Place Cross Gates Station code CRG DfT category E Number of platforms 2 Pte West Yorkshire | Grid reference SE363344 Managed by Northern 2011/12 0.499 million | |
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Address Leeds LS15 8BZ, United Kingdom Similar East Garforth railway st, Micklefield railway station, New Pudsey railway st, Garforth railway station, Moorthorpe railway station | ||
Cross Gates railway station serves Cross Gates, an area in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the Selby Line, operated by Northern 4.25 miles (7 km) east of Leeds railway station.
Contents
In the past signwriters have been unsure as to the correct spelling of Cross Gates, with "Cross Gates" on the westbound platform and "Crossgates" on one sign on the eastbound platform. As of 2010, only the "Cross Gates" spelling is shown, and this is also the version used by National Rail Enquiries.
History
The station was originally opened by the Leeds and Selby Railway in 1834, but was closed in 1840 when the L&SR was leased by George Hudson's York and North Midland Railway. It reopened in 1850, but patronage was initially modest due to Cross Gates being a small village some distance from Leeds. The subsequent extension of the L&SR into the centre of Leeds in 1869 and the opening of the line to Wetherby seven years later saw usage increase significantly, with the community becoming a busy commuter suburb. A rebuild of the station was authorised in 1870 by the North Eastern Railway, but this wasn't carried out until 1902; the line from Leeds was quadrupled at this time and the station re-sited slightly east of its original position. In its rebuilt form, platforms were only provided on the outside (slow) lines, along with a ticket office at street level, substantial canopies and waiting rooms on each side. A new goods yard was also built alongside the eastbound platform.
Goods traffic ceased here in June 1964 and the fast lines were removed by the end of the decade. The platform canopies and buildings were demolished in stages in the 1970s, leaving only basic shelters in place. The old lattice footbridge linking the platforms was also demolished in 2007 after being disused and blocked off for several years.
Facilities
The station has a ticket office, which is manned part-time (Mondays to Saturdays only, early morning until early afternoon). Ticket machines are also available. Step-free access is possible to both platforms, by means of ramps from the street above. Digital information screens and a long-line P.A system provide train running information.
Services
Monday to Saturday daytime there is a half-hourly service to Leeds with most services going beyond to Bradford Interchange and onwards to Blackpool North or Huddersfield. Evenings and Sundays, the service is hourly only - in the evenings they terminate at Leeds but run through to Blackpool North on Sundays. Eastbound, there is an hourly service to York and Selby respectively Monday to Saturday daytimes. Evenings and Sundays, services run to York only every hour.
In addition to these, First TransPennine Express also call here during the morning and evening peaks with 2 trains to Liverpool Lime Street via Manchester, 1 train to Manchester Airport and 2 trains to Scarborough.
CrossCountry services between Scotland and Devon/Cornwall and the daily East Coast service from Leeds to Aberdeen rush through the station, but do not stop.
Former services
From 1876 until January 1964, passenger services existed between Cross Gates and Wetherby railway station. The Cross Gates to Wetherby line was closed under the Beeching Axe, with all traffic ceasing in April the same year. Alternative routes to Scarborough existed along this line as well as raceday specials to Wetherby racecourse. Services on this line ran to the following railway stations, Pendas Way, Scholes, Thorner, Bardsey, Collingham Bridge and Wetherby. Wetherby Racecourse also operated its own railway station, on the Harrogate to Church Fenton Line.