Something a little different today, and this is a shot of Queen Street Bridge and its surroundings. The bridge is due to be demolished quite soon, changing again an area which has undergone an interesting series of changes since railways first arrived in York, around 1840.
My viewpoint is from the city walls, at a point where two arches were created through the walls in the late 1830s to allow railway lines to enter a railway station within the walls, and immediately behind me. The railway approached the station through what is now the car park in this scene. Originally the road crossed the railway on a level crossing.
In 1877 a new railway station was opened outside the city walls (the corner of which can be seen on the right), and the level crossing replaced by a stone and brick bridge to accommodate the extra traffic generated. This bridge was widened in around 1909 with the rather ugly concrete additions that now hide the earlier stone bridge.
Tracks into the original York station were lifted in 1969 and the current car park created.
Other buildings of railway interest are the long brick building on the left, which was originally a locomotive workshop where steam locomotives were built, and a more modern brick building in the right background which is a modern railway operating centre which controls much of the signalling systems throughout Yorkshire.
So, a place with layers of history is due to change again. It will be interesting to see (and photograph) the changes as they happen, and the result of the changes.
A very familiar sight indeed! When the Young Fella was 21, we stayed at The Grand Hotel just a stone's throw away, which used to be the main office buildings for the railway. They have kept all the features and lovely long corridors and incorporated so much into the rooms. Always interested by railway history in its many forms.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
The changes here are just a small part of current and planned developments around the railway station. At the opposite side of the station is what is claimed to be the largest brownfield site in western Europe, and preparatory work has started there on what is called the 'York Central' developlment.
Shortly after the Grand Hotel opened, as part of a York Residents Weekend, Katharine and I were part of a tour round the building. We were very impressed by the way so many of the railway related features were preserved, and what an attractive hotel it made. I too like to investigate railway history in all its forms!
Ian
March 3rd, 2023
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Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
The changes here are just a small part of current and planned developments around the railway station. At the opposite side of the station is what is claimed to be the largest brownfield site in western Europe, and preparatory work has started there on what is called the 'York Central' developlment.
Ian
Shortly after the Grand Hotel opened, as part of a York Residents Weekend, Katharine and I were part of a tour round the building. We were very impressed by the way so many of the railway related features were preserved, and what an attractive hotel it made. I too like to investigate railway history in all its forms!
Ian