Wakefield Westgate railway station is a mainline railway station in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. It is south of Leeds to the west of the city centre, on the Wakefield Line and Leeds branch of the East Coast Main Line. The first Westgate station opened in 1856 a few years after the town's first station, Wakefield Kirkgate. In 1867, the station was rebuilt on the opposite side of Westgate on the main line between Leeds and Doncaster. British Rail modernised the station in 1967 when large parts of the 19th-century station were demolished and replaced with austere but functional facilities. By the 21st century, there was pressure to modernise the station and between 2009 and 2013 the station was rebuilt and modernised as a result of regeneration efforts focused upon the wider area. On 3 February 2014, the rebuilt station was officially opened. History Early history During 1856, shortly after the spur line from Wakefield's first station, Wakefield Kirkgate was built, the first Westgate station opened. Its southern side was built for the Bradford, Wakefield and Leeds Railway (GNR) on part of the private estate belonging to wealthy cloth merchant John Milnes and his mid-18th century mansion was partially demolished and its remains were incorporated into the station. The station was used for ten years before further developments necessitated its demolition and rebuilding. No traces remain of the original station as the site was levelled and premises for Wakefield School were built on the site. The school has since been demolished. A new station opened on the opposite side of Westgate in 1867. It was constructed for the GNR, the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire and the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railways on the main line from Leeds to Doncaster which approached Westgate from the north on an embankment before passing through the station and over the bridge in Westgate which is at the start of a 95-arch viaduct. The station was designed by Leeds engineer, J. B. Fraser. Built at a cost of £60,000, it was described by a local newspaper as "one of the most perfect stations in England – special care in designing the works having been taken…in order that every facility might be given for the easy and expeditious working of the goods and passenger traffic". A prominent feature was a turreted tower, which, as a result of lobbying by the Wakefield Tradesmen's Association, was converted into a four-faced