Is There Another Old Station Below Leeds Station? 

I live in Meriden, Kansas have never been to England but love watching and what an education I'm getting.

I can't understand why I am watching this at 01.34 in morning, but this is captivating.. I been in Leeds 22 years, and often thought about its history, so I am fascinated...

The story that you've missed is that the Monks Pit Lock, connecting the canal through to the River Aire, was a bit of a con. It was constructed by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Company only after they became aware of the proposed route of the railway. Its existence forced the railway company to pay a toll for every train that crossed the Monks Pit branch of the canal. (I used to have long conversations with Len Davies, who took on a long lease for the whole Dark Arches area from British Railways in the early 1980s, and who was responsible for its successful development.)

Another great video, and the production quality just gets better and better. Keep them coming! @2:37. The river has always turned at this point. When you say it used to go straight on, that was after 1086 when the Conqueror's Lord of the Manor built a goit to take the river water to his mill. To get extra pressure from the goit water, he raised the river height to encourage the water to go the easier route down the goit. He did this by building the Dam, or bondsman dam, reflecting that the men within the manor were bonded to the Lord for some days of work. The goit ran under the Queens Hotel. @4:48. The Queens we see today is the second version.@8:35. The canal basin (smaller) was a dry dock for the making and repair of boats. The larger one nearest the "Candle" tower block used to go through to the river so that coal barges could travel up to the power station. The link was filled with mass concrete. The arches were used for many types of activity and storage, including beers for the Queens Hotel, and car parts back in the day. Another use was for storing the ingredients of soap by Joseph Watson (who lived at Donisthorpe Hall, Moortown) and ran the Whitehall Soap Works, (which were behind you at the start of the video) later Elida Gibbs and eventually Unilever. See www.Leodis.net for the time when these soap ingredients caught fire and destroyed several platforms. Fire engines came from York and Derby and the fire raged for days. One fireman lost his life and a vast procession attended his funeral. The station was rebuilt in 6 days, working 24/7 by Leeds builder Nicholson using timbers brought on special trains from Hull. @10:00 Before the Wellington Station arrived there was a bridge across the river to Aire Street, which reverted to a footbridge once the station was built. Where the new station south entrance is was a ford called Sandford Street, well into the Victorian era, and a public baths. There was no station down under, having reviewed many plans of the Dark Arches over the years, some from Network Rail archives including drawings for the building of the Dark Arches.

Fascinating stuff, thank you for this. As a local it’s interesting to find out about the history of places you’ve known all your life.

Fascinating history and also goes to show how the Victorians built stuff to last as them foundations are strong. So many people are clueless as to how much epic victorian engineering is below our feet sometimes 👍

Love how so much of the old buildings have been preserved, even when hidden. They have even put coloured lighting in those old tunnels, so people can still see them. Nice to see :)

Looking at those arches the amount of labour used to build and the amount of bricks used is truly amazing.

I've lived in Leeds and I still do and I had no idea that there was two over stations, but I've been though the Wellington station where the car park is and I think it was just the hole station, Leeds is a historic city and I didn't even know, and now I know the river that goes under the station (the one that was blocked off under Wellington) is sealed off. So thank you adventureMe for showing me a historic look under Leeds city train station

Once again, an enjoyable video on the place's we all take for granted. Every video I watch I always keep an eye out for the things you've pointed out!

I had a boat building business under the dark arches (well just outside really). The building was a single story shed which was originally "Rider's Boatyard" next to the dry dock you showed on your video with car parking on the other side. My company was "Wharf Marine" and I was building the 'Fisherman 17'. Wharf Marine went to the wall in the early 1980's when Margaret Thatcher's recession took a lot of small companies out of the picture.

The amount of work that took place across the country in bygone days is mindblowing considering the lack of mech aids .Great view again Chap.

I just discovered your channel and I'm loving the videos. It's really nice to see lesser known and obscure bits of Leeds. It makes me love the city even more. Thanks for the content, I'll do some exploring of my own to see these places in person. Keep it up, fantastic work.

Excellent video. Thanks for all your research and work that you put into these videos.

That was really interesting, brilliant. Walked round there so much and never thought to really look at what was there. Really enjoyed that!

Very well done mate, excellent content, very well executed, informative, innovative and loads of hard work put into making this, keep it up as always.

I have just come across your videos. Thank you so much for all your very hard work and keeping old Britain alive. Much appreciated.

i started work in 1966 the electrical firm i worked for had a job refurbishing the station . the men that worked on it told me there were tunnels under the platforms and they worked in them . just around the corner from the station elida gibbs had a factory on whitehall road there was a substation under the substation in the yard one of the yeb employees took me and the forman down a ladder and at the bottom were large tunnels made of brick , he said he had been in them regular one went under the town hall another went off to armley and another went to lawnswood , but he didnt know what they were originally used for they were quite large tunnels , i know as a kid they used to have 3 wheeled vehicles going from the central station to the yard at the side of the queens hotel to take parcels between the stations .

Thanks for the video. There's alot to learn about Leeds and historical changes. Keep going with the research.

Darren yet again another excellent video a wealth of information. the hours you put into making your videos research filming and editing is greatly appreciated, slowly I will catch up with all your videos

Fantastic video again, loving the history, I run round there all the time

Fascinating! Love all the history facts. Don’t know if you’ve done any video of other towns, but would definitely like see more. Thank you x

Love these vids, of Leeds history. Reminds me a bit of the London Joolz Guides. Keep them coming please!

Thank you for another fine video. Cheers Darren! Cheers mate.

Absolutely fascinating, looking forward to watching some of your other videos.

Nice one. Thanks for this. It's nice to know more about good old Leeds.

I’ve used Leeds station a lot and knew nothing about this. Very interesting, thank you 😊

I recall in the mid 1960's trainspotting there before the rebuild in the last years of Steam. The old wellington platforms seemed to be mainly used for parcel trains. In recent years the dark arches has been a must visit for fellow Photography enthusiasts with so much coloured lighting in and around the archways. Great video, awesome place then and now.

Brilliant video, watching a second time on the big tv 📺. Really interesting to think that the lock is buried under the station and the bars and restaurants that used to be underneath.

Just loving your videos Darren. You're so natural in presenting and so informative. Maybe this could be your new career? Keep them coming. Hope lockdown doesn't stop your adventures

Excellent video to watch on a lazy and early Sunday morning. So much interesting information relayed in a very clear and entertaining manner. Thank you!

Nice video Darren, they've certainly tidied up that area since I worked in and around Leeds back in the seventies. Those arches were seedy places and I bet there are some further hidden places under there.

I'm a Leeds lass.. now living in South Yorkshire... but loved this nostalgic look at Leeds... my home town. Thanks for the memories!!! Great video and so knowledgable. I really enjoyed this.

Great informative video. I go through this station regularly so it's nice to hear a bit of its history. Tnx 👍

Hi, this is the first video I've seen from yourself and loved it! I go to a nail bar down in Granary Wharf and now know that I park in the old section of the arches, and have had several of my questions answered about the canal locks. Every time I walk through the dark arches I've always thought it was a bit sketchy so the suggestion about knocking shops is understandable! I've sent the video to my dad who is a bus driver in Leeds- he loves exploring hidden gems on his breaks so this will channel be ace for him. He always talks about the old bus stations too, particularly the old red bus station which is now a bar. Would love to hear more about the bus stations, and any weird incidents or fires that happened there!

Great video. Lovely bit of nicely researched local history. I've seen old maps of the stations on top of the canal and always wondered just what had been going on there. I've stopped off many times too- usually cycling from York. Interesting night life too. I was in Manchester and a mate was in Nottingham so we met in Leeds of an evening.

A cracking video, really enjoyed this one. You really look into the history of what you are discovering which makes it even more interesting. 👌

I'd like to share a little story with you. i've got a friend who was a Fire Inspector and on occasion he would do inspections in Leeds City centre. Several times while in various cellars he saw bricked up doorways and locked doors to which nobody had a key or knew what was behind it.... Steps down to underground Mills ?? Who knows ...

Thank you really enjoyed that very interesting Please keep them coming 🙂

Great vid,city planners making a mess of Leeds in early 1800 and still doing so today.

Brilliant and very interesting video 😀 Thanks 😊 Nice to see Mr Stead in your video… he taught me drama at Norton College in the mid 90s and he was the favourite local radio DJ back then… known as Mr Ready Steady Go! lol

I quite enjoy visiting Leeds and walking around all this area in particular. In fact I was up there at the start of September 2020, probably 4 weeks or so before this was released, so its nice to see it again on whats aclearly a lovely sunny day pre second lockdown. Great video

Brilliant coverage

My friends organised a large festival and several other events in 2006 in the dark arches. Me and my friend were in charge of decorating the place and we had the run of the site for a week and it's an absolute warren of tunnels, corridors and some huge rooms. One of which's vaulted brick ceiling is as you mentioned scorched from the fire.

Hi as child I used to go with my mum to the old Wellington station I was fascinated by the steam trains we didn't bother with the other station much I loved all the ironwork and bustle of it all she told me tales of when they caught trains to Fleetwood so as to connect to the Manx ferry there our family had Manx origins and relatives there back to the station you could walk thro Wellington vvia a small junction into the other station in the sixties we would go through the side entrance by the the then News Theatre to the right of Queens Hotel and as you got in maybe 5yds or so there were 2 staircases either side of the walkway one was for gentlemen the other was for ladies if you went down them in the ladies was a large rest room and just off it another area with pot slipper baths and changing area it cost then £ 1 I believe if you provided your own towels etc for a good bath after long journies by steam train the public were also allowed to use these facilities too the men's area sported a barbers and smoking room according to my uncles as well as bathing facilities I was told a tunnel linked the two separated by a locked iron gate halfway along

Thx. Very interested in this kinda stuff. Appreciate your presentation and posting. This happy bunny has subscribed :-)

Wonderful as always. You should have a TV series and go round the country doing this as it's not only brilliant and really well researched but its fascinating to boot. Thank you very much.

Very interesting again Darren. I used to work part time in one the original three shops built into the dark arches on Bishopgate street in the early 1970's. In those days the rear arches were not really used for much and contained debris which is probably from the fire you mentioned. You could get access from the original car park that was there prior to the renovations. Someone has also mentioned a secret 'beach' - well I can confirm in the 70's that there was lots of sand under there, but not necessarily a beach as such! In those days it was very dark, spooky and dirty - very much different from today!

Brilliant. Been to that station many times and never knew any of this.

It's surprising what's hidden beneath our feet, when you start to look around, interesting explore.

Great video. I used to go in the 90s on a sat/sun . The arches were open and lots of stalls. Hippy market and other stuff. It had a strange atmosphere down there but being a psychic I loved it. It’s a shame they blocker them up.

I worked at Granary Wharf in the late 90's as a car park attendant (Weekend job) at the time it was a shopping centre and weekend market. I had access to pretty much everywhere under there. There is a network of long narrow tunnels not accessible or visible to the public, but there is definitely not any railway platforms. I do have a vague memory of being able to access the Queens Hotel from under there though.

Very nice video. It's nice to now history. I live in Leeds so like to now more thank you.

Fascinating stuff .I remember between 1981 and 83 the arches being used for rough sleeping the police would turn a blind eye at least it would gave been a bit warmer and dryer there during the winter months . Knocking shops 🤔 Allways thought fascinating how the newly refurbished office block is actually built on a railway bridge over the main road , some real engineering all around the station .Look forward to the next video .🚂

Brilliantly informative video.. loved it. I also enjoyed the video of saltaire, near were I live.

Fascinating history. You have just got another subscriber!!

A big improvement on the old Dark Arches. Was a good beat to patrol on cold wet nights when I was stationed at Millgarrh nick. Always dry and warm.

I found your Tour of Leeds station very interesting

Nice one Darren..... Top Notch content....Very interesting...... Like the soap factory story ....

Bloody great video mate! Cheers, Newcastle

Fantastic video, thank you!

It's like a little piece of secret knowledge 11:27 having seen your recent (May 2023) video and remembering the soot-blackened stonework arches that you allude to here.

Another great video .Thank you ..

Interesting a lovely station worked on the roof a few times and always impressed by it never knew it was 2 stations in 1

Great vid. An old boatman told me that there’s an old barge sunk beneath the arches. Probably in Monk’sPit.

I remember going to the shops in the arches about 30 years ago. Various craft shops and restaurants. There was even a water bed shop. Great memories. It's a shame all the independent shops disappeared. Long after that i saw a few bands there too. Think the venue (one of the disused arches) was called The Blank Canvas.

The most I’d seen of all this in the past is when I’ve gotten on the water taxi which takes you from the Royal Armouries to the back of Leeds Station and that’s with me having lived in Leeds my whole life

I certainly remember the arches by Leeds City station but I never ventured anywhere close. However I do remember Leeds Central station as it was the place you went to get a local train to East Ardsley/Thorpe and then Wakefield before Beaching closed everything. There were buses from East Ardsley/Thorpe to Wakefield, Morley and Rothwell but up till the early 60s you got to Leeds on the train. It wasn't till the 70s that buses started to go to Leeds from East Ardsley/Thorpe. In the meantime you had to walk to Robin Hood to get a bus to Leeds from Thorpe.

I was taken down under the station, into the arches, by my father in the early 1960s ( he worked there) and saw the canal lock. It was a dark and sinister place then with most of the arches empty and dark. It is interesting to see how it has now all been opened up.

I used to work at the old Whitehall Rd power station. There was loads of underground tunnels throughout the city that carried electrical services to surrounding substations. We walked through them regularly

Brilliant video! 👍🏻👍🏻

What an Amazing area! Seems bizarre to have built generations of stations in such a challenging spot. Is it right in the CBD?

We used to go to a wicked club night down there in the early 2000's. Walk'd though those tunnels completely off me tits many a time. Oh what memories 😎

Wonder if a lot of the rumours of the station being on two levels are because of confusion with the old Central station that was on two levels with a freight yard underneath the passenger level. The remains of the truck lift that moved trucks between the two levels still stands in Wellington Place as well as the viaduct across the river that brought the trains into the station. Great videos with lots of history

The side opposite the dark arches goes much much deeper down under ground for some reason. Almost as if it was excavated. I saw the big door open once at the end of mill hill and it was easily 30-40' lower than street level. Theres also a view online of the old rooms under the station where the water and electric still works.

When I was a kid, my mum used to take me to market style shops under the station in the arches. There were only a few left.

Brilliant content. Subscribed

I use to work at the Royal Mail, before they knock it down, and there was a separate train track that no other trains would travel on, we called it the Queens train, only ever one train was on that track, that use to take mail underground straight to London, some said it went straight to the palace, but I'm not sure about that, it just travelled once a day early hours in the morning, always at the same time, It was a long time ago, but the train didn't look like the other trains, I don't remember much, but I always remember that, only a few people were allowed down to that part, one of the guys showed me, I just remember it being so very dark, and secret. You had to get a separate lift from the other lifts, to go way down to the platform, past the basement, and I was told not to talk about it, but the Royal Mail isn't there anymore, so I guess it ok.

There’s still a bricked up archway on Whitehall road that was once an entrance to Leeds Central station just before you turn left onto wellington street as your heading towards the back side of the new station. Also one of the new buildings is brilliantly named “hoist house” which I think is a pointer to the wagon hoist that still stands grade II listed today

Great still photographs to add to the video 📸

Thanks for sharing, shared.

Great video reminds me if my local area London Dicklands after it has been redeveloped in many cases just name gives a clue of previous use

There was a pedestrian subway tunnel under the platforms up until the early 2000’s. As far as I’m aware that was all closed off prior to the completion of the station return in 2002

I used to work at Whitehall Road Power Station and remember the cut between the river and the canal at Monks Basin being filled in. There were also a number of cable tunnels that ran from the power station into the centre of Leeds City. The power station was on the riverside where you started the video.

Thank-you...spent lots of my youth in the 70s Galavanting under there looking for danger .....glad i never found it 😌

Someone needs to go into the old subway that was there until they did built the bridge to the platforms in the 90s. I remember going through it once or twice as a kid in the very late 90s. Like 99/2000 and would love to see a video or pics of it. As far as I can tell the subway is still there just entrances are covered.

In the 1980s I worked for British Rail in the Works department. Brookes News in Neville street was Works Department Office and canteen. As you went into the dark arches the first 3 arches on the left were Plumbers, steel men and joiners respectively and the first on the right was the stores.

Having spent a lot of my working life in Leeds Centre, this area was a regular wlunc time walking route. I remember the boat under the arches where the dock has been reduced back fron the arches. As a youngster, I used to watch the coal barges being unloaded by steam crane at the Coop coal wharf which was opposite the enterance to the Leeds and Liverpool canal on the river. I remember going down the dark arches in 1979 to the end to a timber merchants for boarding. tyhis area later became a night club, though I never visited it.

fascinating 2nd time round roll on the next one darren

From Sheffield very interesting video but a leeds fan

Used visit there years ago remember people called that area the Dark Arches remember someone selling tiles and bathroom accessories down there. Been recently and looks bit more upmarket but still a good place to visit and go through to the Wharf area.

If there was ever a second station under there I can say that there isn’t one now. I work in the station, there’s just a basement that a load of storage is kept in

Nice video, I did a documentary about film photography, with a part down in the dark arches, and got told off for filming, walked straight passed a sign ahahahah

I used to go fishing there in 1967. I remember walking under the arches to the old lock before they were bricked up. Fishing was free then and I said to my mates at the time “we should buy this land” (it was derelict at the time). I meant to sell fishing tickets never realising what it would become. Opportunity missed there!

brilliant video!

Really interesting and it was great reminder at 4mins 53 secs of what coming out of the dark arches used to look like. All I remember was the Indian restaurant. I was quite shocked when I saw the heavy demolition equipment there. You can now see another two tunnels next to the demolition site. Maybe an update film would be good!

My dad worked down in the dark arches there used to be were you clocked in the units is were the joiners and plumbers used to work and bricklayers used work for the main station above

Superb work,i was a Leeds lad for 30 years and never saw the dark arches,but recall the Mucky Duck pub! oops

I have seen videos where urban explorers lift inspection covers close to stations and you would be amazed what there is down there, and security is virtually non existent. I saw one video where a group spent a day and often evenings exploring the shut off parts of main line stations and only managed to cover a small parts, as for Leeds station there are various tunnels, air raid shelters Etc, the list goes on and on !

Brilliant video 👍