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Wadsley Bridge Train Station


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WADSLEY BRIDGE TRAIN STATION

The Second Stop travelling north from Sheffield Wadsley Bridge was originally opened in 1845 on the completion of the Woodhead route but fell victim along with the other stations on the route in the 1950's thanks to increased car traffic. The station platforms remain intact (the southbound one heavily over grown).

It was closed to passengers on June 15th, 1959 but after closure summer Saturday and Sunday trains were advertised for anglers until 31.10.1965. It was later used during severe weather and due to its close proximity to the Hillsborough Football ground, did see occasional use by football specials into the 1980's but this use ceased after privatisation in 1996.

The Wadsley Bridge station sign is believed to be on the wall of the John Fairest funeral home.

In 2003 a group was set up to get the reinstatement of a passenger service from Stocksbridge to Sheffield.

See their website here - http://www.donvalleyrailway.org/

PICTURES

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Have been to a couple of events organised by the Don Valley Railway Group (www.donvalleyrailay.org) - both have incorporated slide shows / talks which have included much interesting information relating to Wadsley Bridge and other 'lost' stations between the Sheffield boundary and Sheffield Victoria.

To be honest was a bit sceptical before I went (jokes about becoming a train spotter from work colleagues) but really enjoyed both evenings.

Well worth the visit - oh, and the pie and peas were excellent!!

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Do me a favour - let me know when the next one is !

I know what you mean about trainspotters but if there's pie and peas on it's a risk worth taking

lol

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Do me a favour - let me know when the next one is !

I know what you mean about trainspotters but if there's pie and peas on it's a risk worth taking

lol

Do you want to borrow an Anorack Neil ??? lol

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Became very worried at the last slide show evening of the Don Valley Railway Group as I discovered who the person making strong 'agreeing noises' each time the presenter said 'isn't she beautiful' when refering to a steam engine was - yes it was my lovely partner!

When challenged she muttered something about being used to waking up next to an old boiler every morning so had come to appreciate such 'beauty'!

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Much debate is taking place on a national railway forum as to the use of Wadsley Bridge station for 'footexs' (trains for football fans) after the Woodhead route closed to regular passenger services in January 1970.

The most pressing question is that of when was the station last used for that purpose?  My delving so far has come up with  8th January 1994 for the Sheffield Wednesday v Nottingham Forest match.   This used 'sprinter' DMUs 156422 + 156467.  Does anyone know of any use after that?

The last locomotive hauled 'footex' to Wadsley Bridge would appear to have been on 17th March 1993 for the Sheffield Wednesday v Derby County match utilising 47824. 

The FA Cup semi-finals held at Hillsborough are thought to have always seen Wadsley Bridge footexs in the 1970's and 1980's but still need to unearth more about these.  The last was the Middlesbrough v Chesterfield replay on 22nd April 1997.  I am not aware of any footexs running for this match although there were some Sheffield (Midland) - Chesterfield reliefs after the match.  Of course this match should never have been as clearly Chesterfield had already beaten Middlesborough at Old Trafford but that's another story.  Prior to that the previous match was Sunderland v Norwich City on 5th April 1992.   Not yet unearthed any notes about this match but probably at least one 'footex' to Wadsley Bridge.

Working back the previous semi-final was the one on 15th April 1989 that you will be hearing a lot about in the next few days.  I have unearthed the notebook of the late Peter Fox for this day and although it is not clear whether or not it ran to Wadsley Bridge or not he records a footex from Liverpool with 47434.  He also records 47447 and 97545 passing through Dore on return footexs later in the day.  Thus it is presumed these ran to Sheffield (Midland).  Can anyone confirm or add more details.

Not so far discovered any more notes about 'f'ootexs' to Wadsley Bridge from 1989 - 1994 but presumably there were others.

Any further information would be welcomed.  I will post about earlier 'footexs' another time. 

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