Horsforth Woodside railway station explained

Horsforth Woodside
Symbol Location:gb
Symbol:rail
Borough:Horsforth, City of Leeds
Country:England
Coordinates:53.8391°N -1.616°W
Grid Name:Grid reference
Manager:Northern
Platforms:2 (intended)
Zone:2
Transit Authority:West Yorkshire (Metro)
Years:1852
Events:Opened
Years1:1864
Events1:Closed

Horsforth Woodside was a proposed railway station that was to be built on the site of Woodside Quarry near Horsforth in West Yorkshire, England.[1] It would have been located on the Harrogate Line near the current Horsforth station, which would also stay open. Horsforth Woodside was also the name of a very early station on the Leeds-Northallerton railway, which was closed completely in 1864.[2] The fact that both the old closed station and the proposed new station have the same name has caused confusion when railway historical matters in this area are being discussed. The proposed station would have served a planned housing development at the former Woodside Quarry, as well as providing a park and ride service for Leeds city centre.[1]

A turn-back facility was built in 2012 at nearby Horsforth station which allows for future timetabling improvements. That was related to the intention of opening the new station at Horsforth Woodside.[3]

In a 2014 feasibility study, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority decided not to pursue with Horsforth Woodside for a number of reasons: the opening of Apperley Bridge and Kirkstall Forge stations on the Airedale Line (which are in the same area), its proximity to Horsforth railway station, and the proposal for a park and ride facility at nearby Boddington.[4] It was argued, however, that with plans to build 2000 homes near the site of the proposed station, it was still needed.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Burford Woodside Quarry. Leeds.gov.uk. 12 January 2016. 5.
  2. Book: Cobb. M. H.. The railways of Great Britain - a historical atlas. 2003. 0711030030. 396. 2. 12 January 2016. 8 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170708121149/http://www.railwaysofgreatbritain.com/the-atlas. dead.
  3. News: Horsforth passengers to benefit from £16 million railway package. 12 January 2016. Ilkley Gazette. 13 November 2012.
  4. Web site: New Railway Stations in North and West Yorkshire Feasibility Study. WYMetro. 12 January 2016. 22. 23 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060333/http://www.wymetro.com/uploadedFiles/WYMetro/Content/news/projects/projectdetails/New%20Stations%20Study%20Report%20v1.0%20FINAL%20Redacted.pdf. 4 March 2016. dead.
  5. News: Keith. Joseph. Call for more car parking at Leeds station. 26 September 2015. 16 March 2017.