Northern Welcome New Link Between East And West Yorkshire
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology News.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Rail Operator, Northern Railway, is celebrating the improved links between East and West Yorkshire today (Dec 19) following the introduction of a new service on the network, providing a direct service between Halifax and Hull.
The tone may be a bit self-congratulatory by Northern, but it is to me a very necessary service.
- The trains run hourly.
- Looking at today’s early morning Saturday service, it appears to have doubled the frequency to and from Leeds.
- Families and friends are more spread out these days..
- Events like football matches and concerts bring in supporters and attendees from a lot further, than when the rail services were carved in stone.
I shall be very interested to see the figures for ridership on this new service..
The Suffolk Experience
Over the last few years, Suffolk’s cross-county service between Ipswich and Cambridge has gone from an hourly single-car Class 153 train through two and three-car Class 170 trains to the proposed four-car Class 755 trains.
Greater Anglia may be having trouble introducing the Class 755 train, but the proposed capacity increase is there. They are also proposing to double the frequency on the Eastern section of the route.
Nationwide
Hopefully, we’ll see more improvements in services on routes like these all over the country. Certainly, Northern and Greater Anglia have been increased threir train fleets to provide more services.
I would also like to see a nationwide capacity standard for routes like these between cities and large towns.
A Pit Stop At Halifax
One of the objectives of my journey from Blackburn to Leeds was to visit the Piece Hall in Holifax.
Last year in A Trip To Halifax, I had a quick look and said this.
I had hoped to find something hot to drink. All I found was a very bad hot chocolate in the station.
Surely, something better could be done in the green space by the station.
These are pictures I took.
As you can see the Piece Hall is now restored and a magnificent space surrounded by craft shops, bars and restaurants.
I had an excellent breakfast in a bar and restaurant called Elder.
There would also appear to be a sensible hotel just outside the station on the short walking route to the Piece Hall. It is called the Imperial Crown Hotel and it could be a convenient place to stay on a visit to the area.
- It’s within a hundred metres of the station and the Piece Hall.Trains from the station.
- Trains are approximately every thirty minutes to Bradford, Hudderfield, Leeds and Manchester.
- Trains take around thirty minutes to Leeds.
Next time, that I go to Leeds or Bradford, I’ll give it a try.
A Trip To Halifax
These are pictures I took on a short visit to Halifax.
There is certainly work to do, to make the place somewhere that will attract visitors.
The centrepiece is the restoration of the Grade 1 Listed Piece Hall, Lets hope the redevelopment does what the restoration of Albert Dock did for Liverpool’s waterside.
I had hoped to find something hot to drink. All I found was a very bad hot chocolate in the station.
Surely, something better could be done in the green space by the station.
The Anonymous Widower 