The Anonymous Widower

Dancing Azumas At Leeds

This picture shows the 1749 arrival at Leeds from London Kings Cross.

Train details were as follows.

• The train had left Kings Cross at 1533.
• It was formed of two five-car trains working as a pair.
• The train was perhaps a couple of minutes late, arriving in Leeds.
• The train arrives in Platform 6.
• The complete ten-car formation left for Harrogate at 1800.

My train for London, which was another pair of five-car trains arrived in Platform 8 at Leeds at 1806 from Harrogate. The train left on time at 1815.

At present there is no joining and splitting, but if this is used by LNER, the following timings are possible.

• 1533 – Two five-car trains working as a pair leave Kings Cross.
• 1749 – The train arrives in Platform 6 at Leeds and the two trains are uncoupled.
• 1800 – A second driver gets into the rear train and he drives it towards Harrogate.
• 1800 – The front train stays in the platform.
• 1806 – The Harrogate to London service arrives from Harrogate and couples to the train in Platform 6.
• 1815 – The pair of five-car trains leave for London.

I think it is all rather elegant.

• Harrogate gets a five-car Azuma service, which is probably sufficient for the town’s need.
• Five-car trains probably fit all platforms easily on the Harrogate Line, where stops are planned.
• Will platforms at Headingley station be extended, so that London trains can stop during Test matches?
• The inbound and outbound services to and from Harrogate pass each other on the double track.
• The rear train from London reverses and goes to Harrogate..
• The front train just fills up with new passengers and after coupling with the train from Harrogate goes back to London.
• As Class 800 trains are supposed to be able to couple and uncouple in under two minutes, there should be only a small delay.
• LNER are running two trains per hour between London and Leeds, but they could be running four separate services per hour Between London and Yorkshire.

But the biggest advantage is that the front train from London can go somewhere else! Bradford? Huddersfield?

Possible Destinations

These are possible destinations, distances and times.

• Bradford – 13 miles – 25 minutes
• Harrogate – 18 miles – 30 minutes
• Huddersfield – 17 miles – 35 minutes
• Hull – 20 miles – 60 minutes
• Ilkley – 16 miles – 26 minutes
• Middlesbrough – – 76 miles – 84 minutes
• Scarborough – 67 miles – 75 minutes
• Skipton – 26 miles – 43 minutes
• York – 25 miles – 30 minutes

Harrogate would probably pair well with Bradford, Huddersfield, Skipton or York

Note.

1. I have added Ilkley although it doesn’t have a service to London.
2. Bradford Forster Square and Skipton already have one train per day (tpd) from London via Leeds.
3. Routes to Bradford Forster Square, Ilkley and Skipton are electrified.
4. Network Rail has plans to electrify the routes to Huddersfield and York.
5. There are at least thirty tpd between London and Leeds in both directions run by LNER.

Six tpd, as are now running to Harrogate and Lincoln to all six destinations would need just eighteen tpd to split and join at Leeds.

Stations That Could Be Served

All these stations could be given a direct service to and from London.

• Apperley Bridge – On the route to Bradford Forster Square – This is a new Park-and-Ride station.
• Batley – On the route to Huddersfield
• Ben Rhydding – On the route to Ilkley
• Bingley – On the route to Skipton
• Bradford Forster Square
• Burley-in-Wharfedale – On the route to Ilkley
• Burley Park – On the Harrogate Line
• Church Fenton – On the route to York
• Cononley – On the route to Skipton
• Cottingley – On the route to Huddersfield – Could be replaced by White Rose.
• Crossflats – On the route to Skipton
• Cross Gates – On the route to York
• Deighton– On the route to Huddersfield
• Dewsbury – On the route to Huddersfield
• East Garforth – On the route to York
• Frizinghall On the route to Bradford Forster Square
• Garforth – OLn the route to York
• Guiseley – On the route to Ilkley
• Harrogate – Terminus
• Headingley – On the Harrogate Line
• Hornbeam Park – On the Harrogate Line
• Horsforth – On the Harrogate Line
• Huddersfield – Terminus
• Ilkley – Terminus
• Keithley – On the route to Skipton
• Kirkstall Forge – On the route to Bradford Forster Square – This is a new Park-and-Ride station.
• Menston – On the route to Ilkley
• Micklefield – On the route to York
• Mirfield – On the route to Huddersfield
• Morley – On the route to Huddersfield
• Pannal – On the Harrogate Line
• Ravensthorpe – On the route to Huddersfield
• Saltaire – On the route to Skipton
• Shipley – On the route to Bradford Forster Square
• Skipton – Terminus
• Steeton & Silsden – On the route to Skipton
• Weeton – On The Harrogate Line
• York – Terminus

I have included every station, which the LNER trains pass, in this list.

But why not?

• These modern trains can make a station stop much quicker than older trains.
• They would improve the local service to Leeds.
• Some stations might be too small for five-car Azumas, that are 130 metres long.
• No electrification would be needed, but it could be added.

Leeds could become an even more important rail hub for North Yorkshire.

December 30, 2019 - Posted by AnonW | Transport | Azuma Train, Harrogate Station, Leeds Station, LNER