Gordon Craig Theatre
Opened in 1975, this 501-seat theatre on Lytton Way stages plays, pantomime, opera, dance and one-night music shows. It is part of the arts and leisure centre facing the station.
LNER route
London King's Cross to Bradford Forster Square
Direct trains from London King's Cross to Bradford Forster Square via Leeds and Shipley, roughly every two hours.
City Hall and City Park, about 8 minutes' walk from Forster SquarePhoto: Neil Theasby, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Destination
- Bradford Forster Square
- Stations
- 8 calling points
- Fastest journey
- Around 2 hours 29 minutes(the West Riding Limited, May–December 2026 timetable)
About this route
Bradford Forster Square gets its own direct LNER trains from London. They run as far as Leeds on the same path as the main Leeds service, then continue a short distance further through Shipley to Bradford.
The morning train from Bradford to London carries the name West Riding Limited, reviving a title first used by the original LNER in 1937 for a limited-stop express between West Yorkshire and London. The timetable guide describes it as the fastest LNER service between Bradford Forster Square, Leeds and King's Cross.
How often, and where trains stop
Frequency: About seven trains in each direction on weekdays in the May–December 2026 timetable, roughly every two hours, with a similar number on Saturdays and slightly fewer on Sundays.
Calling pattern: Bradford trains usually call at Stevenage, Newark Northgate, Doncaster, Wakefield Westgate, Leeds and Shipley. At Shipley, some trains are shown as setting down only (northbound) or picking up only (southbound), so check the timetable if you plan to join or leave there.
Based on LNER's May–December 2026 timetable. Timetables change — check your train with LNER timetables or National Rail.
Highlights along the way
The West Riding Limited
LNER's named morning service from Bradford Forster Square to London continues a name introduced in 1937, when streamlined locomotives such as Mallard worked the West Riding expresses.
Welwyn Viaduct
The forty-arch 1850 viaduct across the Mimram valley in Hertfordshire is crossed soon after leaving London.
Route map
Coloured dots are calling points on this route; grey stations are served by other LNER routes.
Worth stopping off for
One idea from each calling point. Open a station guide for more.
National Civil War Centre
A museum devoted to the seventeenth-century Civil Wars and Newark's part in them, with family days, walking tours and talks through the year. Admission is free for local residents and under-25s.
Danum Gallery, Library and Museum
A free cultural hub on Waterdale combining the city museum, art gallery, library, the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry museum and a Rail Heritage Centre. Open Monday to Saturday.
The Hepworth Wakefield
A free riverside gallery named after Barbara Hepworth, holding the city's art collection alongside major exhibitions. It is closed on Mondays, except bank holidays and Wakefield school holidays.
Royal Armouries Museum
Home of the National Collection of Arms and Armour, in a purpose-built museum at Leeds Dock that opened in 1996. General entry is free.
Salts Mill
Titus Salt's vast 1853 mill, now a mix of galleries, shops and restaurants, with the 1853 Gallery showing many works by David Hockney. Usually open Wednesday to Sunday.
National Science and Media Museum
Seven floors of galleries on photography, television, sound and the science of light, plus cinemas including Europe's first IMAX screen. Entry is free and it opens daily.
Sources we checked (September 2026)
We researched this page using the sources below. They are listed for transparency and are not links; always check official websites for the latest details.
- lner.co.uk/travel-information/timetables/
- assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/7jQOjS38muWdVQbPCRGxyV/809f4c4fe0a29fcd38233147ab0f48…
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_North_Eastern_Railway
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digswell_Viaduct
Travelling to Bradford Forster Square?
Check live times and fares with LNER, or compare prices on Trip.com. Book early for the best chance of a cheaper Advance fare.