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Holbeck Viaduct Project

LeedsRailway viaducts in West YorkshireTransport in LeedsUse British English from January 2020
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HolbeckViaductImpression

The Holbeck Viaduct Project is a community project that proposes bringing the Holbeck Viaduct in Leeds, England back into public use. The project is supported by a community group of the same name.The Holbeck Viaduct (also known as the Farnley Viaduct) spans 92 archways and 1.1 miles (1.7 km). It runs from Leeds railway station, via Holbeck Urban Village and Old Holbeck, passes near Elland Road Stadium and ends onto wasteland in Wortley.The viaduct was built in 1882 for the London and North Western Railway during the Industrial Revolution. It has been described as a feat of Victorian engineering, and provided a vital transport link into the booming city centre, which by the turn of the 20th century had developed into an important centre for the production of woollen cloth (See History of Leeds). The viaduct largely fell out of use in the 1960s following Leeds City Station modernisation, and the last scheduled train to pass over the viaduct did so on 11 October 1987.A number of uses for the viaduct have been suggested, including a community garden, green walkway, arts space, park, cycle path, events hub, public allotment, café, music venue, viewing platform, local landmark or other community-focused project. The Holbeck Viaduct Project community group envisages that the viaduct will open in 2023. The proposed timeline for the development is: 2016–2017: Pre-feasibility scoping report 2017–2018: Detailed feasibility and stakeholder engagement 2018–2020: Fundraising and securing land and planning 2021–2023: Constructing, planting and opening.The project is happening at the same time as the South Bank Leeds regeneration, which has the aim of doubling the size of Leeds city centre.The community group supporting the project seeks to develop the project in a highly participatory manner, drawing on the time, skills and resources of a wide range of people and organisations. The group has a website and mailing list, and is represented on Twitter and Facebook. The group is seeking new volunteers and supporters to support their community-based proposals, including detailed feasibility study to underpin future fundraising. The project has previously been referred to as the Holbeck High Line, echoing the High Line in New York. However, the name Holbeck Viaduct Project reflects a wider range of options and a desire to create an affordable project which truly reflects Leeds and its local communities. The Holbeck Viaduct Project is not to be confused with the nearby Monk Bridge Viaduct development, in nearby Whitehall Road, which will see a separate viaduct turned into a sky park, alongside bars, restaurants and apartments.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Holbeck Viaduct Project (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Holbeck Viaduct Project
Stocks Hill, Leeds Holbeck

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N 53.788 ° E -1.562303 °
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Stocks Hill
LS11 9TU Leeds, Holbeck
England, United Kingdom
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Leeds Whitehall railway station

Leeds Whitehall railway station was a temporary station that was built to the west of Leeds station in Leeds, England while the latter was rebuilt by Railtrack between 1999 and 2002. There was a need for the station itself to be closed during nights and at Christmas of 2000.A temporary station was built on the Down Whitehall Line just off Springwell Road near the junction of Water Lane, in Holbeck, with a bus turning circle and bus stands outside the station. Bus services ran to ferry passengers from the industrial estate in which the station was placed to Leeds station. It opened on 26 September 1999.A passenger welcome board stood at the junction of Water Lane and Springwell Road, informing passengers of this temporary station, the building work at Leeds station and other information. The colour scheme of the time was the standard white, grey and crimson colours of Railtrack. CCTV signs were placed around the site, warning that footage of people could be used in a court of law. The station consisted of a single platform that was mainly used by Arriva Trains Northern services to and from Manchester Airport between 12 am and 5 am; as well as some local services during daytime off-peak hours. The station also contained two Portakabin buildings; one was a waiting room and the other included toilets and office accommodation. Both buildings had impact-resistant walls and anti-vandal finishes. The last passenger train to use the station called on 23 February 2002.

Marshall's Mill
Marshall's Mill

Marshall's Mill is a former flax spinning mill on Marshall Street in Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Marshall's Mill was part of a complex begun in 1791–92 by English industrial pioneer John Marshall. It was originally a four-storey mill, drawing water from the nearby Hol Beck. A Boulton & Watt steam engine was installed to assist water power. Rapid expansion followed with the addition of Mill 'B' (1794) adjacent to a warehouse built to service the original mill (all now demolished.)It was to eventually supplant Yorkshire's previous cottage industry of hand driven spindles. As the business continued to expand further mills, warehouses, engine houses, and reservoirs were added on the south side of Hol Beck. The six storey Mill 'C' was added in 1815–16, Mill 'D' followed in 1826–27, and Mill 'E' (which is aligned to the roadside and joined Mill 'C' to Mill 'D') in 1829–31.Temple Mill, in the form of an Egyptian Temple, was built between 1838 and 1841. Later, the complex employed over 2,000 factory workers. When it was completed it was considered to be one of the largest factories in the world, with 7,000 steam-powered spindles. The addition of the Temple Mill completed development of mills by Marshall & Sons on this site. All of the mill buildings added from 1815 still exist. In the early years, child labour was employed. In 1832 Marshall's political opponents alleged that: 'In Mr Marshall's mill, a boy of 9 years of age was stripped to the skin, bound to an iron pillar, and mercilessly beaten with straps, until he fainted.' But other reports claim that Marshall treated his workers better than most factory owners: overseers were forbidden to use corporal punishment to control the workers, and Marshall installed fans and attempted to regulate the temperature of the mill. In 1844, Marshall and a neighbouring engineering firm, Taylor, Wordsworth and Co broke new ground by organising an away weekend in Liverpool for their workers, a novelty which caused even the editor of the normally liberal Leeds Mercury some concern: 'Entirely approving of excursions for the working class, and with the kindest feelings towards the workmen of Messrs Marshall and Messrs Taylor and Wordsworth, we would express our earnest hope that the Sunday spent in Liverpool may not in any respect be spent in a manner unbecoming the day ... There are many excellent men among the above bodies of workmen, and great responsibility will rest upon them for the issue of this new and somewhat doubtful experiment, of a large body of people being away from home on the Sabbath, and on two whole nights.' Marshall & Sons ceased production in 1886. The site was taken over by other textile producers. Marshall's Mill is now a grade II* listed building. The site was comprehensively redeveloped in the late 1990s. It is now used as office space for several companies. There are plans to further redevelop the site as part of Holbeck Urban Village.