Now I'm retired I don't use Saltaire railway station nearly as much as I used to, but I'm still glad it is there. It's extremely convenient, situated right in the centre of the village - about five minutes from where I used to live and about twelve minutes walk from where I am now (though longer going back as it's all uphill!) I was waiting for a train to Leeds and idly noticing that the station is really quite attractive, nestled at the foot of the village's housing stock and opposite the bulk of Salts Mill.
The railway itself was there before Salts Mill was opened in 1853, being no doubt one of the factors contributing to Sir Titus Salt's decision to site his huge new mill here. A station was added and opened in 1856 by the Midland Railway. It was closed in the infamous Beeching cuts in 1965 and the original buildings were demolished but the link was then reopened in 1984. It has served commuters to Leeds and Bradford and travellers up the Aire valley to Skipton ('the gateway to the Dales') ever since. It takes less than twenty minutes to arrive in the heart of Leeds city centre, another big plus for this area for me and many others. I enjoy the fact that, looking west, there are no buildings really visible. It gives me a sense that the countryside beyond is calling and I like that.
That sounds like great train service.
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