The Dark Arches - Underneath Leeds City Station - July 09

[KingElvis]

Even some people who have lived in Leeds all their lives don't know that the City Train Station is built on a massive network of brick arches called The Dark Arches. Mostly built back in the 1860s, the network that supports the station used over 18,000,000 bricks and was a record for the time. The River Aire runs directly underneath through a set of four massive brick tunnels.

These days, the station is the busiest outside of London and most of the travellers are blissfully unaware of the amazing secrets that sit below their Costa Coffee and Blackberrys. The station handles an amazing 110,000 passengers a day.

Lots of The Dark Arches are now a business estate called Granry Wharf, this consists of shops, a few discos and bars and a big new hotel and "luxury apartment" complex. If you look (and crawl) further though, some bits haven't been used for over 120 years

Some of the system has total public access, I have included those bits as people outside of Leeds may not have seen them before. If you live in the area and have never been down here, I suggest you do so.

You can read more on The Dark Arches HERE

Main Loop Road and the massive supporting bridge.



Main tunnel into The Dark Arches, at each side the old storage tunnels are now used for car parking and lock ups.



Some of the tunnels have been re-lined and are used as secure parking.



Various service and delievry tunnels break off from the main route.



The River Aire runs directly under the station through these massive brick arch tunnels. One of the best spots in Leeds.







The outfall of the river beneath the station.



Working further in, the tunnels are not really used but are kept in good condition.





If you keep going and ignore the little bald man who tells you to clear off, you get to the really old disused part. These tunnels haven't seen use for over 120 years. Light from the outside gets in through heavily bared windows.

Thanks for looking and apologies for the quality of the pics