Rotherwood exchange sidings
Encyclopedia
Rotherwood exchange sidings were set at the eastern extremity of the Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway
between Orgreave Lane and Retford Road, on the south eastern boundary of the City of Sheffield with the Parish of Orgreave, within Rotherham
.
The sidings consisted of two sets of lines, on the up (towards Grimsby) and down (towards Sheffield) which were laid out for the purpose of locomotive changing on trains passing through the area. Originally steam, later diesel locomotives brought trains, particularly coal from the Nottinghamshire coalfield to the down sidings, where the motive power was changed to electric traction for the run over Woodhead to Mottram
yard where it was changed again for steam (later diesel) to continue its journey. The returning empty traffic was changed over in the up sidings.
Entry to the down sidings was by Permissive block regulations
from Woodhouse East Junction and on busy days trains would queue for the full distance. The sidings were controlled by a British Railways built signal box set at the east end of the up sidings.
Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway
The Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway was an early electrification scheme on British railways. The route featured long ascents on both sides of the Pennines with the long Woodhead Tunnel at its central summit close to the Woodhead pass...
between Orgreave Lane and Retford Road, on the south eastern boundary of the City of Sheffield with the Parish of Orgreave, within Rotherham
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
.
The sidings consisted of two sets of lines, on the up (towards Grimsby) and down (towards Sheffield) which were laid out for the purpose of locomotive changing on trains passing through the area. Originally steam, later diesel locomotives brought trains, particularly coal from the Nottinghamshire coalfield to the down sidings, where the motive power was changed to electric traction for the run over Woodhead to Mottram
Mottram
Mottram may refer to:* People:** Craig Mottram, an Australian distance runner** Don Mottram, an English flavour chemist** Ralph Hale Mottram, an English writer** Richard Mottram, a senior UK civil servant** Eric Mottram, an English poet...
yard where it was changed again for steam (later diesel) to continue its journey. The returning empty traffic was changed over in the up sidings.
Entry to the down sidings was by Permissive block regulations
Permissive block regulations
Permissive Working on the UK railway allows more than one train at a time to be on the same line in a :*block section*signal section*dead-end platform line...
from Woodhouse East Junction and on busy days trains would queue for the full distance. The sidings were controlled by a British Railways built signal box set at the east end of the up sidings.