Wakefield Westgate railway station

Early history During 1856, the first Westgate station opened; this was shortly after the spur line from the town's first station, Wakefield Kirkgate, was built. Its southern side was built for the Bradford, Wakefield and Leeds Railway (GNR) on part of the private estate belonging to wealthy cloth merchant John Milnes; his mid-18th century mansion was partially demolished and its remains were incorporated into the station. A new station opened on the opposite side of Westgate in 1867. It was constructed for the GNR, the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire and the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railways on the main line from Leeds to Doncaster, which approached Westgate from the north on an embankment before passing through the station and over the bridge in Westgate, at the start of a 95-arch viaduct. The station was designed by Leeds engineer, J. B. Fraser. The station's decorative and elegant frontage and pavilion roof were demolished and replaced with an austere counterpart. The rebuilt station was "aesthetically inferior to its earlier incarnation, soon proved to be too cramped to cope with a rise in passenger numbers." It was poorly laid out with few opportunities for retail and other services. and also to Castleford via the Methley Joint Railway, but these services fell victim to the Beeching cuts between 1964 and 1966. The station was electrified along with the rest of the Leeds branch of the East Coast Main Line in the late 1980s. During this time the up through line towards Doncaster was removed, in order to allow the electrification masts to be erected. Regeneration Improvements to Westgate station were constrained by a lack of funding. The scheme was a part of the Westgate Key Development Area authorised by Wakefield Council. The scheme involved constructing offices, leisure, small-scale retail, hotel, restaurants and housing on the site of an old dairy and disused railway goods yards. In 2009, work on the Merchant Gate development commenced and work on the first phase was completed by September 2010. Four years later, Westgate station was rebuilt at the northern end of the platforms and the former overflow car park. Designed by Carey Jones Chapman Tolcher and RICS 2015 Awards shortlisted, Pro Yorkshire, Best Infrastracture. In January 2013, after planning permission was granted on-site preparations began ==Facilities==

The station is staffed and has an information kiosk, ticket office and self-service ticket machines, refreshments and a newsagent. Outside is a taxi rank, a cashpoint and a bus stop. Train running information is via digital display screens, timetable posters and automatic announcements. Lifts and a footbridge connect the platforms, so step-free access is available throughout the station. ==Services==

In total, there are 6 tph to Leeds with additional peak services. All northbound services call at Leeds. The station is served by three train operating companies: • London North Eastern Railway services run south from platform 1 to Doncaster and stations to London King's Cross and north from platform 2 to Leeds, although one train per weekday operates non-stop to London King’s Cross, departing at 07:13. A half-hourly weekday service to London takes approximately just over 2 hours for the journey. These call every hour with some additional peak services. • Northern Trains operates stopping services between Leeds and Doncaster, calling every hour on weekdays and Saturdays. An hourly stopping service also operates from Sheffield to Leeds via Rotherham. Introduced at the May 2018 Timetable change, there is now another hourly service to Leeds. This train originates at Knottingley and runs via Pontefract Monkhill and Wakefield Kirkgate. This gives a 3tph Northern Trains service to Leeds (of which, 2tph call at Outwood). ==Cultural references==

Between 1988 and 2009, a modern art sculpture, titled 'A Light Wave', created by the Leeds-based artist Charles Quick, was located on the wall behind the old bay platform on the northbound side of the station. The installation comprised a series of wooden planks laid up against a wall, in the form of waves, and illuminated from behind by a succession of lamps. The sculpture gradually fell into a state of disrepair, which prompted its removal. ==See also==