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.

THE WESTGATE RUN

 Revellers from far and wide like to come to Wakefield and visit all the drinking establishments on Westgate. We'll be donig something similar, sampling real ales at several hostelries as we climb the hiill towards the city centre. First, though, we must visit Wakefield Westgate station, seen here in pre-grouping days.

The Great Northern Railway was the main provider of passenger services. Here, a 2-6-0 departs towards Doncaster.

The Great Central also ran into Westgate, with a service to Barnsley.

Into LNER times and an up Pullman passes through.

No. 9440 on a local train.

In the late 1960s, here are Westgate's North and South signal boxes.

It's 1969 and a BRCW DMU calls.

45143 is seen with a test train prior to full electrification, July 1987.

91001 arrives, northbound, in 1990.

"Slam door" EMUs were being used on the Doncaster - Leeds locals as a temporary measure.

"Pacers" were still being deployed in 2004.

Ten years later and the station had been rebuilt.

Two examples of modern-day services at Wakefield Westgate.

Just across Westgate from the station approach is the Elephant & Castle, with a superb frontage.

Down an alleyway, Harry's Bar.

The Old Print Works is almost next door!

Just across a car park, the Hop, with Ossett Brewery beers.

Back on Westgate itself, the Black Horse. 

Here's the top of Westgate before the trams came.

A horse-drawn bus is seen here.

Now, they're laying the tram tracks.

At the very top of Westgate is the Black Rock, a traditional ex Tetley boozer.

That's where I'll conclude this post. More of Wakefield's city centre in the next one