Wakefield Westgate railway station
Encyclopedia
Wakefield Westgate railway station is the mainline railway station for the city of Wakefield
in West Yorkshire
, England
. It is located on the western edge of the main city centre, on the opposite side from Wakefield's other station, Kirkgate
.
, whose services run south from platform 1 to Doncaster
, Newark
, Grantham
, Retford
, Peterborough
, Stevenage
and London Kings Cross and north from platform 2 to Outwood, Leeds and further north to York
, Newcastle upon Tyne
and Scotland operated by CrossCountry
.
There is generally a half-hourly service from Wakefield to London which takes approximately just over 2 hours for the 175 miles (281.6 km) journey. The service is well used by people from the Wakefield district
for travel to the capital.
The station is also served by CrossCountry
, Northern Rail
and East Midlands Trains
. CrossCountry operate train services to Newcastle, Edinburgh
and Glasgow to the north and services to Birmingham, Bournemouth
and the South West of England
. There is an hourly service in each direction.
Northern Rail
operate services north to Leeds and south to Doncaster and Sheffield as part of the Wakefield Line
and services to Selby
via Wakefield Kirkgate
, Huddersfield
, Halifax
, Bradford Interchange and Leeds. During evenings, there are also trains as part of the Pontefract Line
towards Knottingley which go via Wakefield Kirkgate
.
East Midlands Trains
services from Leeds to London St Pancras International
via either Derby
or Nottingham call at Wakefield Westgate. However there are only up to three departures per day (all early morning) from Leeds and up to four late afternoon/evening return trips from St Pancras. This is principally because the main maintenance depot for the former Midland Mainline HST power car
s is the Maintrain depot at Neville Hill in Leeds. This provides a limited but useful service between West Yorkshire and the East Midlands. The former operator Midland Mainline had serious plans for a regular service between St Pancras and Leeds via the Erewash Valley
and Leicester
but these were rejected by the (then) Strategic Rail Authority
. These services are however useful for people making trips to places such as Bedford
and Luton
for business or leisure.
s sell snacks and drinks on the station platform. On Platform 1 there is a small Costa Coffee
shop selling drinks and snacks. There is a taxi
waiting point outside the station, and a cashpoint. Opening hours 0500-0015 Mon-Sat 0800-0030 Sun. Ticket Office open 0600-2000 Mon-sat 0900-2000 Sun. Short Sstay carparking available at the station front £1 per hour. Long stay carparking is available in the new multi-storey car park on Mulbery Way (footpath link to platform) 750 spaces £12.50 per 24hrs.
as Denton Station.
The station originally opened in 1867 but was rebuilt in the 1960s. Opened after the original Kirkgate station, Westgate has become the main station in the city.
There are plans to regenerate the entire Westgate area of Wakefield, with the station being moved back down the line to allow for longer platforms to enable two trains to use the platforms at once. This means that express trains will be able to pull into the station as local trains terminate or stop, enhancing the passenger capabilities and train numbers the station can manage. Half of the old goods yard is to be purchased for private railway heritage whilst the other half is to see a station hotel, a small number of restaurants and new housing.
-based artist Charles Quick. The installation comprises a series of wooden planks in the form of waves which are lit by a rippling light at night. However, in recent years the sculpture fell into disrepair and as of 2009 has been removed.
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located on the western edge of the main city centre, on the opposite side from Wakefield's other station, Kirkgate
Wakefield Kirkgate railway station
Wakefield Kirkgate railway station is a railway station in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. Unlike the nearby Wakefield Westgate railway station, Kirkgate is unstaffed and served mostly by local trains...
.
Services
The station is managed by East CoastEast Coast (train operating company)
East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...
, whose services run south from platform 1 to Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
, Newark
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
, Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
, Retford
Retford
Retford is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands of England, located 31 miles from the city of Nottingham, and 23 miles west of Lincoln, in the district of Bassetlaw. The town is situated in a valley with the River Idle and the Chesterfield Canal running through the centre of the...
, Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, Stevenage
Stevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
and London Kings Cross and north from platform 2 to Outwood, Leeds and further north to York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and Scotland operated by CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
.
There is generally a half-hourly service from Wakefield to London which takes approximately just over 2 hours for the 175 miles (281.6 km) journey. The service is well used by people from the Wakefield district
City of Wakefield
The City of Wakefield is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. Wakefield is the district's administrative centre. The district includes the "Five Towns" of Normanton, Pontefract, Featherstone, Castleford and Knottingley. Other...
for travel to the capital.
The station is also served by CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
, Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
and East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
. CrossCountry operate train services to Newcastle, Edinburgh
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
and Glasgow to the north and services to Birmingham, Bournemouth
Bournemouth railway station
Bournemouth railway station, originally known as Bournemouth East and then Bournemouth Central , is the main railway station serving the town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth...
and the South West of England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
. There is an hourly service in each direction.
Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
operate services north to Leeds and south to Doncaster and Sheffield as part of the Wakefield Line
Wakefield Line
The Wakefield line is the name given to one of the rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro/South Yorkshire P.T.E. area of northern England. The service connects Leeds and Wakefield with Sheffield and Doncaster. The section of the line between Leeds and Doncaster forms part of the East Coast Main...
and services to Selby
Selby railway station
Selby railway station serves the town of Selby in North Yorkshire, England. The station is on the Hull-York Line south of York, Leeds-Hull Line east of Leeds and west of Hull....
via Wakefield Kirkgate
Wakefield Kirkgate railway station
Wakefield Kirkgate railway station is a railway station in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. Unlike the nearby Wakefield Westgate railway station, Kirkgate is unstaffed and served mostly by local trains...
, Huddersfield
Huddersfield railway station
Huddersfield railway station serves the town of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England.The station is managed by First TransPennine Express who provide trains between the North East, North and East Yorkshire, and Leeds to the east and Manchester Piccadilly and North West.It is also served by local...
, Halifax
Halifax railway station
Halifax railway station serves the town of Halifax in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the Caldervale Line and is west from .The station at Halifax is an example of a single island platform acting as two platforms. Platform 2 heads eastbound, towards Bradford while Platform 1 heads westbound...
, Bradford Interchange and Leeds. During evenings, there are also trains as part of the Pontefract Line
Pontefract Line
The Pontefract Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England. The service is operated by Northern Rail, and links Wakefield and Leeds with Goole via Pontefract...
towards Knottingley which go via Wakefield Kirkgate
Wakefield Kirkgate railway station
Wakefield Kirkgate railway station is a railway station in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. Unlike the nearby Wakefield Westgate railway station, Kirkgate is unstaffed and served mostly by local trains...
.
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
services from Leeds to London St Pancras International
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
via either Derby
Derby Midland railway station
Derby railway station , also known as Derby Midland Station, is a main line railway station serving the city of Derby in England. Owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains, the station is also used by CrossCountry services and one Northern Rail service...
or Nottingham call at Wakefield Westgate. However there are only up to three departures per day (all early morning) from Leeds and up to four late afternoon/evening return trips from St Pancras. This is principally because the main maintenance depot for the former Midland Mainline HST power car
Power car
A power car is a railroad vehicle that is closely related to the locomotive. What differentiates the two is their construction or their use. A true locomotive can be physically separated from its train and does nothing but provide propulsion . A power car, on the other hand, is frequently an...
s is the Maintrain depot at Neville Hill in Leeds. This provides a limited but useful service between West Yorkshire and the East Midlands. The former operator Midland Mainline had serious plans for a regular service between St Pancras and Leeds via the Erewash Valley
Erewash Valley
The Erewash Valley is the valley of the River Erewash on the border of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire as far as the River Trent. It runs along the boundary of the southern end of the Derbyshire hills and the more rolling Nottinghamshire country...
and Leicester
Leicester railway station
Leicester railway station serves the City of Leicester in Leicestershire, England.As of late 2009 Leicester is a Penalty fare station, a valid ticket or Permit to travel must be shown when requested.-Background:...
but these were rejected by the (then) Strategic Rail Authority
Strategic Rail Authority
In existence from 2001 to 2006, the Strategic Rail Authority was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 to provide strategic direction for the railway industry....
. These services are however useful for people making trips to places such as Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
and Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
for business or leisure.
Facilities
The station is manned, with a cafe, information kiosk, ticket office, and a shop. Vending machineVending machine
A vending machine is a machine which dispenses items such as snacks, beverages, alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets, consumer products and even gold and gems to customers automatically, after the customer inserts currency or credit into the machine....
s sell snacks and drinks on the station platform. On Platform 1 there is a small Costa Coffee
Costa Coffee
Costa Coffee is a British coffeehouse company founded in 1971 by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa, as a wholesale operation supplying roasted coffee to caterers and specialist Italian coffee shops. Since 1995 it has been a subsidiary of Whitbread, since when the company has grown to over...
shop selling drinks and snacks. There is a taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
waiting point outside the station, and a cashpoint. Opening hours 0500-0015 Mon-Sat 0800-0030 Sun. Ticket Office open 0600-2000 Mon-sat 0900-2000 Sun. Short Sstay carparking available at the station front £1 per hour. Long stay carparking is available in the new multi-storey car park on Mulbery Way (footpath link to platform) 750 spaces £12.50 per 24hrs.
Television appearances
Wakefield Westgate appears in the TV series A Touch of FrostA Touch of Frost (TV series)
A Touch of Frost is a television detective series produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV from 1992 until 2010, initially based on the Frost novels by R. D. Wingfield....
as Denton Station.
History and regeneration
There are plans to regenerate the entire Westgate area of Wakefield, with the station being moved back down the line to allow for longer platforms to enable two trains to use the platforms at once. This means that express trains will be able to pull into the station as local trains terminate or stop, enhancing the passenger capabilities and train numbers the station can manage. Half of the old goods yard is to be purchased for private railway heritage whilst the other half is to see a station hotel, a small number of restaurants and new housing.
2007–2009 regeneration
A new £1.4 million platform was planned for the station by the end of 2009. This will form part of the Westgate Key Development Area which would have put "offices, leisure, small scale retail, hotel, restaurants and a substantial amount of new housing" on the site of the old dairy and the disused railway goods yards.Public art
Platform two, since 1988, has housed the sculpture 'A Light Wave' by the LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
-based artist Charles Quick. The installation comprises a series of wooden planks in the form of waves which are lit by a rippling light at night. However, in recent years the sculpture fell into disrepair and as of 2009 has been removed.