Our picture is platform 9 at Leeds. The train’s destination blind just seems to say “Northern”. Announcements say it is going to Brighouse (all stations via Dewsbury). Actually these trains go on to Bradford Interchange via Halifax. It will probably be overtaken on its way to Halifax by a direct train via Bradford, which is one reason to not use this train if you want to get to Halifax or Bradford.
And tickets Halifax-Leeds state “valid only via Bradford”. (Can’t help wondering how many people spot that on their ticket.) At Halifax the main screens show, including two trains next to each other both going to Leeds but one going from P1 (the Brighouse way) instead of P2. This general screen does not say that this train serves Brighouse. Nor does it say “open” tickets to Leeds are not valid. But you can get “advance” tickets to Leeds via this route, and some travellers do so.
We found an example where the off-peak return Hfx-Lds via Bradford was £8.80 but with 2 singles via Brighouse you can do the trip for £7.70. (All fares quoted are before railcard etc discounts). The reason for this is that the fare from Brighouse to Leeds is more than the fare from Halifax. Yet Brighouse is nearer to Leeds and has a poorer service. Would it not make sense for Brighouse-Leeds and Halifax-Leeds to be equal fares?
There’s another thing here. The Bradford-Brighouse-Leeds trains are temporary until the end of next year whilst TransPennine upgrade work prevents them going to Huddersfield. Some Hadrag members have suggested Leeds-Brighouse-Bradford should be made permanent, connecting with Dewsbury area stations. There would still be the Wigan trains via Dewsbury and Brighouse we’d still like them to run 7 days/week by the way. And of course the Bradford-Huddersfield trains would have to be restored. So this would be more trains for Brighouse and for Elland. As we keep saying, Elland is going to happen, maybe in not much over two years’ time. Keep the faith!
Halifax and District Rail Action Group 