Bradford Forster Square 4th Platform Funding Announced: what improvements would you like to see made?

[MichaelTrains]

The new platform and station entrance starting to come along nicely.

I spoke to the Network Rail manager who was there and he said they hope to open the new platform next Easter.

Just in time for the new services to London.

It’s been a long time coming for Bradford.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

It’s been a long time coming for Bradford.

If anything it's been the opposite.
To go from announcement to "spades in the ground" in six months is lightspeed for the railway!

 

[Bantamzen]

If anything it's been the opposite.
To go from announcement to "spades in the ground" in six months is lightspeed for the railway!

That's true for the platform, but any other improvements have been sitting on a shelf for years. Hopefully the new platform going in, and eventually more LNER services operating out of Forster Square will be the catalyst for further improvements around the station.

 

[MichaelTrains]

The disabled toilet block that hasn't worked for years is starting to come down.

I presume this project has been given extra resources because I must confess to being impressed with the speed of the work taking place.

 

[GoneSouth]

Why does 1 train every 2 hours need 2 platforms?

 

[12LDA28C]

Why does 1 train every 2 hours need 2 platforms?

Huh? BDQ sees rather more than one train every two hours. Northern services are planned to use the various other platforms at all times of the day.

 

[MichaelTrains]

Huh? BDQ sees rather more than one train every two hours. Northern services are planned to use the various other platforms at all times of the day.

Plus now the Ilkley’s are back running, they’ll need four platforms.

 

[30907]

Huh? BDQ sees rather more than one train every two hours. Northern services are planned to use the various other platforms at all times of the day.

I think the reference is to LNER services, which are indeed proposed to be 2-hourly.

 

[12LDA28C]

I think the reference is to LNER services, which are indeed proposed to be 2-hourly.

Indeed, however depending on the time of day and other Northern-operated trains in the station at the time, it's not inconceivable that limiting LNER services to just one platform will not be possible.

 

[GoneSouth]

I think the reference is to LNER services, which are indeed proposed to be 2-hourly.

Yes apologies, I meant why do LNER need 2 platforms when they only have 1 train every 2 hours. Surely Northern will use 3 of them and LNER only need 1?

They manage with the current setup, adding 1 new platform and 1new service every 2 hours seems like a relatively simple equation. I’d be amazed to see 2 LNER trains there if I visit

 

[12LDA28C]

Yes apologies, I meant why do LNER need 2 platforms when they only have 1 train every 2 hours. Surely Northern will use 3 of them and LNER only need 1?

They manage with the current setup, adding 1 new platform and 1new service every 2 hours seems like a relatively simple equation. I’d be amazed to see 2 LNER trains there if I visit

Why should LNER be restricted to only using one platform?

 

[Halish Railway]

Why should LNER be restricted to only using one platform?

Not an official restriction as such, its just that one platform is all that is required.

 

[12LDA28C]

Not an official restriction as such, its just that one platform is all that is required.

Yes, and that platform I assume will vary depending on what other services are occupying other platforms at the time.

 

[GoneSouth]

Not an official restriction as such, its just that one platform is all that is required.

I suspect they’ll be restricted by the length of some of the platforms anyway

 

[IanXC]

I suspect they’ll be restricted by the length of some of the platforms anyway

This.

I think what was actually meant was, LNER will only use platform 1 or 2, Northern will be the only users of 3 and 0.

 

[MichaelTrains]

This.

I think what was actually meant was, LNER will only use platform 1 or 2, Northern will be the only users of 3 and 0.

Yes, similar to how Grand Central only use platforms one and two at the Interchange.

Plus what people don't realise is that the new platform will be longer than platform three, to take the new longer Northern trains in the peaks.

 

[Britannia94]

Yes, similar to how Grand Central only use platforms one and two at the Interchange.

Plus what people don't realise is that the new platform will be longer than platform three, to take the new longer Northern trains in the peaks.

So does that mean it could take an LNER 5 car azuma if the need to do so ever arose?

 

[MichaelTrains]

So does that mean it could take an LNER 5 car azuma if the need to do so ever arose?

I don’t know the answer to that right now but I’m down there tomorrow, so will ask the question.

I’m amazed at how much space there was originally around the back of the retail units.

If you leave BDQ on a train you'll understand when you see where the new overhead wire poles are being positioned.

I still think Easter 2025 is ambitious but they are really cracking on with it now.

I just hope the redevelopment of the station itself matches the new platform because it’s in desperate need of modernisation.

 

[GoneSouth]

I just hope the redevelopment of the station itself matches the new platform because it’s in desperate need of modernisation.

It’s fair to say Bradford is in desperate need of much transport investment. The place is badly connected by rail, now has a totally broken bus network without a central bus station and traffic chaos because the powers in the city have decided they want to pedestrianise the whole place.

Chaotic for locals and unattractive for business investment, the place is just descending into an economic wilderness.

Slightly off topic, apologies, but a new platform at a station in the a*** end of a failing city doesn’t make the slightest bit of difference

 

[thejuggler]

So does that mean it could take an LNER 5 car azuma if the need to do so ever arose?

I thought the original 2 hourly London service plan was to run a 5 unit from Bradford and a 5 from Harrogate and join the two in Leeds for the onward trip to London.

 

[Halish Railway]

I thought the original 2 hourly London service plan was to run a 5 unit from Bradford and a 5 from Harrogate and join the two in Leeds for the onward trip to London.

So far as I know services to Harrogate and Bradford were always planned to be worked by alternate hourly trains.

 

[Cowley]

Just a reminder that the thread for actual work updates is here:

Bradford Forster Square

The current work is accelerating now from the new buffers out towards the Hamme Strasse bridge. I know everyone on here thinks Easter 2025 is wildly ambitious but Northern management are at the Forster Square station this morning and confirm the new LNER services will primarily use 1 and 2...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Rikki Lamb]

It’s fair to say Bradford is in desperate need of much transport investment. The place is badly connected by rail, now has a totally broken bus network without a central bus station and traffic chaos because the powers in the city have decided they want to pedestrianise the whole place.

Chaotic for locals and unattractive for business investment, the place is just descending into an economic wilderness.

Slightly off topic, apologies, but a new platform at a station in the a*** end of a failing city doesn’t make the slightest bit of difference

Bradford isn't poorly connected by rail and neither is it a failing city.

This forum is a railway forum, not a slag off bradford forum.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Bradford isn't poorly connected by rail and neither is it a failing city.

It's certainly quite run down, though some of the city centre work is quite nice. I think it is necessary to accept that it is in need of more funding to help improve it, though. Very much a poor relation to nearby Leeds.

And yes, they need to either fix the bus station or pull it down and replace with a more basic facility.

 

[Geeves]

Blackpool, Blackburn, Chester, Hull, Huddersfield, Leeds, Preston, London, Manchester, Skipton, York.

I'm not sure what other connections you would need for an easier journey to virtually anywhere in the country? One change would get you to Penzance or Aberdeen, Llandudno or Norwich

 

[Halifaxlad]

The place is badly connected by rail

Badly connected to where by rail ?

Its a popular narrative that Bradford is badly/poorly connected and needs a new line (well as far as politicans go anyway)

 

[plugwash]

Bradford is tricky to compare, because if you look at the "urban area" stats it's grouped with Leeds. If you look at the "city proper" stats it's just behind sheffield, but "city proper" stats can be quite misleading about the size of a settlement (London is down near the bottom of Wikipedia's "city proper" list).

For comparision I'm going to take the top 9 cities on Wikipedia's "City proper" list and arbitarily add London to the top, since "City of London" is a ridiculously narrow definition of London* to get a "top 10 cities" list.

* London
* Birmingham
* Leeds
* Glasgow
* Manchester
* Sheffield
* Bradford
* Edinburgh
* Liverpool
* Bristol

* London has direct trains to all cities on that list, though those to bradford are infrequent.
* Birmingham has direct trains to Everywhere on the list except Bradford.
* Leeds has direct trains to London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Sheffield, Bradford, Liverpool and Bristol. It misses direct trains to Glasgow..
* Glasgow has direct trains to London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh. It has one direct train a day to Leeds, Sheffield and Bristol and three trains per day to Liverpool. It has no direct trains to Bradford.
* Manchester has direct trains to Everywhere on the list.
* Sheffield has direct trains to London, Birmingham Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Bristol. Like leeds it misses direct trains to Glasgow.
* Bradford has direct trains to London, Leeds and Manchester, though those to London are infrequent. It has no direct trains to Birmingham, Glasgow, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Bristol.
* Edinburgh has direct trains to London, Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Sheffield and Bristol. It has one train per day to Liverpool, It has no direct trains to Bradford
* Liverpool has direct trains to London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, It has a few direct trains per day to Liverpool. It has no direct trains to Bradford, Edinburgh or Bristol.
* Bristol has direct trains to London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Edinburgh. It has no direct trains to Glasgow, Bradford or Liverpool.

In summary Bradford is by far the worst connected top-10 city in terms of direct trains to other top-10 cities.

\* Heck most of the London stations aren't even in the "City of London". That gives us a "top 10 cities" list of

 

[Mcr Warrior]

* Glasgow has direct trains to London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh. It has one direct train a day to Leeds, Sheffield and Bristol. It has no direct trains to Bradford or Liverpool.

Are the three daily TPE workings from Glasgow Central direct to/from Liverpool Lime Street no longer running?

 

[Noddy]

Bradford is tricky to compare, because if you look at the "urban area" stats it's grouped with Leeds. If you look at the "city proper" stats it's just behind sheffield, but "city proper" stats can be quite misleading about the size of a settlement (London is down near the bottom of Wikipedia's "city proper" list).

For comparision I'm going to take the top 9 cities on Wikipedia's "City proper" list and arbitarily add London to the top, since "City of London" is a ridiculously narrow definition of London* to get a "top 10 cities" list.

* London
* Birmingham
* Leeds
* Glasgow
* Manchester
* Sheffield
* Bradford
* Edinburgh
* Liverpool
* Bristol

* London has direct trains to all cities on that list, though those to bradford are infrequent.
* Birmingham has direct trains to Everywhere on the list except Bradford.
* Leeds has direct trains to London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Sheffield, Bradford, Liverpool and Bristol. It misses direct trains to Glasgow..
* Glasgow has direct trains to London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh. It has one direct train a day to Leeds, Sheffield and Bristol. It has no direct trains to Bradford or Liverpool.
* Manchester has direct trains to Everywhere on the list.
* Sheffield has direct trains to London, Birmingham Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Bristol. Like leeds it misses direct trains to Glasgow.
* Bradford has direct trains to London, Leeds and Manchester, though those to London are infrequent. It has no direct trains to Birmingham, Glasgow, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Bristol.
* Edinburgh has direct trains to London, Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Sheffield and Bristol. It has one train per day to Liverpool, It has no direct trains to Bradford.
* Bristol has direct trains to London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Edinburgh. It has no direct trains to Glasgow, Bradford or Liverpool.

In summary Bradford is by far the worst connected top-10 city in terms of direct trains to other top-10 cities.

\* Heck most of the London stations aren't even in the "City of London". That gives us a "top 10 cities" list of

I’d also point out its connection to Manchester (Victoria) feels very slow and there’s no realistic prospect of major speed upgrades or electrification on the route or to Leeds (unlike many of the other cities mentioned which have recently had or are having improvements to at least one of their routes).

 

[xotGD]

I'd also add Manchester Airport, the North East, the East Midlands, all of Scotland, all of Wales, and anywhere to the south that isn't on the ECML to the list of places with no direct services to/from Bradford.

The city is poorly served when it comes to the range of direct links.