Railway line and tunnel

Would anyone here know anything about a tunnel that goes from near Wicker Arches towards, maybe Pitsmoor and beyond? Reason is, a pal of mine from Dorset is sure there is such a tunnel....... So it is an offshoot from the Woodhead line heading away from Sheffield.

Spital Tunnel, the Fiery Jack!

http://www.burngreavemessenger.org/archives/2007/june-2007-issue-70/spital-tunnel/

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=462445&highlight=tunnel

Would anyone here know anything about a tunnel that goes from near Wicker Arches towards, maybe Pitsmoor and beyond? Reason is, a pal of mine from Dorset is sure there is such a tunnel....... So it is an offshoot from the Woodhead line heading away from Sheffield.

It indeed is, as Bikertec says its called Fiery Jack there are two perceptions why its called that and they are that there was a fire in the tunnel many years ago and some of the passengers perrished and the other is when the steam trains went through it releases sparks lighting up the tunnel, the tunnel is relatively steep hence the sparks, I prefer the latter explanation.

The tunnel is still there but has become a haven for drug users

Yes it ran from champs hill to saville street used to play in it as a young in lol

I remember in the 1960s often looking down through the steeply-graded tunnel from trains en route to Wadsley Bridge; both ends were still open at that time. Its official name was Spital Hill Tunnel and it closed in 1948 according to Col. Cobb's railway atlas - here is a scan. There are three photos on the picturesheffield.com site - see here.

Think it was bricked up in 70s

...a fire in the tunnel many years ago and some of the passengers perrished ...

Passengers never went in the spital tunnel. It was only used for exchanging carriages between the midland station at the wicker and Bridgehouses station.

Its main use was really before the wicker arches were completed as for a few years bridgehouses station was a dead end.

Accounts state that that the tunnel was steep and dangerous so I imagine that it was only used with single carriages rather than full trains.

After the Wicker arches were complete, it would probably have been quicker and safer to move a whole train by looping around the main lines and sidings rather than splitting it up and moving the carriages in sections through the tunnel.

I can't remember it being steep been through it many a time when I was a kid used to play ghosts

Bossdogg

I also played in the tunnel as a lad, and I agree it didnt look or feel steep. However if you look at the level it started at, near the wicker and the level it finished, the same height as the arches, it puts it in perspective.

It surprised me and you can appreciate the struggle the engines must have had.

Yes looking back now I see what you mean when you got so far in tunnel you could just about see daylight at other end

When I was an apprentice with British Rail, I worked with fitters and electricians who worked at 'Wicker Goods'. I was told the tunnel was for moving goods wagons from 'Wicker Goods' up to Bridgehouses, and a winch being used rather than a locomotive?

Wow, those are superb replies, I am really grateful to you all. Can't wait to pass these details to my pal. Cheers all.