A to Z of Leeds: What lies beneath your city
There are many reasons for this bold claim, from the people who've called this place home, to the history of the region, the developments underway and the talent and creativity we see on a daily basis. Here, we go through the alphabet to give you some reasons to be proud.
U IS FOR UNDERGROUND
Yes, Leeds has one and it’s still possible to walk around in it, albeit with special permission from Network Rail and possibly the management of the Queens Hotel.
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Hide AdThis photo dating back to September 2011, shows Michael Cox, deputy maintenance manager, in a room under the Queens Hotel in the city centre.
Michael was kind enough to take your YEP a tour of the gaping rooms which exist under the hotel and which connect to other spaces beneath our city. For example, it is possible to go from the underground vaults at the hotel and exit out onto the banks of the River Aire.
Other passageways link up with other seldom seen voids beneath the railway station, some of which are truly enormous. From them, various tunnels run off into the distance. One such, whose floor is filled with rubble, disappears into the darkness and runs off under City Square.
Yet other passageways connect to the labyrinthine tunnels which make up the Dark Arches. Walking through them is to experience an area almost frozen in time.
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Hide AdThere are old telephones on the walls, old filing cabinets, chairs, tables and lamps strewn here and there, all cloaked in an eerie silence.
MORE A TO Z OF LEEDS:
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A message from the Editor:
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Hide AdLeeds has a fantastic story to tell - and the Yorkshire Evening Post has been rooted firmly at the heart of telling the stories of our city since 1890. We believe in ourselves and hope you believe in us too. We need your support to help ensure we can continue to be at the heart of life in Leeds.
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Thank you
Laura Collins
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