Building Name

Passenger Railway Station, Westgate, Wakefield

Date
1867
Street
Westgate
District/Town
Wakefield
County/Country
Yorkshire, England
Client
Great Northern Railway Company
Work
New build
Contractor
Archibald Neill, of Bradford

NEW RAILWAY STATION AT WAKEFIELD. On the 1st of May the Great Northern Railway Company opened the large passenger station at Westgate, Wakefield. It is erected within 100 yards of the old Westgate Station, which is now being taken down for the purpose of completing the southern end of the passenger-platforms. The new station is approached from Westgate by a carriage-drive 40 ft. wide, paved and flagged, having a gentle rise towards the station. The station is in the Italian style, having a frontage to the approach of 250 ft., and it divided into three parts; the centre of which stands out from the wings, and has a frontage of £5 ft. It is carried up much higher than the rest of the building, and the roof is crowned by a gilded iron cresting with bannerets. In the front of this centre block, which is entirely allotted to the booking-offices, an ornamental roof is constructed of cast and wrought iron, 85 ft. by 30 ft., the spandrels being filled with wrought iron and copper scrolls and flowers, gilded, the whole being covered in with glass, under which a platform and carriage-road have been formed. At the south-east angle of the building a clock-tower has been erected, the height of which from the approach road to the centre of the dials is 53 ft., and to the top of the vane 77 ft., the total height from Westgate being 97 ft. There are four dials, each 8 ft. in diameter, one of which can be distinctly seen from the market- place. It is intended to have an illuminated clock. Above the masonry of these dials four cast-iron ribs rise and carry a lantern which is terminated by a gilded weather-vane. The space between the ribs is partly filled up with ornamental pierced cast-iron plates, under which a bell is hung; upon this the clock will strike the hours. The booking-office, which has a wood coffered ceiling, will be used by the Great Northern, the Midland, and the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway Companies jointly. The remainder of the station comprises first and second-class ladies' and gentlemen's waiting-rooms, refreshment-rooms, with cellars, kitchens, and hoist; station-master's office, parcels and left luggage, porter's and lamp rooms, telegraph offices, etc. At the south end a stone staircase has been constructed from Westgate to the level of platforms. A wrought-iron bridge, 84 ft. span, is carried across the four lines of railway, and the two platforms, for passengers to cross from one platform to the other, the access to which is by means of a wide stone staircase on each side of the railway, that on the west side being enclosed in a handsome tower, in which a fine staircase is also carried down to the station yard, which is level with Westgate. The platform on each side of the railway1 is i 500 ft. long, by 20 ft. wide, the greatest part of j which is covered by a wrought and cast iron roof, covered entirely with glass, 24 ft. wide, the spandrels of which, and the finials to each bay, being of wrought iron, with copper foliage, coloured, and relieved with gold. The walls of the staircase, 4c, have been built with white glazed bricks, with coloured brick friezes under the ceilings, which are of wood, coffered. All the woodwork is stained and varnished. The total cost is £60,000. Mr. Archibald Neill, of Bradford, is the contractor; and Mr. J. B. Fraser, of Leeds, the architect. [Builder 18 May 1867 page 354]

Reference           Builder 18 May 1867 page 354