Kirkstall Forge & Apperley Bridge

[Bantamzen]

A couple of pics have been posted on Northern's Twitter feed:

Take a look at @northernrailorg's Tweet:

https://twitter.com/northernrailorg/status/675991389646245888?s=09

 

[43074]

I was at Apperley Bridge for an hour or so this morning - there seemed to be quite a few people who turned up simply to have a look at the station, a few drove around the car park to the destination display before driving off. Various comments - some were amazed at the 'scale' of it - it's rather extravagant, others seemed put off by the train service being only hourly, but the general feeling was positive.

In terms of passengers - I'd suggest 30 or 40 people were boarding the Leeds services I observed, so not too bad for the first Sunday morning. Certainly fewer people travelling to Bradford - in both cases single figures observed. Got a few photos which I'll share in due course.

The one thing I would say is that weekday peak service looks considerably worse than nearby Guiseley or Horsforth - particularly in the morning peak, so it will be interesting to see how it pans out. In my opinion the peak Skipton services should call as well but there we go.

 

[John S2]

In my opinion the peak Skipton services should call as well but there we go.

The peak Skipton services are full already. The Leeds-Bradford Forster Square services are lightly loaded in comparison.

 

[yorksrob]

I see from the Cornwall Railway Society that West Yorks isn't the only place to have a reopening today - Some pics of the opening of Cranbrook (south West)

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/headlines---latest-reports-and-photographs

Congratulations to all communities with new stations today !

 

[D a v e]

I called in for a quick look at the new station today and I've added a few photos to my Flickr set, here.

The site seems to be massive. Does anyone know if is particularly big for a new station?

 

[geoffk]

Must get over to look at Apperley Bridge soon. Let's hope the punters don't get it mixed up with Appley Bridge.

Also Cranbook opened but not apparently Ricoh Arena/Bermuda Park.

 

[43074]

Must get over to look at Apperley Bridge soon. Let's hope the punters don't get it mixed up with Appley Bridge.

Or Northern's staff! I asked for an off peak day return to Apperley Bridge at Leeds Travel Centre, and was told it was £20! Cue look of shock from me, and I had to gently remind the lady issuing the ticket it was the 'new station between here [Leeds] and Shipley'!

 

[30907]

Twinned with the Ugley Women's Institute.

Which reminds me that 20 years ago I knew both the Idle Vicar and the Ugley Vicar. Correction in case either is a forum reader - the Vicars of Idle and Ugley. FYI as it has never had a station, Ugley is in Essex, think Elsenham is the railhead.

 

[Deerfold]

WYmetro's transport map for Bradford could do with a bit of an update - with Apperley Bridge being marked as due to open in 2016 and the new 948 and 949 bus services which start tomorrow not appearing.

http://www.wymetro.com/uploadedFile...Travel/maps_and_guides/Bradford_Route_Map.pdf

 

[61653 HTAFC]

A bit late now admittedly, but would there have been an alternative name for this station which would have been appropriate and WASN'T pretty much a homophone of an existing one? Idle or Greengates perhaps, but Apperley Bridge is probably more geographically accurate, and dropping the "Bridge" would cause confusion with Appleby which would be worse as trains which call there will pass through the new station.

 

[43074]

WYmetro's transport map for Bradford could do with a bit of an update - with Apperley Bridge being marked as due to open in 2016 and the new 948 and 949 bus services which start tomorrow not appearing.

http://www.wymetro.com/uploadedFile...Travel/maps_and_guides/Bradford_Route_Map.pdf

That's aside from getting the station name wrong... 'Bidge' is a rather unusual suffix for a station isn't it?

 

[Deerfold]

That's aside from getting the station name wrong... 'Bidge' is a rather unusual suffix for a station isn't it?

It is indeed...I'd missed that.

 

[Andyh82]

The new station gets a very good service. Half hourly all day, but even half hourly all throughout the evening, and with a last train of 2327 from Leeds.

The half hourly evening service and that late last train puts it with a much better provision than the vast majority of existing stations in West Yorkshire!

A notable service is that the evening Ribblehead to Leeds service calls there, so they presumably therefore get one DMU stopping a day.

 

[Starmill]

The new station gets a very good service. Half hourly all day, but even half hourly all throughout the evening, and with a last train of 2327 from Leeds.

The half hourly evening service and that late last train puts it with a much better provision than the vast majority of existing stations in West Yorkshire!

A notable service is that the evening Ribblehead to Leeds service calls there, so they presumably therefore get one DMU stopping a day.

Just to point out 2327 is when it arrives at Apperley Bridge. At 2318 from Leeds, it is an excellent last train by West Yorkshire standards, but a rather average one by national standards.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Perhaps we can now keep our eyes and ears open for any news on the other station on this thread...Kirkstall Forge.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The new station gets a very good service. Half hourly all day, but even half hourly all throughout the evening, and with a last train of 2327 from Leeds.

The half hourly evening service and that late last train puts it with a much better provision than the vast majority of existing stations in West Yorkshire!

A notable service is that the evening Ribblehead to Leeds service calls there, so they presumably therefore get one DMU stopping a day.

The initial plan was for just one of the two Leeds to Bradford Forster Square services each hour to call at first. Glad to see that the powers that be have seen sense. I assume the same will apply at Kirkstall Forge, with both Leeds to Ilkley services calling at KLF?

 

[Bantamzen]

Called at Apperley Bridge this morning on the 07:01 Shipley > Leeds (ex 06:54 from Bradford FS). Quite a few people waiting for the service on arrival, probably more than a dozen, which doesn't sound like a huge number but is still not bad for day 1 of peak time operations. No doubt later services saw / will see similar if not higher numbers so I suspect that car park will be pretty full during most days in the near future.

Only one down side was that the 333's CIS system hasn't yet been updated to announce Apperley Bridge, which might be an issue when new users are returning in the evening peak. It certainly threw one or two people on my service, who where nervously looking around when the train drew to a halt and opened the doors!

Perhaps we can now keep our eyes and ears open for any news on the other station on this thread...Kirkstall Forge.

I shouldn't hold my breath just yet, there still seems to be some work to do and the platforms are still surrounded by temporary barriers. I'd wager that we will not see services calling there for at least another month, and works can't have been helped by two floods in the area in the last few weeks.

The initial plan was for just one of the two Leeds to Bradford Forster Square services each hour to call at first. Glad to see that the powers that be have seen sense. I assume the same will apply at Kirkstall Forge, with both Leeds to Ilkley services calling at KLF?

Last time I looked on RTT (before the latest delay to the buildd 1tph from Ilkley was booked to call there. But don't be surprised if this changes quickly, especially if Apperley Bridge becomes popular. I can see a time in the not too distant future where all services call at one if not both.

 

[johntea]

Annoyingly it doesn't show up on my train times app yet, hopefully it gets updated soon!

 

[Deerfold]

The new station gets a very good service. Half hourly all day, but even half hourly all throughout the evening, and with a last train of 2327 from Leeds.

The half hourly evening service and that late last train puts it with a much better provision than the vast majority of existing stations in West Yorkshire!

A notable service is that the evening Ribblehead to Leeds service calls there, so they presumably therefore get one DMU stopping a day.

The evening return from Ribblehead forms part of the regular half-hourly service Skipton - Leeds unlike most services from north of Skipton.

What does seem odd is that every service (apart from the one from London) from 2056 ex-Leeds stops at Apperley Bridge, except the last-but-one at 2256. I wonder how many people will get caught out by that - it gets to Shipley too late to get the last train in the other direction.

 

[Grumpy]

. No doubt later services saw / will see similar if not higher numbers so I suspect that car park will be pretty full during most days in the near future.

.

Called in around 11am and there were 68 cars in the car park. Thought there might have been more, but given the somewhat shambolic opening perhaps not surprising. We have friends living in nearby Rawdon who knew nothing about it.

Hopefully word will soon go round and numbers build up in coming months.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The site seems to be massive. Does anyone know if is particularly big for a new station?

It's certainly got a big car park, nearly 300 spaces, but it will need these as there aren't many houses close by. Better, and probably cheaper, to provide these now as part of the original contract rather than have the disruption and extra cost of trying to extend in a few months time.

Shame the same thinking didn't apply to the platforms which just seem to be long enough for a 4 car set.

It's also a shame they didn't position the bus stop nearer the platforms eg like Menston, rather than at the bottom of the car park.

No platform canopies of course, just a couple of bus-type shelters. So stand in the pouring rain whilst trying to use the ticket machines.

 

[Deerfold]

Popped down this afternoon. Arrived on the service heading towards Leeds around 1745 (from Skipton). Two of us got off, 7 got on. Apperley Bridge was listed on the sign at Keighley but not announced on the train (it was listing "next train Leeds").

It was on a vast scale compared to the 80s and 90s reopenings I'm familiar with.

The Bradford side platform design seems to force you to walk further than needed - if you park near the top of the steps or walk into the station you have to walk the length of the car park and then walk it again on the other side of a 5 ft fence before descending. Seemed odd they didn't put a gate in at the top of the steps.

Headed back to Shipley on the 1820. 20-odd people got off, just me getting on. No trains were being announced on the signs. At Shipley I picked up the new Airedale and Leeds-Bradford timetables. The times for Apperley Bridge were not in them.

 

[ainsworth74]

The Bradford side platform design seems to force you to walk further than needed - if you park near the top of the steps or walk into the station you have to walk the length of the car park and then walk it again on the other side of a 5 ft fence before descending. Seemed odd they didn't put a gate in at the top of the steps.

We were wondering if they weren't thinking about revenue blocks when they came up with the layout. For instance they've also put the TVM (probably TVMs eventually judging from the foundations) outside the station on the car park rather than in the shelters.

 

[johntea]

Not that any instantly spring to mind but quite a few of the West Yorkshire stations seem to act as more of a gym than railway station ever since they did the works on several to remove the track crossings

I also can't see them being in a rush to send out the revenue protection lot to Apperley Bridge as it is stuck between a station with ticket barriers and a station with pac man ghosts a.k.a STM security staff

 

[Mariner]

I've been keeping an eye on the WY Metro site, and instead of giving updates, they simply subtly change the opening of the station:
http://www.wymetro.com/news/projects/projectdetails/kirkstallforgerail/

"Construction began on October 2014 and is progressing well; the expected date for opening of station is by Easter 2016."

This has changed twice in the past couple of months... it was originally December 2015, then January 2016, and now Easter 2016.

What gets me is that they don't give an update, just change the month... "progressing well" is interesting if it's had to be put back twice! I'm not too fussed as it'll be great to have a station there, it would just be good if we got some proper updates.

 

[bluenoxid]

Not that any instantly spring to mind but quite a few of the West Yorkshire stations seem to act as more of a gym than railway station ever since they did the works on several to remove the track crossings

I also can't see them being in a rush to send out the revenue protection lot to Apperley Bridge as it is stuck between a station with ticket barriers and a station with pac man ghosts a.k.a STM security staff

Steeton and Silsden offers a lovely figure of 8 running track for those wanting to recreate that scene from rocky.

 

[leedsblue]

This latest non-update from WYMetro is incredibly frustrating. I can see Kirkstall Forge from my house and the station itself looks virtually finished. It's had its lights on all week and looks for all intents and purposes like a fully functioning station. However the land around the station is still very much a building site, and I guess that's where the issue lies.

 

[johntea]

WY Metro are really odd when it comes to projects. Some projects they get spot on and delivered on time, whilst others just seem to drag on and on and on (I realize external factors etc but still).

Their M Card project comes to mind, only literally in the past couple of months have they introduced the option to purchase an annual MetroCard as a M Card - I remember asking them about this in November 2014 when I last renewed mind to be told the option would be 'coming soon'!

 

[Crossover]

A group of us went on Sunday evening (1745 from Leeds) - not many people around, but it was a bit wet. Boards at Leeds listed APERLYB so it isn't in the system there and the 333 kept saying "the next station is Shipley"....oh no it isn't! (though it did make for a quiet return as it thought Apperley Bridge was Leeds so goodness knows where it thought we were going next...Neville Hill?). Also, whilst the main departure screen was working, the departures had no platform information so the platform CIS had only a generic display

Even at the time we were there, people were driving round the car park to have a nosey (someone wondering whether it was open)

We were also pondering what the bridge at the station had been used for (3T weight limit noted) - looking on Google Earth, it seems it was merely a bridge to a small compound on what is now the station car park, so presumably hadn't been used much for vehicular traffic for a while

Must get over to look at Apperley Bridge soon. Let's hope the punters don't get it mixed up with Appley Bridge.

I nearly went and bought Appley Bridge from the TVM at Dewsbury. Went to the ticket office and made quite clear which one I was after ("Is that the one between Leeds and Bradford?" - I think the lady there has got used to me asking for all manners of "random" destinations!)

Shame the same thinking didn't apply to the platforms which just seem to be long enough for a 4 car set.

No platform canopies of course, just a couple of bus-type shelters. So stand in the pouring rain whilst trying to use the ticket machines.

Yeah - the platforms literally only just take a 4 car set - no passive provision for anything longer at all. We also noted that the reason why the shelters were full of water (on the Leeds bound platform at least) was because it is the drainage channel from the ramps to the drainage "strip" that is in front of the shelter

 

[61653 HTAFC]

At the time these stations were being planned, the idea of anything longer than a 333 was probably thought to be so far in the future that building for longer than that wasn't considered. Especially considering that costs are in issue with any new stations. The replacement of some or all of the fleet with 3/6 car formations has only just been announced so it is understandable that this wasn't done. It does seem rather short-sighted to the casual observer now though.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Certainly the southbound would be very hard to extend unless they can cut away part of the over bridge.

But so long as the new stock Arriva are promising has SDO then it shouldn't be a major issue.