Woodhead Line
Encyclopedia
The Woodhead Line was a railway line linking Sheffield
, Penistone
and Manchester
in the north of England
. A key feature of the route is the passage under the high moorlands of the northern Peak District
through the Woodhead Tunnel
s. The line was electrified
in 1953 and closed between Hadfield
and Penistone
in 1981.
The Manchester to Glossop/Hadfield section is still in operation; east of the Pennines
the vicinity of Penistone and the Sheffield to Deepcar section are still open, although the latter is freight-only. The track has been lifted on other sections and much of the trackbed is now part of the Trans-Pennine Trail and National Cycle Route 62. The Woodhead Line has achieved a cult status with collectors of railway memorabilia.
. It was built by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
with Joseph Locke
as its engineer. In 1847 the railway merged with the Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction Railway
, the Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway
, and the Grimsby Docks Company to form the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
, which changed its name to the Great Central Railway
(GCR)) in 1897. Ownership passed to the LNER in 1923, and finally to British Railways Eastern Region
in 1948.
The original eastern terminus of the line was at Bridgehouses station
. By the time of the creation of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway in 1847 the station at Bridgehouses had been outgrown. A 1 km extension — including the Wicker Arches
viaduct, engineered by John Fowler
— was constructed to the new Sheffield Victoria Station
, which opened in 1851.
Electrification was first mooted by the Great Central Railway owing to the difficulties of operating heavy steam-hauled coal trains on the Penistone-Wath section (the Worsborough branch), a line with steep gradients and several tunnels. Definitive plans were drawn up by the LNER in 1936; many of the gantries for the catenary (electric wires) were erected before World War II
.
World War II prevented progress on electrification, but the plans were restarted immediately after the war—but now with plans for a new double-track Woodhead Tunnel
. This (third) Woodhead Tunnel was constructed to replace the twin single-bore Victorian tunnels which had been damaged by years of smoke from steam engines.
The Manchester-Sheffield-Wath
electrification project was finally completed in 1955 using overhead wires energised at 1,500 volts direct current. Whilst this was tried and tested technology (and is still standard in the Netherlands), the comparatively low voltage meant that a large number of electricity substations and heavy cabling would be required. (It also made regenerative braking by transfer of power from descending to ascending trains in the same section of line comparatively straightforward). The main contractor for the electrification work was Bruce Peebles & Co, Edinburgh. Following technological developments (especially in France) 1.5 kV DC was soon superseded by the later network standard of 25 kV AC. This left the Woodhead Line as the only main line in the UK with 1.5 kV DC electrification.
New electric locomotives for the line were constructed at Gorton locomotive works
, Manchester. These were the EM1/Class 76
for freight trains (and some passenger duties) and EM2/Class 77
locomotives for express passenger trains. Given the steep gradients on the line, the locomotives were able to use regenerative braking on their descent from Woodhead. Rheostatic braking was also later added. Additionally, Class 506
electric multiple units were built for suburban services between Manchester, Glossop
and Hadfield
. A new depot at Reddish
on the Fallowfield Loop line
, was built in 1954 to maintain the new rolling stock.
Having seen major investment in the 1950s the line was controversially closed to passenger traffic on 5 January 1970 when it was clear that the alternative Hope Valley Line
through Edale
would be required to remain open for social and network reasons and could handle all Manchester–Sheffield passenger traffic. The Class 77
locomotives for passenger traffic were sold to the Netherlands Railways
, where 1500 V DC electrification was standard. By the late 1970s, a large part of the remaining freight traffic consisted of coal trains from Yorkshire to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station near Widnes
—which required a change to diesel haulage for the final part of the journey.
By the 1980s a combination of alternative available routes, an absence of passenger traffic since 1970, a downturn in coal traffic across the Pennines and a need to eventually upgrade or replace the (non-standard) electrical supply systems and Class 76 locomotives resulted in the line's closure east of Hadfield. The last train operated on 17 July 1981 and the line was mothballed.
The tracks were lifted in the mid-1980s ending short-term hopes of reopening. Almost the entire line east of Hadfield has now been lifted (apart from a few short sections shared with other lines, notably at Penistone). The trackbed between Hadfield
and the Woodhead Tunnel
has currently been adapted as the Longdendale Trail
for hikers and cyclists.
The suburban passenger service between Manchester, Glossop
and Hadfield
remains in service, but the electricity supply was converted to standard 25kV AC overhead in December 1984. The Class 506 EMUs
were then withdrawn and replaced by Class 303
EMUs from the Glasgow area. The service is now operated (as of 2006) by Class 323
EMUs.
The Huddersfield line platforms at Penistone
station remain open, used by the Huddersfield
-Sheffield
diesel-operated local trains, which traverse the line the short distance between the former Huddersfield Junction and Barnsley Junction.
There is just one other part of the line open to traffic, albeit freight, and that is the single line from Woodburn Junction, on the Sheffield to Lincoln Line
, to Deepcar
to serve the Corus
steel works at Stocksbridge
. Traffic is sparse and usually at night or early morning.
In 1967 it was proposed that parts of the route and the Woodhead Tunnel
be used as part of a new Manchester to Sheffield motorway. Only a short section of this motorway within Manchester, now known as the M67 motorway
, has been built.
In 1999 Central Railway (UK)
proposed using the Woodhead tunnel as part of an ambitious scheme to connect Liverpool to London.
In 2002 the Trans-pennine Rail Group, a broadly based group of County Councils, Unitary Authorities, Passenger Transport Executives (PTE) and the Peak District National Park Authority provided evidence to a transport select committee identified interest from bidders for the Transpennine rail franchise in reopening the Woodhead route. (in 2007 the Transpennine Rail Group was wound up as its work was now being done by the Northern Way and the North West Rail Campaign.)
In 2003 the Greater Manchester Branch of the Institute of Logistics and Transport presented evidence to a Parliamentary Select committee mentioning Arriva's interest in opening the Woodhead Line and Tunnel as part of their bid for the Transpennine rail franchise.
In 2006 Translink are proposing to open the tunnel and the route for rail freight. This proposal is favoured by some groups opposing the construction of the Longdendale Bypass
, a controversial £180m bypass for Mottram in Longdendale
, Hollingworth
and Tintwistle
(which is officially known as the A57/A628 Mottram-in-Longdendale, Hollingworth & Tintwistle Bypass).
There are also plans to restore the route from Deepcar
to Sheffield
as a Double Tracked heritage line called the Don Valley Railway
, to link up with the Sheffield Supertram
at Nunnery Junction called "Sheffield Don Valley".
Don Valley Railway Ltd, Sheffield City Council
and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
are looking at reopening the line to passenger services between Sheffield and Stocksbridge. Stations would be constructed at Stocksbridge, Deepcar, Wharncliffe Side and Oughtibridge with a Sheffield City centre terminus near to the Nunnery Square Supertram stop. The project could cost £4.3 million at a minimum.
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Penistone
Penistone
Penistone is a small town market town and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, England, with a population of 10,101 at the 2001 census. It lies west of the town of Barnsley and north east of Glossop, in the foothills of the Pennines...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in the north of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. A key feature of the route is the passage under the high moorlands of the northern Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
through the Woodhead Tunnel
Woodhead Tunnel
The Woodhead Tunnels are three parallel trans-Pennine 3-mile long railway tunnels on the Woodhead Line, a former major rail link from Manchester to Sheffield in northern England...
s. The line was electrified
Railway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
in 1953 and closed between Hadfield
Hadfield railway station
Hadfield railway station serves the village of Hadfield in Derbyshire, England. The station is one of the twin termini at the Derbyshire end of the Manchester-Glossop Line, the other being Glossop. It was opened by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway in 1844.The line formerly...
and Penistone
Penistone railway station
Penistone railway station is a railway station in Penistone, in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. Train services are provided by Northern Rail...
in 1981.
The Manchester to Glossop/Hadfield section is still in operation; east of the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
the vicinity of Penistone and the Sheffield to Deepcar section are still open, although the latter is freight-only. The track has been lifted on other sections and much of the trackbed is now part of the Trans-Pennine Trail and National Cycle Route 62. The Woodhead Line has achieved a cult status with collectors of railway memorabilia.
Route
The route from Manchester to Sheffield was 41.5 miles with stops at Manchester, Guide Bridge, Newton, Godley Junction, Mottram, Glossop and Dinting, Glossop Central, Hadfield, Crowden, Woodhead, Dunford Bridge, Hazlehead Bridge, Penistone, Wortley, Deepcar, Oughtibridge, Wadsley Bridge, Neepsend and Sheffield. Services still run from Manchester to Glossop and Hadfield. The section from Deepcar to Sheffield is currently used for freight. The route can be seen on this railway map and on this Google overlay map.History
Construction
The line opened in 18451845 in rail transport
-July events:* July — James Hooper succeeds Eleazer Lord as president of the Erie Railroad.* 21 July — An unprecedented number of railway acts receive Royal Assent from Queen Victoria in the United Kingdom as the railway mania approaches its peak, Parliament having sanctioned of new...
. It was built by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
The Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway was an early British railway company which opened in stages between 1841 and 1845 between Sheffield and Manchester via Ashton-under-Lyne...
with Joseph Locke
Joseph Locke
Joseph Locke was a notable English civil engineer of the 19th century, particularly associated with railway projects...
as its engineer. In 1847 the railway merged with the Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction Railway
Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction Railway
The Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction Railway was an early British railway company which opened in 1849 between Sheffield and Gainsborough and Lincoln...
, the Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway
Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway
The Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway was an early British railway company which existed between 1845 and 1847 with the intention of providing rail services between Grimsby, New Holland and Gainsborough in the county of Lincolnshire...
, and the Grimsby Docks Company to form the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
, which changed its name to the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
(GCR)) in 1897. Ownership passed to the LNER in 1923, and finally to British Railways Eastern Region
Eastern Region of British Railways
The Eastern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
in 1948.
The original eastern terminus of the line was at Bridgehouses station
Bridgehouses railway station
Bridgehouses railway station was the terminal station of the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway from its opening in 1845 until the opening of the Wicker Arches, a long viaduct across the Don Valley, which supported the new Sheffield Victoria opened on 15 September 1851...
. By the time of the creation of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway in 1847 the station at Bridgehouses had been outgrown. A 1 km extension — including the Wicker Arches
Wicker Arches
The Wicker Arches form a long railway viaduct across the Don Valley in the City of Sheffield, England. They take their name from the thoroughfare The Wicker, which passes through the main arch of the viaduct and was, until the completion of the Sheffield Parkway, the main route eastwards from the...
viaduct, engineered by John Fowler
John Fowler (engineer)
Sir John Fowler, 1st Baronet KCMG LLD was an English civil engineer specialising in the construction of railways and railway infrastructure. In the 1850s and 1860s, he was engineer for the world's first underground railway, London's Metropolitan Railway, built by the "cut-and-cover" method under...
— was constructed to the new Sheffield Victoria Station
Sheffield Victoria Station
Sheffield Victoria was the main railway station in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England on the Great Central Railway, between Chesterfield and Penistone.-Early history:...
, which opened in 1851.
Electrification
- See also Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railwayManchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railwayThe 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...
Electrification was first mooted by the Great Central Railway owing to the difficulties of operating heavy steam-hauled coal trains on the Penistone-Wath section (the Worsborough branch), a line with steep gradients and several tunnels. Definitive plans were drawn up by the LNER in 1936; many of the gantries for the catenary (electric wires) were erected before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
World War II prevented progress on electrification, but the plans were restarted immediately after the war—but now with plans for a new double-track Woodhead Tunnel
Woodhead Tunnel
The Woodhead Tunnels are three parallel trans-Pennine 3-mile long railway tunnels on the Woodhead Line, a former major rail link from Manchester to Sheffield in northern England...
. This (third) Woodhead Tunnel was constructed to replace the twin single-bore Victorian tunnels which had been damaged by years of smoke from steam engines.
The Manchester-Sheffield-Wath
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...
electrification project was finally completed in 1955 using overhead wires energised at 1,500 volts direct current. Whilst this was tried and tested technology (and is still standard in the Netherlands), the comparatively low voltage meant that a large number of electricity substations and heavy cabling would be required. (It also made regenerative braking by transfer of power from descending to ascending trains in the same section of line comparatively straightforward). The main contractor for the electrification work was Bruce Peebles & Co, Edinburgh. Following technological developments (especially in France) 1.5 kV DC was soon superseded by the later network standard of 25 kV AC. This left the Woodhead Line as the only main line in the UK with 1.5 kV DC electrification.
New electric locomotives for the line were constructed at Gorton locomotive works
Gorton locomotive works
Gorton Locomotive Works, known locally as Gorton Tank was located in Openshaw near Manchester, England and was completed in 1848 by the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway.- History :...
, Manchester. These were the EM1/Class 76
British Rail Class 76
The British Rail Class 76, also known as Class EM1 , is a class of 1.5 kV DC, Bo-Bo electric locomotive designed for use on the now-closed Woodhead Line in Northern England.-Tommy — the prototype:...
for freight trains (and some passenger duties) and EM2/Class 77
British Rail Class 77
The British Rail Class 77, also known as Class EM2, is a class of 1.5 kV DC, Co-Co electric locomotive. They were built by Metropolitan-Vickers in 1953–1954 for use over the Woodhead Line between Manchester and Sheffield.-Description:...
locomotives for express passenger trains. Given the steep gradients on the line, the locomotives were able to use regenerative braking on their descent from Woodhead. Rheostatic braking was also later added. Additionally, Class 506
British Rail Class 506
The British Rail Class 506 was a 3 carriage Electric Multiple Unit built for local services between Manchester, Glossop and Hadfield on the Woodhead Line, which was electrified in 1954 on the 1,500V dc overhead system.-Design:...
electric multiple units were built for suburban services between Manchester, Glossop
Glossop
Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...
and Hadfield
Hadfield, Derbyshire
Hadfield is a parish and small residential town in High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It lies very close to the River Etherow which forms the border between Derbyshire and Greater Manchester...
. A new depot at Reddish
Reddish
Reddish is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It is north of Stockport and southeast of Manchester...
on the Fallowfield Loop line
Fallowfield Loop railway line
The Fallowfield Loop railway line was a local railway route in Greater Manchester, England. Trains on the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway line from Sheffield Victoria and Guide Bridge used the 'Loop' to access Manchester Central railway station.The line was fully opened in 1892 and...
, was built in 1954 to maintain the new rolling stock.
Closure
Hope Valley Line
The Hope Valley Line is a railway line in England linking Sheffield with Manchester. It was completed in 1894.From Sheffield, trains head down the Midland Main Line to Dore, where the Hope Valley Line branches off to run through the Totley Tunnel .It emerges in the stunning scenery of the Hope...
through Edale
Edale
Edale is a small Derbyshire village and Civil parish in the Peak District, in the Midlands of England. The Parish of Edale,area ,is in the Borough of High Peak....
would be required to remain open for social and network reasons and could handle all Manchester–Sheffield passenger traffic. The Class 77
British Rail Class 77
The British Rail Class 77, also known as Class EM2, is a class of 1.5 kV DC, Co-Co electric locomotive. They were built by Metropolitan-Vickers in 1953–1954 for use over the Woodhead Line between Manchester and Sheffield.-Description:...
locomotives for passenger traffic were sold to the Netherlands Railways
Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen , or NS, is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands.Its trains operate over the tracks of the Dutch national railinfrastructure, operated by ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003...
, where 1500 V DC electrification was standard. By the late 1970s, a large part of the remaining freight traffic consisted of coal trains from Yorkshire to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station near Widnes
Widnes
Widnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...
—which required a change to diesel haulage for the final part of the journey.
By the 1980s a combination of alternative available routes, an absence of passenger traffic since 1970, a downturn in coal traffic across the Pennines and a need to eventually upgrade or replace the (non-standard) electrical supply systems and Class 76 locomotives resulted in the line's closure east of Hadfield. The last train operated on 17 July 1981 and the line was mothballed.
The tracks were lifted in the mid-1980s ending short-term hopes of reopening. Almost the entire line east of Hadfield has now been lifted (apart from a few short sections shared with other lines, notably at Penistone). The trackbed between Hadfield
Hadfield railway station
Hadfield railway station serves the village of Hadfield in Derbyshire, England. The station is one of the twin termini at the Derbyshire end of the Manchester-Glossop Line, the other being Glossop. It was opened by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway in 1844.The line formerly...
and the Woodhead Tunnel
Woodhead Tunnel
The Woodhead Tunnels are three parallel trans-Pennine 3-mile long railway tunnels on the Woodhead Line, a former major rail link from Manchester to Sheffield in northern England...
has currently been adapted as the Longdendale Trail
Longdendale Trail
Longdendale Trail is an English long-distance trail which follows the alignment of the former Woodhead railway line which used to run between Manchester and Sheffield...
for hikers and cyclists.
Possible closure of Woodhead 3
In 2007, National Grid, the present owners of the tunnels, proposed to relocate electricity cables from the Victorian to the 1953 tunnel sometime in 2008. This would mean that it would not be possible to use the new tunnel for railway traffic in future. Although the Peak District National Park and other relevant local bodies provided many reasons why the tunnel should remain open, in September 2007 The Government declined to intervene in the matter.The surviving sections
- See also: Manchester-Glossop Line
The suburban passenger service between Manchester, Glossop
Glossop
Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...
and Hadfield
Hadfield railway station
Hadfield railway station serves the village of Hadfield in Derbyshire, England. The station is one of the twin termini at the Derbyshire end of the Manchester-Glossop Line, the other being Glossop. It was opened by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway in 1844.The line formerly...
remains in service, but the electricity supply was converted to standard 25kV AC overhead in December 1984. The Class 506 EMUs
British Rail Class 506
The British Rail Class 506 was a 3 carriage Electric Multiple Unit built for local services between Manchester, Glossop and Hadfield on the Woodhead Line, which was electrified in 1954 on the 1,500V dc overhead system.-Design:...
were then withdrawn and replaced by Class 303
British Rail Class 303
The British Rail Class 303 electric multiple units, also known as "Blue Train" units, were introduced in 1960 for the electrification of the North Clyde and the Cathcart Circle lines in Strathclyde...
EMUs from the Glasgow area. The service is now operated (as of 2006) by Class 323
British Rail Class 323
The British Rail Class 323 electric multiple units were built by Hunslet TPL from 1992-93. Forty-three 3-car units were built for inner-suburban services around Birmingham and Manchester...
EMUs.
The Huddersfield line platforms at Penistone
Penistone railway station
Penistone railway station is a railway station in Penistone, in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. Train services are provided by Northern Rail...
station remain open, used by the Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
-Sheffield
Sheffield Midland station
Sheffield station, formerly Pond Street and later Sheffield Midland, is a railway station in Sheffield, England and is the busiest station in South Yorkshire...
diesel-operated local trains, which traverse the line the short distance between the former Huddersfield Junction and Barnsley Junction.
There is just one other part of the line open to traffic, albeit freight, and that is the single line from Woodburn Junction, on the Sheffield to Lincoln Line
Sheffield to Lincoln Line
The Sheffield to Lincoln line is a railway line in England. It runs from Sheffield east to Lincoln via Worksop, Retford and Gainsborough Lea Road. The route comprises the main line of the former Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, to Gainsborough, Trent Junction, where it then follows...
, to Deepcar
Deepcar railway station
Deepcar railway station, originally "Deep Car", is a disused railway station near Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The station, situated on the line built by the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway, opened on 14 July 1845...
to serve the Corus
Tata Steel Europe
Tata Steel Europe is a multinational steel-making company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the second-largest steel-maker in Europe and is a subsidiary of Tata Steel of India, one of the ten largest steel producers in the world.Corus Group was formed through the merger of Koninklijke...
steel works at Stocksbridge
Stocksbridge
Stocksbridge is a small town and civil parish in the City of Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England, with a population of 13,663. It lies just to the east of the Peak District....
. Traffic is sparse and usually at night or early morning.
Proposals for the future
The Woodhead Line has, unusually for an electric route, managed to achieve a cult status with collectors of railway memorabilia (perhaps because of a feeling that the closure of a modern electric railway was a mistake, given that the alternative routes were (are) not electrified). The original poster of the 'modern' route, published in 1955 by British Railways Board and entitled 'Britain's First All-Electric Main Line', fetches high prices at auction, and is still available in reproduction.In 1967 it was proposed that parts of the route and the Woodhead Tunnel
Woodhead Tunnel
The Woodhead Tunnels are three parallel trans-Pennine 3-mile long railway tunnels on the Woodhead Line, a former major rail link from Manchester to Sheffield in northern England...
be used as part of a new Manchester to Sheffield motorway. Only a short section of this motorway within Manchester, now known as the M67 motorway
M67 motorway
The M67 is a urban motorway in Greater Manchester, England which heads east from the M60 motorway passing through Denton and Hyde before ending near Mottram. It had originally conceived as the first part of a trans-Pennine motorway between Manchester and Sheffield connecting the A57 motorway to...
, has been built.
In 1999 Central Railway (UK)
Central Railway (UK)
Central Railway is a British company which proposes to build a new intermodal freight railway line, with a generous loading gauge, connecting the Channel Tunnel with the north of England, using much of the trackbed of the former Great Central Railway....
proposed using the Woodhead tunnel as part of an ambitious scheme to connect Liverpool to London.
In 2002 the Trans-pennine Rail Group, a broadly based group of County Councils, Unitary Authorities, Passenger Transport Executives (PTE) and the Peak District National Park Authority provided evidence to a transport select committee identified interest from bidders for the Transpennine rail franchise in reopening the Woodhead route. (in 2007 the Transpennine Rail Group was wound up as its work was now being done by the Northern Way and the North West Rail Campaign.)
In 2003 the Greater Manchester Branch of the Institute of Logistics and Transport presented evidence to a Parliamentary Select committee mentioning Arriva's interest in opening the Woodhead Line and Tunnel as part of their bid for the Transpennine rail franchise.
In 2006 Translink are proposing to open the tunnel and the route for rail freight. This proposal is favoured by some groups opposing the construction of the Longdendale Bypass
Longdendale Bypass
The Longdendale Bypass was a controversial road scheme in England by the Highways Agency. The aim was to alleviate traffic congestion on the A57 road/A628 road/A616 road routes that presently pass through the villages...
, a controversial £180m bypass for Mottram in Longdendale
Mottram in Longdendale
Mottram in Longdendale is an unparished village within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies in the valley of Longdendale, on the border with Derbyshire and close to the Peak District neighbouring Broadbottom and Hattersley. Mottram in Longdendale Parish was...
, Hollingworth
Hollingworth
Hollingworth is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England. It is about twelve miles east of Manchester on the Derbyshire border at Glossop...
and Tintwistle
Tintwistle
Tintwistle is a village and civil parish in the High Peak district of the non-metropolitan county of Derbyshire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,401. The village is just north of Glossop at the lower end of Longdendale Valley...
(which is officially known as the A57/A628 Mottram-in-Longdendale, Hollingworth & Tintwistle Bypass).
There are also plans to restore the route from Deepcar
Deepcar railway station
Deepcar railway station, originally "Deep Car", is a disused railway station near Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The station, situated on the line built by the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway, opened on 14 July 1845...
to Sheffield
Sheffield City Centre
Sheffield City Centre—often just referred to as town—is a district of the City of Sheffield, and part of the Sheffield Central ward. It includes the area that is within a radius of roughly of Sheffield Cathedral, and is encircled by the Inner Ring Road—a circular route started in the late 1960s...
as a Double Tracked heritage line called the Don Valley Railway
Don Valley Railway
The Don Valley Railway is a Heritage Railway project began in September 2003 to restore a passenger rail link along the section of the Woodhead Line that runs between Deepcar and Sheffield Don Valley. The project is being developed by Don Valley Railway Ltd., a not-for-profit company and registered...
, to link up with the Sheffield Supertram
Sheffield Supertram
The Supertram, officially called the Stagecoach Supertram, is a light rail tram system in the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England...
at Nunnery Junction called "Sheffield Don Valley".
Don Valley Railway Ltd, Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council is the city council for the metropolitan borough of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It consists of 84 councillors, elected to represent 28 wards, each with three councillors...
and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
The South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive is the Passenger Transport Executive for South Yorkshire in England. It is supervised by the South Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority, which consists of representatives from the metropolitan boroughs of Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, and...
are looking at reopening the line to passenger services between Sheffield and Stocksbridge. Stations would be constructed at Stocksbridge, Deepcar, Wharncliffe Side and Oughtibridge with a Sheffield City centre terminus near to the Nunnery Square Supertram stop. The project could cost £4.3 million at a minimum.
See also
- LongdendaleLongdendaleLongdendale is a valley in the north of England, north of Glossop and south east of Holmfirth. The name means "long wooded valley".- Geography :...
: A valley through which the line passes - Longdendale BypassLongdendale BypassThe Longdendale Bypass was a controversial road scheme in England by the Highways Agency. The aim was to alleviate traffic congestion on the A57 road/A628 road/A616 road routes that presently pass through the villages...
: A current road scheme though Longdendale. - M67 motorwayM67 motorwayThe M67 is a urban motorway in Greater Manchester, England which heads east from the M60 motorway passing through Denton and Hyde before ending near Mottram. It had originally conceived as the first part of a trans-Pennine motorway between Manchester and Sheffield connecting the A57 motorway to...
: Details of proposed 1960's motorway scheme that would have used part of the route - Peak DistrictPeak DistrictThe Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
: The route passes through the national park - Woodhead TunnelWoodhead TunnelThe Woodhead Tunnels are three parallel trans-Pennine 3-mile long railway tunnels on the Woodhead Line, a former major rail link from Manchester to Sheffield in northern England...
: A tunnel on the Woodhead line - TransPennine Express: The current train operator between Manchester and Sheffield
- Hope Valley LineHope Valley LineThe Hope Valley Line is a railway line in England linking Sheffield with Manchester. It was completed in 1894.From Sheffield, trains head down the Midland Main Line to Dore, where the Hope Valley Line branches off to run through the Totley Tunnel .It emerges in the stunning scenery of the Hope...
: The currently route used by the Transpennine Express between Manchester and Sheffield. - Longdendale TrailLongdendale TrailLongdendale Trail is an English long-distance trail which follows the alignment of the former Woodhead railway line which used to run between Manchester and Sheffield...
: A footpath that follows part of the route of the Woodhead Line - Don Valley RailwayDon Valley RailwayThe Don Valley Railway is a Heritage Railway project began in September 2003 to restore a passenger rail link along the section of the Woodhead Line that runs between Deepcar and Sheffield Don Valley. The project is being developed by Don Valley Railway Ltd., a not-for-profit company and registered...
A proposal to open the section from Deepcar to Nunnery Junction, just east of Sheffield City CentreSheffield City CentreSheffield City Centre—often just referred to as town—is a district of the City of Sheffield, and part of the Sheffield Central ward. It includes the area that is within a radius of roughly of Sheffield Cathedral, and is encircled by the Inner Ring Road—a circular route started in the late 1960s...
External links
- The woodheadsite - has good history section
- Route diagram British Transport Commission,1954
- The Don Valley Railway Line
- Another recent (2006) reopening proposal, this time as a 'Rolling Highway' for HGV traffic
- Michael Pead :: Photos of the Woodhead Route
- British Railways in 1960, Woodhead to Manchester
- Photos showing various signalboxes from the Sheffield to Brigg area