Sheffield Victoria and the Woodhead Route

For some samples of timetables for Sheffield Victoria, please click here

Sheffield Victoria in the 1980's. The

station was closed to passengers along with

the Woodhead route to Manchester on

January 5th, 1970. Passenger trains to

Huddersfield did pass through the station

without stopping until they were diverted

via Barnsley in May 1983. The 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.

26017 at Sheffield Victoria in 1967

(Photo : John Law)

76013 at Rotherwood Yard in 1979

(Photo : John Law)

Class 76 E26012 at Wath depot in 1969

(Photo : John Law)

book published in 1959 showing EM2 27003 "Diana" emerging from

the famous Woodhead Tunnel, a type of motive power once common at

Sheffield Victoria. Below, a preserved EM2 photographed at the

Midland Railway Centre, Butterley.

E27000 at an open day at Tinsley depot

Hauling a passenger train and a view of the cab of 27004 as it arrives

at Sheffield Victoria.

Looking back to the steam era and the entrance to the original

Woodhead Tunnel

Another image of steam on the route as a Great Central "Atlantic"

approaches the western entrance of Woodhead Tunnel with a

Manchester to Marylebone express train.

A view of Sheffield No.4 box located to the east of Victoria station

use in May 2001.

closed to passengers on June 15th, 1959, but due to

it's close procimity to the Hillsborough Football

ground, did see occasional use by football specials

as illustrated in the bottom right hand view in 1988.

As Railtrack recently commented "Prior to

prviatisation, Wadsley Bridge station was used for

occasional football specials. It is no longer listed as

a passenger station. Nowadays fleets of buses ferry

supporters to the ground". The buildings have also

since been cleared.

these are illustrated on this site.

the Wadsley Bridge football specials.

class 110 dmu en route from Huddersfield to Sheffield. These services

were diverted via Barnsley in 1983 utilising a previously freight only

route which can be seen curving away to the left. The trackbed of the

direct Woodhead line to Sheffield can be seen clearly seen along

with the overhead line equipment.

Penistone station in May 2001, 30 years after the Woodhead route was

closed to passengers. The other platforms are still in use by Sheffield -

Barnsley - Huddersfield trains. The former Woodhead route platforms are

illustrated here looking towards Manchester. A section of the former

trackbed is now a foot and cycle path. Just visible in the distance is the

former Electric Control Station which was responsible for power along the

Woodhead route.

The former trackbed of the route can clearly be seen between the bottom

of the photograph and Torside Reservoir. Looking north, Manchester was

to the left and Sheffield (via Woodhead) to the right.

A recent view from Hadfield looking towards Woodhead