The Woodhead route.

Linking Sheffield and Manchester, this 40 mile route penetrated the Pennine barrier at Woodhead, before descending to Manchester.
It was Britain’s first main line to use overhead electric power when opened in 1954.

Primary motive power was the 1500V D.C. EM1 (Class 76) and EM2 (Class 77) electric locomotives.

The EM2s were sold to the Netherlands Railways, but the EM1s continued until the line’s closure in 1981.

Scenes recorded at many locations between 1954 and 1984 are shown, some with original sound. Locations include:

Sheffield (Victoria)
Rotherwood
Wath
Worsborough Bank
Penistone
Dunford Bridge
Woodhead
Torside
Guide Bridge
Manchester (Piccadilly)
Plus other locations

Okay A The Sheffield Ashton underline and Manchester Railway first linked Manchester with Sheffield in 1845 with the opening of their notorious Woodhead tunnel this line became the Manchester Sheffield Lincolnshire Railway in 1846 and the Great Central in 1897 the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway also operated a line running East from penniston through

Barnesley and into the yire coalfield at WTH and in 1880 the msnl opened a steeply graded direct link from WTH to penniston so avoiding the Barnsley bottleneck since completing this link from the coalfield at WTH to Manchester via penniston and Woodhead in 1880 the Great Central had become part of the Ln

And had seen a vast increase in the volume of coal and Freight it was carrying despite quadrupling long sections of the route and adding Freight Loops the Woodhead line had been operating to capacity as early as 1926 the solution to the problem was to speed up the trains and reduce operating

Costs and this meant electrification work was well in hand at the outset of war in 1939 when the project was halted and it was not until September 1954 that the first electrically hauled passenger train left Sheffield Victoria for Manchester 272 Aurora was one of seven Coco locomotives built to handle

Passenger workings over the route designated class em2 they differed from the 58 class EM1 Bobo Freight locomotives not only in their wheel Arrangement but in their weight and horsepower class EM1 number 26020 now preserved by the National Railway Museum is the sole surviving member of her class she was built by

British Railways at Gorton in 1951 and in that same year she attended the Festival of Britain resplendant in a gloss black lined Livery she had because of her Celebrity Status a number of special features such as chromed window sarons and handrails 13 of the EM1 including 262

Were fitted with Steam Heat boilers for use on passenger duties the other 12 all carried the names of Greek gods but 2602 was destined to remain nameless the electrical equipment for these locomotives was supplied by Metropolitan vict limited and consisted of four type 186 electric traction Motors each supplying 467 horsepower to

The 42 in diameter spoked wheels the control system was electron pneumatic and their maximum speed was 65 mil an hour the locomotives were fitted with Air Electric regenerative and rear static braking all were fitted for vacuum brake train operation although later a handful were also equipped for

The air bra system on mer gound trains in service the locomotives were reliable and after the rigors of working steam Locos up to and through the Woodhead tunnel they were welcomed by the engine crews in the cab the straight air and vacuum brake valves were on the left of

The driver with the master controller and auxiliary switches on the right and the instruments and other gauges mounted Straight Ahead many features of the Loco’s design are credited to sel grizly and the riveted construction of the Loco’s body and underframe is indicative of the Common Ground she shares with the steam

Locomotives constructed at the same time until the EM 1s took over these classic shots of steam at work on the WBUR incline show how four locomotives were needed to lift a 6 to 700 ton train up the 1 in40 gradient it took some 15 minutes to cover the two miles including

The two silon tunnels for which the engine Crews were supplied with respirators until the Advent of electric locomotives the main stay of heavy Freight steam power was the 280 in the shape of X Great Central Railway class 04 plus the later o2s and austerity locomotives when electrification was

Being planned the twin Woodhead tunnels were almost 100 years old and in constant need of Maintenance so it was decided to carry the electrified lines through a completely new twin ball to be built alongside the old tunnels many of the 1,000 men working on the project were housed in a temporary

Village above Dunford bridge at the Eastern end of the tunnel the gantries which would carry the 1500 volt DC Supply were prefabricated in Dunford Bridge yard but it was inside the tunnel itself that the hardest task was underway although mechanization helped there was still a great deal of manual laboring

And although conditions were infinitely better than when the first BS were made this new tunnel still claimed Six Lives over its six-year construction period the original B had claimed 26 lives on Sunday the 13th of June 1954 the tracks were connected to the new tunnel and the official inauguration of

The new electric service came just 3 months later enthusiasts and public alike were stunned by the Apparently effortless performance of the new locomotives quite simply they were revolutionary trains Illustrated hail the project one of British railway’s greatest post-war achievements in the main power control center adjacent to penniston station the

Chromed instruments and control desks represented the last word in contemporary design practice as did the building’s architecture another indication of the rate of progress was a number of steam engines relegated to the scrap line at doncer classes which had put in Sterling work over the Woodhead route for years

Were reduced to their component parts in as many hours displaced X Great Central locomotives from The Humble class n5s to what have been the pride of the Great Central Railways locomotive Fleet the 4 40 d11s this particular locomotive built in 1920 and named after a director of The

Great Central still carries its name plates as the Cutters torch Drew near the inaugural electric passenger service was hauled by em2 Electra leaving Sheffield Victoria at 11:45 a.m. on the 14th of September 1954 and touching 92 M hour she tackled the lower penine slopes only 16 years later the last passenger

Trains to Traverse the route left Manchester Picadilly on a bitterly cold January the 5th 1970 the last day of Passenger working over the line leaving Manchester Picadilly on that last working the first station captured on film was Fairfield for joy electric Depo at reddish was reached by the lenum branch which joined the

Main line here by a triangular Junction the numerous Junctions around guide Bridge sent out lines to Stockport sty Bridge miles platting and roon as well as the Manchester Sheffield route a number of em ones could always be found awaiting duties in the extensive yards to the east of guide Bridge by the time dinting was reached our

Cameraman had reloaded with black and white film for the climb up to Woodhead pausing at Hadfield a second passenger working approaches from Sheffield now we’re climbing past torside Reservoir heading for Crow Edge the icy blast of the wind past the window is almost Arctic as we plunge into the tunnel at Woodhead 3 m and 66 yds later we emerge at Dunford bridge and our cameraman saves his next shot for the signal box at the West End of peniston station and the park and trol Center He also managed to collect some fine shots of the island platform buildings which became Superfluous with the cessation of Passenger Traffic chevi Victoria and the last day in service for one of the city’s two major stations its razon Detra Vanishing along with the passenger service over Woodhead a short-lived experiment was the fitting of rotary windshield wipers to several of the em2 such as 272 Aurora seen here at chield Victoria some 180 months after withdrawal the EM TOS were bought by the Netherland rails shipped to Holland in September 1969 the Netherlands Railway already had

Experience of the EM type Locos since the Prototype EM1 in the 26,000 had been provided on loan to them from 1947 to 52 when the Woodhead electrification was completed whilst in Holland the Loco gained a nickname Tommy and this name became official on its return to British soil in Holland number

272 Aurora received the NS number 1506 and together with five other em tools she was refurbished with electric train heating air brakes right hand drive and the yellow and gray NS liy 1506 Aurora was due to return to England for preservation of the Manchester Museum of Science and

Technology but she was damaged by fire and 1505 Ari Adney was substituted in her place Ari Adney has retained her NS Livery and fittings in preservation but this is how we should remember electric passenger Services over Woodhead class EM1 26054 Pluto leaves peniston with a mariban to Manchester Express

The final stage in the electrification scheme was the extension from Sheffield Victoria to rotherwood exchange sidings where electric Locos would exchange for other Motive Power three pairs of EM1 or class 76s to give them their correct tops classification await their next duties in their latter years of service the

Freight traffic over Woodland was almost exclusively coold Bound for Fiddler’s fery power station near warington 76051 carried the name Mentor when built and was equipped for passenger duties the 76s were coupled in pairs to handle trains of around 12200 tons as far as guide bridge where Diesel power took over

76022 passes through a devastated Sheffield Victoria could this really be the same station that we saw on the first and last day of electric passenger workings interestingly 7602 carried a br lion Crest until her Withdrawal The only passenger service left through Victoria by that time was the dmu service from Huddersfield and this was routed into Sheffield Midland station 76056 returns through Victoria from rotherwood as 26056 she carried the name Triton WTH was the locomotive Depot for the Eastern end of the line the Depo sat alongside the extensive W coal concentration yard built by the great Central this yard extended for 1 and a/4 miles from WTH station to ELA Junction and included 36 miles of sidings this yard alleviated the need

For much of the shunting at the col themselves and allowed loaded and empty stock to run as full train loads this made the most of the capacity of the main line but required incredible efforts to lift the loaded trains up the worb incline it’s almost incredible to think that every Prestage of this

Facility is now been completely swept away two class 08s were used for taking empties to manga’s main C plant in col elica Junction was at the Western end of WTH yard 7601 and 769 arrive light engine from barnesley Junction heading for w Depot The class 08 is preparing a scunthorp bound Freight For 76012 and 761 leave with a Coke train Bound for ardwick cold drops a few miles short of Manchester picad The Hoppers marled next to the locomotives often provided additional braking the Unbreak mineral wagons relying on the brake b bringing up the rear For As we’ve already seen the short 2 m stretch of the wbor incline was opened in August 1880 to allow Co trains to reach peniston without passing through Barnsley it linked the existing colier Branch to M end with the great centrals line from peniston to Barnsley two class

76es pass Kendall green Crossing on a Meo around working as was usual on the incline the train is banked by another pair of class 76s at the rear from W to Moen J the gradient was relatively easy locomotives frequently used to haul heavy trains on the wbor

Incline were turned regularly as it was found that the repetitive strain at one end of the Loco was causing maintenance problems while still following the course of the old Moren bran the line crossed the Sheffield lead section of the M1 this bridge is still in situe as

Is the track bed serving as a Leisure Trail for cyclists and Walkers a half mile further along the Route is Stafford Crossing but another Mero around working has been recorded on film this train will shortly reach Moren Junction where the incline proper begins it was at this Junction that the unique Ln class U1 bear gallot locomotive was based its purpose being to assist Co

Trains up the Bank Is 76035 and 76039 pass through the two silkstone tunnels near the top of the incline with a return working of empties the Contour of the route with its Gall shaped gradient profile offered a unique opportunity to employ regenerative braking thereby reducing running costs by using the Loco’s electric motors as a

Braking force and the electricity produced being fed back into the overhead system it was found how however that with loads increasing to over 750 tons additional breaking was required and in 1959 retic braking was also fitted 763 and 76026 pull a loaded train up the final

Stretch of 1 and 40 to the silon tunnels 769 and 761 act as Bankers the class 76s were equipped with an intercom which sent signals through the 1500 V cery to allow the crews of leading and banking engines to communicate with each other at the foot of the bank speed

Would start at 25 to 30 m hour by the top of the bank this would be down to around 10 mph at the top of the incline the lead engines would shut off power to allow the bankers to buffer up the wagons once at the top of the bank trains pass

Through Ox Spring Tunnel and over oxspring viant to arrive at Barnsley Junction a Huddersfield Sheffield dmu passes barsley Junction extensive sidings around the junction allowed banking engines to drop off their train and return light to W Ru injunction to assist the next train this 30 wagon Mero round working

Is leaving barnesley Junction yard to join the main line towards penniston this train would have started as two rakes of 15 wagons brought up by Diesel from doou CER For Is The lone 76 passing penniston is working at Trafford Park to W steel empties The class 37 brings a permanent way train off the Woodhead line peniston had an extensive permanent we deer but today nothing remains except the Huddersfield Branch platforms a passing Loop and single tracks heading towards Barnsley and Huddersfield the platforms and new buildings are maintained to a high standard and the platforms even boast

Their own MSN LR canopies bearing witness to the rise and fall of peniston’s Railway scene hutterville Junction signal box sounds just as it did when the last 76 passed by these scenes shot from a Huddersfield to Sheffield dmu in the early 1970s show the PW yard but the track work

Connecting the yard to the branch has already been Lifted these viewers were taken from a Bradford to Sheffield special which passed through penniston from the Huddersfield line and followed the route of the W coow workings through Barnsley Junction and past the top of the wbury inkline H Woodhead haxk Spring Tunnel was originally constructed as a single ball for reasons of economy with the demise of Passenger workings peniston lost its Island platform buildings 7602 and 76023 head slowly towards barnesley Junction with empty mineral wagons notice the PW train in the yard behind the Loc At the Manchester end of the platforms a succession of 76 Hall trains pass the power control [Applause] center [Applause] 76023 and 7602 pass again a latter showing off its distinctive VR logo Is the site of the original peniston station was half a mile nearer to Manchester but this was superseded by the station at h field Junction in 1874 FR continued to be handled at the former site which had several loops and Sidings Heading west towards Dunford Bridge Shore Hall Crossing was another favorite vantage point for Photography Another mile or so westwards 76010 heads another rake of n around wagons towards G Bridge The condition of hazelhead bridge signal box had deteriorated steadily since closure of the station in 1950 on the 18th of April 1964 enthusiasts hardly gave the passing class 76 a Second Glance as they waited for an eastbound SLS special headed by the newly preserved Ryan Scotsman These Fine views over the hills show

Just how close Dunford Bridge East box was to the outlying districts of benniston the mine curving steadily around the town although closed to passengers for some time the signs at Dunford Bridge still invite patronage of its ghost trains Dunford Bridge boasted extensive sorting sidings provided by the great Central Railway in

191 as part of the electrification program the old Dunford Bridge station was demolished to make way for the new track layout the new modern concrete halt was barely the length of two locomotives and its main purpose was as a boarding and a lighting point for Railway sta wood head station reive similar Treatment A Is One wonders exactly how Mr JH Gilbert must have felt on hearing about his appointment to such an elevated Position all its buildings demolished and track lifted the route westwards from Woodhead is now a cycle track and Leisure Trail a strange end for a link which so many people gave their lives and health to provide but it hasn’t always been like this Woodhead even in latter days there

Were frequent Freight movements with steel and other workings supplementing the inevitable mer around coal trains E The National Grid made good use of the old Woodhead tunnel BS when it rooted its high voltage cables underground instead of intruding onto the open Morland e Falling at 1 in 117 the line skirted the banks of Woodhead Reservoir as it headed for the site of Coden station an island platform design built where the road to glossip crosses the Woodhead Reservoir down H The glossup road crosses the railway at tour side another favorite vantage point for enthusiasts in 198 extensive Loops were added both here and at Veil house further to the West in an effort to increase the line’s capacity For the next station is Hatfield Where 76027 Heads East this is presently the end of the line tracks between penniston and Hatfield having been lifted in 1986 local services West of Hatfield have been operated by emus since electrification class 506 DC units operated on the 1500 DC system and these

Were replaced by class 303 units brought in from Glasgow the overhead system was switched over to 25 KT AC in 1984 after Hatfield we reach dinting where the branch to glossip leaves the main line by a triangular Junction dingville Viaduct takes the main line on towards Manchester and mam marshalling yard This class 506 unit is taking the glossip line through ding the return working will take the it on to Hadfield on the only side of the triangle which bypasses dinting station the small engine shed at dining once provided a base for the dinting Steam Museum and was home to several

Mainline Locos class V2 Green Arrow arrives to collect Midland compound number 1,000 before passing on toward Manchester to work an enthusia Special This emu is passing the junction where the Loco Depot tracks join the glossup Branch in its original form the Viaduct at dinting was found to be in need of additional support So seven extra peers were added in 1919 since when the viaduct has been trouble-free as we’ve already seen the Woodhead route passed through some wild scenery and its Winters could be harsh yet Beautiful Moving yet further west we arrive at guide bridge where the class 506 unit arrives Bound for Hatfield several lines Converge on guide bridge and there’s an extensive permanent way Depot on the same site guaranteeing a wide variety of traffic Sh Has however the sidings at the East End of guide Bridge station played host to a number of 76s awaiting their next Duty completing our coverage of the the line these viewers were taken from a southbound train on The Four Track lmw lines which ran alongside the GC route from padil to arrick EM1

1265 Prometheus was on passenger duties em2 273 Diana was also caught on film during its declining years the Woodhead route attracted a number of specials an EM1 haul such a working which utilized the gwr society’s rake of vintage cages seen here passing Crow another special working approaches Hadfield Friday July the 17th 1981 on the last complete day of workings over the Woodhead line enthusiasts were out despite the torrential rain and this was Summer Notice the number of passengers aboard this eastbound EM1 hauling scrap these workings were handed over to diesel at rotherwood for onward passage to oldw walk steelworks at Rother These 76s are awaiting their very last turn of Duty at Barnsley Junction sidings a class 45 shunts the full coal wagons it has brought up from dogler Cury 76010 and 76016 take over the train for the journey over the pan this will probably be their last trip under the hill as the noal call It The driver gives us a flash of his lights as 7602 shows what she can do up the gradient from Sheffield to deniston this will be her last trip under her own power her next Journey will be to the scrapyard final rights of the dting V

The Emu still has 3 years left but for the class 76s their time has Come this was the last train of the day to pass before dusk the final train left Ela Junction at 5:00 a.m. the next day and Woodhead route had closed after 136 years of Railway Operations the EM1 sat languishing at reddish and guide bridge but it became apparent that the Netherlands Railways had no interest in these locomotives the majority ended their days at CF boo in Rin e the first of the class Tommy was also one of the first to be scrapped at crew in 19

72 what had happened to one of British railway’s greatest post achievements was nothing less than a Tragedy