Sheffield Midland Train Station

[History dude]

A new video by the Train driver chap shows that after the recent derailment this year at the north end of platform one, although Network Rail restored the section to the platform, they removed the link to the siding that's in the section between the first tunnel and the overbridge. Although the siding line was present the line is cut off.  I remember looking over the bridge regularly at the siding and it used to have a 16 ton mineral wagon in it, full of what looked like waste that had been cleared from the line. By the look of things it looks like they still need a wagon there for that! 

Three screen shots below

 

[Unitedite Returns]

A platform level view of the train shed, taken in 1953 might interest a few folks. Copyright retained.

For the record, the locomotives are:-

Class 5MT, No.45262, of Shed No.19A, Grimesthorpe, built by Armstrong Whitworth, to Works No.1317, in 1936.

Class B1, No.61224, of Shed No.50A, York North, built by North British Locomotive, Glasgow, to Works No. 26125, in 1947.

 

[Athy]

On 20/11/2020 at 09:40, Josh Bloom said:

Hello,

I've recently joined the site. My name is Josh and I'm currently editing a program which features Sheffield Midland as one of its main stories. The series is called Architecture the Railways Built and series 1 can be viewed online:

 

 

 

 

 

Josh 

Unlike many such projects, the series did get made, and I have enjoyed watching several episodes of it, though I haven't yet seen the one which includes Sheffield Midland.

 

As an aside, if you are editing a programme, perhaps the ability to spell "programme" would be an advantage.

[History dude]

I did see the programme on Midland. I recall that them showing a ductile on the platform that could be opened up leading down to the River Sheaf flowing under the station. It also showed several rooms that catered for first class passengers and another that catered for the third class passengers.

[Unitedite Returns]

I thought that I would share with you, the attached image, in order to give some impression of the passenger services operating in and out of Sheffield Midland Station, at the turn of the Twentieth Century. Copyright Retained.

Captured around 1900, the image, taken from Woodseats Road Over-bridge, shows an unidentified Midland Railway Class 890, 2-4-0, tender locomotive hauling a West Bound (Up) Passenger Service, possibly destined for Chesterfield, Derby and beyond, or may be, possibly destined for Manchester, along the Hope Valley Line. The extensive terraced housing along Rydal Road, Nether Edge can be seen in the background.

This section of line was quadrupled during the period 1901 to 1902, although following the track rationalisation of recent years, the railway line probably looks very much the same today. The train itself seems to be made up from a fascinating variety of rolling stock.

[Athy]

14 minutes ago, Unitedite Returns said:

I thought that I would share with you, the attached image, in order to give some impression of the passenger services operating in and out of Sheffield Midland Station, at the turn of the Twentieth Century. Copyright Retained.

Captured around 1900, the image, taken from Woodseats Road Over-bridge, shows an unidentified Midland Railway Class 890, 2-4-0, tender locomotive hauling a West Bound (Up) Passenger Service, possibly destined for Chesterfield, Derby and beyond, or may be, possibly destined for Manchester, along the Hope Valley Line. The extensive terraced housing along Rydal Road, Nether Edge can be seen in the background.

This section of line was quadrupled during the period 1901 to 1902, although following the track rationalisation of recent years, the railway line probably looks very much the same today. The train itself seems to be made up from a fascinating variety of rolling stock.

What a fabulously atmospheric picture! As you say, the rolling stock is pretty damned heterogeneous (the second and fifth coaches may have been of the same type, but they're the only ones), suggesting that this wasn't a crack service.

Yet the loco is in immaculate condition; although, judging by the buffers, that may be because it's just been outshopped after overhaul at Derby.

The house are unusual in that the windows re higher up than the doors - I mean, the lintels are highe rup, I suppose. Are the houses still there?

[Lemmy117]

The houses are still there, now obscured from the railway by trees.

Nigel L

[Ponytail]

Sheffield Midland Station. 

Sheaf Street approach to Sheffield Midland Station looking towards St. Lukes Church, South Street and housing on Granville Road (just visible bottom), Granville Lane (middle row) and rear of properties on South Street Park (top) 

 

[Ponytail]

Sheffield Midland Station

Postcard dated 1st Dec 1911, sent as  Birthday Greetings to Annie Smith née Land ( my grandmother) from S. A. Bates who also lived in Sheffield. 

[Athy]

Oh come off it, any of us who remember the Mid from our childhood know that it was built from black bricks.

...I was under the impression that the station dated from the mid-19th century, so the "new" is puzzling. Surely only Victoria station would have been (fairly) new at that time? Did it replace an earlier and lesser structure?

   And finally...what a very fine street lamp, fancy finial and all.

[Lemmy117]

When originally built in the 1860's the station was a bit smaller. What is now platform 2 was actually the station frontage. In 1905 the present frontage and platform 1 were added, hence the "new" on the postcard.

Nigel L

[Athy]

27 minutes ago, Lemmy117 said:

When originally built in the 1860's the station was a bit smaller. What is now platform 2 was actually the station frontage. In 1905 the present frontage and platform 1 were added, hence the "new" on the postcard.

Nigel L

Ask, and it shall be given - there are so many knowledgeable people on here. Thanks Lemmy/Nigel.

[southside]

On 20/05/2021 at 13:13, Unitedite Returns said:

I thought that I would share with you, the attached image, in order to give some impression of the passenger services operating in and out of Sheffield Midland Station, at the turn of the Twentieth Century. Copyright Retained.

Captured around 1900, the image, taken from Woodseats Road Over-bridge, shows an unidentified Midland Railway Class 890, 2-4-0, tender locomotive hauling a West Bound (Up) Passenger Service, possibly destined for Chesterfield, Derby and beyond, or may be, possibly destined for Manchester, along the Hope Valley Line. The extensive terraced housing along Rydal Road, Nether Edge can be seen in the background.

This section of line was quadrupled during the period 1901 to 1902, although following the track rationalisation of recent years, the railway line probably looks very much the same today. The train itself seems to be made up from a fascinating variety of rolling stock.

Great photograph!  The signal in the background is the type that dropped down to signal it's safe to proceed. When I was trainspotting at Millhouses in the 1950s signals were in the upward position to show it safe to proceed, was there a reason for this change of signal design?

[Athy]

1 hour ago, southside said:

. When I was trainspotting at Millhouses in the 1950s signals were in the upward position to show it safe to proceed, was there a reason for this change of signal design?

To the best of my knowledge, only the Great Western, who liked to be a law unto themselves, used lower-quadrant signals. But evidently my knowledge isn't best enough.

 

EDIT: Wiki, who knoweth all, explains that lower-quadrant signals were the norm throughout Britain until the 1920s (and thus at the time this photo was taken), after which they were almost universally replaced by upper-quadrant ones - except on the G.W.R. who, as hinted above, said "Shan't".

[Lysanderix]

Heavy snowfall or a mechanical failure would drop the upper quadrant signal into the stop position….no such safeguard existed with the lower quadrant variety.

[MartinR]

Lower quadrant signals were balanced by the heavy "spectacle" casting.  If the connection to the box broke then the spectacle came down and the arm went up.  Upper quadrant signals have the arm directly attached to the spectacle with the pivot above the spectacle.  If the wire broke both arm and spectacle descended to the horizontal.  The 1972 edition of the BR rule book simply refers to the arm being "raised or lowered 45°".

A couple of good reference books I have are:

• Kichenside, G. M., and Alan Williams. British Railway Signalling. 4th ed. London: I. Allan, 1978. 625.10941.
• Freezer, C. J. Model Railway Signalling. Sparkford, Somerset: Stephens, 1991. 625.19.

Photos below from Wikicommons.  Credits to David Ingham and "nottsexminer" respectively.

[History dude]

More shots of Midland

All photos, Andrew Stringfellow at flickr.