Apperley Bridge's new railway station opens

The original station was shut down 50 years ago as part of the Beeching cuts

The first new railway station to be built in West Yorkshire in 10 years has opened.

At Apperley Bridge, between Leeds and Bradford, around 50 people gathered on the platform for the first train to Bradford from the new station.

The original station closed 50 years ago as part of the Beeching cuts. Its replacement has cost about £8m.

Two trains between Leeds and Bradford Forster Square or Skipton will run hourly Monday to Saturday.

Martin Bairstow was one passenger on the first train from the station

Martin Bairstow was one passenger on the first train from the station and brought the original station sign with him.

He took it he said for "safe-keeping" when the station shut.

Mr Baistow said his trip had been "something I've been waiting for for 50 years".

He had also been on the last train to the station in March 1965.

The Beeching report of 1963 recommended taking an axe to about a third of the rail network - 5,000 miles of track, including hundreds of branch lines, 2,363 stations and tens of thousands of jobs.

Apperley Bridge is one of three new stations in West Yorkshire with others in Kirkstall Forge and Low Moor set to open next year.