View source for Leeds railway station

{{Short description|Mainline railway station in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox station
| name                = Leeds
| other_name   = Leeds City
| symbol_location     = gb
| symbol              = rail
| image               = Leeds City Station (geograph 7282625).jpg
| caption             = The New Station Street entrance in August 2022
| borough            = [[Leeds]], [[City of Leeds]]
| country             = England
| coordinates         = {{coord|53.794|-1.547|type:railwaystation_region:GB_scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
| grid_name           = [[Ordnance Survey National Grid|Grid reference]]
| grid_position       = {{gbmapscaled|SE299331|25|SE299331}}
| manager             = [[Network Rail]]
| platforms           = 18 - numbered 0-17 (National Rail)
| code                = LDS
| zone                = 1
| classification      = [[United Kingdom railway station categories|DfT category]] A
| transit_authority   = [[West Yorkshire Metro]]
| opened              = 2 May 1938<br />Rebuilt 1967<br />Rebuilt 2002
| mpassengers =
<!-- {{Rail pass box |pass_year=2015/16 |passengers={{increase}} 29.724 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2016/17 |passengers={{increase}} 30.943 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2017/18 |passengers={{increase}} 31.101 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2018/19 |passengers={{decrease}} 30.839 million}}-->
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2019/20 |passengers={{increase}} 31.021 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 5.854 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 19.263 million |interchange={{pad|2em}} 1.798 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 23.964 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 2.489 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 24.891 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 2.684 million}}
| footnotes           = Passenger statistics from the [[Office of Rail & Road]]
|mapframe=yes
|mapframe-zoom = 14
}}
'''Leeds railway station''' (also known as '''Leeds City railway station''')<ref>{{cite web|title=Leeds Station|url=https://www.networkrail.co.uk/VirtualArchive/leeds-station/?cd=10|website=Network Rail Virtual Archive|publisher=Network Rail|access-date=3 December 2015|date=7 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305091250/https://www.networkrail.co.uk/VirtualArchive/leeds-station/?cd=10|archive-date=5 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=Leeds Railway Station|url=http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/leedsrailwaystation/|website=Railway-Technology|access-date=3 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Automatic-ticket-gates-at-Leeds.4349517.jp|title=Automatic ticket gates at Leeds City Station}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leedsliveitloveit.com/Visitors/Travel/tabid/67/Default.aspx |title=leedsliveitloveit |publisher=leedsliveitloveit |access-date=3 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102224839/http://www.leedsliveitloveit.com/Visitors/Travel/tabid/67/Default.aspx |archive-date=2 November 2014  }}</ref> is the mainline railway station serving the [[Leeds city centre|city centre]] of [[Leeds]] in West Yorkshire, England. It is located on New Station Street to the south of [[City Square, Leeds|City Square]], at the foot of Park Row, behind the landmark [[Queens Hotel, Leeds|Queens Hotel]]. It is one of 20 stations managed by [[Network Rail]].<ref name="Commercial information">{{cite web |url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/managed-stations/ |title=Commercial information |date=April 2014 |work=Our Stations |publisher=Network Rail |location=London |access-date=12 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410040141/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/managed-stations/ |archive-date=10 April 2014  }}</ref> As of December 2023, it was the busiest station in [[West Yorkshire]], as well as in [[Yorkshire & the Humber]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage|title=ORR Statistics 2023-24}}</ref> It is the fourth busiest station in the UK outside London, after [[Birmingham New Street]], {{rws|Manchester Piccadilly}} and {{rws|Glasgow Central}}.

Leeds is an important hub on the British rail network. The station is the terminus of the Leeds branch of the [[East Coast Main Line]] (on which London North Eastern Railway provides high speed inter-city services to {{rws|London King's Cross}} every half hour from the station) and is an important stop on the [[Cross Country Route]] between [[Scotland]], the [[Midlands]] and [[South West England]] connecting to major towns and cities such as [[Glasgow]], [[Edinburgh]], [[Derby]], [[Birmingham]], [[Bristol]], [[Exeter]], [[Plymouth]] and [[Penzance]]. There are also regular inter-city services to major destinations throughout [[Northern England]] including [[Manchester]], [[Liverpool]], [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]] and [[Sheffield]]. It is also the terminus for trains running on the scenic [[Settle–Carlisle line|Settle & Carlisle line]].
[[File:Queens Hotel station and offices 1 July 2018 02.jpg|thumb|The City Square entrance in July 2018]]
Leeds is a major hub for local and regional destinations across [[Yorkshire]] such as to [[Harrogate]], [[York]], [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire|Scarborough]], [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]], [[Doncaster]] and [[Sheffield]]. The station lies at the heart of the [[West Yorkshire Metro]] [[Urban rail in the United Kingdom|commuter network]] for [[West Yorkshire]] providing services to [[Bradford]], [[Wakefield]], [[Dewsbury]], [[Huddersfield]] and [[Halifax, West Yorkshire|Halifax]].

With 24 million passenger entries and exits between April 2022 and March 2023, Leeds is the busiest railway station in the [[Northern England|North of England]], overtaking {{stnlnk|Manchester Piccadilly}}, and the second-busiest railway station in the United Kingdom outside London, after {{stnlnk|Birmingham New Street}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/axnd1tyj/station-usage-2022-23-statistical-release.pdf|title=ORR Statistics 2022-23}}</ref>

==Description==
[[File:Leeds City railway station concourse.jpg|thumb|The North Concourse (Wellington Quarter) by [[William Henry Hamlyn]] dating from 1937/38 – The shops on the right were previously platform entrances]]
[[File:Leeds station letters.jpg|thumb|The 6-foot high 'LEEDS' letters inside the main entrance to the station]]
[[File:Platform hall, Leeds City Station (10th June 2019).jpg|thumb|right|Platform hall]]

The railway station is situated on a hill falling from the south of the city to the [[River Aire]] and the [[Leeds and Liverpool Canal]] basin. Much of it is supported on [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] brick-vaulted arches situated just off Neville Street which contain a centre consisting of cafés, restaurants, shops and exhibition spaces called [[Granary Wharf]], known locally as the Dark Arches.

The railway station has 18 platforms, making it the largest by number of platforms in England outside London. There are 12 terminus and six through platforms. Most platforms are subdivided into up to four sections, i.e. 1a, 1b, 1c etc. Altogether, including the numbers, there are 47 platforms.<ref>{{cite book |last=Yonge |first=John |editor-last=Jacobs |editor-first=Gerald |title=Railway Track Diagrams 2: Eastern |edition=3rd |date=September 2006 |orig-year=1994 |publisher=Trackmaps |location=Bradford on Avon |isbn=0-9549866-2-8 |at=map 37A }}</ref> Retail facilities in the station include coffee shops, fast food outlets, a bar, newsagents, chemists and supermarkets. A [[British Transport Police]] station on New Station Street houses officers who police the [[West Yorkshire]] railway stations.

Leeds railway station retained staffed ticket barriers through the 1990s until 2008, when they were replaced by automatic barriers by [[Northern Rail]] to reduce congestion around the barriers at peak times.<ref name=":0"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northernrail.org/page/5/18420 |title=Travel Tools – Automatic ticket gates |publisher=[[Northern Rail]]|access-date=3 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503155324/http://www.northernrail.org/page/5/18420 |archive-date=3 May 2014  }}</ref>

===Platforms===
Platform usage varies depending on operational circumstances but is generally:
* 0–5 – [[bay platform]]s mostly used by [[West Yorkshire Metro]] services operated by [[Northern Trains|Northern]], towards {{rws|Harrogate}}, {{rws|Ilkley}}, {{rws|Bradford Forster Square}} and {{rws|Skipton}}.
* 6 is a bay platform used for terminating [[London North Eastern Railway]] services from London and [[London North Eastern Railway]] services towards Harrogate.
* 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16 – through platforms. 8 is a through platform that London North Eastern Railway uses for services which both terminate and continue onward to Bradford, Harrogate and Skipton as well as the early morning LNER departure to Aberdeen. CrossCountry services heading north to York and beyond depart from platforms 8, 9 or 11; services heading south use platform 12. Platforms 15 and 16 are used by north/east and south/westbound TransPennine Express services to Hull, Newcastle, York, Scarborough, Middlesbrough, Huddersfield, Manchester Airport and Liverpool Lime Street.
* 7, 14 – bay platforms used for local Northern services running north/east from Leeds.
* 10, 13, 17 – bay platforms used for local and regional services running south/west to Manchester Victoria and Huddersfield, alongside southbound services towards Wakefield, Barnsley, Meadowhall, Sheffield and Nottingham.

==Transport links==
[[File:Leeds City (6282693111).jpg|thumb|right| The Western Entrance into the railway station.]]
Leeds Interchange, located at the New Station Street exit, provides onward transport connections from the station. There are five bus stands serving [[Arriva Yorkshire]], [[First West Yorkshire]] and Flyer routes 1, 4, 4F, 5, 14, 16, 16A, 19, 19A, 40, 444, 446, 870, A1 and [[DalesBus]] services 874 and 875. A 24-hour taxi rank also operates at the interchange.

Further bus stops are located on Neville Street below the railway station, as well as around City Square outside the railway station. Infirmary Street and Boar Lane bus points are a short walk for more bus connections.

===Cycle hub===
Leeds Interchange hosts one of the UK's first cycle hubs that allows a number of cycling services including repair, storage and rental. The facility opened in summer 2010 and is designed to encourage visitors and commuters into Leeds to continue their journey from the railway station by bike.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bicycle hire and storage scheme opens at Leeds Station|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-11418002|access-date=3 December 2015|work=[[BBC Yorkshire]]|date=27 September 2010}}</ref> Its design is based on the Dutch cyclepoint concept.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northernrail.org/pdfs/press/Cyclepoint_Brochure.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=27 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601153226/http://www.northernrail.org/pdfs/press/Cyclepoint_Brochure.pdf |archive-date=1 June 2010  }}</ref>

==History==
===Past railway stations===<!-- Leeds Wellington and Leeds New stations redirect here -->
[[File:Under Leeds station.jpg|thumb|Neville Street passes under the railway station in June 2006]]
[[File:Leeds RJD 40.jpg|thumb|Railway lines in central Leeds in 1913. Leeds New station (as known then) is in the centre, coloured red and yellow.]]
[[File:Leeds Station South.jpg|thumb|The River Aire and southern station entrance in June 2018]]
[[File:Leeds City Station 1974.jpg|thumb|The 1967 rebuilt Leeds railway station, with Class 45 no.102 on platform 8 West in 1974]]
[[File:LEEDSCITYTROLLEY.jpg|thumb|A trolley point showing the historical name of 'Leeds City' after the 2002 rebuilding, photo taken in April 2010]]

The railways arrived in Leeds in 1834, when the [[Leeds and Selby Railway]] (which became part of the [[North Eastern Railway (United Kingdom)|North Eastern Railway]]) opened its line. It had a terminus at [[Leeds Marsh Lane railway station|Marsh Lane]] east of the city centre. In 1840, the [[North Midland Railway]] (a constituent of the [[Midland Railway]]) constructed its line from [[Derby]] via [[Rotherham]] to a terminus at [[Leeds Hunslet Lane railway station|Hunslet Lane]] to the south. It was extended to a more centrally located terminus at Wellington Street in 1846, known as ''Wellington Station''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Dawson|first=Anthony|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1064104121|title=The early railways of Leeds|date=2018|isbn=978-1-4456-6781-2|location=Stroud|oclc=1064104121}}</ref>

Another railway station, [[Leeds Central railway station|Leeds Central]] on Wellington Street, was opened in 1854 by the [[Manchester and Leeds Railway]] and the [[London and North Western Railway]] (LNWR). The railway station became owned jointly by the LNWR and the North Eastern Railway, but other companies had powers to run trains there, including the [[Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)|Great Northern Railway]] and the [[Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway]].<ref>Measom J. (1861) Official illustrated guide to the Great Northern Railway.</ref>

In 1869, ''New Station'' opened as a joint enterprise by the LNWR and the North Eastern Railway. It connected the former Leeds and Selby Railway Line to the east with the LNWR lines to the west. A {{convert|1|mi|km|1|spell=in|adj=mid|-long}} connection was built, carried entirely on viaducts and bridges. New Station was built partially on a bridge over the [[River Aire]], adjacent to Wellington railway station. The arches created under the station are known as 'The Dark Arches'.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Burt|first=Steven|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/60077045|title=The illustrated history of Leeds|date=1994|publisher=Breedon|others=Kevin Grady|isbn=1-873626-35-5|location=Derby|pages=141, 169, 172, 249|oclc=60077045}}</ref>

The map to the right shows the variety of different railway lines in Leeds in 1913.

Following the [[Railways Act 1921]], when railways in Great Britain were grouped into four companies, New Station was jointly operated by the [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway]] (LMS) and the [[London and North Eastern Railway]] (LNER).<ref name=":1" />

===1938 rebuilding===
[[File:Leeds City South Station geograph-2192440.jpg|thumb|right|Leeds City South Station: west end, in 1961]]
The first rationalisation occurred in 1938, when two railway stations (New and Wellington) were combined to form ''Leeds City Station'', opening on 2 May that year. This was designed by LMS architect [[William Henry Hamlyn]]. The third railway station, Leeds Central, was unaffected by the change. Part of Wellington railway station later became a parcels depot. The north concourse and the Queens Hotel were built at this time.

===Leeds Blitz===
{{Main|Leeds Blitz}}

In March 1941, the [[Luftwaffe]] launched attacks on [[Leeds]], [[Armley]], [[Beeston, Leeds|Beeston]] and [[Bramley, Leeds|Bramley]]. Leeds New Station was one of the primary targets, along with the Town Hall, Kirkgate Markets, the Central Post office, the Quarry Hill flats, Hotel Metropole and part of the Inner Ring Road. The station was bombed, causing damage and an unknown number of casualties, and was later rebuilt.

The [[Transport Act 1947]] nationalised nearly all forms of [[Public transport|mass transport]] in Great Britain and came into effect on 1 January 1948.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docSummary.php?docID=67| title=Transport Act 1947| author=Her Majesty's Government| year=1947| work=The Railways Archive| publisher=(originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office)| access-date=25 November 2006| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418212535/http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=67| archive-date=18 April 2012| url-status=live}}</ref> [[British Rail]]ways came into existence as the business name of the [[British Railways Board|Railway Executive]] of the [[British Transport Commission]] (BTC) on 1 January 1948.

===1962 British Railways House===
{{Main|City House}}
In 1962, British Railways House, now City House, was added to the railway station. It was designed by architect [[John Poulson]] providing British Railways with administrative buildings. The building became dated and hard to let before refurbishment in 2009. The building was lambasted in 1967 by poet [[John Betjeman]] who said it blocked all the light out of [[Leeds City Square|City Square]], and was a testament to money with no architectural merit. In 2010 the building was bought by property company Bruntwood which is (as of 2017) redeveloping it to provide serviced offices, with a new look to the façade.

===1967 rebuilding===
In 1967, further remodelling of the site took place and trains using Central Railway Station were diverted into the City Railway Station which became the main railway station serving the city. Central Railway Station was closed and has been demolished. The viaduct leading to Central Railway Station is one of many disused viaducts near Leeds Railway Station.  Engineering work included replacing 100-year-old bridges over the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, the construction of the south concourse and an overall roof, along with major platform and track layout alterations and the commissioning of a new power signal box to control the railway station area.

At the time of this rebuilding, the railway station was served by 500 trains on a typical day, with 2.75&nbsp;million passenger journeys a year. Wellington (or City North) became entirely devoted to parcels traffic at this time with the track layout extensively changed. The remaining Midland line trains which previously used City North station were diverted into the City South station, the former LNWR/NER 'New' station, and called simply Leeds from this time.

===Electrification===
The station had overhead electrification installed under the ownership of [[British Rail]] in 1988, to facilitate usage of the new [[British Rail Class 91|Class 91]] services on the East Coast main line.<ref>[http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/eastcoast/ East Coast Main Line Rail Route Upgrading, United Kingdom]</ref>

===2002 rebuilding===
[[File:Platforms 3-5 at Leeds City railway station 01.jpg|thumb|right|Platforms three to five in February 2006]]
[[File:Transpennine train at Leeds (geograph 4704285).jpg|thumb|right|Outer platforms in October 2015]]
By the 1990s, the railway station's capacity was exceeded on a daily basis, and the 1967 design was deemed inadequate. Between 1999 and 2002, a major rebuilding project took place, branded as ''Leeds 1st''. This project saw the construction of additional approach tracks at the western end of the railway station, improving efficiency by separating trains travelling to or from different destinations and preventing them from having to cross each other's routes. The railway station was expanded from 12 to 17 platforms, with the construction of new platforms on the south side, and reopening of the disused parcels depot to passengers on the north side.

The majority of the track, points and signals were also replaced and the 1967 power box closed – control being handed over to the signalling centre at {{rws|York}}.  The most visible change to passengers, however, was the replacement of the 1967 metal canopy with a new glass roof, considerably increasing the amount of daylight on the platforms. A new footbridge was also provided, replacing the previous underpass. Ancillary improvements included a new multi-storey car park and railway station entrance, refurbishing the North Concourse and expanding retail facilities.

A small temporary railway station called [[Leeds Whitehall railway station|Leeds Whitehall]] was provided to handle some services while the railway station was being remodelled. This was used between September 1999 and February 2002.<ref>{{cite book|last=Quick|first=Michael|title=Railway Passenger Stations in Great Britain; a Chronology|year=2020|publisher=[[Railway & Canal Historical Society]]|location=Market Drayton|edition=5|url=https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.02.pdf|access-date=30 October 2020|page=261|archive-date=4 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210704134712/https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.02.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===2008 work===
In 2008, automated ticket gates were installed in place of the human-controlled ticket checking, to speed up the passage of passengers. When the gates came into operation at the end of October 2008, they suffered from several faults including accepting expired tickets.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7736478.stm |title=Barriers accept wrong tickets|work=[[BBC News]]|date=18 November 2008|access-date=3 May 2014}}</ref> An oversight on the part of Northern also meant that the gates were not compatible with West Yorkshire Metro Cards.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/yourviews/YOUR-VIEWS-The-problems-with.4644012.jp |title=Your Views: The problems with Leeds railway station's new ticket barrier|newspaper=[[Yorkshire Evening Post]]|date= 30 October 2008|access-date=3 May 2014}}</ref>

===Southern entrance===
A £17.3&nbsp;million southern entrance to allow for easier access from the south completed on 3 January 2016.<ref name="lssestart">{{cite press release|url=http://www.wymetro.com/news/New_station_entrance_given_approval/|title=New station entrance given approval|date=31 October 2013|access-date=6 November 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131106143104/http://www.wymetro.com/news/New_station_entrance_given_approval/|archive-date=6 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/20-million-leeds-station-entrance-opens-up-access-to-citys-development |title=Leeds Rail Station - new southern entrance (LSSE)}}</ref> It widens the railway station's western footbridge and provides escalators, stairs and lifts to a partial deck over the River Aire in an iconic structure. The deck provides access to either side of the river for passengers to access Granary Wharf and Little Neville Street or [[Holbeck]]. It contains extra ticket vending machines and cycle storage. Around 20%<ref name="lssestart"/> of passengers are expected to use the new entrance.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.wymetro.com/news/releases/archive/2011/111202lsse|access-date=17 June 2012|title=Have your say on Leeds Station Southern Entrance plans|date=2 December 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209184803/http://www.wymetro.com/news/releases/archive/2011/111202lsse|archive-date=9 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/transport/revealed-500m-plan-to-remodel-leeds-station-into-a-world-class-gateway-at-heart-of-northern-powerhouse-1-8799574|title = Â£500m blueprint to transform Leeds Station revealed| date=11 October 2017 }}</ref>

===South concourse and platform zero===
Work on a new terminal platform alongside platform 1 (labelled platform 0) began in late 2018 and was completed in January 2021.<ref>[https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/leeds-train-station-car-park-15425555 "Brand new Platform Zero to be built at Leeds train station as hundreds of car parking spaces disappear"] Johnson, K ''Leeds Live'' news article 16 November 2018; Retrieved 31 January 2020</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/18993738.161m-improvement-work-leeds-train-station-completed/|title=£161m improvement work at Leeds train station completed|access-date=7 January 2021|date=7 January 2021|newspaper=[[Telegraph & Argus]]|first=David|last=Jagger}}</ref>

In November 2018 Network Rail began work to improve the south concourse. The first phase of works aimed to reduce congestion by moving and expanding ticket barriers. A new transparent roof was installed, matching the design at the Southern entrance, with works completed in October 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Holden |first1=Alan |title=Leeds Station, more improvements to come following roof replacement |url=https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2019/10/leeds-station-more-improvements-to-come-following-roof-replacement.html |work=RailAdvent |date=11 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Leeds station improvements |url=https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/north-and-east/leeds-station-improvements/ |website=Network Rail |access-date=13 May 2021}}</ref>

==Accidents and incidents==
* On 13 January 1892, a fire broke out in the arches underneath the station carrying the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The fire burnt for two days, with the heat buckling the rails and causing significant damage to the permanent way. One person died when a platform collapsed underneath him.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Steel |first1=Wilfrid L |title=The History of the London & North Western Railway |date=1914 |publisher=The Railway and Travel Monthly |location=London |page=441|oclc=1063588438}}</ref>
* On 23 July 1993, a passenger train ran into the rear of another occupying a platform. Twenty-one people were injured.<ref>{{cite web |title=Collision at Plymouth station 3 April 2016 |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/58a46b21ed915d6038000006/R022017_170213_Plymouth.pdf |website=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk |publisher=Rail Accident Investigation Branch |access-date=30 October 2020 |page=35 |date=February 2017}}</ref>
* On 17 April 1997 a small bomb planted by the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army]] exploded at a relay cabinet near the station, causing the city centre's closure for six hours.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McKittrick |first1=David |title=Our chaos strategy is working, says IRA |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/our-chaos-strategy-is-working-says-ira-1267868.html |work=The Independent |date=19 April 1997 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=IRA brings Britain to a halt |url=https://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/1972 |work=An Phoblacht |date=24 April 1997}}</ref>

==Future==
{{update section|date=October 2021}}
Leeds railway station is the second-busiest railway station outside London in the United Kingdom,<ref>{{cite web|title=ORR Station usage 2022–23|url=https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/axnd1tyj/station-usage-2022-23-statistical-release.pdf|publisher=Office of Rail Regulation|access-date=28 March 2024}}</ref> and passenger numbers are expected to increase by 63% between 2014 and 2029, meaning further expansion is necessary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rail.co/2011/06/07/network-rail-unveils-plans-for-leeds-station/ |title=Network Rail unveils plans for Leeds station &#124; Global Rail News |publisher=Rail.co |access-date=3 May 2014}}</ref> Future expansion might link the station to the proposed [[High Speed 2]] network.

===Future remodelling===
In October 2017, it was proposed that the station could be remodelled for the proposed [[HS2]] scheme.  The proposal includes new platforms on the north side of Leeds as well as HS2 services running into the existing east–west platforms as well as the proposed terminal platforms allowing links to proposed 'Northern Powerhouse Rail'.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/investment-to-improve-high-speed-rail-links-1-8802290| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171013001525/http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/investment-to-improve-high-speed-rail-links-1-8802290| archive-date = 2017-10-13| title = Investment to improve high speed rail links - Yorkshire Post}}</ref> In November 2017, details were released about how the station might look.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2017-11-06/images-reveal-how-remodelled-leeds-station-could-look/|title = Images reveal how remodelled Leeds station could look|date = 6 November 2017}}</ref>

===Expansion===
Plans are being drawn up to expand the railway station's capacity with new lines and platforms alongside platform one in the Riverside Car Park on the site of the original Leeds Wellington railway station to cater for predicted growth. Also [[West Yorkshire Metro|Metro]] announced plans to replace platform 1 with three separate platforms using the car park next to it. This would increase platform numbers from 17 to 20.

===HS2 platforms===
[[File:Leeds station proposed HS2 platforms.png|thumb|right|A graphical mock-up showing how the proposed HS2 platforms (blue) were to be joined to the existing Leeds station platforms (pink).]]
The original plans for [[High Speed 2]] proposed a separate new station in Leeds to the south of the River Aire at [[Leeds New Lane railway station|New Lane]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hs2.org.uk/phase-two/leeds |title=Phase Two: Leeds |publisher=HS2 |access-date=3 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=HS2 plan and profile maps: Woodlesford to Hunslet and Hunslet to Leeds New Lane Station |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hs2-plan-and-profile-maps-woodlesford-to-hunslet-and-hunslet-to-leeds-new-lane-station-hsl22-and-hsl31 |website=GOV.UK |publisher=HS2 Ltd |language=en |date=27 April 2016}}</ref> However, a later review in November 2015 instead recommends that HS2 platforms be added to the existing station.<ref name="Yorkshire_Hub">{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/480396/Higgins_-_The_Yorkshire_Hub.pdf|publisher=Department for Transport|title=The Yorkshire Hub|page=10|access-date=30 November 2015}}</ref> These would attach to the southern part of the existing station building, and span the river in a north–south alignment to create a 'T' shape.

This would not link the high speed and classic rail services, but it would allow a common concourse for easy interchange between them.  These plans were approved by the Government in November 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37981840|title = HS2: North West and Yorkshire routes confirmed|work = BBC News|date = 15 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=High Speed Two: Crewe to Manchester, West Midlands to Leeds and beyond |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hs2-phase-2b-decision-document |website=GOV.UK |publisher=Department for Transport |access-date=18 March 2022 |language=en |date=November 2016|isbn=9781474137980}}</ref>

However, on 18 November 2021, [[Grant Shapps]] (Transport Secretary) announced that the eastern leg of HS2 would be cancelled, terminating at [[East Midlands Parkway railway station|East Midlands Parkway]] instead of going all the way to Leeds.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/nov/18/hs2-rail-leg-to-leeds-scrapped-grant-shapps-confirms|title=HS2 rail leg to Leeds scrapped, Grant Shapps confirms|date=18 November 2021|work=The Guardian|access-date=10 April 2022}}</ref> Eventually, the leg reaching East Midlands Parkway was scrapped too, with no new track north of [[Birmingham Curzon Street railway station|Birmingham Curzon Street]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/what-next-for-hs2|title=HS2 to only reach West Midlands}}</ref>

==Services==
{{Northern (train operating company) route 7 | collapse=true}}
{{Northern (train operating company) route 9 | collapse=true}}
The railway station is served by long-distance services operated by [[CrossCountry]], [[London North Eastern Railway]] and [[TransPennine Express]], as well as suburban services under the [[West Yorkshire Metro#Rail service|West Yorkshire MetroTrain]] brand and commuter and inter-city services operated by [[Northern Trains|Northern]]. It is the hub of the [[West Yorkshire Metro|Metro]] network in [[West Yorkshire]]. The typical off-peak service in trains per hour (tph) and trains per day (tpd) is

'''[[London North Eastern Railway]]'''
* 2 tph to {{rws|London King's Cross}}
* 1 tp2h to {{rws|Harrogate}}
* 1 tp2h to {{rws|Bradford Forster Square}}
* 1 tpd to {{rws|Skipton}}
* 1 tpd to {{rws|Aberdeen}}

'''[[CrossCountry]]'''
* 1 tph to {{rws|Edinburgh|Waverley}}, with 1 tpd continuing to {{rws|Glasgow Central}} and 1 tpd continuing to {{rws|Aberdeen}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/media/7351/book1-v3-web-version-1.pdf|title=CrossCountry December 2023-June 2024 Timetable}}</ref>
* 1 tph to {{rws|Plymouth}}, with 2 tpd continuing to {{rws|Penzance}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/media/7351/book1-v3-web-version-1.pdf|title=CrossCountry December 2023-June 2024 Timetable}}</ref>

'''[[TransPennine Express]]'''
* 1 tph to {{rws|Newcastle}}
* 8 tpd to {{rws|Scarborough}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timetables.tpexpress.co.uk/#/timetables/2417/LeedsEast|title=TransPennine Express Leeds-Scarborough/Newcastle Central Timetable December 2023-June 2024}}</ref>
* 1 tph to {{rws|Redcar Central}} via {{rws|Middlesbrough}}
* 1 tph to {{rws|Hull}}
* 1 tph to {{rws|Liverpool Lime Street}} via {{rws|Manchester Victoria}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timetables.tpexpress.co.uk/#/timetables/2401/North|title=TransPennine Express Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Piccadilly-Newcastle Central/Hull Paragon via Leeds Timetable December 2023-June 2024}}</ref>
* 1 tph to {{rws|Manchester Piccadilly}}
* 1 tph to {{rws|Manchester Airport}}

'''[[Northern Trains]]'''
* 2 tph to {{rws|Skipton}} (the [[Airedale line]])
* 2 tph to {{rws|Ilkley}} (the [[Wharfedale line]])
* 2 tph to {{rws|Bradford Forster Square}}
* 1 tp2h to {{rws|Morecambe}}
* 1 tp2h to {{rws|Carlisle}}, via the [[Settle–Carlisle line]]
* 1 tph to {{rws|Blackpool North}}, via {{rws|Bradford Interchange}}, {{rws|Blackburn}} and {{rws|Preston}}
* 3 tph to Manchester via the [[Calder Valley line]]:
** 1 tph terminating at {{rws|Manchester Victoria}}, via {{rws|Bradford Interchange}} (semi-fast)
** 1 tph to {{rws|Chester}}, via {{rws|Bradford Interchange}}
** 1 tph to {{rws|Wigan Wallgate}}, via {{rws|Brighouse}}
* 1 tph to {{rws|Halifax|England}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/travel/timetables|title=Northern Trains December 2023-June 2024 Timetable}}</ref>
* 3 tph to {{rws|Sheffield}} via the [[Hallam line]]:
** 1 tph terminating at {{rws|Sheffield}}, via {{rws|Castleford}} (stopping)
** 1 tph continuing to {{rws|Nottingham}} (semi-fast)
** 1 tph continuing to {{rws|Lincoln}} (semi-fast)
* 1 tph to {{rws|Sheffield}} via {{rws|Wakefield Westgate}}
* 1 tph to {{rws|Doncaster}}
* 2 tph to {{rws|Knottingley}}:
** 1 tph via {{rws|Castleford}}, with 1 tpd continuing to {{rws|Goole}}
** 1 tph via {{rws|Wakefield Westgate}}
* 1 tph to {{rws|Hull}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/travel/timetables|title=Northern Trains December 2023-June 2024 Timetable}}</ref>
* 2 tph to {{rws|York}} via {{rws|Garforth}} (one fast, one stopping)
* 2 tph to {{rws|York}} via {{rws|Harrogate}}

{{s-rail-start}}
{{s-rail|title=National Rail}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Wakefield Westgate|rows1=5|next=York|toc=CrossCountry|route=Cross Country Route}}
{{s-rail-national|hide1=yes|rowsmid=5|toc=London North Eastern Railway|route=[[East Coast Main Line]]}}
{{s-rail-national|hide1=yes|next=Horsforth|hidemid=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|hide1=yes|next=Shipley|hidemid=yes|London―Bradford Forster Square|notemid=Limited service}}
{{s-rail-national|hide1=yes|next=Keighley|hidemid=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|row6=yes|next=York|hidemid=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Huddersfield|next=York|toc=TransPennine Express|route=[[North TransPennine]]|rowsmid=4|rows2=2}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Dewsbury|next=York|toc=TransPennine Express|route=North TransPennine|hidemid=yes|hide2=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Batley|next=Garforth|toc=TransPennine Express|route=North TransPennine|hidemid=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Cottingley|toc=TransPennine Express|route=North TransPennine|hidemid=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|rows1=6|next=Guiseley|toc=Northern|route=Wharfedale Line}}
{{s-rail-national|hide1=yes|rows2=3|next=Shipley|toc=Northern|route=Airedale Line}}
{{s-rail-national|hide1=yes|hide2=yes|toc=Northern|route=Settle-Carlisle Line}}
{{s-rail-national|hide1=yes|hide2=yes|toc=Northern|route=Leeds-Morecambe Line}}
{{s-rail-national|hide1=yes|next=Kirkstall Forge|toc=Northern|route=Leeds-Bradford Line}}
{{s-rail-national|hide1=yes|next=Burley Park|toc=Northern|route=Harrogate Line}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=New Pudsey|next=Church Fenton|toc=Northern|route=Blackpool North–York}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=New Pudsey|rowsmid=3|rows2=3|toc=Northern|route=[[Calder Valley line]]}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Morley|hidemid=yes|hide2=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Bramley|hidemid=yes|county1=West Yorkshire|hide2=yes|rowsmid=2|rows2=2}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Bramley|county1=West Yorkshire|next=Cross Gates|toc=Northern|route=Halifax–Hull}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Woodlesford|toc=Northern|rows2=5|route=[[Hallam Line]]}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Woodlesford|toc=Northern|hide2=yes|route=[[Pontefract Line]]}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Outwood|toc=Northern|hide2=yes|route=[[Wakefield Line]]}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Wakefield Kirkgate|rows1=2|hide2=yes|toc=Northern|route=Leeds–Nottingham}}
{{s-rail-national|hide1=yes|hide2=yes|toc=Northern|route=Leeds–Lincoln}}
{{s-end}}

==Former services==
[[East Midlands Railway]] (EMR) and its predecessors operated a number of services to and from [[St Pancras railway station|London St Pancras]] via the [[Midland Main Line]] until May 2022. Two evening northbound and two morning southbound services operated primarily to cycle [[InterCity 125]] sets through [[Neville Hill TMD]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20201107134301/https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/sites/default/files/assets/download_ct/20190723/a5spJR7FbpQETdn2DxQkRLHS-TJY8r8M_ObneSFuH3A/emr_timetable_01_dl_booklet.pdf Timetable 18 August 2019] [[East Midlands Railway]]</ref> After EMR withdrew its last InterCity 125 sets in May 2021, the service was reduced to a single northbound service operated by a [[British Rail Class 222|Class 222]]. It was withdrawn in May 2022.<ref>Cautious changes for post Covid era ''[[Modern Railways]]'' issue 884 May 2022 page 63</ref>

{{Leeds Lines}}
{{-}}

==See also==
* [[Listed buildings in Leeds (City and Hunslet Ward - northern area)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite magazine|title=A station for the 21st century...|first=Phil|last=Haigh|magazine=[[Rail (magazine)|Rail]]|issue=325|publisher=EMAP Apex Publications|date=25 February – 10 March 1998|pages=20–24|issn=0953-4563|oclc=49953699}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Leeds railway station}}
{{stn art lnk|LDS|LS14JB}}
* https://web.archive.org/web/20160805024619/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/virtualarchive/leeds-station/ – history of the station from Network Rail archives

{{City of Leeds}}
{{West Yorkshire railway stations}}
{{Major railway stations in Britain}}
{{Railway stations served by London North Eastern Railway}}
{{Railway stations served by Northern Trains}}
{{Railway stations served by TransPennine Express}}

[[Category:Art Deco architecture in Leeds]]
[[Category:Art Deco railway stations]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:DfT Category A stations]]
[[Category:Former London, Midland and Scottish Railway stations]] <!-- City only -->
[[Category:Former London and North Eastern Railway stations]] <!-- City only -->
[[Category:Network Rail managed stations]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Leeds]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1938]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by CrossCountry]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by London North Eastern Railway]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by Northern]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by TransPennine Express]]
[[Category:Union stations in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1869 establishments in England]]