Leeds in the 1980s: How a city suburb signalled the end of the Beeching era
Bramley railway station opened in a blaze of publicity in the early 1980s - yet within 15 months had fallen foul of vandals
The west Leeds suburb of Bramley signalled the end of the Beeching era in the early autumn of 1983 when a daily service of almost 100 trains began operating through its rail station.
The halt was closed 17 years previous as part of the Beeching plan yet by September 1983 became the county’s fifth new station to open within 18 months.
It was to serve more than 3,000 households and transport chiefs said it would provide a vital commuter service to Leeds, Bradford, Halifax and York. The two wooden platforms and the stone waiting sheds cost £124,500. Leeds to Bradford commuter trains called at the station, running three times an hour at peak times.
Yet 15 months after it was opened in a blaze of glory the unmanned station off Stanningley Road had fallen victim to vandals.
The once smart station had taken on a shoddy appearance and vandals had covered the two stone shelters in graffiti, damaged benches and painted over timetables.
The Yorkshire Transport Users’ Consultative Committee had suggested that British Rail privatise station booking offices because it was worried than an economy drive would leave a series of stations unmanned.
That, it feared, would give vandals a free reign to vandalise stations without being check by staff. The committee wanted local travel agents to have the old ticket offices on a cheap rent.
Agents already sold British Rail tickets in their shops and the committee believed they would leap at the chance of expanding their businesses.
County Councillor Wayne Jenkins, chairman of the West Yorkshire Public Transport Committee, said: “We would be more than happy if any travel agents wanted to set up businesses in stations.”