The Lost Bradford Forster Square Station
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- Опубліковано 4 тра 2024
- Delving into Bradford's Lost Railways and Stations, trying to work out what went wrong with this once great railway city.
In this episode we focus on the lost Midland/Forster Square Station, once a large London sized station, and now nothing more than a bus stop with trains!
VIDEO INFORMATION CREDITS & THANK YOU'S
The Telegraph & Argus
James S Doubleday
Jon Piesing
Pete Grafton
Steam Memories
Ian Gadsby
Bradford Libraries
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Track: Day 7 - Aurora
Listen To The Original: • Ambient ⎸Day 7 - Aurora
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#adventureme #loststations #bradford #forstersquare #railway - Розваги
I am nearly 68 years old. I remember the old Forster Square station. We went in holiday to Morecambe or Bradford by the sea. It was a huge station with lots of platforms. Not a spooky station, quite a light and bright station. Unlike the old Exchange which was like a huge dark cavern. Yes the station as it is now is an apology for a railway station. Thanks for the film. I live in Leeds now but I enjoy visiting Bradford, which is still a lovely city with all the sandstone buildings and the wonderful Alhambra and St George’s Hall.
Me too. Remember those old 3 wheeler artics that were always floating around there?
You clearly show your frustration at what passes for the main railway stations in your home town. Hope things improve , Bradford deserves better
6:17 Compass and Square of the Freemasons on the gate.
I saw that, thought it was free masons. 🤔
Sir Henry Irving (a famous actor of his time) died on the stairs in the Midland Hotel. Bram Stoker was his manager.
Loved the "Britannia Group" face. I'm glad they kept the facia to the former concourse entrance. As I remember the old station and the road layout outside, the current station is a very pale replacement. I've never seen the gorgeous luggage ramp before. Fantastic. Bradford is desperate for a link between stations. Either that or a totally new through station linked to both Airedale and Calder lines. The much promised Yorkdhire tram might at least ease access. It's a pity Bradford itself is spiralling downward.
Truly devastating once a rich industrial City it's lost so much land marks and heritage. Bradford till the end✊️
Hi Darren, loved that smirky growl at saying The Midland Hotel is now a Britannia Hotel 😎 Keep pounding on, Cheers DougT
awesome fades Darren,but the biggest mistake they made was not connecting sq with interchange
To be fair, it would have been pretty difficult as both are at vastly different levels even if the Broadway Shopping Centre wasn’t in the way.
@a11csc that's right. They had a good opportunity to do so when rebuilding the Broadgate Centre.
@@shahedmc9656 they had opportunity, yes, the will, no, and as previously stated it would have either been very steep or a long way round. I know that there is a steep slope on the line going to Blackpool just outside Preston but that is on a curve and I think one between Interchange and Forster Square would have been more steep and over a short distance.
The Bradford Forster square station sign is at the ingrow carriage museum in Keighley
If I remember correctly (around 10 years ago), I'm pretty sure a Forster Square Railway Station sign was one of the many signs found in Sunbridge Wells during the renovation. The other signs were mainly for the old shops and bars which used to be there originally.
Loved this video. Brought back many memories as a child. 71 years old and finding nothing seems to stay the same. Bradford has some fantastic architecture. Hope they don’t destroy it all. I still come to Bradford to see my sister but every time I visit something else has been pulled down and replaced by concrete. Such a shame. 😢
I remember late 70s, at the bottom of that ramp to the station there used to be a car boot/flea market in what I seen to remember as being a huge shed, not unlike a goods shed, I can’t pinpoint exactly where it was as I was very young at the time
Great video, as usual. The photo fades make sense of what used to be there - it's hard to visualise how it used to be. So much has changed since I lived in Bradford. When I married in the 70s we would have like to have our reception at the Midland, but it was closed, so we had it at the Victoria instead. Wonderful to see the interior of the Midland now. You might not like the Britannia group but it looks as though they've done a marvellous job with restoring and retaining so many original features. Very sad to see what glory has departed though. Bradford deserves better stations than these. Thanks again Darren.
Two words: ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!
The old station was certainly a spooky place in the late 80s. There was a tree growing out of the former track bed by platform 6. When the new station opened initially you could only get to it by walking all the way along the old platform 1/2 and then crossing over onto the new platform 1/2 via a short metal ramp. I wish I’d taken photos at the time.
You don't need photos, you need the *Minder* (1979-1994) episode *A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in Shepherds Bush* which is series 8 episode 7 from 1991.
@@danielgardecki1046Did Minder film in Bradford ...I'm confused .......unless it was the 1 where the man ( famous actor but cant remember his name ) went on the missing list in London
@@meichong8278 Yes, Minder filmed that episode in Bradford.
@@danielgardecki1046 Brian Glover may be his name .... a rough gruff Yorkshireman I think
@@meichong8278 Sheffield born Brain Glover has some connections to Bradford, however I can't remember what.
I've just had a quick look through his filmography and I can't see any Bradford filmed productions.
However I've re-found an old reposted 1992 story of him appearing in a theatre production of Richard III at the former West Yorkshire Transport Museum at Ludlam Street, Bradford, with people like Mark Addy.
York born Mark Addy must love Bradford, as he's one of quite a few people I can name who have appeared in 6+ Bradford filmed productions.
I'm sure there's at least one or two more connections Brain Glover and Bradford that I can't remember.
I may be an ex-southerner but I remember Wallace Arnold coaches very well. Growing up in Croydon, Surrey in the late 1950s/ early 1960s when it was an attractive town, we lived close to the local Rootes / Sunbeam / Hillman car dealer, Manton Motors. The garage serviced Wallace Arnold coaches which used to park in the road next to our house in Addiscombe whilst they awaited the attention of the mechanics. Although only 6 or so at the time, I recall coaches bearing odd destinations (odd to a southern 6 year-old at any rate) like Oban. As a child bus-spotter, these matters were very significant and are still treasured memories 65 years later!
I pulled the exact same face as you when you mentioned Britania Group!
I remember getting into the older station and skateboarding on the platforms when they were building the current station - I think we walked through a goods shed but unfortunately it's so long ago the only memories that stick are being able to climb around on the platforms of a station I'd been to as a child.
Thanks for that, Darren, particularly your photofades, which never disappoint!
Glad you like them!
Great video Darren,im 53 a s still vaguely remember the old Foster Square station. Ill have to show this to my dad as he Bradford born and bred.
Dankeschön Darren
Wieder einmal etwas Wissenswertes aus deiner Heimat gelernt.
Freue mich auf das nächste Video.
Thank you ❣️👋🏻. Darren
Thanks Christel
Ich bin mir ziemlich sicher, dass er in Zukunft noch viel mehr von Little Germany, Bradford, zeigen wird.
Little Germany ist eines der am meisten gefilmten Miniviertel in Bradford.
You can see the original platform edges under the broken tarmac in what is now the site compound. Suprised you missed to the toilet wall too with the original tiles in situ and places where the sinks were opposite the hotel.
Remember the 50s/60s era station. Used to enter the station from the Foster Square entrance through a narrow passage way next to the hotel towards the platforms. What had been the main station concourse was then being used for parcel traffic, out of bounds to the general public during the 70s/80s.
Used to be an amazing hotel
Stayed there a few times when I was on training courses in the late 90s. John Pennington used to own it.
There was a public bar that had an amazing mural on the wall. Frequented by a lot of postal workers from memory
Yeah I remember the Pennington years
Superb Darren. Photo fades best yet. Great video. Bradford should be shouting out about the area of the Midland Hotel you filmed!
Absolutely
Nobody beats your photo fades , i look forward to seeing your videos, so you were born in 1977? Great work as always darren, thank you.
Not that old. 1983
My Uncle used to work at Forster Square station when it was a proper station. Later it became a parcel depot with the Ilkley trains relegated to platforms on the left hand side looking from the front. I worked there in 1975 when it was a parcel depot mainly handling parcels from Gratan’s with a conveyor belt system in the foyer. As you mentioned you had Valley Parade goods yard connected with that bridge you mentioned. At the end of the video you showed the entrance to Forster Square station if I remember correctly that’s where Royal Mail post vans used to come down to unload Mail sacks onto trains, at least I can say I have handled mail bags without being in jail. At the front entrance behind that wall is where NCL (National Carrier’s Limited) unloaded parcels from Garatan’s which then went onto the above mentioned conveyor belt for sorting. We would stand at either side to sort the parcel’s into towns by loading them into B.R.U.T.E’s (British Rail Universal Trolly Equipment) they could give you a nasty nip if you put your fingers in the wrong place, when loaded they would be taken to the respective parcel trains for loading. On the bridge you mentioned you had the Midland railway coat of arms in the cast iron supports.
@rodneyhutchinson1495 some great memories you've shared there - thanks.
It’s so fascinating when you do the fade ins 😊
Forgot to mention in late 80s there used to be car boot old forster square station.
“It’s now owned by the Britannia Group “, I put my head in my hands and just caught your face as I dropped my hands! 😂😂
I love your fade ins, they give the viewer a much better idea how it looked before. Thank you from a subscriber.
Thanks for the sub!
I remember the old glass roof still been there , quite a few years ago now
Great video. I think the first station was actually called Market Street, although where its footprint was I don't know. The old Victorian 'Midland Railway' Station came later in the 1890s, only to be replaced some 100 years later by the truncated version we have today. Basically, the Bfd. planners wanted to build a shopping center on the old station site and have people walk thru' it to get to the platforms. Thus creating footfall for the shops. This didn't happen due to the financial crash in the early 90s and only later did the Broadway Centre get built on a different site to the south. That left an undeveloped station site which was later developed as an Inland Revenue office. So, the whole thing was a bit of a mess up as passengers now have to walk further to the new platforms than before which takes an extra 2/3 mins. The old station, although dark and dingy could have been refurbished and the convenience of being slightly closer to the central area retained. Then again, that's the problem with viewing the land the old station sat upon as being more valuable for development than having a train station sat upon it. Short sighted, limited ambition and lack of foresight by Bfd., Council, WYPTE & National Rail. Only now are they trying to rectify matters with an extra platform, but the damage was done back in the 1990s, as BFQ is little more than a gloried bus stop situated around the back of some offices.
Hello AdventureMe! Hope you’re keeping well? I love sunshine, walking adventures etc. I’d love to go adventuring with you!! You know all the good places ☺️ Hopefully chat soon?
Take care, and can’t wait to see more videos!!
Martin ☺️
A very informative and ultimately depressing video. I found this very difficult to watch as I left Bradford 30 years ago and Forster Square Station was still functioning although in a very rundown state. Keep the videos and the photofades coming.
As you go into the Midland Hotel directly on the right through the gates are the Victoria Rooms. As someone else mentioned this has the masonic square and compass sign on. Behind these doors is a masonic lodge room that Bradford Freemasons use for their meetings a couple of times a week.
There was a huge Masonic Lodge a little further along Manningham Lane called the Connaught Rooms and one at the end of Springbank Place.
The West Yorkshire Day Rover. Great value for money ticket. When I first used it I think it cost around £2.60. I do remember Forster Square albeit in a derelict state in the early 90's.
Thanks Darren enjoyed this, I never used the station but remember going to car boots in the 1990s there. I often wondered how it would have looked in the years of its hey day.
I was told there were underground storage facilities back in the day, as the goods yard was vast, if anyone can elaborate on that. Loved the fade ins as always 😎
*The Midland Hotel* interiors and/or exterior has appeared in stuff like *Billy Liar* (1963), *Minder* (1979-1994), *L.A. Without a Map* (1998), *The First Film* (2015), *Lies We Tell* (2017), *Gold* (2018), *Commando 3* (2019), *Lunar C: Puffer Jacket* (2020), *The Duke* (2020), *Peaky Blinders* (2013-2022), *Great British Railway Journeys* (2010-present) etc.
*Forster Square Railway Station* has appeared in stuff like *Minder* (1979-1994), *Lies We Tell* (2017), *Lunar C: Something To Believe In* (2023), plus some documentaries I can't remember, most likely on subjects like football and music.
*Forster Square Retail Park* I can't remember being used for any films or TV shows, however it has been used for freestyles and music videos like *Mic Man Sparxxx ft Wrapz, K13 - Man Up North/ Ya Get Me Fam* (2016) and *Ya Get Me Fam Cypher* (2016) feat *Darkiie, Wrapz, Jahrel Mission, Mic Man Sparxxx, Youtie DLO, Duane Simons,* and *K13,* among others.
There's no doubt many more productions I've forgotten about.
So sad to see demise great video
Not from Bradford, yet very interesting, made more so by the fact it is your birth home and you can lend that personal story to it. Makes it far more real. Many thanks.
Hello Darren how are you love your vidio of Bradford have a good bamkhoilday weekend best wishes take care stay safe ❤😅😅
Think part of the old station might have been given over to a short-lived, small exhibition venue. Later became a covered-in car park. In there, there used to be at least one spiral staircase (I think) leading to an office or something. Never ventured up as it looked so grotty and pigeon-infested. On a wall could be seen old notice giving some information about former parcels traffic. Facing the former Forster Square there were some iron gates featuring Midland Railway scrolls. This was in the early 80s. Similar scrolls could be seen inside the station itself.
Great video so sad
Very interesting video of Bradford Foster Square 😊
FYI unlike the old Forster Square, Day rovers are still around if you want one. They are now called WY DaySaver Train and available at all ticket offices for £9.50. Handy if you are doing many WY videos in a single day!
I really enjoy your videos, they are so full of information and interest . Thank you for sharing all your work with us. Looking forward to more 👍
Thanks for showing the inland revenue in Bradford.
My dad worked their.
Great to see Darren that the Midland Hotel has retained all its Victorian splendour but did you accidentally stray into the red light district dip in 20:47😂
Haha. I never noticed that.
Brilliant job , it all makes sense with them photo fades 👌. I can only remember entering Bradford through the interchange as a kid & teen(80s-90s) from New Pudsey, not Foster Square. Keep up the good work D!!100% Love the channel , Railway vids my favourite, though 😊
Great video! I'm very curious about the Victoria Rooms... The Mason's mark always peaks my interest 😅
You and me both!
All I know is that you can get free stuff.
My brother-in-law works with a Bradford based mason who he did a favour for (I have no idea what that favour was, but it was work related).
To say thanks, the mason then decided to give him 2-4 free tickets for something like The Grand National or England at Wembley.
I remember exploring during the late 80s in and around the old foyer/ticket office which became a car park. On one of the columns was an old 1950s/60s timetable showing the departures throughout the day. Wish I had photographed it.
Really enjoy your vlogs and many thanks for yet another brilliant one. I remember Wallace Arnold my brother in law was tourism director for them.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great "Photo fade", bit slower, or pause at crossiver point. Altogether, brilliant work, 👍
The external arches at the front of the old station were realigned so The Broadway could ‘nick’ the site of Forster Square itself.
Another cracking video, Darren, with your exemplary now & then fades to Bradford's past being the true highlight of this series. You provide a fascinating and visual treat in all of your videos.
Glad you enjoyed it
Hi darren lv video amazing history still there .keep up great work .
Very interesting video. What's left of the old station looks like an apology for what should be a statement about Bradford and its future. It looks like those responsible at the time, didn't think it had one. Hopefully, if the station's capacity gets expended, the opportunity will be taken to constructsomething which embodies the spirit of Bradford and in keeping with the best of its architecture.
Great video as always 😊
Lovely tour, Darren. Cheers!
Quality as always top man keep them coming always a fantastic watch 👍
Great video, Darren ❤
It's beautiful.
I wonder if the Victoria Rooms (6.18) had something to do with the Freemasons given the symbol over the door?
Very interesting, thank you for sharing
I remember working here back in the 70s with BR. It use to be very busy back then with post office parcels. There was also an entrance up cheapside just after the midland. Down the cobbled road and into the old car park
Nice one, Darren 👌
Thanks Darren, a most helpful and informative video. A few years ago, I was in a group visiting the stations in Bradford and we had coffee in a bar/cafe area where there was a magnificent mural of a past scene in Bradford. After all this time, I don't know if it's still in place or has been removed or still in place. Its worth checking out.
Despite the comments about Bradford, it's still has certain charm about it, not like Birmingham whichever has been devastated by the council and developers and is a massive waste land. Just hope Bradford Council doesn't follow Brums example.
That could possibly have been in the Midland hotel. There's a mural in there.
Nicely done Darren. Glad to see some bits are still standing
The Victoria Rooms is the entrance to Victoria Masonic Lodge which closed in recent years.
Brilliant, thank you. Did you spot the masonic symbols on the iron gates to the victoria rooms?
Good eye, I could spot them a mile away. The tiles were beautiful -- really something to see. Now hotels just use a "beige" painted wall, UGH.
I did yeah
Superb
Thanks 🤗
Totally amazing your footage, enjoyed so much,love all the history, thanks bringing these to us ,how we used to live
Very interesting video, particularly the photofades.
You could usefully add a scan of the relevant Ordenance Survey 1" Sheet 96 "Leeds & Bradford) (or even 2 1/2") (so long as you give copyright credit to OS) maps that would show the layouts and geo-locate the stations in Bradford (for those of us that have never been to the centre of Bradford).
Another great vid thanks. There are some lovely staff at the Midland, i have used it many times.
Fabulous video. You’ve really spoilt us with all the fantastic photo fades in this one. The close up of the steam train is my fave 👍🫶
Hi thanks for sharing this wonderful historic video I really enjoyed it. Have a blessed day
Thanks so much for this. I went to look at the station on a wander around in the 90 s. I didn't know it was like that!
Hi Darren, Great video of the old Midlands Station. Looking forward to seeing your video of the new City [through] Station, to match London, i.e., London Bridge.
Thank you for this day’s walking tour. Always a trip back in time. Thank you also for the information formulating the video, Darren. Hopefully, see you on the next. Cheers Darren! 🇬🇧🙂👍🇺🇸
Loving the Bradford history you're showing us Darren. Although I'm from Preston it's still fascinating to see how our towns and cities change over time (mostly not for the better sadly). Keep up the great work!
Darren, the line out of Forster Square nowadays is a branch line that goes to Shipley. In its time you show it was plenty busy with the goods yard and more platforms than now. How did it need so much infrastructure and how did the trains get to the main lines to London & Edinburgh from here. Thanks Darren for all the quality information.
Another interesting video - some great views of Bradford City’s Valley Parade in the distance at the beginning on the old photos ⚽️👍
Ironic really that the hmrc now occupies the old station and goods yard, a place that on daily basis would see many shunts to the tax office now filled with a bunch of cu----
Great video as always darren 👍
I love all your videos on bradford, the history of the city is actually really fascinating, shame the city is now a big building site and going downhill fast, hoping one day bradford will return to being like it used to be
Use to be my play ground there on bikes and when I worked in keighley i traveled from foster square awesome video Darren
Great to see what is left and a lovely exit to the hotel good luck with Britannia tho 🚂
Just goes to show you how things have changed over the years good one on Bradford interchange Darren looking forward to the next one
When you went on School Street, I thought you were going to mention the old entrance to Boiler House night club ha
No but I remember that lol
Hi Darren, the sculpture in front of the arches represent fibre optic cables - part of the 'connecting the city' art project, see also the giant sewing needle and fencing at the end of duke street opposite the top station entrance.
4:15 looks like masons entrance?...cool share thanks
Darren superb video as always goes to prove forward planning doesn't work
so many said ur fades are brill, i was born on wapping in , the first and only pool in a school was mine ,keep it up bro x x x x
They are actually clearing undergrowth right now for another platform to accommodate LNER trains.
They’re also cleaning the site of Crossley Evens scrap year for a new maintenance depot just outside Shipley station
the power station big bang i was there on bolton rd the old sweet shop that stood alone til ,,,,
What a great way to start a Sunday morning, a new Vid from Darren AdventureMe, were 5000 miles away.
Haha. Enjoy
Drat! I was out there a few months ago with my grandson and if I’d have been armed with your fantastic blog we could have done a proper explore. Another Darren masterpiece 🫡👍👏👏👏
Always a return trip lol
The Victoria Rooms would have been a masonic lodge, as it has the square and compass on the front. You made me laugh pulling a face at Britannia Hotels too 😂 great video as always Darren 🙂
When you showed the "Yes Mush" painting, I did an Internet search to try to find out the meaning. I came across an article from the Telegraph & Argus dated July 17, 2021. Apparently the artwork caused some controversy. Very nice video. It's sad to see so many grand buildings lost forever.
The T&A would try create controversy at an egg and spoon race.
I was really pleased to see that the luggage entrance from the hotel to the station was still there - and looking in a fine state. I remember that area very well from when I used to visit in the 90's, when it was The Pennington Midland (John Pennington, I believe owned it). Maybe Britannia will cherish it (?) rather than turn it into bunk bed accommodation!! Well done on another great vid.
Also known as "Liverpool Dock Passport Control" in Peaky Blinders.
I visit this station regularly and remember the old one. The current station is an utter disgrace. You missed the fact that the lift is out of order forcing people to use the ramp up to the City centre which stinks of urine and this unsavoury passageway hardly gives visitors a positive view of Bradford.