Railway line at Parkwood Springs

[Annie Bynnol]

No tram/railway route north from Sheffield towards Stocksbridge/Penistone will be built or reused unless there is massive development in the valley. Not only are the populations too small but more importantly they are too far from the current railway.

Connection to Supertram at Middlewood or at Nunnery would be very expensive to build and because journey times would not be improved on.

Huddersfield and Penistone may well benefit from a successful tram-train trial using the current route via >Barnsley and Meadowhall.

 

...... The A616 Stocksbridge Bypass severed the line when it was built before 1988.

To re-establish the route you would have to demolish a section of the road and build a substantial bridge to motorway standard.

 

There is a 30m bridge (56m including approach work) under the three lanes of the A616 and it would be a much simpler and cheaper to improve this than it was to build the 130m (210m) six lanes of Brook Hill roundabout.

[muddycoffee]

There is a 30m bridge (56m including approach work) under the three lanes of the A616 and it would be a much simpler and cheaper to improve this than it was to build the 130m (210m) six lanes of Brook Hill roundabout.

 

I've been involved with local debates about this on forums for years.

I think the main issue is that the current tunnel is just a pedestrian tunnel and at a different alignment to the historic rail line.

 

If it was opened out to railway gauge then it would have to be At least W10 loading gauge to allow 2.9m shipping containers and wide Euro containers through.

At least 5 metres high and 3.1 metres wide per track. you would also have to allow for overhead wires as all railways will be electric in the near future.

 

That kind of tunnel would not leave much material above to support the road. Which is why I think you would have to resort to a cut and cover approach to achieve the required standard.

In transport infrastructure, tunnelling is extremely expensive and I am assuming that this would be a cheaper method and the end product would be much more satisfactory.

[Mecky]

I think you'll have a job on with that. The A616 Stocksbridge Bypass severed the line when it was built before 1988.

To re-establish the route you would have to demolish a section of the road and build a substantial bridge to motorway standard.

 

They'd also have to knock down the houses virtually on Oughtibridge platform, but I don't think that would stop them

[muddycoffee]

They'd also have to knock down the houses virtually on Oughtibridge platform, but I don't think that would stop them

 

Yes I agree, railway companies have been pulling houses down for centuries.

[Annie Bynnol]

I've been involved with local debates about this on forums for years.

I think the main issue is that the current tunnel is just a pedestrian tunnel and at a different alignment to the historic rail line.

 

If it was opened out to railway gauge then it would have to be At least W10 loading gauge to allow 2.9m shipping containers and wide Euro containers through.

At least 5 metres high and 3.1 metres wide per track. you would also have to allow for overhead wires as all railways will be electric in the near future.

 

That kind of tunnel would not leave much material above to support the road. Which is why I think you would have to resort to a cut and cover approach to achieve the required standard.

In transport infrastructure, tunnelling is extremely expensive and I am assuming that this would be a cheaper method and the end product would be much more satisfactory.

 

This section of track will not be reopened to any form of passenger traffic unless there is significant development in the valley that will lead to significant population increase.

 

Even then a W10 gauge and load would not apply to a suburban electric/ diesel tram train. A single track tram train from Stocksbridge to Penistone could cross the A616

by over or under bridge/or cut and cover without W10 spec.

 

I assume that because you mention W10 you wish to promote trans Pennine freight movement along the former Woodhead routes.

Re opening of a 70 year old tunnel is not the answer. A new tunnel is. When HS2 begins to be a reality a new trans Pennine tunnel becomes viable.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Annie Bynnol

[darylslinn]

A special ran down the line to Deepcar yesterday reaching Stocksbridge Works at around 11:30 ish top and tailed by class 60 and class 67 diesel locomotives (60020, 67005)

 

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53442/2013/12/28/advanced

 

---------- Post added 29-12-2013 at 21:01 ----------

 

This section of track will not be reopened to any form of passenger traffic unless there is significant development in the valley that will lead to significant population increase.

 

Even then a W10 gauge and load would not apply to a suburban electric/ diesel tram train. A single track tram train from Stosksbridge to Penistone could cross the A616

by over or under bridge and without W10 spec.

 

I assume that we both favour rail freight movement using W10 or better electric loading gauges which would require the type of structure you describe but as there are no current demandboth a new Woodhead or

 

Although severing the A616 to put in a new railway line is not out of the question as has been done with the Borders Rail line from Edinburgh to Tweedbank. The A720 Edinburgh bypass (dual carriageway) has been temporarily diverted to enable contractors to build a bridge that had been considered unnecessary when the bypass was built in the 80's.

[Annie Bynnol]

Daryl

You quoted as I was editing but you are quite right- the difficulties in reinstating former lines has proven to be very difficult. Oxford to Bedford or Glasgow/Bathgate/Edinburgh are also current examples.

But I was there when they reopened a section of the (then) Festiniog Railway -passed a reservoir which had flooded the original route. It can be done.

[darylslinn]

The Festiniog is a great example of what can be achieved and that wasn't even standard gauge either.

[cookingfat50]

all my family worked at the old wincobank station on Blackburn rdd where it was mostly freight trains but also had passenger trains going from meadowhall and on to places like Cleethorpes, and mablethorpe, the freight went from the old steel work at meadowhall and on to stocksbridge and sam fox, the old wincobank station is still there and is a grade 2 listed building, I went in a few years ago and found both platforms had gone and the track had been taken up

[bus man]

Its leaf buster time again, this year the times have changed slightly,

 

Woodburn Jn Stocksbridge Works Woodburn Jn

 

Tuesday 1151 1221-1238 1308-1322

 

Thursday 1143 1221 - 1128 1308-1322

 

Saturday 1013 1042 - 1106 1136

 

 

The rail head treatment train is still been hauled top and tail by two class 20s it is likely that this is the last year these will be used.

 

As these trains are departmental trains they can run early/ late or be cancelled look on

 

REALTIMETRAINS

 

Put in woodburn Junction as the location to get up to date information

 

Remember do not treaspass upon the railway