AROUND THE BULL RING

 The Bull Ring can, I suppose, be defined as the city centre of Wakefield. It was once the hub of the West Riding tram network.

Here's a close-up of car 74 at the Bull Ring.

Tram no. 41 comes along Kirkgate in the city centre.

West Riding buses replaced the trams and used the nearby bus station.

West Riding became part of Arriva.

Yorkshire Traction also served Wakefield bus station.

"Tracky" sold out to Stagecoach. 

United Services ran a long route to Doncaster.

When the United Services routes were taken over by Yorkshire Rider, a few vehicles were painted in the US livery.

Leaving the new bus station is the Scania of the Huddersfield Bus Company -it's a long story!

Other operators over the years have included Compass Bus, M Travel, Star Travel, Tates and Yorkshire Travel.

Three operators still running services into Wakefield are BL Travel, Ross Travel and Station Coaches.

The Six Chimneys was a well known old building in central Wakefield. A Wetherspoons of the same name has taken its place.

By the nearby market is Wakefield Labour Club, better known as the Red Shed.

A new real ale outlet by the Bull Ring was the Beer Exchange, but it didn't last long.

The Jolly Tap is now renamed and doesn't sell cask beer.

The Talbot & Falcon, in the heart of the city is still going.

The Harewood Arms, I'm told, is "long term closed".

The Ale House is a proper boozer hidden away down a short side street.

It's impossible to miss the cathedral in the middle of the city.

In December 2014, I found Parched, a "pop-up" bar by the cathedral.

The Inns of Court is a Marston's tied house.

We conclude today at the Bull & Fairhouse, now renamed as the Polka Hop.

More of Wakefield in the next post, including Lower Kirkgate, the L&YR station, the brdge over the Calder, an engine shed and a bus depot.