Victoria Station -

Agent Smith · 23-07-2003, 01:13

Hi All,

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

Jon · 23-07-2003, 01:18

Was before my time just

have a look on here see if this helps http://www.mosborough.org.uk/sheffield.htm

My 500th post

i need to get out more lol

Agent Smith · 23-07-2003, 01:25

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

RPG · 23-07-2003, 01:47

isnt it apparently making a comeback?

PaulTansley · 23-07-2003, 06:59

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.

fhain29 · 24-07-2003, 11:22

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.

PaulTansley · 25-07-2003, 08:11

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.

oldtimer · 31-07-2003, 20:15

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.

PaulTansley · 01-08-2003, 19:16

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.

Greybeard · 16-08-2003, 09:26

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

Lickszz · 16-08-2003, 21:24

Quote:

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.

The Zeppelin · 17-08-2003, 01:01

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.

halevan · 23-08-2003, 15:34

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.

PaulTansley · 25-08-2003, 10:39

Would that be the milk train Hal.

arsenallad · 16-11-2003, 00:52

Quote:

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

daz9284 · 17-11-2003, 23:33

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!

goldenfleece · 19-11-2003, 18:25

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.....

Houdi · 19-11-2003, 22:33

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???

daz9284 · 20-11-2003, 10:30

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

goldenfleece · 22-11-2003, 09:02

Quote:

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.