One of the best Sheffield history videos I've seen

[Sheffield History]

Can't recommend this enough

A really fantastic look at the old Sheffield Victoria train station

[BobGreg]

I used the Woodhead line from Sheffield Victoria to Manchester Piccadilly over two prolonged 6 month periods. One was during 1966 World Cup period. I was undertaking a sandwich degree course from Brunel Univerisity at the time. My home was Sheffield and during these two periods of industrial training, I was involved in working initially in Hazel Grove (Mirlees National - Large Diesel Engines) and secondly at the Royal Ordnance Factory Patricroft; both necessitating travelling on Sunday night from Sheffield Victoria to Piccadilly, returning back to Sheffield on Friday evening. I use to leave the relevant companies on the train on another line into Manchester, change from my boiler suit into suitable clothing in the toilets before getting to Piccadilly and thence on the train home.

The journey on the electrified line was remarkably impressive and took about about 45 mins or so, bearing in mind that I was 21 at the time so my memory at 76 could be wrong. I distinctly remember when returning one Friday night I could hear the roar of the football crowd at Hillsborough during one of the earlier World Cup knockout matches in 66.

with the door window open and carefully looking along the impressive carriages towards the engine at the front as it journeyed between the two destinations was a remarkable experience.

It was a huge error to have dispensed with this unique line, which can never be reestablished because the Woodhead Tunnel now caries extensive power cables along its extensive passage under the Peak District (?) / Snake pass.

Another missed and very early opportunity to create the ”Northern Powerhouse” we hear so much of today!

[Lemmy117]

And soon the remaining bit at this end of the Woodhead tunnel will be be no more. I understand the steel plant at Stocksbridge will no longer be having steel delivered by rail from the end of this month, so it seems the branch will be closed. There have only been just over 60 trains there this year, and it seems the costs of keeping the line and the fact that the steel plant is still up for sale are likely to spell the end.

I have seen pictures taken recently along the route, it is a wilderness, the locos are regularly hitting branches and the entrance to the sidings at Deepcar is like a forest! There was a derailment in the sidings a few weeks ago which was only sorted in the last week or so, and it seems some of the wagons were scrapped. Such a sad end to what once was the flagship of the British Railways electrification plan.

Nigel L

[John Turner]

What a good video on the rather sad theme of industrial decline.

[Viners]

I enjoy all of Paul's videos as "Wobbly Runner" on YouTube.  Several of them are about Sheffield and the surrounding area.