Hi All,

Does anybody out there remember what the old Victoria Station was like, before closure and dismantling in the '60's?

Was before my time just 8) have a look on here see if this helps http://www.mosborough.org.uk/sheffield.htm

My 500th post :help: i need to get out more lol

Thanks for that, there is a piccy of the station at that web site.
:D

isnt it apparently making a comeback?

We used to line up at the bottom of the stairs in the wicker on a day trip we had to Cleethorpes.
It was like climbing mount Igor at the time.
Although the enterance to the stairs is blocked i believe the staircase is still there and personally it was the worse thing they could have done when they closed that station.
I don't know about it making a comeback but it make very good sense in re-opening it to take some presure off Midland and Victoria is more central for me as well.
Would'nt it be great to once again see the trains go over the Wicker arches.

Yes, the Strategic Rail Authority is considering reopening the Woodhead line to Manchester as a way of clearing the congestion on the run in to Mdland Station and also at Dore, where Midland Mainline and the Manchester line meet. Victoria would also play a role if the Central Railway to the Chunnel got the go ahead.

Rail travel has got to be part of the solution to the over crowded roads.
There is plenty of scope for railways more than ever these days but all that ever happens is they get rid of it.
I would like to see Britains rail system like Japan and with solid investment and fast trains.
Victoria station would be exellent to be re-opened especially if it was built as a replica of its former self.

At the junction of Halifax Road and Foxhill Road was Wadsley Bridge station, (I understand the bridge has been demolished?) I remember as a kid catching a train there going past Batchelors, and through Beeley woods towards Outibridge and Stocksbridge. Don't remember where we were going, I'm guessing we were on our way to Blackpool or New Brighton, any ideas? This was sometime in the very early 1950's, I also remember getting off the train on the return journey, along with my mam and dad, and having to walk up Foxhill Road to Browning road, were I lived. Is that rail line still in existence? Does anyone know what the large building next to the station was? I remember walking past it, and looking through the street level windows to the floor below street level, don't remember ever seeing anybody inside, though. The rail line going the other way went over the Wicker arches, also over the high viaduct at Herries road.

The bridge at Wadsley is still there and has not been demolished.
The line is no longer in use.
You would head towards the west coast on that line.
Outabridge station is still there but in a delapicated condition and there was talk of biulding houses on that site but was refused due to the 'friends of Outibridge station' who are trying to raise funds to put the station back in to its original condition.
If you leave me your email address by PM then i will endeavoir to email you some pics on how it looks today.

Oldtimer

I think Wadsley Bridge station was still used a few years ago for visiting football fans coming by special train to Owlerton but the line through to Manchester has been closed for a good while now. I vaguely remember that tall building...was it a grain store and flour mill ?...it's gone now anyway.

The now single track from Sheffield to Stocksbridge steelworks at Deepcar is still open and I believe used very occasionally for freight, but the steelworks are to close.

I went to Manchester that way a couple of times in the 50s and once to Huddesfield. I do remember all the fuss when the new Woodhead tunnel was opened and the line went electric...1954 I think.

Also I went from Victoria to London in 1944 but I don't remember much about that except that I sat on a soldier's knee for most of the journey (although I was travelling with my mother's sister).

At Victoria station I also remember next to the stairs in the Wicker there was a lift up to the platform - I've been in that a few times.

GB

Originally posted by Greybeard
Oldtimer

I think Wadsley Bridge station was still used a few years ago for visiting football fans coming by special train to Owlerton but the line through to Manchester has been closed for a good while now. I vaguely remember that tall building...was it a grain store and flour mill ?...it's gone now anyway.

The now single track from Sheffield to Stocksbridge steelworks at Deepcar is still open and I believe used very occasionally for freight, but the steelworks are to close.

I went to Manchester that way a couple of times in the 50s and once to Huddesfield. I do remember all the fuss when the new Woodhead tunnel was opened and the line went electric...1954 I think.

Also I went from Victoria to London in 1944 but I don't remember much about that except that I sat on a soldier's knee for most of the journey (although I was travelling with my mother's sister).

At Victoria station I also remember next to the stairs in the Wicker there was a lift up to the platform - I've been in that a few times.

GB

That is right. I am sure I remember seeing an old class 20 locamotive pull up at Wadley Bridge station around 14 years ago dropping football fans off.

Corus Stocksbridge Works is not closing. The finishing areas are to stay open. Melting will cease May 2004. Hot rolling will transfer to the Aldwarke site. The railway line at present is used frequently to transfer blooms (ingots) cast at Rotherham to be rolled at Stocksbridge. At present no decision has been made whether to send rolled steel by road or rail when the restructuring of Corus has been finalised, but rail inspectors have surveyed the line comprehensively over recent weeks.

We used to use Victoria Station in the old days and from the Wicker, could get up to the platforms by using the Wicker lift, many times my brother and I caught the train on a Sunday morning to go fishing for the day.

The fare to go up in the lift was one old penny and one could always win a bet by asking someone what was the shortest penny ride in Sheffield, they invariably said a tram ride and not many people realised that it was the Wicker lift.

Would that be the milk train Hal.

Originally posted by The Cycleracer

Would'nt it be great to once again see the trains go over the Wicker arches.

Great to see a passenger train going over the Wicker Arches again today - one of those railtour trains went over about three pm and came back about 45 minutes later. More are planned next year apparently

i was not born when the line closed, nor old enough to remember anything about the line as i was only born in 1984. i am wondering how the steelworks is still rail connected at stocksbridge, pictures i have seen show victoria with no lines?

is it possible to easily see where the station stood?

what is there now (is the travel lodge taken over all of the station?)

Also after deepcar and stocksbridge, where did the railway line go as on an o.s map i have there is an old line but then it suddenly stops near a reservoire.

please reply when you can and much thanks for info given

regards

Darryl smith (please reply to my e-mail address (aswell as this site)) mta02das@shef.ac.uk


p.s. how regular are the trains to corus at stocksbridge and idea what time the trains are as i would like to see one travel over the arches near the volvo / mazda etc garages!

I can remember exploring the closed station around 1976 by climbing onto Neepsend bridge and walking the track back to the Wicker. It was a Sunday afternoon and the place was very weird indeed. At that stage it was still intact although it had been closed for 6 years, and was not demolished until 1986, but they took the big roof off in 1980. It was a MASSIVE station, far bigger than midland, and very creepy. One of the tea rooms still had cups and broken plates on and table clothes. It looked like it just closed the day before, completely abandoned with old 1970 timetables and posters. very sad......

The subway tunnels linking the platforms were very strange and atmospheric. Explored the whole place from top to bottom, nothing was locked, barred or boarded up. very surprised squatters had not moved in or the place been trashed by vandals, but it was untouched. Never forget that day.....

I remember being stuck at Manchester Piccadilly in 1972 or 73 during a rail strike. We were stuck there all night and in the morning the only train was going to London via Chesterfield. We jumped on that, It wasn't supposed to stop at Sheffield (don't know why, but rail strikes tend not to be very sensible), but it stopped at a signal for about half an hour and then reversed back into Victoria station. Everyone from Sheffield jumped off on the platform. The guard tried to get us all back on the train, but nobody took any notice and we managed to get down the stairs and on to the Whicker, although I can't remember if we had to force our way through a gate or whatever (such a long time ago).

The station was definitely intact then. I wonder if that was the last passenger train to actually stop there, although it wasn't a scheduled stop???

when u say victoria was massive, in what way? long platforms or many? as from photos i have seen i have seen two tracks between two platforms and a third track around the station ( see pic on link below)

http://www.thewoodheadsite.org.uk/

(im guessing the station was on the right where all the undergrowth is now, is the small wall in the centre of the pic an old platform?

also were midland and victoria linked, i mean could u get onto a train to, say, huddersfield at midland and the train stop at, or pass through victoria?

Regards

Darryl Smith

Originally posted by daz9284
when u say victoria was massive, in what way? long platforms or many? as from photos i have seen i have seen two tracks between two platforms and a third track around the station ( see pic on link below)

http://www.thewoodheadsite.org.uk/

(im guessing the station was on the right where all the undergrowth is now, is the small wall in the centre of the pic an old platform?

also were midland and victoria linked, i mean could u get onto a train to, say, huddersfield at midland and the train stop at, or pass through victoria?

Regards

Darryl Smith

Yes the wall in the middle is one of the main platforms which were on the far side of the station. The rest is where the hotel extension now is situated, the huge ungly bit sticking out of the original Victoria station hotel on the right. The station was hard up against the hotel with a platform directly alongside the windows of the hotel.

Midland and Victoria WERE linked, the track is still there used as a way of getting trains from Darnall onto the Midland line. All trains from Retford, Darnall, Woodhouse, etc, travel on the GCR line until a point about 1/4 mile from Victoria station site, you notice the treain taking a very sharp left and down an embankment to join the Midland railway line just north of Midland station. Trains USED to be able to leave Victoria, cruise along to the junction, which was and is one track only, and then reverse back down the track to access the junction down to the Midland line, and vice versa. So in those days you can get trains running from Chesterfield Midland say to Sheffield Victoria, or Chesterfield central to Sheffield Midland, with a reversing action midway.

I have tons of pictures of Victoria somewhere, made a film as well in 1980 which has vanished. Wonderfully haunted place you know, but thats another story.

If anyone is interested in seeing what Victoria looked like just before she was demolished, there a few good pics at

http://www.leytransport.i12.com/shef.htm

It was a shame to see her in such a terrible state. I will always remember her as a happy place, mainly because it usually meant I was going on holiday to such wonderful resorts as Cleethorpes!

The Woodhead Line is a sleeping giant, if anyone want to lend my about 100 million quid I could wake this sleeping giant and this is how I would do it.
(T.S.M.R) The Sheffield Manchester Railway as it would be called.

(1) Reopen Sheffield Victoria, it would have 6 platforms, a connecting tram service, and you could catch a train to Manchester,Huddersfield,Wath via Penistone, Cleethorpes, Lincoln & Don Valley Stadium / Sheffield Airport.

(2) Reopen Neepsend Station, this would connect with the Ski Village & The new 80 million pound theme park

(3) reopen Wadsley Bridge Station, Built a 3000 car park on the site of the old Super Bowl site and charge drivers 2-00 to park allday which includes there train fare into Sheffield Victoira

(4) Oughtbridge Station Reopened.

(5) Deepcar Station Reopened, build a 5000 space car park = Deepcar Park & Ride charge 3-00 to park allday this includes return travel to Sheffield Victoria * this would also take a lot of traffic of the Stocksbridge By-pass

(6) Open a new station called Penistone Interchange it would have 8 platforms and conect services from Sheffield Victoria,Manchester,Wath,Huddersfield,Barnsley,She ffield Midland

The Sheffield Manchester Railway would run the following services.

Sheffield Victoria - Manchester Picc (fast)
Sheffield Victoria - Manchester Picc (Semi -fast)
Sheffield Victoria - Sheffield Airport
Sheffield Victoria - Derby
Sheffield Victoria - Cleethorpes Via Gainsborough
Sheffield Victoria - Lincoln
Sheffield Victoria - Huddersfield
Sheffield Victoria - Penistone (stopping service)
Doncaster - Penistone
Wath- Huddersfield
Manchester Picc - Penistone Via Glossop (stopping service)

The Line from Penistone - Huddersfield would be doubled to allow extra trains
Ok what do you think of this setup ?
Would you travel by the T.S.M.R

Originally posted by oldtimer
At the junction of Halifax Road and Foxhill Road was Wadsley Bridge station, (I understand the bridge has been demolished?) I remember as a kid catching a train there going past Batchelors, and through Beeley woods towards Outibridge and Stocksbridge. Don't remember where we were going, I'm guessing we were on our way to Blackpool or New Brighton, any ideas? This was sometime in the very early 1950's, I also remember getting off the train on the return journey, along with my mam and dad, and having to walk up Foxhill Road to Browning road, were I lived. Is that rail line still in existence? Does anyone know what the large building next to the station was? I remember walking past it, and looking through the street level windows to the floor below street level, don't remember ever seeing anybody inside, though. The rail line going the other way went over the Wicker arches, also over the high viaduct at Herries road.

You're correct - The original stone bridge was demolished around 1970.

It spanned Halifax Road and had such a narrow archway that double decker buses had to avoid oncoming traffic and use the middle of the road to get through.

Halifax Road was widened into a dual carriageway and is now spanned by a pre-fabricated steel bridge. In a midnight demolition ceremony the local pub, The Bridge Inn, became The New Bridge Inn around 1970.

All traces of Wadsley Bridge station buildings have now been removed. Just a single rail line remains. The bridge over Herries Road is known as The Five Arches and has not been changed.

The Woodhead Route (http://robs-photo-pages-extra.fotopic.net/show_collection.php?id=33139)

Originally posted by Mr BusDriver
The Woodhead Line is a sleeping giant, if anyone want to lend my about 100 million quid I could wake this sleeping giant and this is how I would do it.
(T.S.M.R) The Sheffield Manchester Railway as it would be called.

(1) Reopen Sheffield Victoria, it would have 6 platforms, a connecting tram service, and you could catch a train to Manchester,Huddersfield,Wath via Penistone, Cleethorpes, Lincoln & Don Valley Stadium / Sheffield Airport.

(2) Reopen Neepsend Station, this would connect with the Ski Village & The new 80 million pound theme park

(3) reopen Wadsley Bridge Station, Built a 3000 car park on the site of the old Super Bowl site and charge drivers 2-00 to park allday which includes there train fare into Sheffield Victoira

(4) Oughtbridge Station Reopened.

(5) Deepcar Station Reopened, build a 5000 space car park = Deepcar Park & Ride charge 3-00 to park allday this includes return travel to Sheffield Victoria * this would also take a lot of traffic of the Stocksbridge By-pass

(6) Open a new station called Penistone Interchange it would have 8 platforms and conect services from Sheffield Victoria,Manchester,Wath,Huddersfield,Barnsley,She ffield Midland

The Sheffield Manchester Railway would run the following services.

Sheffield Victoria - Manchester Picc (fast)
Sheffield Victoria - Manchester Picc (Semi -fast)
Sheffield Victoria - Sheffield Airport
Sheffield Victoria - Derby
Sheffield Victoria - Cleethorpes Via Gainsborough
Sheffield Victoria - Lincoln
Sheffield Victoria - Huddersfield
Sheffield Victoria - Penistone (stopping service)
Doncaster - Penistone
Wath- Huddersfield
Manchester Picc - Penistone Via Glossop (stopping service)

The Line from Penistone - Huddersfield would be doubled to allow extra trains
Ok what do you think of this setup ?
Would you travel by the T.S.M.R

I like all those suggestions. If I had the capital it would be yours! :o

Originally posted by Mr BusDriver
The Woodhead Line is a sleeping giant, if anyone want to lend my about 100 million quid I could wake this sleeping giant and this is how I would do it.
(T.S.M.R) The Sheffield Manchester Railway as it would be called.

(1) Reopen Sheffield Victoria, it would have 6 platforms, a connecting tram service, and you could catch a train to Manchester,Huddersfield,Wath via Penistone, Cleethorpes, Lincoln & Don Valley Stadium / Sheffield Airport.

(2) Reopen Neepsend Station, this would connect with the Ski Village & The new 80 million pound theme park

(3) reopen Wadsley Bridge Station, Built a 3000 car park on the site of the old Super Bowl site and charge drivers 2-00 to park allday which includes there train fare into Sheffield Victoira

(4) Oughtbridge Station Reopened.

(5) Deepcar Station Reopened, build a 5000 space car park = Deepcar Park & Ride charge 3-00 to park allday this includes return travel to Sheffield Victoria * this would also take a lot of traffic of the Stocksbridge By-pass

(6) Open a new station called Penistone Interchange it would have 8 platforms and conect services from Sheffield Victoria,Manchester,Wath,Huddersfield,Barnsley,She ffield Midland

The Sheffield Manchester Railway would run the following services.

Sheffield Victoria - Manchester Picc (fast)
Sheffield Victoria - Manchester Picc (Semi -fast)
Sheffield Victoria - Sheffield Airport
Sheffield Victoria - Derby
Sheffield Victoria - Cleethorpes Via Gainsborough
Sheffield Victoria - Lincoln
Sheffield Victoria - Huddersfield
Sheffield Victoria - Penistone (stopping service)
Doncaster - Penistone
Wath- Huddersfield
Manchester Picc - Penistone Via Glossop (stopping service)

The Line from Penistone - Huddersfield would be doubled to allow extra trains
Ok what do you think of this setup ?
Would you travel by the T.S.M.R


I certainly would

What's left of the station now? What would be the best way to get up there and take a look?

Apart from a few walls nothings left of the actual station,theres just the one railway line right on the farside that goes to Stocksbridge.

To see for yourself just walk up the driveway to the Royal Hotel,past the new site of the Great Central war memorial (which wasn't there a couple of days ago!) and onto the top carpark which is right where the platforms once were.

just as a matter of interest the New Bridge Inn was not called the Bridge Inn but theNew Inn .If you look at the pub now the old name of the pub is outside engraved in the wall.I lost a bet over this ,cost me a couple of pints

Well spotted - just checking if people were awake.

You are correct about the old bridge. I used to drive busses in Sheffield, and I vividly remember driving in the middle of the road!
#1,91,79, all used to go under the bridge, the first two would swing left and go up Foxhill Road, the 79 went straight up the hill.

Just for interest, look up at the arch from the pvement, you will see a patch of repair work near lefthand side looking up Snig Hill, this is were a bomb came through during blitz, fortunatly it did not explode, just punched a hole through.

Originally posted by little malc
Just for interest, look up at the arch from the pvement, you will see a patch of repair work near lefthand side looking up Snig Hill, this is were a bomb came through during blitz, fortunatly it did not explode, just punched a hole through.



You obviously mean Spital Hill not Snig Hill.



So named because a hospital was once located there.

So I do, the memory, like me is getting old!

Perhaps we should concrete over the rail track bed and run a bus only service between Stocksbridge, Deepcar, Oughtibridge, Wadsley Bridge, Neepsend and The Wicker.

But maybe the line is still used for steel from Stocksbridge.

I remember very well going on the Victoria - Manchester line when I was a kid.
I went a number of times to Belle Vue and also Train spotting to Manchester.
It would be great if the old line could be re-opened I think Sheffield City Council and Manchester City Council should get together and link there Metro Trams, could be the biggest Metro in the World.
Failing that get the good old steam locos back on the rails.

Also did anyone do any train spotting on Bernard Road above Victoria Staion, used to sit on the wall on Saturday lunch time and whatch I think was the Boat Train coming to Victoria, quite often was a Coronation Class Loco.

Regards john.m

I heard it would cost millions to repair the Woodhead tunnel.

I think Manchester trains go through Dore and Totley now.

It's great to be sentimental about old railways but they were closed because not enough people used them. If they were viable they wouldn't have been closed.

Doctor Beeching was criticised for closing down rail networks in the 1960s but in fact he saved this country billions.

he may have saved us billions but alot of the lines need re-opening for comerical encomonic benefit.

for example a line near me closed which went from york - stamford bridge - pocklington then i think to driffield then to hull.

the road going from york - pocklington - driffield is very very busy 99% of the time will people commuting and goods on this route. it is now a dangerous road.

people are trying to get this railway re-opened but alot of the route is now covered with houses. so the only real way of re-opening this route is buying back the land, re-housing the people, which in turn will cost many millions so overall, beaching hasnt really saved much money, just wasted time.

Originally posted by daz9284
he may have saved us billions but alot of the lines need re-opening for comerical encomonic benefit.

for example a line near me closed which went from york - stamford bridge - pocklington then i think to driffield then to hull.

the road going from york - pocklington - driffield is very very busy 99% of the time will people commuting and goods on this route. it is now a dangerous road.

people are trying to get this railway re-opened but alot of the route is now covered with houses. so the only real way of re-opening this route is buying back the land, re-housing the people, which in turn will cost many millions so overall, beaching hasnt really saved much money, just wasted time.


But most car users want other car users to use the trains so that the road will be clear for them !

Its a fascinating walk along the trackbed from Victoria all the way up to Wadlsye Bridge..........I have done it many times.....very very atmospheric and amazingly isolated from the streets below......you can hardly hear any traffic noise or sound of the City.....the old line absorbs all sound and is a bit of an existential experience. I have walked this route at night at 3am after a night club just because I felt like it and it was VERY VERY strange....

this was a few years back when the old power gantries were still there and a track was still in place running through Vic and Wadsley bridge....no idea what track, if any is still left. Walkig over Herries Rd bridge was also very wierd.....it just seems to absorb all sounds....of everything.....

Originally posted by goldenfleece


Its a fascinating walk along the trackbed from Victoria all the way up to Wadsley Bridge.......... I have done it many times


It's a wonder that you weren't eaten alive.

The Five Arches over Herries Road was full of rats and weasles.

Originally posted by JDee
Doctor Beeching was criticised for closing down rail networks in the 1960s but in fact he saved this country billions.

Cost this country billions more like. Thats why we've got so many lorries and trucks clogging up and wearing out our motorways and other roads much of this could have gone by rail if the rail networks had not been chopped.

Originally posted by JDee

Originally posted by goldenfleece

Its a fascinating walk along the trackbed from Victoria all the way up to Wadsley Bridge.......... I have done it many times
It's a wonder that you weren't eaten alive.

The Five Arches over Herries Road was full of rats and weasles.

My very first bedsit, when I left home was at the back of the pond just by the five arches railway bridge. The train tracks ran right beside my house.

Sadly, by this time, (very early 1980's)by my recollection, the track was pretty much limited to carrying match-day specials to wadsley bridge station for the footy at hillsboro'. I don't remember much other traffic on that line at all. It was fairly quiet.

Walking at night, along that little cul-de-sac, past the pond was terrifying, we'd see rats that looked (to us) as big as small dogs. Gosh it was spooky!

When the weather was nice, we'd go across herries road, and sit on the hill on the opposite side (the Scraithwood side) and we could look down, over the rails and toward the cemetery and the footy ground.

I know what you mean, goldenfleece, about the bridge being spooky. I found it darned eerie even in the daytime! I always ran through the bridge, I was so scared.

PT

Originally posted by mega_monty
Cost this country billions more like. Thats why we've got so many lorries and trucks clogging up and wearing out our motorways and other roads much of this could have gone by rail if the rail networks had not been chopped.

Oil will no longer last a lifetime.

Things will change.

I know what you mean, goldenfleece, about the bridge being spooky. I found it darned eerie even in the daytime! I always ran through the bridge, I was so scared.

PT [/B]


Can you still get up onto it? This was years ago I walked along the line, circa 86 I think.

I wish Network Rail would clean up the Wicker Archers.

It was me who asked Sheffield City Council's Highway & Lighting Department 3 years ago if they could turn the floodlights back on,

All you have now is the whole of the top of the Archers full of graffiti.

I hope then next time the yobs do it the train to Stocksbridge is coming along!

Originally posted by goldenfleece
Can you still get up onto it? This was years ago I walked along the line, circa 86 I think.


It still has a single track, as of today, but it is impossible to walk on the trackbed in the Wadsley Bridge area unless you can scale a 2 metre high spiked steel fence.

L.M.S. & L.N.E.R. Thats what we called the two stations, L.M.S. was the Victoria station or was it the other ..and My Uncle Norman was a Fireman on the L.M.S....and it was a great thrill to hear the whistle blow..and the train lights to go on (sometimes they didn't) and enter the Woodhead tunnel it was magic sat there in wonderment with smell of burning coals in your nostrils listening to the clicker-ti-clack of the rail joints on the wheels, and waiting to see daylight again..I've never fogotten that in almost 60 years....Bring back steam.

Originally posted by Timbuck
L.M.S. & L.N.E.R. Thats what we called the two stations, L.M.S. was the Victoria station

Sorry mate. Victoria was the LNER station. Sheffield Midland was the LMS station. Thre LMS did have a (dead end) station near by, between Saville Street and Spital Hill, built by the precursor to old Midland Railway (North Midland). This was closed to passenger traffic when Midland station opened.

Victoria was built by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, which became the Great Central Railway in 1899 and was combined with several others to form the LNER in 1923.

Yes, the train station at the bottom of Spital Hill, on the right when looking up Spital Hill, was operated by London, Midland and Scottish.

But Sheffield Victoria Station was always the best.

Sorry Mate.
Supercol is correct Victoria Station which was accessible via Wicker/Spital Hill or Victoria Station Approach.
Was LNER and Midland Station on Sheaf Street is and still is LMS.

I used to Train spot and travel from both stations when I was a youngster so I think I would have known.

:thumbsup: I remmember going on steam trains with my late mum and dad in 1960 from the station... regarding it coming back... how long as that dream being going on for... TREK.

Hi All,

Talking about steam locos, what is it that defines the magic of a steam engine, for those of you who love them?

Every time I see or hear or smell a steam engine, when I visit a preserved line, it sends shivers up and down my spine! I feel elated and sad at the same time. Elated I suppose because some people took a lot of time, effort and money to maintain something worthwhile, but yet sad because of what as been lost.

Last year I went on a steam excursion special (York-Scarborough-York) and I have to say this,.....it was absolutely magical!!!! Everybody waved as the train went by, even the youths who would normally rather throw an egg at your window, than be associated with something as "anorak" as train-spotting, stopped what they were doing and waved! Incredible!

I work at Ecclesfield at the moment, and if the weathers nice, I go and have my lunch, sat near the track leading to Chapeltown station, and I look up and down the line in the vain hope that a steam loco will come one day! I suppose when oil runs out, and we have to look at using our coal reserves, steam may make an appearence again! I can dream... (I frequently do!)
:D

Hi Agent Smith... it all depends on your age but I agree that the magic lives on... Im a member of peak rail in Derbyshire if that rings a bell... by the way do you know Fox come back.

Originally posted by Agent Smith
Hi All,

Talking about steam locos, what is it that defines the magic of a steam engine, for those of you who love them?
:D

I'll tell you what it is. They live and breath in a way that diesel and elecric traction cannot copy. A couple of years ago, the wife bought me a present of a footplate taster session at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. It was brilliant. I shovelled coal on and actually drove a BR class 4 steam loco. She was 75029 'The Green Knight'. A fantastic day. If you like that kind of thing, give it a shot, you won't regret it.

Some people are striving to bring back (http://www.5at.co.uk/) steam locomotion.

Originally posted by chill
Some people are striving to bring back (http://www.5at.co.uk/) steam locomotion.

They sure are but don't hold your breath. When they get the funding they might make something of it. However, based on the time it has took them to do the boiler, firebox and cylinder calculations I don't expect anything this century. To put it in context, 1930's steam loco designers (Gresley and Stanier for instance) did this kind of work in less than a fortnight. These guys have been at for several years and still don't have a production design. I rest my case.

Although I'm a great lover of steam, I remember Victoria station mostly for the early overhead electric trains that ran from there.

There was a series of electric locomotives all numbered between 26000 and 27000, many of which were named after characters in Greek (or was it Roman) mythology - eg Ulysses, Stentor, Juno, Aurora etc

When I worked at Thorcliffe for Newton Chambers in the fifties..I remember a fleet of 5 fabulous steam loco's with names Like, Peter, John, James..can anyone else remember these?.

I like the Steam locos. I once arrived back to Sheffield Midland from leeds around 15 years ago and there was loads of people hanging around on the platform. I decided to hang around and see what all the fuss was about. About 30 minutes later the Sir Nigel Gresley pulled into the Midland station.

I think it was the first time I had seen a steam engine running and it was a lovely sight.

Did you know a team of volunteers are in the process of setting up Don Valley Railway as a charity in order to restore the line and operate a service from Sheffield Victoria to Deepcar station.

More information can be found at thier website

http://www.donvalleyrailway.org

has anyone got any good pictures of sheffield victoria. in the 20's right to the 70's.
Thanks

I was at the demolition of Wadsley Bridge.
The midnight scheduled explosion was nearer 1.30 I think !

From 11 onwards there was a large crowd of mostly "well
oiled" spectators waiting for the big bang at midnight. I think
the pub was supped dry.

Midnight came and went - it was obvious that the police and
demo experts wanted the crowd to thin out a bit - and it
did.
I remember feeling very cold when the bridge went an hour or
so later.

I recall the explosion was a bit of a damp squib as well !

Ah well - at least I was there.

Remember catching train on same line but at brightside station,
remember going to belle vue zoo. -60s

Hi folks

You may be interested to know about a project to re-open victoria and teh rest of the line to stocksbridge. www.donvalleyrailway.org ?

JP =)

Originally posted by jonathanp1
www.donvalleyrailway.org[/url] ?



If the webmaster of that site wants it to be taken seriously (s)he'll make it available to non-java users.

But Victoria station is anyway a no-man's land as far as public transport connections go, come to think of it....it always was. The only bus I ever saw there was the 48 to Manchester

Does anyone know what the large building next to the station was? I remember walking past it, and looking through the street level windows to the floor below street level, don't remember ever seeing anybody inside, though. The rail line

I think this was Moss and Gambles steel works.

I remember as a kid going on the "club trip" to Southport and leaving from Wadsley Bridge station.

The bridge is still there, but it was changed about 20 yrs ago to an all metal thing as opposed to the stone one that was originally there.

My parents actually met in the Railway pub right next to the bridge!

Originally posted by jonathanp1
Hi folks

You may be interested to know about a project to re-open Victoria and the rest of the line to Stocksbridge. www.donvalleyrailway.org ?

JP =)

It is a great pity that the Stocksbridge- Victoria line is just going to waste, but I really cannot see that project succeeding. There just isn't the passenger traffic to make it pay.

It would need the replacement of the whole single railtrack that has been removed - that would cost a fortune.

It would need the rebuilding of all the stations en route that have been demolished - that would cost a fortune.

It would need the payment of rolling stock and track rent to the successors of Railtrack - that would cost a fortune.

And Victoria Station is now in the middle of nowhere - it would be a long walk for anyone working near the Hallamshire Hospital, Attercliffe. Meadowhall or The Moor. Sheffield University students would also find it unattractive.

It would be far better to let sentiment go - and develope a first class bus service to shuttle between Stocksbridge, Deepcar and Middlewood to link up with the Supertram.

Originally posted by Yorkie

It would be far better to let sentiment go - and develope a first class bus service to shuttle between Stocksbridge, Deepcar and Middlewood to link up with the Supertram.

Yorkie

I think you've got it nearly right. But feeding commuters onto the tram at Middlewood wouldn't help a lot, - the tram is already oversubscribes at peak times.

Better to take the buses all the way into town...perhaps leaving the old railway track at Bridgehouses and then via Nursery St. and Waingate to Fitzalan Square/High St. to connect with the tram and/or other buses.

If the buses were non-stop from Oughtibridge it would make them very attractive to commuters provided there were good Park-and-Ride facilities.

Dreamers's, of which I am one would love to see trains running through a New station, But I beleave it will Not happen.

Re Supertram, Im no planner but like one or two have said, Better that than nothing.

Give the old trackbeds a realy useful meaning.

Supertram is a super tram, if you live near the route.

It should be a complete circle, by joining Middlewood, Parson Cross and Ecclesfield to Meadowhall.

Originally posted by Yorkie
It is a great pity that the Stocksbridge- Victoria line is just going to waste, but I really cannot see that project succeeding. There just isn't the passenger traffic to make it pay.

Really? What about the thousands of people who live along the route that have to queue to work every day?

Originally posted by Yorkie
It would need the replacement of the whole single railtrack that has been removed - that would cost a fortune.

Not tue. The line still exists and would not need that much work to bring up to passenger standard

Originally posted by Yorkie
It would need the rebuilding of all the stations en route that have been demolished - that would cost a fortune.

Partly true - we will need some money, but we have plenty of engineers among us who are ready and willing to give up thier time to help us. We will do it all (where appropriate) through volunteer hours. So it wont cost us, exept for materials.

Originally posted by Yorkie
It would need the payment of rolling stock and track rent to the successors of Railtrack - that would cost a fortune.

And Victoria Station is now in the middle of nowhere - it would be a long walk for anyone working near the Hallamshire Hospital, Attercliffe. Meadowhall or The Moor. Sheffield University students would also find it unattractive.

It would be far better to let sentiment go - and develope a first class bus service to shuttle between Stocksbridge, Deepcar and Middlewood to link up with the Supertram.

1) We will buy the rolling stock
2) We will have to come to some agreement with Network Rail
3)Victoria station is not that far away from civilisation!
4)Who is going to pay for the "First class bus service?" - First dont want to know, Yorkshire Traction run 1 bus every 2 hours, and then theres the "Stocksbridge Flyer" that no one knows how to use?

I've been away so long that it's hard to believe that I didn't know the old Victoria station was gone!! My mother worked at the old Victoria Sation Hotel as a chambermaid just after WW1. It was the height of luxury in those days. But it was always secondary to the Midland. For anyone who didn't know ( or care } The Vic was on the LNER ( London North East Railway Line ) while Midland was on the LMS ( London, Midland and Scottish line) before British Rail screwed it all up.

Originally posted by Yorkie
It is a great pity that the Stocksbridge- Victoria line is just going to waste, but I really cannot see that project succeeding. There just isn't the passenger traffic to make it pay.

With proposed new major housing developments planned for Stocksbridge, I can see a great demand for such a service. If everyone who was to move in to the Stocksbridge area was to commute into Sheffield by car everyday then Middlewood would be even worse than it is now for driving through.

If the service was in place I for one would be using it as it would be less hassle, delivers you straight into the city centre and of course you get to travel on a train.

As mentioned by someone further up on the thread, about the Victoria station being out in the middle of nowhere. I agree with this to some extent BUT I feel that if it was rebuilt and the station part of the national rail network then it would aid regeneration down near the wicker hence the enlargement of the city centre.

just wondering if theres any plans to restore it, i've heard rumours but no confirmation. it would make sense as we could attract more people into the city

A subject I am very close to. The line between Victoria, and for that matter, East of Victoria where it links to Darnall, Woodhouse, Gainsborough and beyond, is a very potentially important rail corridor through the heart of Shefield City and Suburbia. It passes through some tightly packed residential areas like Wadsley bridge, linking all manner of increasingly populated areas like Outibridge and Deepcar and beyond. Any one who re-opned this line would find it was a real lifeline to the City from these outlying areas which are appallingly served by slow old buses getting jammed in traffic on the A61.

The track remaining is only single track but still in good condition, requiring little major work. Add a few passing loops and you could have a regular service running in both directions like clockwork.

I would go so far as to replace the missing track all the way to Penistone junction/station and link in with routes to Barnsley, Meadowhall and Huddersfield, rather than have it just be a dead end. The track bed is all still there. Of course it means laying several miles of track, but as a long term plan, it would aid travel around this rather difficult route from Sheffield to Penistone which presently has to detour via Barnsley. Also the direct single track link to Midland station could be exploited which of course would link directly with the Supertram network. There is great scope for increasing traffic with double tracking in the future, as the trackbeds are all originally designed for this.

The issue re Vic STation and its location is relevant....it IS a little poorly positioned these days as The Wicker is somewhat an unfashionable area now. However, walking into "town" is no further than it is from Midland STation, also poorly positioned in reality.

everyones on about the routes victoria would use if it made a comeback, how big would it be, they've got the tunnel extension supposidly coming here, the woodhead route appartenly making a comeback and that don valley railway link being created and even a tram link. If all this happened thats alot of trains, the station would need to be at least the size of the midland one, does any one know of the possibly size

Originally posted by nickswfc
everyones on about the routes victoria would use if it made a comeback, how big would it be, they've got the tunnel extension supposidly coming here, the woodhead route appartenly making a comeback and that don valley railway link being created and even a tram link. If all this happened thats alot of trains, the station would need to be at least the size of the midland one, does any one know of the possibly size


I think it's all pie in the sky. Too expensive.

My dad worked as a fireman for the LNER during and just after the war, he was the first to take a loco over the Wicker arches just after a quick repair job after the unexploded bomb made a hole in it.
He wrote an interesting book about his experiences on the railway at this time called "Footplate Memoirs", it should still be available in the City library if anyone is interested.

Little Malc
I've got that book your dad did its excellent
Do you have any stories he may have told you?

Hi! siren, glad to hear from someone who has pops book, he had actually started writing a second book, but died before completing it, I have the draft of it tucked away somewhere in the loft. We moved to Scarborough to live two years ago, and still have not got round to sorting everything out. If I can winkle it out, I will probably post some of it on the Forum.

Little Malc
Sorry about your dad, his stories really captured life as it was for people who had to work for a living. Is the manuscript he left behind sufficient for his old publisher to be interested blended in with what he may have told you. Why not give them a try when you find it.
Hope it goes well, keep us up to date
Siren

Iloved victoria station, i was in the W.R.A.C. i remember comming home on leave and dragging my cases down those steep stairs,
the lift never worked when you needed it,if it did the man that ran it was always upstaird drinking tea.

Is the Victoria Station going to reopen?????????:suspect:

Originally posted by little malc
My dad worked as a fireman for the LNER during and just after the war, he was the first to take a loco over the Wicker arches just after a quick repair job after the unexploded bomb made a hole in it.
He wrote an interesting book about his experiences on the railway at this time called "Footplate Memoirs", it should still be available in the City library if anyone is interested.

Thanks for the tip, - I've reserved the book.

Would you believe there is just one copy of this available in the whole Sheffield library system.

They make me mad, - spending huge amounts on upmteen copies of the memoirs of some unscupulous politician yet are really miserly about buying stuff of local interest.

I had an old friend who was a fireman on LMS during the war. His favourite tale was how after his last stint up to St Pancras he would dash over to King's Cross and come home via LNER so he could grab a couple of pints in the Coach and Horses before closing time. It seems in those days LNER was about 30 mins faster than LMS on the London run :D

Interesting thread this, with interesting views. Although the calls for re-opening of train lines tugs at the heart strings, the economics usually don't stack up.

On Beeching, the fact stands that he did save the country billions by closing down railways that no-one bothered to use until the closure notices went up. However the good Dr Beeching never proposed to close Victoria or the Woodhead route - quite the opposite - he proposed that the current slow Hope Valley route to Manchester be closed instead and that the much faster (and electrified) Woodhead line be the main Sheffield - Manchester route.

There were two main reasons why Woodhead closed to passengers in the end: firstly in the late sixties BR didn't want two mainline stations in Sheffield, but wasn't prepared to spend the money on building a curve to allow the trains from the Woodhead line to access Midland station directly; secondly, political intervention from Westminster had decided that Woodhead would become freight-only for reasons of economic planning - this was the 'white heat' era of central economic planning and after all, the future of passenger transport was the car, wasn't it? Both of these are unfortunate: the former as the whole area where the curve would have been was razed to the ground at the time as Park Square was being built, so it was a good time planning-wise to build the line then; the latter because of the complete lack of foresight of the near-death of rail freight and shift of passengers back to rail in the subsequent 30 years.

Any viable proposal to re-open Woodhead via Deepcar must include a link to Midland station; it just wouldn't make sense otherwise. And it is this costly stumbling block that will prevent its re-opening. The recent proposals that were aired when the rail franchises were re-negotiated involved Sheffield - Manchester trains travelling via Meadowhall and Barnsley to access Woodhead, a much longer and therefore slower route than the direct Deepcar route. The Great Central Railway proposals which seem destined to never make it off the drawing board contain an option for a re-opened Victoria and Deepcar route over Woodhead, but this is not to be connected to the rest of the rail network so wouldn't involve local trains.

But, overall there are many more important improvements that need to be done on the railways in South Yorkshire that make more sense economically and don't involve the expensive re-opening of lines: the doubling of Holmes Chord in Rotherham, opening a Wath Parkway station at Manvers, improving capacity at Aldwarke and Swinton, quadrupling the southern approaches to Midland station and re-opening the southern suburban stations, improving capacity in the Northern approaches (quadrupling would be ideal, but very expensive). After that electrification to Doncaster and to Leeds via Dearne and maybe out to Chesterfield.

Only when they've got that far does re-opening Woodhead really enter into the equation, along with some of the more arcane proposed re-openings like Sheffield - Finningley via Maltby and Barnsley - Wath - Doncaster. But there'll never be the cash available for them, in my opinion.

They should increase the tram system in Sheffield along the old victoria line. It runs alongside the tram depot and could extend out to Stocksbridge and along the north side of Sheffield branching back into town to meet the hospital and university stop. It could carry on around the outskirts till it gets to dore and join the railway there and take in millhouses etc on the way back to town. It could also extend out to Woodhouse and onto Swallownest. The tram is fast enough to have a higher speed circular service. The old viaduct on the wicker could be
cleaned up and it would look good. When the tram goes from White Line to Birley the drivers turn on the power and with a good higher speed service the tram could be like a light railway.
More fast trams and more faster lines and more stations.

Thanks for reading my humble ramblings!!

Good idea LedZeppelin.
When they close down railway lines,they just seem to leave a lot if them to rot ,instead of using them. I suppose there're loads of complicated red-tape reasons why they haven't used it for something like you suggested.
Great memories of the old Victoria Station,though.
The main one was in 1955,about 16 of us went with 2 teachers and a French University student to Paris for 10 days [£25 !] .We met for the midnight train to London at Victoria Station.For a young kid that was very exciting ,like one of those Continental films---"Night Train to Bucharest" or something.---especially since they were still steam at that time.
My spending money for the 10 days was £5 and it lasted well in Paris. When we got on the train at Victoria we were in a compartment with the French student and the first thing he did was to hand the cigarettes round. He'd be in the slammer quicksticks today !
Also, we could get in some bars in Paris and sit there drinking wine and practicing our French .Our group were all about 13 but no--one bothered.Red wine was about 2p.a glass then.
Sorry about getting carried away but "Victoria Station" brought back the memories.

Originally posted by LedZeppelin
They should increase the tram system in Sheffield along the old victoria line. It runs alongside the tram depot and could extend out to Stocksbridge and along the north side of Sheffield branching back into town to meet the hospital and university stop.

This is a good idea, but the tram already shadows the line a mile to the west. It currently stops at middlewood where I used to have an allotment in the 1980s. Now interestingly on both sides of middlewood park and Winn Gardens it is just woods around the river Don. It would be fairly easy to extend the tram along side the new estate in the old Mental Asylum, before right turn, through Beeley Woods over the river, and then joining the old rail bed for a fast run to Oughtibridge, where they're throwing up new houses like billy ho. Not much further on is Warncliffe side, where there's more houses, and another couple of fast miles there's Deepcar and Stocksbridge.

I am sure that this wood be cheaper than using the Wicker arches because much less track would have to be laid per thousand extra potential passengers, as much of the old neepsend line goes through areas where the old terraces were cleared 20-30 years ago.

Sadly I suspect that the supertram is too expensive to be extended, and extension is unlikely to be on the cards unless an opposition Labour is promising things like this to oust a conservative government (unlikely for at least 8 years)

Originally posted by muddycoffee
I am sure that this wood be cheaper than using the Wicker arches because much less track would have to be laid per thousand extra potential passengers, as much of the old neepsend line goes through areas where the old terraces were cleared 20-30 years ago.

Would look quite impressive though, seeing supertrams gliding along the top of the Wicker Arches

Originally posted by mega_monty
Would look quite impressive though, seeing supertrams gliding along the top of the Wicker Arches

Well, If you go up there, which you can do easily, you will see that the top is extremely wide. (in the old days there was about 8 lines plus platforms plus buildings)And you might not be able to see much at all from the ground level, as the tram would go down the middle. So while I agree that it would be lovely, but I don't think you would see anything.

victoria station now that takes me back to my younger days I can remember being on that station with my grand parents and my mum and dad and my brother and sister going to margate we was on that station at 02:00am to catch the 02:45am to manchester on a summer saturday it was,had some wonderful times on there train spotting in the sixties they was proper engines they should never had scrapped that line and the talk about it being reopened is because of the continental containers what should be coming over they have found out that dore tunnel cant take them because it is not wide enough as is cowburn tunnel so the only way they can get them over here is throught the woodhead tunnel but the funny thing about it is I was up there in the summer me and a mate of mine doing some photo's of the old stations and the old line and at this end the sheffield end that is we saw cement wagons going in and out of there if you go up you can see that there is a lot of work going on in that tunnel.We was told by an old rail enthusiast that if you walk the old line to penistone you can see where some new ballast as been laid the power box which is just up from the tunnel entrance as still got power going through it how do I know this simply a friend of mine use to work on that line and he as always told me that the power was never turned off they have been working on that tunnel now for well over a year. the contractors tried to fob us off saying it was for the YEB electric cables .

If you are talking about the Dunford Bridge entrance to the tunnel then it is because of the YEB electric cables. Did you notice the pylons running toward the tunnel, they suddenly stop. They are running the cables through the tunnels so that they don't have to continue over the nice countryside and upset everyone. The cables come out the other end and the pylons continue thereafter.

I would like to see trains running again but how many people would actually use them if they did make a return??

Originally posted by bigkev
continental containers what should be coming over they have found out that dore tunnel cant take them because it is not wide enough

Kev,
they were never going to run the new line through the midland line tunnel at totley. The plan was to run a wider gage new line which went across the wicker arches and out toward tinsley before heading south. The old tinsley marshalling yard is where a large freight depot is planned.

This website is the company who are organising the project.

http://www.central-railway.co.uk/

although there doesn't seem to me any progress this year.

Just to show you how old I'm getting. Victoria Station was the property of LNER the London and North Eastern company, while Midland station belonged to LMS London Midland and Scottish Railway. My mother worked at the Royal Victoria Hotel as a chambermaid. It was the place to stay in the old days. My cousins husband would refuse to sit on the side of the car which had a view of the hated Wednesday ground. I used to kid him mercilessly as a devoted owl.

Hi Guys

I have just spent about half an hour reading through all the posts in this thread! My word there are a few, and I have replied before on this very subject.

Just to clarify for those unaware, the current status of the line and Victoria is as follows:

Sheffield Victoria was officially closed to passengers on January 5th 1970, however Passenger trains to Huddersfield did pass through the station without stopping until they were diverted via Barnsley in May 1983. Part of track through Victoria was lifted in the mid 1980s and the remains of the station itself cleared in 1989 to make way for an extension to the nearby Victoria Hotel.

As for the rest of the line, it is still there as a single track from the junction with the main line at the back of the Dixons/Capita Call centre just off the parkway, at Nunnery Square in Sheffield, and continues on it journey from there though the remains of Victoria, then on to Neepsend, Wadsley Bridge, Oughtibridge, Wharncliffe Side and then into Deepcar, where it used to swing round and off to Penistone, but when the down line was lifted the link to Penistone was also lifted, and the main line was bolted onto the Steelworks line, and now forms one continuous line with only a boundary sign in a sleeper to mark where Network Rail and Corus' maintenance responsibilities change.

There is however good news for all of you who would like to get snaps of trains going along the line, or through Victoria etc as the Steelworks at Stocksbridge is going to start running trains during the day from early in the new year. The number of steel trains is going to be increased form something like 6 to somewhere around 12 per week. This means that they are going to have to run trains during the day. I am desperately trying to find some sort of timetable, or someone who knows when the trains are going to be running so i can take some snaps, but so far no luck.

There is also good news for those of you who would like to see PASSENGER trains running again. As previously mentioned there is a not-for-profit company that has been set up by volunteers who have the aim of re-opening the line to passengers. Take a look at our website www.donvalleyrailway.org There are also loads of photos which show the current condition of the line and the stations along the way.

Jony_p that's great news.

I read in last nights star that barnsley council forum are discussing the rerouting of the trans pennine trail, should the woodhead train route be reopened.

Apparently moving the trail would be an extremely simple and straightforward thing to do.

Good....that would certainly solve a few problems!

I Remember the stairs & lift from the Wicker to Victoria station been in that lift a few times. Can't remember much about the station, but I remember there was a big cabinet on the wall opposite where you bought your tickets. The cabinet was one of those with lights, and buttons to press highlighting local places.

"I Remember the stairs & lift from the Wicker to Victoria station been in that lift a few times. Can't remember much about the station, but I remember there was a big cabinet on the wall opposite where you bought your tickets. The cabinet was one of those with lights, and buttons to press highlighting local places."

Just like the one at the top end of the old Pond St. bus station. By the zebra crossing and the round newsagents?

The URL for the photos of Victoria station has changed it is now:

Old Postcards (http://www.aburke.freeuk.com/sheffield.htm)

Originally posted by JDee
You obviously mean Spital Hill not Snig Hill.



So named because a hospital was once located there.
The Hospital is still there. Derelict now but still standing, partly burnt out . The address is 91 Spital Hill.

Originally posted by pitsmoorboy
The Hospital is still there. Derelict now but still standing, partly burnt out . The address is 91 Spital Hill.

Sorry Pitsmoorboy you are getting mixed up the hospital hasn't been on Spital Hill for about 800 years
Siren

Originally posted by pitsmoorboy
The Hospital is still there. Derelict now but still standing, partly burnt out . The address is 91 Spital Hill.


It can't be.

Professional historians at Sheffield Archives are not entirely sure where it was.

After a scan of the more constructive posts of this thread and dvr website, im sure they are missing some of the real potential of whats left of the line, railway infrastructure costs money, (and since privatisation thats changed to big money). Therefore whats already there and usable needs considering first.

Running steam trains means moving the engine from the front to the back at each end of the journey, theres a loop at stocksbridge but not at sheffield vic therefore use the line down to meadowhall, run the engine round on the triangle to tinsley, build a platform there too so dad can take the kids on the steam train whilst mum does the shopping!

Commuter train mode build cheap short platforms (like w yorks metro does - note to sypte pull your finger out!!)at the steelworks, deepcar, oughty, wasley and supertram interchange nunnery park and ride (its on the drawing board) and maybe meadowhall again, incorporate tram to town ticket in the price thus saving time on a reversal and keeping out of the way of mainline trains at midland.

In the longer term access to midland could be obtained by building a spur along side the tram track at meadowhall.

Originally posted by upblock
After a scan of the more constructive posts of this thread and dvr website, im sure they are missing some of the real potential of whats left of the line, railway infrastructure costs money, (and since privatisation thats changed to big money). Therefore whats already there and usable needs considering first.

Running steam trains means moving the engine from the front to the back at each end of the journey, theres a loop at stocksbridge but not at sheffield vic therefore use the line down to meadowhall, run the engine round on the triangle to tinsley, build a platform there too so dad can take the kids on the steam train whilst mum does the shopping!


In the longer term access to midland could be obtained by building a spur along side the tram track at meadowhall.
(slight snip for brevity)

hi, upblock, and welcome to the sheffield forum!

I am really intrigued at what a good idea you have put forward in your post above.

I really like the idea of "pleasure" trips, using the currently defunct lines and/ or running them alongside, say the meadowhall route, so that one parent (not necessarily the father lol) can occupy the kids, whilst the other parent shops, (Again, not necessarily the mother! lol)

it would be a great way to pass the time,

And, speaking as a woman, *I* would opt for the pleasure trip on the train, over trekking around mad as hell, shopping. lol !!

PT

Interesting idea there upblock. The only problem is going to be for them to get permission to run on the main line. I gather that they are wanting to run as a sort of heritage railway, so they would probably not be alowed to run all the way up to medowhall from Victoria. But theres nothing to stop them trying - why dont you email them and suggest it?

A =)

It was a BIG!! mistake closing the Woodhead route. I say "Bring it back and rebuild Sheffield Victoria!!"

On my first visit to Sheffield in Nov 1979 I was staying in Baxter Drive in Birley Carr and from the bedroom window I could see the top of the Class 76 electric trains trundling through the remains of Wadsley Bridge Station on their way to and from Manchester.

After I moved up to Sheffield in 1980, I lived for a time up Herries Road and had to go under Five Arches. I also remember watching the trains going across The Wicker on a Sunday evening in July 1980.

Is the track still down as far as Stocksbridge, and is there any traffic still running on the line?

Patrick
(in Bournemouth)

patrick,

I used to live in a flat, just beside the five-arches bridge, by that pond on herries road. (this was over 20 yrs ago) and i remember the trains running along the embankment above where I lived,

wadsley bridge station was used regularly, particualrly for football specials. i ca't fathom why these lines did not generate profits!

PT

Originally posted by Patrick316
It was a BIG!! mistake closing the Woodhead route. I say "Bring it back and rebuild Sheffield Victoria!!"

Is the track still down as far as Stocksbridge, and is there any traffic still running on the line?

Patrick
(in Bournemouth)

The track is still a single line down as far as Stocksbridge, where it has been attatched to the steelworks line, and the way up to penistone has been lifted. The only traffic down the line currently is freight (carrying wire/rods) to the steelworks. But i believe there is a group trying to re-open it?

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29233

Hi everyone

I've found a couple of good websites devoted to the Woodhead Route. They are:

http://www.leytransport.i12.com/shef.htm

and

http://www.thewoodheadsite.org.uk/ - this site has lots of pictures of what the line - or what remains of it - looks like today.

Its enough to make you weep!

Cheers

Patrick

Originally posted by Patrick316
Hi everyone

I've found a couple of good websites devoted to the Woodhead Route. They are:

http://www.leytransport.i12.com/shef.htm

and

http://www.thewoodheadsite.org.uk/ - this site has lots of pictures of what the line - or what remains of it - looks like today.

Its enough to make you weep!

Cheers

Patrick

It is pertty sad....also if you are interested the DVR website has some photos too....

Hi everybody,To the person who is after these photos of the woodhead line, there is 2 web sites that I have found one is www.old buffers.com and the other is BR loco's.co.uk, they have got some brilliant photos on the woodhead line in fact there is a page that is covered on the class 76 loco's and the class 77 also you can print them if you want too, hope this as helped you out.

Hi everyone

I see from a number of old maps that there was a railway tunnel under Spital Hill that ran from the site of the former Midland Railway Goods Station (which was situated between Savile Street and Carlisle Road) to the site of the Great Central Goods Depot at Pitsmoor Road/Rock Street.

I seem to remember on my last visit to Sheffield in 1988 that I could see - with the aid of a pair of binoculars - the mouth of the tunnel from where I was staying in Birley Carr.

Is the tunnel still there?

Cheers

Patrick

yes it is but the mouth of the tunnel as been bricked up you can still make it out though if you go and have a look at it as for the other side pitsmoor road/rock street I dont know if you can still see it I havent been down there for a while. When I worked at firth browns I can remember the loco's going through the tunnel in fact when the circus use to come to sheffield they had to go through the centre railway system at firth browns and through the tunnel to the great central goods yard to unload. Many a time when I was on the dead mans shift we use to watch the circus going through up to the great central goods yard boy that brings back some memories.

Thanks BigKev

I remember seeing a picture in a bookshop here in Bournemouth of the Pitsmoor Road/Rock Street end of the tunnel. I seem to remember the picture was taken while they were building the it in which you could see right through to the other end. It looked as if it was quite steeply graded coming up from the Savile Street end.

I think my next visit to Sheffield might end up in a photographic trip to the area around Sheffield Victoria as well as 5 Arches and Wadsley Bridge.

As a young boy in the early 1960's, I remember on a number of occassions coming into Sheffield Victoria from Bournemouth on my way through to Darlington. The train would come onto the Great Central at Woodford Halse from Banbury and would reverse at Sheffield Victoria and go back as far as Woodburn Junction, where it would turn north and go along through the back of Attercliffe before joining the Midland route out near Tinsley. (I didn't know it at the time but the route through the back of Attercliffe took me right past the back of a house in which lived a girl I was later to get engaged to in 1979).

Patrick

I remember the circus arriving at Victoria Station in the 50s.

The most vivid memory is the elephants walking in single file down the long gradient leading from the station.

Or is my memory playing tricks? (judging by bigkev's post above it could well be)

mojo

your memory is fine - I remember the circus parades

listen to all you know it alls I suggest that you have have a word in the sheffield library in the archives section and ask them if the circus use to go through firth browns and into the central goods yard.Dont forget that the railway use to go through the center of firth browns even the main line goods locos had to go that way to get the stuff in to the central goods yard and I also know because I had a friend who's dad was a british railway guard and he use to go that way.mind you what do we know us working class people we have know say in the matter its all the upper class who think they know it all.

Originally posted by Patrick316
Is the tunnel still there?
The tunnel is still there, I took my friend to show her the other week. The tunnel was called the spital hill tunnel, It is very steep and procarious and was built to allow a connection between bridgehouses station and the original Midland station. The top end has fencing over the mouth and the bottom end is bricked up.

I have just found it a book, where it is described as "Fearsomely-inclined" It is half a mile long and the building of it started in July 1845. This was before Victoria Station and the wicker arches were built. And allowed trains to come over woodhead into sheffield and leave toward Rotherham. This was also before the current midland line which leves the city by it's south exit toward totley.
I have just looked at a plan which shows the tunnel as blocked in 1950.

Originally posted by muddycoffee
The tunnel is still there, I took my friend to show her the other week. The tunnel was called the spital tunnel, It is very steep and procarious and was built to allow wagons to be exchanged between bridgehouses station and the original Midland station. The top end has fencing over the mouth and the bottom end is bricked up.

Is this the tunnel at Neepsend?

No it's much closer to town than neepsend. It literally passes under spital hill.

Oh. Well in that case there is another tunnel. There is one at Neepsend that used to come out near the wicker arches....apparently.....

Ive seen the neepsend side of the tunnel, but never managed to find the Wicker end....:suspect:

Avalon,
it's the same tunnel, but I think your mistaken in calling it Neepsend.
Neepsend train station was on the line level with hillfoot bridge on penistone road it is a mile north of the wicker. There is nothing left of the Neepsend station now, apart from the bridge over the line [which is a new one] and original wall where the path goes on to the bridge on Parkwood road. I read that it wasn't open for very long at all, and may have been shut a century ago?

In between neepsend and bridgehouses stations were lots of rails and bridges, which you can still see across Rutland Road. There was a line called the neepsend loop, which I assume was to hold slow goods trains while faster passenger trains flew past.

Bridgehouses station was in the triangle of land between Nursery st, Rock st and Brunswick road. It started as a passenger station but became a large goods station after Victoria was finished.

The place i am thinking of is pictured here: http://www.donvalleyrailway.org/100_0117.JPG You are right - its not neepsend, it is further down the line, towards victoria. Me is getting confused!! :confused:

Originally posted by muddycoffee


In between neepsend and bridgehouses stations were lots of rails and bridges, which you can still see across Rutland Road. There was a line called the neepsend loop, which I assume was to hold slow goods trains while faster passenger trains flew past.


Yes thats right! Ive been over there..saw lots of rails dissapearing into nothing....

also saw lots of hyperdermic needles too :rant:

Hi

Here's one for really sad people like me :loopy: ..............

If you have Microsoft Train Simulator on your PC, then you can download for free - in several bits - the whole of the Woodhead line.

It covers Wath Yard, Tinsley Yard, Rotherwood Sidings, Penistone, Woodhead and on to Manchester Piccadilly.

The website is: http://www.uktrainsim.com//filelib-directory.php (http://)

It contains a fairly accurate copy of Sheffield Victoria - and it also shows the tunnel we're all talking about - although you can't traverse it.

My son and I have spent many an hour taking an early evening EM2/Class 77 Express out from Sheffield Victoria, through Wadlsey Bridge, Oughtybridge, Penistone and through the Woodhead Tunnel to Manchester Piccadilly, or an EM1/Class 76 on a Tinsley Yard to Mottram Yard coal train via Woodborne Junction

.........................I'm now off to get some much needed therapy and rest :help:

Cheers

Patrick

Its a long time since I've seen Sheffield, and to read the pieces about Victoria Station and the general decline is sad indeed.
My first memories of Victoria Station go back to the 1930's. My Grandfather was a driver on the G.C. based at Bridgehouses I think, and as a family we used the station a lot. The first memory of it is being carried up the Station approach and looking over the wall to the left and seeing a Fairground in full swing! I think the place where the Fair was became a billet yard for, was it Osbornes on Blonk St? The Booking Hall in the Station impressed me, I thought it very modern, more so than the rest of the Station. Down in the Wicker, and facing the formidable steps up to the Station, just to the left, was a place where livestock was sold, pups, cagebirds, pet mice, etc,etc.
Later on, in the Fifties, I actually worked on the Railway for a few years but I was on the old Midland,(then British Railways) at Grimesthorpe. Supercol in one of the replies speaks of an LMS yard in the Wicker between Saville St and Spital Hill, I wonder if you know of the old tunnel which linked the LMS and the LNER between Bridgehouses and Wicker Goods.

Originally posted by Texas
Supercol in one of the replies speaks of an LMS yard in the Wicker between Saville St and Spital Hill, I wonder if you know of the old tunnel which linked the LMS and the LNER between Bridgehouses and Wicker Goods.

Hi Texas

Sure do know the tunnel. When I was a kid we called it THE FIERY JACK, told spooky stories about and dared each other to walk into it. One was that there had been a huge train fire in the tunnel and may people had died. Turns out that this was utter twaddle. Probably had more to do with the fact that it was a steep incline with the name coming from the huge firebox glow of an engine working hard.

There are a couple of other threads that make mention of it.

Hello all, im new here and have been reading this thread with interest over the last few months. I walk past the old Victoria Station every day on my way to and from work. I noticed something different this morning as i walked past. All the tree's and bushes alongside the railway have been removed on the City Centre side of the Wicker Arch and along the viaduct heading towards Manchester. Is something happening up there or is there a reason why its being done? I know a railway is still in use up there and it may just be a general cleaning up of the area.

Its part of stage one work for the new inner relief road linking Parkway with Shalesmoor. Work is also under way in this area moving underground services at present.

Originally posted by mark4
Hello all, im new here and have been reading this thread with interest over the last few months. I walk past the old Victoria Station every day on my way to and from work. I noticed something different this morning as i walked past. All the tree's and bushes alongside the railway have been removed on the City Centre side of the Wicker Arch and along the viaduct heading towards Manchester. Is something happening up there or is there a reason why its being done? I know a railway is still in use up there and it may just be a general cleaning up of the area.

Network Rail have been busy along all the railway corridor replacing track and putting up new fences. I believe it to be in preparation for the imminent running of up to 12 trains a day to the steelworks in stocksbridge. This may explain the removal of trees etc....ill pop up at the weekend and check it out.

Regarding the Wicker, Bridgehouses Tunnel link again SuperCol. It obviously wasn't in use even when I was on the Railway, but the old drivers used to talk of a job, working from Grimesthorpe, of a banking engine for any traffic going up to Bridgehouses. There was a ground frame specifically for the Tunnel, and no matter how big the train was (presumably there was a maximum loading) they had to have a run at it. They should have called it the Hell train. When I was at Grimesthorpe I used the tunnel as a short cut to and from work on early morning turns, no ghosts though, only echos and rats.

Originally posted by Avalon
Network Rail have been busy along all the railway corridor replacing track and putting up new fences. I believe it to be in preparation for the imminent running of up to 12 trains a day to the steelworks in stocksbridge. This may explain the removal of trees etc....ill pop up at the weekend and check it out.


That sounds more likely, work is still going on up there as of this morning, alot of work too. Interestingly they havn't done anything to the area around the Station itself, just on the approach from the Manchester end of Victoria.

Originally posted by mark4
That sounds more likely, work is still going on up there as of this morning, alot of work too. Interestingly they havn't done anything to the area around the Station itself, just on the approach from the Manchester end of Victoria.

Interesting.....i will pop up and have a look tomorrow afternoon.

Originally posted by Avalon
Interesting.....i will pop up and have a look tomorrow afternoon.

Find anything?

Originally posted by mark4
Find anything?

Sadly not....it looks the same as it always has! i can find no evidence of any work being done up there for quite a long time! Certainly it looks the same as it did last time i took photos in 2003!

Have any of you noticed how when approaching any town by train what a disgusting mess the trackside is with rubbish thrown not always from the train but by the people who live in the houses near the track. It gives a bad impresion to any visitors from abroad. Why can't Railtrack clear it up?

Originally posted by prioryx
Have any of you noticed how when approaching any town by train what a disgusting mess the trackside is with rubbish thrown not always from the train but by the people who live in the houses near the track. It gives a bad impresion to any visitors from abroad. Why can't Railtrack clear it up?

How do you throw rubbish from the train nowadays? No opening windows, hate the things especially when the air conditioning is broken :gag:

why cant they clear it up because they have got other things to do like not look after the railway lines for one they dont want to be bothered about litter and rubbish or peoples lives for that matter as long as the trains are running but the lines are worse than ever they are happy.I would think that rubbish and litter will be at the very bottom of there list.

I believe the The Wadsley Bridge station sign is on the wall of the John Fairest funeral home. Nice to see it preserved.

On a walk in Beeley woods a couple of years a go I noticed all sorts of rubbish on the tracks, including a motor bike!

Makes me wonder how regular the 'steel trains' to stocksbridge are? They must need a look out in front of the train!

Originally posted by Jimny
I believe the The Wadsley Bridge station sign is on the wall of the John Fairest funeral home. Nice to see it preserved.

On a walk in Beeley woods a couple of years a go I noticed all sorts of rubbish on the tracks, including a motor bike!

Makes me wonder how regular the 'steel trains' to stocksbridge are? They must need a look out in front of the train!
The trains are pretty regualr. 3/4 times a week...going up to 11/12 a week pretty soon.

I can't find the old thread that had hopes of opening a Stocksbridge - Deepcar - Wadsley Bridge and Sheffield Victoria rail link.

But we can forget it - the embankment that once carried the rail line just north of the Wicker Arches has now been removed as part of the work being done to build a road link from Netherthorpe to the Sheffield Parkway via Shalesmoor and the bottom of Corporation Street.

Originally posted by Unregistered
I can't find the old thread that had hopes of opening a Stocksbridge - Deepcar - Wadsley Bridge and Sheffield Victoria rail link.

But we can forget it - the embankment that once carried the rail line just north of the Wicker Arches has now been removed as part of the work being done to build a road link from Netherthorpe to the Sheffield Parkway via Shalesmoor and the bottom of Corporation Street.

This my be true, however the line is still there and operational.

Originally posted by Avalon
This my be true, however the line is still there and operational.

I don't understand - if some of the line has just been removed it cannot be operational, at least not into Victoria Station from the North.

If you mean that the steel trains out of Stocksbridge are still operational, they must go some other route because they certainly can no longer travel between Wadsley Bridge and Victoria.

The embankment you talk about is what used to be Bridgehouses goods station. And was mainly loads of sidings where wagons were loaded and unloaded from road traffic, and recent years this large piece of land was a car park. The main line was at the top of this section and is still there untouched.

And over the last few months the land at the bottom of bridgehouses station has been excavated to street level to allow the new ring road link through from the bottom of corporation street to the wicker.

If you go up brunswick road, you can squeeze through the gate and see the rails and the top of the old spital tunnel.

Originally posted by muddycoffee
The embankment you talk about is what used to be Bridgehouses goods station. And was mainly loads of sidings where wagons were loaded and unloaded from road traffic, and recent years this large piece of land was a car park. The main line was at the top of this section and is still there untouched.

And over the last few months the land at the bottom of bridgehouses station has been excavated to street level to allow the new ring road link through from the bottom of corporation street to the wicker.

If you go up brunswick road, you can squeeze through the gate and see the rails and the top of the old spital tunnel.

I'll have to take another look...

I went to the Wicker Chemist last night and walked along Walker Street. Several buildings are demolished and it looked to me like some of the rail embankment had also been removed.

Traffic can no longer turn left onto Spitalfields from Nursery Street.

Originally posted by Agent Smith
Hi All,

Does anybody out there remember what the old Victoria Station was like, before closure and dismantling in the '60's?

I remember the Victoria Station before it was closed, people considered it a better Staion than the Midland.
The steps up from the Wicker are still there but they are boarded up and I think the lift is still there too, it cost one old penny to ride it up to the Station.
Under the Victoria Approach on Furnival Road were the warehouses for ripening bananas and there was a Whisky bonded warehouse, people just dont realise just how much we have lost in Sheffield, all our old buildings are just getting swept away and awful buildings are put up in there place.
The Victorian buildings that we have should be protected because they are our history, just what will we have in 100 years time, sorry I got carried away there!!!

Vistoria certainly was the better of the two stations and it had natural parking with the ramp.

Ive just noticed that a new group just started on flickr for Sheffield Victoria Station , im sure when it gets up and running there will be loads of pictures for people to look at and remember the old days

http://www.flickr.com/groups/sheffield-victoria-station/

Ive just noticed that a new group just started on flickr for Sheffield Victoria Station , im sure when it gets up and running there will be loads of pictures for people to look at and remember the old days

http://www.flickr.com/groups/sheffield-victoria-station/

Sheffield Victoria was closed long before I was born but its great to see them pictures but rather sad as well to see the state of her :(:(

When I was five (in 1955) and for the next couple of years I was a patient in the Children's Hospital. We used to travel by train from Doncaster to Victoria, going right through the middle of the steelworks along the Don Valley. We could often see the glowing ingots, and watch the rolling mills, and hear the trip hammers.

We would walk down the ramp from the station and, if we had time, peer in the door of Pond's Forge to see the great trip hammer at work.

Then walk up to Fitzalan Square to get the tram to the hospital.

John

Although Victoria station closed in 1970, Manchester-bound trains would pass through the old station en route to Woodhead when the Hope Valley line was not available - usually on Sundays when Totley or Cowburn tunnels were under repair. This continued until mid-1981, and in January of that year I took a Sunday-morning train to Manchester to take some photos of the Woodhead route before it closed completely - here is a photo (http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u219/twigmore/victoria_station.jpg) taken from the last coach of the train, looking back at Victoria station (the original slide is clearer and sharper than this JPEG which is the best that my scanner could produce).

An early memory was being lifted above the wall on the station approach so I could see the fairground to the left. My grandfather was a driver on the GC working from Bridgehouses and later Darnall. This was in the 30's. As a family we used Victoria a lot when travelling to Cheshire. I think the booking hall was refurbished sometime in the 30's as it had an art-deco feel to it. Later on in my own chequered railway career (only 7 years ) I worked as a goods guard from Bridgehouses but not for very long. I even worked as a platelayer on that line too. I can understand how lazarus feels about the area around Bridgehouses being sacrificed to road development. Like the song says,'You don't know what you've got till it's gone.'

Wow, this all just made fantastic reading, i was thinking of going exploring this weekend with a pal to see whats left of victoria station (i know its pretty much a car park) but im still interested having seen lots of pictures of teh old station, i'd love to get up on the wicker bridge, taht would be amazing but im guessing its seriously out of bounds? anyone know? It would be an amazing new trail

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z76/tdterrytd/VICSTN1.jpg

Just found this pictuer of the Victoria station on a disc of mine.I don`t know what year it is but it looks like a long time ago.

When we were kids we used to go fishing on the train--cathing it at the old victoria, we would get off the tram at the wicker and climb the steps to the station for our ride to Lincoln and beyond(25p half fare) what i would like to know is how many steps there were before you got to the top, i've forgotton but it was somewhere around 71---- am I correct??:help::huh:

An early memory was being lifted above the wall on the station approach so I could see the fairground to the left. My grandfather was a driver on the GC working from Bridgehouses and later Darnall. This was in the 30's. As a family we used Victoria a lot when travelling to Cheshire. I think the booking hall was refurbished sometime in the 30's as it had an art-deco feel to it. I can understand how lazarus feels about the area around Bridgehouses being sacrificed to road development. Like the song says,'You don't know what you've got till it's gone.'

Hi Texas,

You're right. The booking hall/entrance at Victoria had been refurbished some time in 1938-39, so I was told. You will remember the floor sloped down from the entrance so you went under the tracks to get to the various platforms. Not over the top on a bridge,like the Midland.

You will also remember the War Memorial was on the right hand side as you went in the entrance. In my childhood, it only had the names of Great Central Railways employees who had fallen in W.W.I, for W.W.II was still going on. Of course far fewer railway staff fell in W.W.II and in any case , thye would have been L.N.E.R employees then.

One last recollection of the old Victoria. One summer evening near the end of W.W.II, I was out for a walk with my Dad. As we crossed the bottom of the Victoria station approach, Dad noticed these United Motor Service buses (U.M.S. later became S.U.T.) lined up along the road so he suggested we go up and take look.

The Army and police stopped us going too far up the road so we joined a crowd of other people and watched as German P.O.W. were loaded onto the buses to take them to the Redmires Camp.

All a long time ago.

Regards

Nice visitor.
My Paternal Grandfather and an uncle were both drivers on that line, they lived on Parkwood Springs along with many railway familys.

http://i44.tinypic.com/1zwytqg.jpg

Another shot

http://i44.tinypic.com/2gspool.jpg

Another shot

http://i44.tinypic.com/2gspool.jpg

Oh! those lovely steam engines, I loved arriving at Victoria comming home on a week-end leave from the WRAC , I also remember miserable little man that ran the lift, he hated it when people had a load of luggage and he had to do something other than just stand there, I don't even know why they needed him just to go down, the lift was easy enough to operate by yourself.

Oh! those lovely steam engines, I loved arriving at Victoria comming home on a week-end leave from the WRAC , I also remember miserable little man that ran the lift, he hated it when people had a load of luggage and he had to do something other than just stand there, I don't even know why they needed him just to go down, the lift was easy enough to operate by yourself.My dad knew many of the drivers so we were allowed to footplate the engines and shovel in coal.

A brilliant memory of the Victoria Station. Feb 1/61 around 10 p.m. Exiting the train and marching down the ramp with a rowdy bunch of deleriously happy Owls supporters, having seen the team trounce Man U 7-2 in an FA Cup game at Old Trafford.

What a happy time that was.

But will we be just as happy after the game with Palace this Sunday? :huh:

There's a rather nice 1912 postcard on offer via eBay at present, showing the station approach. Here is a link (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/great-central-railway-station-sheffield-RP-PC-1912-/150437690892?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Collectables_Postcards_MJ&hash=item2306c8fe0c) to it and here is the supersized image (http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/showimage.aspx?gid=1391199&ppid=1122&image=368088854&images=368088854,368088948&formats=0,0&format=0). The tramlines in the cobblestones bring back memories - Sheaf Street was still like this in the 1950s.

A friend tells me that there are steam engines stored in the Woodhead Tunnel. Does anyone know whether this is fact or fiction ???

This is a photo of my late Grandfather who was adriver out of Sheffield Victoria.

http://i40.tinypic.com/rw58g1.jpg

A rather sad shot of the derelict Victoria Station.

http://i41.tinypic.com/2h58ffn.jpg

A friend tells me that there are steam engines stored in the Woodhead Tunnel. Does anyone know whether this is fact or fiction ???

Thats fascinating, please let me know if you find out

The following is a thread from 2008 by Bus Man and might resolve engines in the Woodhead Tunnel


Its a myth ive not heard this particular one about them been briked up in woodhead tunnel but there was a huge debate in the technical press around 15 years ago as if you go through the records there are around 120 steam engines that dont have a scrap listing listed.

Agree with comments above it was 11 years after steam finished that mrs thatcher came to power and they had all gone by then and they would have been beyond use any way.

The old woodhead tunnell was used for electric cables and there are plans afoot for the new one to be used for the same.

Its a nice story may have been based on the green godess story as no one knew about those till the late 70s when they sudenly appeared

boo thought as much, thanks anyway sheffield77

I went down there in '54 with a Box Brownie and took a full roll of film. This is the only shot I can find, but the others are in the house somewhere.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/456988

Hi Laurel Canyon, do you know what date that your photo was taken?

Hi Laurel Canyon, do you know what date that your photo was taken?

Which photo?

Here's a little gem that my late Grandfather left us, it is an unsharpened LNER indelible pencil.

Any Offers?

http://i39.tinypic.com/v43szt.jpg

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z76/tdterrytd/VICSTN3.jpg
Brings back many happy memories of walking up here to catch the train to go fishing.

Victoria Station (http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx230/lostrider/Old%20Sheffield/IMG_0003-1.jpg)

Victoria Station (http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx230/lostrider/Old%20Sheffield/vicstat2.jpg)

Victoria Station (http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx230/lostrider/Old%20Sheffield/IMG_0003-1.jpg)

Victoria Station (http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx230/lostrider/Old%20Sheffield/vicstat2.jpg)Lostrider's second photo is a postcard published in the early 1900s by Robert Sneath (1859-1943) who originally had a barber's shop in Devonshire Street but who in 1910 gave up cutting hair and made his fortune publishing postcards from a shop in Change Alley. The same postcard (albeit without Sneath's imprint at the lower left, and with a 1912 postmark) is currently on offer via eBay - in case anyone feels tempted here's a link (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/great-central-railway-station-sheffield-RP-PC-1912-/150438920021?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Collectables_Postcards_MJ&hash=item2306dbbf55)!.:)

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z76/tdterrytd/VICSTN4.jpg
Another busy day at the Victoria station.

Hi LaurelCanyon sorry I should have clarified it was the one in post 167

Hi LaurelCanyon sorry I should have clarified it was the one in post 167

The wires are down so it will be from late 1981 to around 1984/5

Here's a little gem that my late Grandfather left us, it is an unsharpened LNER indelible pencil.

Any Offers?

http://i39.tinypic.com/v43szt.jpg
Unless you've got more memorabilia from your Grandad, I'd keep the pencil. That's a sad picture of the old Victoria Station.

Moving down the line a bit, to Woodhead Tunnel. Does anyone remember when they built the NEW Woodhead Tunnel? It must've been around the early 50's, I had a mate who worked on the first fixing side of the construction. That is, the shuttering for the concrete. And has anybody ever read Terry Coleman's ''The Railway Navvies''. It's an old book now, and probably costs a fortune on Ebay, but well worth getting. There's a lot about Woodhead. In fact there's a whole chapter, all the history you'll ever need about the tunnel/tunnels at Woodhead and the building of the railways in Britain.

An excellent book. Got mine off ebay after seing the musical play "The Navvies Wife". by Mick Ryan" which is based on the book. If you get the chance, go and see it. You won't regret it.

The Navvies Wife (http://www.thenavvyswife.co.uk/reviews.html)

"A musical drama written by Mick Ryan which gives voice to those whose lives were shaped by the great drive to carve out Britain’s canals, railways and roads.

Narrative
Thousands were caught up in the migration of able-bodied men to the vast scars of construction that have now softened into our landscape. Bonds forged by kinship, friendship, love and economic necessity helped them all survive the brutal realities of the hard life the men were drawn to. This itinerant way of life conferred hardship and uncertainty on the women caught up in it but of these mothers, lovers, wives and widows the newspapers had very little to say; of their longings, sorrows, hopes and joys they said nothing, nothing at all … "

My Grandad came from Ireland and worked as a navvy on the Woodhead tunnel before moving on to the Stavely Tunnel.

I've just had a look at my copy, (1968, the work was originally published in '67) it cost 7/6.

Moving down the line a bit, to Woodhead Tunnel. Does anyone remember when they built the NEW Woodhead Tunnel?The new tunnel opened in 1954; there's an interesting Wikipedia article here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodhead_Tunnel).

I've noticed in recent weeks on my drive in to work that a fair bit of tree and bush clearing seems to be taking place around the old Victoria Station site, has anyone got any idea what's going on ?

I think one of my sisters had her wedding reception at Victoria staion, didn't they have a posh restaurant and hall ?

I think one of my sisters had her wedding reception at Victoria staion, didn't they have a posh restaurant and hall ?

I imagine it was at the Victoria Hotel next to the station!

I imagine it was at the Victoria Hotel next to the station!

Yes, that was it, Victoria hall.:)

Just had a look at the Wickipedia article, hillsbro, sounds about right. Woodhead has always been there in the back of my mind since I was a kid. My Grandfather worked thro' the OLD tunnels a lot, being a driver from Bridgehouses and later Darnall, he would regail me with tales of getting stuck for steam and it being so wet the sands were on all the time. There was the minimum of clearance, and when we went toward Manchester on our way to Cheshire in the 40's, if I got the chance, I'd drop the window to see if there was any unfortunate platelayer in one of the 'boltholes'. It was always pleasant to come out of the tunnel at Woodhead and look across the reservoirs toward the moors. I wonder if anybody has ever visited the little cemetary on the moor to the north of Woodhead, dedicated to the 'navvies' who died while working on the tunnells. I did once.

Wow, I love history, and this is right up my street.

Does anyone know of any current plans for this line, or is all hope lost?

Memories that are always there i.e. seeing some green coloured coaches on an express
circa 1958. Presume they were Southern Region, probably from Bournemouth, to where I believe there was a direct connection from the Victoria.

Come on Anoracks, is my memory telling lies or what ?

... green coloured coaches on an express
circa 1958. Presume they were Southern Region, probably from Bournemouth, to where I believe there was a direct connection from the Victoria.Quite right - there was a mid-day departure to Bournemouth, which I think started from Bradford. Here is a scan (http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u219/twigmore/Victoria.jpg) from a 1954 list of departures.

Its a myth ive not heard this particular one about them been briked up in woodhead tunnel but there was a huge debate in the technical press around 15 years ago as if you go through the records there are around 120 steam engines that dont have a scrap listing listed.

Agree with comments above it was 11 years after steam finished that mrs thatcher came to power and they had all gone by then and they would have been beyond use any way.

Not true that they would have been beyond use, Woodham's Scrapyard at Barry Island had nigh on 300 loco's there in 1969, stored out side. The last one was removed in 1990.
A major factor in the closure of the Woodhead route was the fact that it was the only line in the country to use DC power. Apart from being far more dangerous than AC it was impractical to buy locos just to serve this one line.

It's amazing, the amount of interest Woodhead still generates. Has anyone actually attempted to walk thro' the tunnel, or indeed, along the track, say from Penistone. There should be a 'Woodhead Walk'. There are lots of good pictures on the Woodhead thread so somebody must have access.

Looks like there is a facebook page started for those who like Sheffield Victoria Station , it has links to photos and videos including one of the last day of passenger service on the 4th Jan 1970

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002412510606&sk=wall