Bradford Crossrail
Encyclopedia
Bradford Crossrail is an idea to link together Bradford's
two railway stations, Bradford Forster Square
and Bradford Interchange. Both these stations are truncated
versions of former station sites, Bradford Forster Square station and Bradford Exchange. These stations were built in the nineteenth century by different railway companies with an individual, rather than a comprehensive plan for rail development in the city.
Linking the stations together was first suggested as early as 1845 however, it was not until 1911 that a serious plan was put forward and an enabling Act of Parliament ‘The Bradford Through Lines Act’ was passed. The area between the stations was heavily built-up with Victorian warehouses, shops and offices, so the 1911 plan would have involved a large amount of demolition
. The start of World War I
eventually put a stop to these plans.
By the late 1950s and early 1960s many of the Victorian buildings
in central Bradford were demolished to make way for the urban vision of the then Bradford city engineer Stanley Wardley
. Although the land between the two stations was cleared to make way for new office blocks and an urban ring road, the plans did not include a cross rail link. A slightly different vision did emerge in the 1970s when the Victorian Bradford Exchange station was demolished and a new integrated Bradford Interchange rail and bus station was built to the south of Bridge Street.
Many of Wardley’s highrise office blocks and shops did not ultimately prove successful and by the late 1980s many of them lay empty. An initial plan was put forward to redevelop part of the city centre with a shopping development called the Broadway Centre. Forster Square station was truncated in 1990 and a new station was built some distance to the north of the original to help facilitate these plans. The aim was to build part of the new shopping centre in place of some of the demolished 1960s buildings with the rest of the centre taking up the site of the old station. By truncating the station it was hoped that passengers walking to the new platforms would generate a greater amount of pedestrian flow around the shopping centre, thus making it more viable. The recession of the early 1990s however, put paid to these plans and Broadway Centre was never built.
Later by the 2000s, another plan emerged to build a new Westfield
shopping centre in the middle of Bradford. This led to the wholesale urban clearance of many of the 1960s buildings to make way for the new centre. Although work started on laying the groundwork
for the new shopping centre another recession again put paid to the initial plans. Although Westfield still plan to build a new smaller centre when financial conditions are more favourable. As most of the land between the stations is now clear of buildings this has led to further speculation about the viability of building a cross city heavy rail link. Bradford Council had discussed plans way back in the 1980s, but linking the stations was ultimately deemed to be too expensive. Today, even with the clearance of most of the land there is no official plan by either the Bradford Council or the Westfield Group to develop a link. Although Westfield did design and fund the new Shepherd's Bush station as part of their West London shopping development. The development of Stratford station in East London is also connected to Westfield's Stratford City project.
More recently, a group of local businessmen and councillors have put forward a plan to link Bradford's stations. Inspired by other rail projects, such as the London Overground
link in Shoreditch
, the Bradford business plan involved building new Bradford central station linked by a viaduct and track bridging the distance (currently 0.44miles) and the gradient difference involved. The Bradford Crossrail plan is aimed to stimulate business investment in Bradford, but due to the high costs and major engineering works involved it is not likely to be taken forward at any time soon.
The Windsor Link Railway
project is another similar scheme to Bradford Crossrail which aims connect Windsor and Eton Central station
with Windsor and Eton Riverside
.
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
two railway stations, Bradford Forster Square
Bradford Forster Square railway station
Bradford Forster Square station is a railway station in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The majority of services to/from the station use Class 333 electrified trains operated by Northern Rail, on the Airedale Line to Skipton, the Wharfedale Line to Ilkley and the Leeds-Bradford Line to Leeds.The...
and Bradford Interchange. Both these stations are truncated
Truncated railway station termini
A truncated railway station terminus is when an original station site is sold for redevelopment and a new, usually smaller station is constructed back down the line. Whilst there are many examples of station buildings and other structures, such as the redundant platforms at Whitby being sold for...
versions of former station sites, Bradford Forster Square station and Bradford Exchange. These stations were built in the nineteenth century by different railway companies with an individual, rather than a comprehensive plan for rail development in the city.
Linking the stations together was first suggested as early as 1845 however, it was not until 1911 that a serious plan was put forward and an enabling Act of Parliament ‘The Bradford Through Lines Act’ was passed. The area between the stations was heavily built-up with Victorian warehouses, shops and offices, so the 1911 plan would have involved a large amount of demolition
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
. The start of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
eventually put a stop to these plans.
By the late 1950s and early 1960s many of the Victorian buildings
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
in central Bradford were demolished to make way for the urban vision of the then Bradford city engineer Stanley Wardley
Stanley Wardley
Stanley Gordon Wardley was City Engineer for Bradford during the major redevelopment of Bradford city centre in the 1950s and 1960s,-Biography:Wardley was appointed City Engineer and Surveyor for Bradford in January 1946....
. Although the land between the two stations was cleared to make way for new office blocks and an urban ring road, the plans did not include a cross rail link. A slightly different vision did emerge in the 1970s when the Victorian Bradford Exchange station was demolished and a new integrated Bradford Interchange rail and bus station was built to the south of Bridge Street.
Many of Wardley’s highrise office blocks and shops did not ultimately prove successful and by the late 1980s many of them lay empty. An initial plan was put forward to redevelop part of the city centre with a shopping development called the Broadway Centre. Forster Square station was truncated in 1990 and a new station was built some distance to the north of the original to help facilitate these plans. The aim was to build part of the new shopping centre in place of some of the demolished 1960s buildings with the rest of the centre taking up the site of the old station. By truncating the station it was hoped that passengers walking to the new platforms would generate a greater amount of pedestrian flow around the shopping centre, thus making it more viable. The recession of the early 1990s however, put paid to these plans and Broadway Centre was never built.
Later by the 2000s, another plan emerged to build a new Westfield
Westfield Bradford
Westfield Bradford is a planned leisure and shopping complex in Bradford, England. In preparation for the project a number of buildings, mainly dating from the 1960s, were demolished on Forster Square and major shopping street Broadway....
shopping centre in the middle of Bradford. This led to the wholesale urban clearance of many of the 1960s buildings to make way for the new centre. Although work started on laying the groundwork
Deep foundation
A deep foundation is a type of foundation distinguished from shallow foundations by the depth they are embedded into the ground. There are many reasons a geotechnical engineer would recommend a deep foundation over a shallow foundation, but some of the common reasons are very large design loads, a...
for the new shopping centre another recession again put paid to the initial plans. Although Westfield still plan to build a new smaller centre when financial conditions are more favourable. As most of the land between the stations is now clear of buildings this has led to further speculation about the viability of building a cross city heavy rail link. Bradford Council had discussed plans way back in the 1980s, but linking the stations was ultimately deemed to be too expensive. Today, even with the clearance of most of the land there is no official plan by either the Bradford Council or the Westfield Group to develop a link. Although Westfield did design and fund the new Shepherd's Bush station as part of their West London shopping development. The development of Stratford station in East London is also connected to Westfield's Stratford City project.
More recently, a group of local businessmen and councillors have put forward a plan to link Bradford's stations. Inspired by other rail projects, such as the London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
link in Shoreditch
Shoreditch High Street railway station
Shoreditch High Street is a railway station in Shoreditch, London. The station is located on Bethnal Green Road close to Shoreditch High Street and is served by London Overground services running on the extended East London Line under the control of the London Rail division of Transport for London...
, the Bradford business plan involved building new Bradford central station linked by a viaduct and track bridging the distance (currently 0.44miles) and the gradient difference involved. The Bradford Crossrail plan is aimed to stimulate business investment in Bradford, but due to the high costs and major engineering works involved it is not likely to be taken forward at any time soon.
The Windsor Link Railway
Windsor Link Railway
The Windsor Link Railway is a proposed new railway in Windsor, Berkshire, connecting the Great Western and South West Trains franchise areas and potentially linking both to London Heathrow Airport....
project is another similar scheme to Bradford Crossrail which aims connect Windsor and Eton Central station
Windsor and Eton Central railway station
Windsor & Eton Central station is one of two terminal stations serving the town of Windsor in Berkshire, England. Although a small part still functions as a railway station, the station structure has largely been converted into a tourist-oriented shopping centre, known as Windsor Royal Shopping...
with Windsor and Eton Riverside
Windsor and Eton Riverside railway station
Windsor & Eton Riverside station is a station in Windsor in Berkshire, England. The station, close to the River Thames and Windsor Castle, is a grade II listed building....
.