darren, what a maze of tunnels//rat runs your taking us on. That stone work would have been getting MartinZ moist 🧐 All I can say is I hope there are original plans/drawings etc to make headway of it all. It was like the Winter Gardens in B/pool, rooms in rooms, hidden walls behind windows etc. All that, yet on the surface it's all arranged in order, no hint of the complex underworld below it. Looking forward to pt2. Cheers DougT
i have watched and followed you for years and your videos are amazing, but this video i was glued to TV screen it was so fascinating seeing all the different eras of construction and truly amazing video you sir are an amazing vlogger and historian. you should have your own TV channel from like the BBC or something.truly amazing video thank you for the history and enjoyment.
Fantastic video! I knew there was old infrastructure under the station, but to think there are 3 or so generations/era's of stations and cobbled underneath is fascinating! Can't wait for next week!
Another fascinating video, thanks for putting in all this effort. Wanted to explore down there for many years. Hope you manage to get eyes on what remains of the old mill goit
I worked at the Station quite a few years ago and remember those Concrete structures under the Dark Arches but never realised what they were until you just pointed out they were the Subways at the Station. Thanks.
Ooohhh map, map, map, maps🎶 Hooray. Brilliant beginning in my book. Can't beat a bit of concise cartography to get things going. Your guess at (05:30) about the projector slits is highly feasible. Many repurposed for WWII London UndergrounD tunnels had facilities to show films of a secret nature in various depts stationed down there.
The North Concourse was disused for many years. I first saw it probably around mid to late ‘80s when on a rail tour which stopped at the station for a while. While disused it was possible to walk into it. Later I saw police vehicles parked there. Later still when it was being cleared out in preparation for restoration and reopening something against one of the walls had been removed revealing the remains of a poster for the 1966 Southport Flower Show, so I’m guessing that was when it closed. A couple of years ago, when I was last there, I was walking along this concourse to the exit at the far end and noticed a tile mosaic sign set into the floor ‘News theatre’. I knew about the ones in London Victoria and Waterloo Stations, but I didn’t know that Leeds also had one. The large uplighter near the suit from this concourse looks as if it would be at home on the London Underground. Do they not use the old subway to get various pipes and cables across the station? That would seem to be an obvious use for it.
There was cinema in the train station!!! Do you mean underground or somewhere else? Was the sign where the cinema was or was it pointing somewhere? That's quite a find! :)
@@SolarLantern424 I believe that the news theatre was physically within the hotel, but was entered from the station. Enter the North Concourse at the end near the booking office, walk to the far end, past the car park exit on your left, just before the exit to the street at the far end, near the large uplighter, on the right hand side there is an entrance to a shop, which I think had closed when I saw it. The sign is set into the floor just outside this doorway. Apart from the two in London it seems that Grand Central Terminal in New York also had a news theatre; I don’t know of any others. It’s worth having a look at the ceiling in the small Sainsbury’s in the North Concourse, It’s quite decorative. I don’t know what this area was originally used for.
Very interesting video, rather like an archaeological dig, stripping away layers of Leeds' historical development. i wonder what remains of riverside industry etc, if any, there are below/behind the brickwork underpinning the station above? do you know whether there will be any archeological digs, before the construction of the new station? Fascinating stuff - am looking forward to the next video. Thank you!
Thanks for that. Absolutely fascinating. I'd love to explore all those places. I've only been in the parking bit many years ago. I would imagine you could nearly get lost in some parts, or at least take a few wrong turns. looking forward to the next one. 🙂
Cracking video Darren and a testament to the validity of your channel when you can get these permissions. This stuff needs documenting before it goes forever, I wonder if they will destroy this old architecture or just backfill and build on top ? Pass on our thanks to your contacts for it's their belief and foresight that helps document this stuff
Hi Darren, very interesting video, well done to Network Rail to show you around. Its amazing what is down there, some lovely old brickwork arches. Seems a shame to fill it all in, but what use could it be made of? Maybe some of it could be left open to give a snap shot of the past, I've seen similar things done over here when they tunneled through the city for the new metro system or car parks. Some great editting and old photos. I've only ever stayed in leeds once and we were right by there!! Look forward to seeing part 2, well done and good luck from Spain!!
Man, I've wanted to see down here for the longest time. Even considered getting a boat to access via the river! haha Very appreciative of you giving us the glimpse before it's gone!
Well, even though I watched the two videos of underground Leeds railway station the wrong way round, I find this video most interesting, with the architecture of the old partially hidden arches in particular. It's a pity that a lot of these places are going to be filled in under the new development of the station. Many thanks for this presentation, Darren.
Best one yet ! I am in awe of this and our local history. If I could go back anywhere in history, it would be to our city. I share your passion. Thankyou for this.
Hi Darren loved it all ready looking forward to part two 😊 just an ask would you be interested in doing old trams and old trams depose and that sort of thing
I remember when my dad worked for Red Star Parcels back in the early 90's. His offices and the loading area was where Weatherspoons and that entrance to the station is now. I remember having to go up a set of stairs to get to the platforms
I used to work in one of the shops in 2000 in the concourse as loved the one time I was taken down that spiral stair case to check the electric meter. I always wanted to go for a wander down there. I find it fascinating.
These are the videos I like you see all these doorways and you're allowed to go them. Can't believe they're filling these in but hey ho no point in complaining lol.
Hello Darren thank you for this vid and the next one. I have an early recollection of my Mum walking me up to Leeds Wellington station via some stairs by the side of an brick archway and as we got to the top a steam engine was going past, i was born in 65, so that must have been before or around August 68. Leeds station does for some reason hold a special place in my head. I do also recall that Wellington was used as a parcel depot.
These spaces, out of sight, in the cold earth, would actually be perfect for big Internet servers. Their excess, unwanted heat could be pumped to the buildings above. Or how about they are used for other businesses, battery space for our net zero project, or even storage for water to be pumped up with solar power then released to power turbines? Would rather the history was preserved and the spaces re used again though.
I think your internet server/ district heating idea is a good one. Or maybe develop the space for car parking. It seems a complete waste to just infill what could be a very useful central space.
Thank you for this video I always wondered what they have done with the subway and the toilets. Really interesting is all this its a shame that they are going to fill it all in.
Around 1985, I used to deliver bathroom suites etc, to a bathroom shop in The Dark Arches, I was amazed when the other drivers said, drive under the railway station, and turn left before going out the other side..
I had an idea for a light rail line from Roundhay to Shipley. It would run on roads in the Leeds city centre, along Bridggate from Roundhay, then would go through the undercroft of Leeds station (inspired by Manchester Piccadilly), then would use an abandoned viaduct through Holbeck than convert the existing line to Bradford and add more stations and then in Bradford it would then connect the two Bradford stations and convert that spur to Shipley station (which would become an interchange).
How very fascinating, Darren. I don't really know Leeds at all as I've only been there two or three times in the first half of my life. Particularly poignant is those old passenger subways that you remember in use, as well as the location of the Gents within - signs of a misspent youth, perhaps?? 😁
holy crap man. I'm so confused. I'm gonna have to watch this again! lol I get the different eras, but who built all that to begin with? Like wow, that's a ton of space man!
i wouldnt even know stuff like that exsists below the station and ive spotted trains many times there seen a friend off and often gotten train places if needed or into leeds from morley
I have a 15 minute walkthrough video taken in the signal and telecommunications rooms between the Sanford Street arch and Neville Street in the 1990s, before the signalling control was moved to York. It shows the relay rooms, cable chambers, telecom equipment, mess rooms etc. I want to post it but am not sure about Network Rail permission etc.
When you walked into the fenced off area looking out onto Neville street with the LED wall, what is that wall on the left with all the cogs on? I walk past it all the time and wonder what it is. Looks like it was a doorway into a club or something but now it’s fenced I can’t get up to it!
This must be one of the most unique and obscure stations in the world when you think about it. Bet it's a nightmare to redevelop and build upon with everything going on down below.
Amazing video, when you say they’ve got plans for the area, is that in the form is opening it as cafes/bars or additional capacity for the station? Are those cars that were parked down there network rail staff or used by the Queen’s hotel?
Absolutely amazing video! I remember going in them years ago before they redid them to what they are today but only ever getting so far and trying work out what they used to be used for. so its great to see whats actually going on under there! Shame they are getting filled in. Does this mean then that the myth of the station under the bit where wetherspoons is has finally been answered or is that part 2? ;)
@@AdventureMe . Ah that makes much more sense 😂. can't wait for the next video, really love the ones you've done around Leeds and West Yorkshire, amazing to see how its changed over the years, I'm not even that old haha.
@@AdventureMe It was the Signal and Telecommunications Maintenance depot or S&T where I started as a trainee. There was a small office signing on point were new works installation gangs booked on duty and at the side of the old subway below the toilets was the locking fitters shop who maintained mechanical signalbox lever locking. The toilets had a leak and water poured into there which is how I found out they were below the toilets. There was a large mess room and toilets in the depot. Leeds signalbox was all electrically operated and there were huge rooms containing all the power supplies, relays which are a kind of electrical switch worked by an electromagnet, cable ducting linking the relays to the signal control panels up on the 5th floor and the track side. Another set of rooms was the telecoms section containing a large stowger telephone exchange which if I remember rightly came from Heathrow airport when BOAC modernised their equipment, a mess room and small office. The signal maintainers had their mess room and stores under there as well working on 3 shifts so there was always someone there to go out to failures in the Leeds area. All this went the full length of the subway linking the two arches either end of the subway together
