Added: 4 years ago
From: sioz68
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  • They should open up the main Woodhead Tunnel and reopen the whole route as it was a great diversionary route. They should use OHLE AC 25 KV system.

  • Great vid and I agree with all the posters - what a waste. Can you re-post without the music please?

  • 76022 still carries old BR crests despite air brake modifications

  • Why can't I play this on my mobile now as use to do????

  • Imagine? 

  • I do remember travelling through the Woodhead when visiting relatives in Bolton. The best we can expect now is for this tunnel and track bed to become a cycle path. In short sighted Britain we price everything and value nothing, until it's too late.

  • I love the scenery on this route

  • Woodhead by ROad shut by snow!

    Woodhead by Rail shut by idiot tory government

    The line needs reopening now!!!

    

  • Any integrity BR and the government at the time had was lost the day this line was closed. An absolute disgrace.

  • The problem was the OHL where in need of repair as said not before none standard so as they was no money and other route's the line was closed, they could of just removed the wires and used diesels but that would cost too ! 

  • It shows how short term thinking on the railways don't work,the  roads are full, loads of people killed and injured all the time on the roads, why? because they closed a lot of lines and built roads so people have little choice but go by car,it drives me mad!!!

  • The A628 from Manchester to Sheffield is a nightmare.

    It's unbelievable that this route is just being left to rot. And now they are even wasting the tunnel for electricity cables!

    The people running this country are barmy.

  • if i had one wish it apart from my family it would be to re-open woodhead route,what a waste of money br spent and so short sightened its unbelieveabe,will anybody ever listen to the common public???have you tried to get from manchester to sheffield by road it takes ages,wagons and tractors and slow drivers,get it reopened now!!!!

  • In 1981 this was the perfect "ready made" line for preservation - the only one between two cities. That's what was up for grabs. What an amazing opportunity missed by those in the area that were hell bent on the Peak Rail pipedream - a line that's never reopened after 35 years of blood sweat and tears. Dinting would have been the ideal shed to serve Woodhead. Ignoring it was the worst mistake made by the preservation movement. Think of the revenue from tourists, freight and serving 2 cities!

  • Thanks for this great bit of history. I think I'm right in saying that myself and many people think the decision to close this route after so much money and lives were spent building it was the worst decision of BR's existence. Why build a third high speed line when we have two (that just need modernising). Reopening the Woodhead route would ease so much congestion. Just looking across from the track bed towards the A628 and you see HGV's thundering through.

  • Thank you for posting a truly valuable historical chronicle (this and the accompanying clips).

    One thing you do notice is that the curvature is actually markedly less severe than the Standedge (Diggle) route - as a look at a 1960s timetable will show you, with even then journey times of around 50 minutes Manchester - Sheffield. Perhaps one day...

  • Less that 30 YEARS????? :'-(

  • Another example of the scant regard in which politicos hold in the country they are supposed to represent and the taxpayers who finance their blunders time after time.

    Railways were built to last, and be used - so if they dont, for whatever intervening reason, surely it's best to 'mothball' them until things change [as they always do!] instead of this criminal wastage of resources, skills and money.

    These scumbag politicos have got to go! They live OFF the people instead of SERVING them!

  • @eastindiaman That's Sociopathy which people allow tham to pass it off as "leadership". On the vid, I liked the last bit with 76022 powering off light engine and someone walking down the other running line: No orange wear at all: Relaxed, happy times:-))))

  • Looks like it was pretty close to closing when this was filmed. A great and historical railway line that would , if it had remained open, be a significant and needed route across the Pennines. Still governments always know best don't they?

  • He He He!!!! When 76022 left the west end of platform 3 at Sheffield Victoria I'd just "cabbed" her, thanks to the driver, or should I say motorman, pulling up for my mates & I to have "a last look". I do remember her pretty cowded with "passengers" - from Reddish I presume. Does anyone know who the motorman was????

  • @1Thunderace Nice one:-))) Sad the Government took bad advice and did not realise the bloody obvious value of souch a route. If Governments continue like the last one did we will get to the nightmare of a Third World Shithole. Abandoning rail infrastructure is one of the first steps to this nightmare.

  • He He He!!!! When 76022 left the west end of platform 3 at Sheffield Victoria I'd just "cabbed" her, thanks to the driver, or should I say motorman, pulling up for my mates & I to have "a last look". I do remember her pretty cowded with "passengers" - from Reddish I presume. Does anyone know who the motorman was????

  • Comment removed

  • Great video, very atmospheric with the John Lennon track. I agree with everyone, I cant believe that this route was ever closed, firstly it was an electrified route so why close it and secondly the new Woodhead Tunnelwas only opened in 1954 so it was only used for 27 years, what a waste. Will we ever see a government committed to rail travel? They worry about the planet, how about getting all these guzzling trucks off the Pennines motorways and onto rail! Sorry if I'm ranting, but.....

  • Inthe recent cold spell the A628woodhead pass had many accidents and was impassable. This line needs to be reopened Woodhead Tunnel is built to the continental loading gauge so could also take double deck passenger stock although the line has many curves tilting trains like the Pendolino may be needed to make the journey time between Manchester and Sheffield competitive

  • Re-opening this line would be very beneficial to Network Rail. Such huge potential..Local/Regional/HS2 link and a freight by-pass for the Humber ports and ofcourse for diversions for the Hope valley line...Please NR do something good for us the travelling public next decade "Re-open the Woodhead line"

  • Great vid this. 'Imagine' goes really well with the footage, did you time it with the gantries?!

    Well done.

    Scandalous that this line was run down and closed.

  • could they not,link manchester and sheffield,using the light rail rail system (tram),of course would love to see a 'proper rail link',got to be easier and cheaper than another bloody motorway!

  • Hold on? They've closed this line? After it was electrified? Well that was bloody pointless wasn't it?

  • @Marillionmad

    thats cos everewhere else that is overhead uses 25,000 v AC, woodhead used 1500v DC

  • @Xantec okay... why did they make it different to everywhere else ???

  • @Marillionmad

    i have no idea, BUT i think it was the first electrified line to to use overhead wires, im sure theres a wiki on it

  • @Xantec - at the time there was no standard for rail electrification. Some areas went for 3rd rail (like the Southern) others for 25kv AC overhead and some for DC overhead. In the end, 25kv won the day, so routes that had opted for the DC system became obsolete as it was thought too expensive to convert them. But why they couldn't have used diesel traction as an interim is beyond me. It would be difficult to re-instate Woodhead now as several bridges have gone, - but not impossible!

  • @Marillionmad - yeah it was, except that the electric system was a bit obsolete DC version. Mind you I'm sure this could have been upgraded - the infrastructure of the catenary was in place, and they have converted the remaining section as far as Glossop anyway....

  • @john1801rambo It would have been a breeze to swith the voltage to 6.25kv ac: Classes 81-85 could handle this & 25kv ac & the 76s could have been sold off to Holland facilitating their Maasvlakte Electrification project at 1.5kv dc.

  • @Marillionmad Yep a typical "makes no sense" railway move :D

  • @Marillionmad That was just 27 years after electrics started running and money not well spent considering a new tunnel had been build.

  • @Marillionmad

    they used DC and the system was worn out....

  • Seems very barbaric to me how they torn this line up being a green form of transport especially as it was electrified as well. wouldn't they have been better off just leaving everything intact.

  • Tory and Thacther cuts. What a waste

  • I have cycled this route many times. It is criminal really closing this line put us back years.

  • Why  did they not convert it to 25kv??

  • They could'nt be arsed: Narcissistic politicians who don't care like we do.

  • We need Woodhead Route re-opened, and operated by Class 321s.

  • @WrongRoadRailways We DO NEED it Re-Opened but lay new track and run double headed 31s across it ALL DAY LONG!!!!! ;-)

  • @WrongRoadRailways Or better still a fleet of new built Class 377 electrostars. Imagine if the Midland Main Line was electrified between Bedford and Sheffield, then on the re-instated line to Manchester Picadilly via Woodhead. An impossible dream? Well they all said the Channel Tunnel wouldn't happen. Who knows what the future may bring?

  • Forget Dore, A rebuilt woodhead line would serve Deepcar, Penistone and even Holmfirth. I'm attending the Save Woodhead tunnel Yorkshire campaign. Common sense must prevail:

    The Country needs the construction jobs

    The Climate needs action and

    The Woodhead pass is clogged up with HGVS

  • Lets see a a reopened railway with frequent electrically hauled freights instead of trucks over this path. We need to dethrone the present régime of Narcissistic self-preeners first and bring in a written constitution, bill of rights and of patriotic obligations politicians are oath bound to fulfil. The buggers have shied away from this for decades to bring our demise as they have.

  • Very evocative of the era and John Lennon fits it well.  As a Penistione lad, I have enjoyed watching this series of Woodhead Line videos. Good work,

  • Folly

  • Brilliant piece of History in two forms, THE WOODHEAD and JOHN LENNON!

  • Ruth kelly is now gone, so please can we have some serious Secretary of transport to see the value of this route. I'm not a labour fan,but when I see the remains of this trackbed, I am reminded not to vote/trust the Tories. I liked that Lib dem Euro MP speech, but I think he will not be the next transport secretary

  • please visit the save the woodhead tunnel stand @ the Penistone show. If the scots can re-open Stirling-Alloa, Edinburgh-Tweedbank and Aidrie-Bathgate, the Woodhead must be done

  • Hoje Escócia: Amanhã Inglaterra. Espero que sim!/Today Scotland: Tomorrow England. I hope so!

  • The re-open the Ebbw Vale line (I never heard of it before) and was informeed that It was so successful, it out performed all numbers predicted in 2012. If/when the woodhead route opens, it surely must be a even better success when Manchester starts congestion charging!!Hope Sheffield follows suit!!

  • Thanks to all those who attended the demo on Saturday. Just hope people power gets this line re-opened!!

  • I hope so: And damn good on all those who got there. Good on you all!!!!

  • Thanks Isochest! Two comments to support you:

    1) NR talk about electricifying Leeds Manchester via Standedge. It can't be done without spending loads. Why? Loading gauge problems with Standedge tunnel & low some bridges.

    2) Container traffic has increased from East to west. The myopic idiots had to re-open the Brigg line to cope and even are considering re-open March to Spalding line.(Both never should have shut) Woodhead is the only east-west route capable of taking the new size container.

  • It's all good. Obbviously the standedge route will have to be wired as well as woodhead again. There are renewable energy issues too: Incumbent energy companies have been in cahoots with the UK government. Both organisations will be punished by the EU.

  • It's going to have to be done: We can't have Britain becoming like Moldova on a Grand Scale!!

  • Yes: March to Spalding: The site at March is home to some of the country's worst Psychopathic scum: Perhaps only Frankland in County Durham contains worse offenders. If the route cuts through the prison: So be it! But HMP must contain these anti-social monsters! Back to rail & we need a new electro-diesel: A cross between a class 60 & a class 92: Brush should build this of course!

  • A very interesting video as i live on the doorstep of the woodhead route and walk it regulary,strange how mother nature has taken over so quickly after the line closed,i hope they re-open it one day.

  • I am now confident this will be reopened: I make no apologies if anyone doesnt like the content of comments: Politics have affected the fate of railways especially Woodhead. If anyone objects to any postings constituting a forum, they have to respect the majority. Those who seek to control others are the worst kind of people who the majority do without quite nicely.

  • Just a sad note : This route has spent more time as a defunct route than an electric main line:

    Today: M62 shut between jct 21 to 23 due to HGV accident, 5 miles tail back, i fatality.

    Please bring back this much needed route, support Save the woodhead tunnel

  • This line would be great walkers and cyclists. Cycle to Deepcar station, hop aboard a Manchester Airport express. Admire the pennine hills and woodhead tunnel. Get off @ Woodhead station, cycle to the Reservior.. few jars before catching the Sheffield victoria local train. Thats what I call a sunday. Next week visit my friends @ Chinley on the Hope valley line. WE NEED BOTH!!

  • It would make sense to have both as the Woodhead line also served as an excellent divesionery route whern the Hope Valley line was unexpectedly blocked.

  • It doesn't take much for Hope valley to get bunged up: Especially the single track at Dore. There ought to be 4 tracks Dore-Sheffield but I'll show my bum on my Town Hall steps B4 this happens:-(((

  • Time to bring this back,

    open the woodhead Tunnel again,

    the country needs this rail link

  • If it is of any hope to anyone, I had a vivid dream a few years back that I was travelling through the Woodhead tunnel on a class 150/2 with the line re-opened. Hope it comes true!

  • Hope your dream comes true,

    i would like to travel through the tunnel,as i only saw the line in it dying days, at Dunford Bridge/Penistone what a sight it would be to see a train come out of the tunnel at Dunford Bridge again!

  • The passenger service on the line ended before my time. I do not know why I have such a keen interest in the line, but I would really like to see it re-opened.

  • yes the passenger service had gone in 1970 i think ,before my time as well,but i remember the M.G.R (Coal trains)

    what a line this was ,people go on about the settle carlisle but this was the best,a very sad loss to Britain and the North this,

    Gordon Brown Re-open the line we need this back,

  • Well, with Peak Oil it's got to happen. I don't give a damn about our career obsessed Scots Cabal of a "Government". The Scots don' want them either! Hopefully, we'll get rid of them & start stringing up wires. Look at the video "rail electrification in sweden" to see what a DIY affair it can be (excepting substations/feeder stations). perhaps the offer of voluntary electrication crews could further embarrass the Electrophobes!

  • Déja vu happens!

  • i live in hollingworth near the tunnel and love the history, as i was born in 1990 to see pictres like this is increadible because i just cant imagen it! truely facinating!!!!!

  • When did Woodhead tunnel close?

  • The line completely closed between Hadfield and Penistone on 17 July 1981.

  • It's an absolute scandal that an electrified line between Manchester and Sheffield was closed and so recently as 1981.

  • Yes me to, I thought the lessons of Beechings Axe were learnt in the late 70's. However more routes were still being closed up until about 1987.

  • And beyond. Our élite live for the lowest common denominator: Bugger them:-((

  • Excellent, brings back memories, thanks for sharing that!

  • well done what a video shame the old girl is not running but they say some day they will open the line again but we can only hope

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