The Lost Bradford Exchange Station

[@dieselgav]

You do the best then-and-now fades I've ever seen. The precision and the way you match-up the shots taken decades apart is superb. Love your channel. I didn't think I'd ever find Bradford so interesting! Videos of ghost railways and stations are fascinating, please do some more !

[@xr6lad]

My mum was telling me after seeing your video in the 1950’s her grandfather (who was architect) would book at table at the restaurant of that hotel for Christmas for the family. In those days it was very upmarket and they’d be an orchestra playing. She said it was lovely and regal.

[@TheRattyBiker]

King of the photo fades is at it again! 😂 Another stunning episode! Quality!

[@acwdrivingservices9877]

Thank you for highlighting this once magnificent building.. Sad loss for Bradford, why didn’t they save the station and repurpose it, like Manchester did with Central station turning it into a conference/exhibition centre still in use today? Pure vandalism really and great loss for Bradford.

[@solsticepilgrim]

Blackpool Central was similar loss. What a waste.

[@gaz4840]

same reason they tore down Kirkgate market and put up that concrete eyesore, the arndale centre

[@theronster3533]

The new station was only across the road from the original so surely the original could have been saved and a short subway built to the new bus station

[@hallgiants]

I worked in Bradford in the early 1990’s so had no real knowledge of the Exchange Station. A brilliant portrayal of the “then & now”. I agree - they missed the boat in not linking the lines across the city and having one big station.

[@anthonyhiggins3135]

My Dad worked at International Harvesters in Bradford and he would go to the bank in Bradford to draw money out as you did in those days and as a treat he would take me to Exchange to see the trains. It was amazing. Brilliant video Darren. Brought back happy memories.

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks for sharing!

[@juniourst3ven596]

Amazing historical info here. 😊 At around 1:30 of this clip, do you think that the oven-like-kiln thing could have been where they heated & kept coal for the steam engines back in the days?

[@davidcolley7714]

Great video, showing what was then, overlaid what is now. Takes skill does that

[@mattgardner1969]

I used to come into Bradford from Leeds regularly for gigs at St George’s and Queens Hall I’ve always said that it’s criminal that such a major city like Bradford has such a tiny train station.

[@orbitboi63]

Its so sad that these Railway Stations are going. England was known though out the world as the home of railways. It's time to start to preserve your history before it's all gone.

[@EgoShredder]

Not going to happen because we have an anti-White government, with other plans for us in mind.

[@familylife3624]

Great video Darren, having been born and bred in bradford I don't think I've ever been in the exchange garden area , its a disgrace of how much of our once great city has been lost forever , so much history lost and how bad its now become

[@AdventureMe]

First time in that garden for me too

[@brisbare10]

I am old enough and lucky enough to remember catching a train from this station. It was a huge building and very ornate. Absolute disgrace, almost vandalism what happened to it.

[@bellavida7628]

Thank you for this wonderful video, l shed a tear especially with the background music. I remember it, l'm 62 now, unfortunately everything has changed not for the better.

[@kevinwalton4538]

Really enjoyed that , many thanks. Grew up trainspotting in the Exchange late 50’s -60’s until the end of steam. The absolute fools who authorised the demolition of such a structure should have been jailed for architectural vandalism . Criminals !

[@kevincross9206]

Such a shame for Bradford. It could still be a grand city had all those historic buildings been kept and well maintained.

[@stevedickens1335]

Thanks for the memories! in the mid-60's, as young railway enthusiasts living in Bramley we often travelled from Leeds city to Forster square just for the fun of it. The interchange has always been a travesty built to a tight budget.

[@PaulStirk]

The canopy was there in early 1972. I left from Bradford Exchange for recruitment interviews in the RN Careers Office in Leeds in April. When I joined up September 1972 I left from our wonderful (sarcasm) new Interchange. Totally different experience.

[@yorkshiresimgamer5424]

Thank you for this video, my mum always told me about this station but I never really understood the layout and positioning of it until today!! Can't wait for the Adolphus Street Station video 😊

[@gregmilner100]

Great video, I was born in 1972 and one of my earliest memories was the back end of its demolition, I'm presuming maybe 75, I can vaguely remember the steel arches being still up from my view on the bus going into town, it's well read story of how the city planners ruined my city, but they did!

[@nigelbuck3162]

My understanding from my Dad who was brought up in Bradford was the cost and the engineering challenges were very difficult to overcome. Just like today, it could be done but the cost out weights the benefit

[@vihuelamig]

I believe part of that engineering challenge was the height difference between the two stations.

[@richardkellett7910]

It was a beautiful station , absolute disgrace when it was destroyed.

[@richardkellett7910]

A great way of seeing this station, watch the black and white movie of Billy lyer . It was filmed in Bradford and the station was used in the movie also other parts of Bradford.

[@solsticepilgrim]

I remember seeing the old station on my journey to school and thinking it was a shame to knock it down. If it had been listed or repurposed then it would be a great asset to the city. Think of how well King's Cross looks now with the blend of old and modern. Bradford Exchange could have been the same.

[@Kropotkin2000]

@@richardkellett7910 Sadly not. The station used in the film was Marylebone in London.

[@OrSomeBricks]

Great video. It's such a shame a central station could not have been built as part of shopping centre development. The North deserves so much better.

[@chriscorbett6580]

Ace superimpositions dude - love seeing this sort of thing. Keep up the banging work mate 👊🏻

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks a ton!

[@pyrodoll2422]

Brilliant, even by your standards. Your research and storytelling are top draw. Thanks

[@AdventureMe]

Many thanks!

[@muhammadislam0000]

Forster Square next please

[@AdventureMe]

Already filmed 😀

[@andymullaney1594]

Amazing footage,remember the railway station well ,when was very young,my late dad was a fireman on the steam trains,then was a driver on the seventies trains,so different now,but at the time was ,one of the busiest train hubs ,in the North, its ashame Bradford left behind ,Amazing vidio

[@andymullaney1594]

It be hard work,but the line from Halifax, from under North bridge ,tunnel still there ,Queensbury routes, to Bradford, old lane Halifax ,to Hothfield ,was a station there

[@ceanothus_bluemoon]

Destroying the original station was an absolute crime. It makes no sense at all. The Victorians built a station befitting the city, and all it needed in the 60's was restoration, preservation and a bit of updating. Millions wasted on that apology for a station that sits beyond the bridge. I really can't imagine the mentality of those who committed this vandalism of our industrial and cultural heritage. Great fade in/out with old and current images. Just looking at more pictures and reading some articles bemoaning what happened. Thanks for making this.

[@Hilary70]

Thank you so much for your video. Great memories of Bradford where I was born and raised. They have demolished so many old buildings which can never be replaced. So sad. Bradford could have been a great city but no one seemed to have a forward vision. Unfortunately it would take a lot of investment now. Always look forward to your videos. Thank you again.

[@jetsons101]

Happy Easter. So much change and not for the better aesthetically speaking. "Absolutely no idea what these are" Priceless.....

[@ralach]

What a shame that they didn't keep the station; looked really impressive on the old photographs. Cheers for making your videos, the fade in with the photographs is really cool :)

[@saraclayton-smithson5083]

What a fantastic video….. full of information and history right in the centre of town. Great to see more photo fades… they truly are amazing and so well edited, thank you

[@andyreact]

bradford has an amazing history and lots of magnificent buildings, such a shame it's a dive now... have you seen they have turned the old "lifting tower" in leeds into a mini museum? not sure when it opens/opened.

[@cedarcam]

Where the current line ends the bridge was in need of renewing which was going to be too expensive as well as the Exchange roof being in need of repairs, They decided to close the station instead and build a cheap replacement. It is a shame the old station was not renovated and turned into something else, it was a lovely building. Bradford never seem to get things right, neither station is something a city can be proud of, and both have been moved further away from the town centre when renewed.

[@scooby2142]

My Dad used to take me onto the Station in the mid 60's up until it closed. I still have a couple of Bradford Exchange platform tickets from the machine.

[@standclear502]

A most Excellent video covering lost railways, those fades really help to get a sense of geograpical orientation.. Really useful 😀 thankyou so much for producing this video ❤ A few months back i asked about a video on the old Liverpool central upper level.. Now more poiniant as there are plans for remodeling with new routed lines from Manchester / Warrington lower level into Liverpool Central. HS2 money.

[@shirleylynch7529]

So many changes. So many things lost. Fade in and out photos great. You are keeping history alive Darren with all your documentaries. Well done. Look forward to your next video. Thank you.😊

[@chrism8705]

I'm not a train fan but love the history with you Martin and Paul whitewick the massive changes and finding bits they missed to destroy 👍

[@MarkDenson-ld8bf]

Another great video so sad to see the difference

[@Parknest]

I don't ever remember seeing the Exchange station as a child but I remember it being a massive car park before the Combined Court Centre was built. I know that the arches were slightly smaller than the ones at King's Cross. It was demolished in 1976 just prior to the opening of the original Interchange (a building I do remember very well) in 1977. One major obstacle to joining both stations is the elevation between the 2 stations. In my own lifetime, both stations have moved further apart. I know there was a proposal of joining them with some sort of light rail/monorail link but as with most things in Bradford, it never came to fruition.

[@jeffdayman8183]

Loved the photo fades Darren. Such a shame the old station didn't survive. At least you still have trains serving the city. I wish we had better passenger service here in Canada (as it was until the early 1960's, when it almost disappeared). Really enjoyed the video, thanks for sharing it. Cheers!

[@richardkellett7910]

If you want to see the station lost in time watch old black and white movie of Billy lyer . It was filmed in Bradford back in the 60s and shows all parts of Bradford .

[@pyewackett5]

Fantastic film & as you say was filmed in quite a few Bradford locations. The house used in the film is in Shipley however. Just a bit more trivia from Billy Liar :)

[@Pisstake1]

Loving this shit man if it wasn't for this channel and the Comments I wouldn't know any of this 😂

[@davidreed9671]

The railway station used for Billy Liar is Marylebone in London!

[@richardkellett7910]

@ no it was exchange station in Bradford.

[@martinmarsola6477]

Thank you for today’s video, with your literal views of your opinion. The truth can make up a view into the past. Happy Easter to you and your family, Darren. See you on the next. Cheers mate! 🇬🇧👍🙂🇺🇸

[@kbolton9399]

Your best video so far. Really it and found it very informative especially using now and then photos 👍👍👍👍

[@christelbraune4530]

Das war ja ein wunderbarer Rundgang auch sehr interessant 😊. Ich bedanke mich, das ich dich begleiten durfte. Nun wünsche ich dir und deiner Familie noch ein schönes Osterfest. Thank you ❣️. Darren 👋🏻👋🏻

[@AdventureMe]

You too Christel

[@christelbraune4530]

Wow 😂 thank you ❣️ ​@@carlharris2808

[@loureviews]

Thanks for this. When I used to visit Bradford in the late 90s there was an 'Exchange' sign somewhere around those steps but it looks as if it is long gone. The new shipping centre looks interesting!

[@fatlad5090]

they was plans in the late 1800s to build a viaduct across bradford to link both stations up. Its online if ye search for it. It was going to split off at low moor go through a tunnel to come out just up from bradford exchange and across a viaduct into Foster Square

[@Cletusongs]

good stuff. Having stayed in that Premier Inn a few times and used the current station also. I never realised that the Exchange station went that far past the current station.

[@markstott6689]

It feels like Bradford was seen as expendable because Leeds is so close. Successive governments basically were not going to allow both cities to have equal amenities based purely on cost. Even Leeds is hard done by when compared to Manchester. We live in a sad world, unfortunately.

[@roberte5303]

That was excellent.. on the entrances the Exchange Station sign could be seen until recently so has someone stolen it or has it been painted over

[@christopherpickles7541]

Exchange Station was enormous. It was also dirty, but at the time you could have said the same about Kings Cross or St Pancras, and as for Manchester Victoria... well what a hell hole. But Man Vic is still there, changed certainly but still a major transport interchange. You could get anywhere from Bradford Exchange. I can remember going from there to Liverpool, Dublin (via Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire), Oxford, Kings Cross (of course), Plymouth, Great Yarmouth, Edinburgh... I'm sure there are a lot of other places I've forgotten. Forster Square was a big station too. There was a big sign 'Come to Worthing' so presumably you could get a train there. I remember when I was very young and we were at Forster Square my Uncle Harry pointed at a train at the end of the concourse, 'thats the London Express' and I was absolutely captivated. I must have been about 5. Trains from Forster Square went to St Pancras. It was also the place to go for a train if you wanted to go to Carlisle or Glasgow. In those days, if you lived in Bradford the world was your lobster if you relied on trains to get around.

[@peterrat100]

Brilliantly done. Thank you very much. The old station was impressive but outlived its usefulness when the woollen industry collapsed. The Interchange is pathetic but is all you can expect when one of Britain’s biggest cities is stuck at the end of a branch line.

[@rikkilamb]

It's not stuck on the end of a branch line at all, that's just utter rubbish. It is a through station, with services passing through each way. The only trains terminating at those to Huddersfield and London KX.

[@catherinegraves4344]

Wow never knew about that station - loved the fades - I used to get the 72 bus past there every day before the Broadway and never knew those old walls and steps were part of an old station - shame they didn't link the two when there was the massive hole in the ground before the Broadway

[@tharkthax3960]

I was brought up few miles away from here, as a teen I went on many 'Day Rovers' on the trains, and I loved the Bradford interchange. I never even knew this old station existed so I thankyou for sharing this with us and doing such a great job of it.

[@letsmooch4857]

That was gteat! I never knew that station existed and I've lived here 54 years! - Cheers! :)

[@kevinyorkshire5173]

I left school at 16 in 1980 and started work as a postal cadet in Forster Square GPO sorting office. We always liked to go drinking in the Rail Bar (I forget its actual name) in Forster Square Rail Station, they never asked our ages. Of course with the new station, the bar was lost, a shame.

[@stephenbennett1989]

As a bradfordian of 50 years id love to see a video about foster square one of its original outer walls is still in place i can still remember entering the station with that railway smell engorging my nose catching a class 101 to visit Keighley and thanks for this video the photo fades where great

[@AdventureMe]

Already filmed. Will be released soon.

[@StephenGallagher67]

Thanks for an amazing video. The photo-fades work brilliantly.

[@Design2winLew]

Fascinating to see the old and the new fades , that you do so well . Really helps to envisage what was and what is , especially if you don't remember or know the the old . Clearly not for the better , but money talks !! Hope you are having a good Easter Darren .

[@suesmith4366]

Wow I’ve been waiting for you to do this, I wasn’t disappointed. Brilliant Darren loved the fade ins, and the remaining bits of the brilliant Exchange Station yet another railway travesty. Such a shame what made them think of getting rid of the station. My Great Uncle Walter Dutton worked at Adolfus street, for many years. Yes you are right a glorified bus shelter to replace that great Station 🤦🏼‍♀️ I worked for a firm based in Bradford from 2006 to 2015 I have seen the Exchange sign above the steps still in place during that time, when I was training at our head office or at the staff dos at the Midland Hotel, sounds like that place has gone to the dogs too 😔

[@AdventureMe]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@MrBam79]

Quite surprised you didn't mention that those big old buffers at the Interchange are from the Exchange Station.

[@AdventureMe]

Believe it or not. I didn't know at the time.

[@joecurly3637]

Just shows how much of a massive mistake it was to bulldoze such grand stations into a simplified and cramped monstrosity. Loved the video, it was quite refreshing and surprising as ive seensome but not all these pics before, and loved your little sense of humour here, too. Happy Easter!👏♥️🐇🐣🍫😂

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

19:56 Outrageous! They didn't even bother to run full canopies the length of the pitiful new platforms. And down from at least ten of them to about two and two halves. Unbelievable. Doesn't look like any of it was bombed in the war either, so what's the excuse?

[@louisereuben5740]

I grew up on Parkside at the top of west bowling, we used to go down the banking to the railway tunnel under parkside road

[@AdventureMe]

I remember sliding down that banking to the tunnel from parkside as a kid.

[@louisereuben5740]

Which schools did you go to? I was St matthews, woodroyd, fairfax lol

[@AdventureMe]

@@louisereuben5740 I didn't live in that area. It was when visiting my cousin's.

[@Mr_wayne0805]

We used to get day rovers and head out from Bradford interchange a lot. Its been a long while since i was back there. I didnt know the whole roof had gone over the bus depot. Caught many a train to leeds and buses to Otley. Another great video. Love the photo fades.

[@rachelwalker7091]

Really interesting and well explained. Great photo fades, thanks.

[@PhilWaud]

Another smashing video thank you. I've taken the plunge and ordered an osmo pocket 3, it's obvious from your videos that it produces stunning video. I love your photo fades, they must take you ages. Thank you!

[@AdventureMe]

See the Alton towers video I filmed. Shows it off on there

[@sue5488]

I remember Bradford interchange from the 80s. When I visited Bradford in the 2000s I was gob smacked at the change. I remember the toilets on the left. The cafe sort of under the train station. Sweet shop as you walked in to the right. Steps to the left to take you up to train station part. I'm sure there was a bar in that part too? All them "columns fitted with seats. Mortified!!

[@nailgunnercolbeck]

I don't understand why our council ever removed the beauty of Bradford to replace it with concrete.🤔 It was stunning once and now they are trying to bring it back. Its like the old kirkgate shopping center that was stunning with the lions on the entrance the stone work was exquisite and the tore it down to sell the stone and replace it with yes you guessed it CONCRETE!! just stumbled up on your channel and cant stop watching your videos. Awesome mate thanks again for keeping the history alive.💫🌟

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks mate. Enjoy the rest

[@vihuelamig]

The demolition of the station was a British rail decision. Of course they weren't responsible for the old Kirkgate, that one you probably can blame the council. I'm old enough to remember both. Of the buildings in the city centre both would probably be in the top four of the most important buildings.

[@Sim0nTrains]

This tour around the old Bradford Exchange and the current Bradford Interchange station was brilliant. The only thing I like about the current Bradford Interchange Station is being on the platform itself, beyond the ticket barriers towards the exit it's just... meh but the former Bradford Exchange Station I really do like, only seeing photos of course and plus there were things that I didn't knew that remain. Great video

[@xpyres2130]

Fascinating as always.... the fades make everything look so unreal, I mean how could they have destroyed all those buildings and put up whats there now?

[@joylunn3445]

Fantastic video. Even for those familiar with the Exchange Station it is difficult to comprehend how it all fitted into that space between the road, the hotel and the Telegraph and Argus building. Fade ins superb as ever.

[@fluffymacfly3405]

Thank u for another fantastic bideo.another great building sad loss bradford. So sad. What great building we had.

[@davidberlanny3308]

Hi Darren, Enjoyed seeing those fantastic photo fades👌👌 Just been looking at railmaps on line it does look like they should have joined the two lines, they really weren't too far away. Great video, well done. All the best!!

[@srfurley]

They were even closure, both lines were cut back to the new station sites. However, Exchange was considerably higher than Forster Square and a connecting line would have been very steep, which would have been a problem, particularly in steam days. Not such a problem with electrics, but of course Interchange still isn’t electrified to this day.

[@alexanderfairs2700]

Love the fades of then and now ,completely unique from any of these type of channels anywhere on KZbin

[@AdventureMe]

Thanks mate

[@christopherrichardson5652]

Foster square station really interested what that used to be like keep em coming

[@AdventureMe]

Coming soon

[@shirleysmith1713]

Great video Darren 👍🏻 Always love the photo fades. Thanks for showing 👍🏻😀

[@buzzukfiftythree]

Enjoyable video, many thanks. I’ve never visited Bradford so it was really useful to have the comparison between then and now. I guess times have to move on, but so many modern stations just don’t have the character of the older ones.

[@davidnm21]

Fascinating video once again of our railway history lost forever. The new station there is nothing but a remanent of the old. Great fade in/out shots as ever Darren👏🏻

[@badgerlandcouk]

Another top-quality video. I love the photo-fades and how you tell the history of Bradford and its once amazing architecture. I'd love to see things restored and improved, but with so many things in dire need of funding and Bradford being nowhere near to the decision makers or the funding in London, I fear that Bradford will remain stuck with the mediocrity that it currently has.

[@paulhowlett4507]

Thank you for this fascinating video. Have always loved the exchange station and Bradfords architecture. Loved the photo fades which show how it was. Thank you again.

[@tracya4087]

hiya mate , we ve missed you

[@THIRV]

Fabulous presentation many thanks, as much as I enjoyed seeing it all, equally huge pangs of sadness of course. A lot of other folk have already said it all, so I won’t repeat. But what a terrible shame. Love the fade ins of the original views. Great work. Huge thanks.

[@peterwhitaker4038]

fascinating fades in /out. what a great looking old station. never been to Bradford but i wander round my Liverpool home looking at similar stuff like Exchange station, Central station and i know where some original cuttings and tunnels are from the opening of Liverpool to Manchester railway 1930's.

[@peterwhitaker4038]

sorry..1830's ...DUH

[@davidtemprell2191]

Read somewhere that the plan to link both stations Exchange and Foster square would have had a gradient of 1 in 40…very steep ! Managed to find the book mentioning linking the 2 stations together. There was a 70 foot height difference.

[@JemTheWire]

What a magnificent building it was. This is the type of video you are best at IMHO. Your research and editing must take you an age. But quality always take time and effort and you sure know what you are doing. Even the music you use for your legendary photo fades kind of pulls at my heartstrings. Fantastic stuff again Darren. More please.

[@zoltar666pz]

Great video as always Darren

[@robparker1625]

Great video. The interchange has retained one of the original buffer stops from Exchange station. You got a shot of them towards the latter part of your video. Such a pity the two stations were never joined.

[@orange77_]

The stations will never be linked. There is a significant height difference between the two (and a very tight curve). Great in theory but pretty much impossible in practice. The gradient would have to start back towards Frizinghall and even then it would end up being amongst the steepest in the country.

[@tomgirldouble3249]

Yes, yet another sad loss to Bradford, great video & love the fadeouts❤look forward to the Forster Square video..😊

[@B1ll1709]

Very sad decline, from a great ‘statement’ building ( the statement being “we are important and prosperous”) to a very different statement building (the statement being “we admit we are just a shadow of our former self”).

[@ians2607]

Brilliant video. I lived in Bradford and can remember the station but only it’s latter days, back in the early 80’s I used to have a Saturday job at boots and for lunch, would call at Wimpys for a burger and go up those stairs to eat it and look back into Bradford. That’s was in the days when the Arndale was new. I knew the train station was there but never realised it’s alignment to the interchange platforms. Thanks for the memories.

[@amsterdamnedave]

Hi Darren, once again an excellent film of bygone Bradford

[@notsohairybiker]

Fantastic, best photo fades yet. Looking forward to the next one.

[@lindseykaine-walley6339]

When are you coming to Sheffield to do a series on something? It's not that bad! Love these History explores!! Best channel for it. Brilliant photo fades Darren.

[@RichardBrooke1971]

Excellent video Darren, thank you for all you hard work. It's worth noting that the buffer stops at the end of the platforms of the existing interchange were brought here from the original Exchange station, so it's nice that a part of the old station still lives on in the Interchange - even if the Interchange is nothing more than a couple of slabs of concrete lol.

[@WatchingYou20241]

Those photo fades were awesome 👌 👏🏼

[@AdventureMe]

Thank you 🙌

[@barrieshepherd7694]

As always superbly executed photo fades - even better than usual as they were colour to colour. Thanks Darren

[@AdventureMe]

Many thanks!

[@VincentHardy-zt3nt]

What a loss for Bradford, Excellent video as always Darren 🙏🏻

[@PhilJohnsonMusic]

Amazing video. I went to Bradford Uni for a total of three years and now work for Yorkshire Water so used to drop my samples off at the old George Street labs, which have now been demolished. I had no idea there used to be an enormous railway station in the area of the court buildings. I've been past there and used the Interchange so many times too.

[@MrVinnyh]

On your image of class 03 D2063, made me question my old grey cells! I used to drive D2063 on the Colne Valley Railway in Castle Hedingham in Essex, before it was sold to a member of the East Anglian Railway Museum at Earls Colne who moved it to the North Norfolk Railway, which enturne after the deaf of the owner, was donated to the Mid Norfolk Railway at Dereham. I can also remember seeing the old Saturn style lamps at stations, I do like the photo mergers. Might a channel that not be on your path is Chandwell Model Railway, where Michael takes different parts of Yorkshire towns into a N gauge model railway into a 90's Yorkshire's stage natation period! (in other words Thatchers aftermouth time period not caring it was not London).

[@johnstreet3617]

Hi Darren thanks for another amazing video of lost stations … we lost so many … look forward to the next one 👍👍