Sheffield's Lost Railways. Tinsley, Brightside, Sheffield Victoria & Spital Hill. Melling on Track.

A detailed railway explore starting at Brightside station, walking along the lost line to Tinsley, tracing the remains of Tinsley West station.
A detailed authorised walk around what remains of Tinsley Marshaling Yard, identifying clues of the past as they are mixed in with the live operations of the present, we then follow the lost line through to Treeton.
Our final explore was around the GCR Sheffield Victoria, finding many lost gems including a tunnel from Bridgehouses to Wickers goods yard.
Narrated by Nick Melling.
Produced by Allan Roach.
Tinsley a brief history....
The Sheffield district rail rationalisation plan of the 1960s called for the replacement of the majority of the marshalling yards in the Sheffield area with one large yard. A location on the Sheffield District line was chosen and work started in 1963 with new connections being built at Treeton, Broughton Lane and Tinsley South. The location allowed easy access to the brand new central Sheffield Freight Terminal at Grimesthorpe, and the new Freightliner terminal on the site of the Masborough Sorting Sidings in Rotherham, one of the many yards that Tinsley replaced.
The locomotive depot opened in 1964, with diesel locomotives moving in from a temporary home in the old Grimesthorpe steam locomotive depot and Darnall diesel depot, Darnall steam locomotive depot being closed to become a wagon-repair depot. Other steam locomotive depots at Millhouses and Canklow were closed and the last steam locomotives based in the Sheffield area were scrapped, along with many redundant sidings dotted about the area. The Tinsley complex was opened by Dr Richard Beeching, former Chairman of the British Railways Board, on 29 October 1965.
From its outset, Tinsley was to be a "network yard": a major railfreight node where wagon-load freight trains would arrive, be split and sorted into new trains for onward departure to other network yards, directly to the many rail-connected businesses in the area in "trip" freights, or to the freight terminal for unloading and forwarding by road. To assist with this, it featured gravity-assisted shunting and a new computerised system of wagon control, along the lines of large US rail freight yards.
At the time of opening, the yard was handling 3,000 wagons a day. Incoming trains were split in the 11 reception sidings, propelled over the hump in the yard, from where the individual wagons rolled down a slope and were automatically sorted into new trains on the yard's 50 main sorting sidings. There was an express freight and departure yard of 10 sidings, and a 25-road secondary yard for local freight trains (with its own hump). The yard had its own dedicated class of shunting locomotive (British Rail Class 13) for this purpose as BR's standard class of shunting locomotive was not powerful enough.
The Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electrification was extended into the yard in 1965 to allow electrically hauled trains to the Manchester area to be handled. Seventeen miles of track from Woodburn Junction and Darnall Junction via Broughton Lane to the Reception Sidings at Catcliffe were electrified at 1500 V DC. Unlike similar electrified marshalling yards, to save on costs the main body of the sorting sidings was not electrified: a half of the arrival sidings was electrified for incoming electric trains; departing electric trains either had to use the southern third of the main sorting sidings or had to be drawn out of the main sorting sidings by diesel locomotives into electrified departure roads where the electric locomotives were attached.
Decline
By the 1980s British Rail was closing its remaining wagon-load freight facilities as being uneconomic. In 1981 the electrification was removed with the closure of the Manchester-Sheffield-Wath system. On 17 December 1984 the arrival sidings and hump were closed, the wagon-control system removed and the remaining Class 13s scrapped. The yard connections were relaid to allow easier handling of block-load trains which now dominated rail freight in Britain. By 1995 the decline in British heavy industry meant that this type of traffic had also declined massively, resulting in the closure of the locomotive depot on 27 March 1998. The eastern connections (both north- and south-facing chords) to the Midland 'Old Road' were closed in 1993 however the track is still in situ, and the western connection to the Midland Main Line (and goods depot at Grimesthorpe) at Brightside junction was lifted in 1999. Both chords to the ex MSLR/GCR line from Woodburn to Rotherham (via Broughton Lane junction and Tinsley South junction) remain open. The rest of the yard progressively fell into disuse over the next ten years.
In 2007 the remaining sidings were lifted and a new, much smaller yard laid, additionally a new rail-linked distribution and goods transshipment centre - Sheffield International Rail Freight Terminal (SIRFT) was constructed.

[@davearmstrong2296]

When I was in my early teens, me and a mate used to go to Sheffield via a train from Cheshire and then got on a bus which only costed 2p (10p for adults) to get to the Three Magpies Pub in Brinsowrth, and then we walked down to Tinsley. They were great days indeed. Sat in the field overlooking the depot. Such a pity it is still not used.

[@atlasduff4628]

One of my favourite bus rides, the excitement started to grow as soon as the bus left Sheff.

[@carolinecleaveley]

thanks for doing this walk. brings back many memories.

[@daveattrill2712]

Superb explore of some of the great selections of railway remnants my city still has on show. You did well to get in when you did especially with the Treeton segment as a lot of it has been fenced across since then, with the rebuild of the current Tinsley depot. I had got in for a crafty explore back early to summer 2018, when the reception sidings area was somewhat still yet to be cleared so got away with my less- so authorised explore without being spotted. You've done enthusiasts a huge credit with this video lads - there is almost nothing you left out. I didn't even know there was concrete hut still concealed in the trees at the Brightside end. Well done also in managing a safe cover of the Spital Hill tunnel entrance without any trouble from rough sleepers often inhabiting the area outside - I was less so successful and had to beat a hasty retreat twice. All the best with your future explorations - can't wait to see more of them

[@carolinecleaveley]

can remember the yard as you show it from photos. used to visit from worksop depot in late 70s and 80s. Can remember the 76s too.

[@annescholey6546]

The contrast with the 1990 shunting video at Tinsley yard is staggering. Too much has been lost over three decades.

[@aljonflavin6760]

Very good tracing. Moden ? HISTORY.Thanks.

[@carolinecleaveley]

saw all this from the train when we went to deepcar earlier this year. Wondered what it was. now i know. thanks

[@stephensmith799]

Great vid 👍 Being an employee of the South Yorkshire Railway, then Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, my Great Great Grandfather (born illegitimate in Brigg), loathed the Midland Railway. Tinsley was his station (not Tinsley West). His first job was scaring crows off the wheat around Brigg, but he became a Ganger then Station Master having been spotted by a visiting party of Directors, correcting navvies’ grammar! ‘That’s the sort of chap we want on the Company. Give him a railway station.’ Quite a stroke of luck!

[@owenthackeray4195]

I was a trainspotter in the late 70s.Tinsley was a trainspotters dream at that time.

[@unalunar7362]

Great..from Jan ann

[@patbriggsmbr]

My dad was a shunter and then at the end of his working life he worked in the tower at tinsley marshalling yard for 30+ year. I lose count how many times I ran up and down those steps as a kid to the lower receps. Mi dad passed away in 1986. (God I miss him). It would break his heart. This bloody government has destroyed everything that makes a country run. It’s really heart breaking.

[@GeoffYoung-hx9on]

It's something your born with Nick, a gene made of metal, wood & other materials lol

[@baconsandwich2007]

That signal at 32 minutes was still lit up (and on red!) For at least 20 years after the track was severed!

[@mirvids5036]

I could cry at the state of Tinsley yard; then seeing the complete demise of Sheffield Victoria made it worse. Great video even though its totally depressing. Did many trips up in that area in the late 70s and early 80s, railtours and my own trips. Seeing all the locos was great considering all I got down in Sussex was 33s, 73s and the odd 37. One railtour was hauled by a couple of 20s and it went through Sheffield Victoria. It was even closed back then but the train stopped so we could get a good look at the place. Visiting Guide Bridge was good too and having several trips over the Woodhead route behind, 40s, 20s and 76s. The good old days.

[@stevepeace3148]

What a great bit of journalism and filming I used to work at Brightside Junc in the old box when the new one was being built the platelayers quipped that the new box would only last 10 years because a even bigger box would take over at Sheffield Mid we were so busy and there were 4 running lines then plus sidings etc etc it is a shadow of its former self. I was led to believe that Sheffield airport was built on the site as well but do not see any sign of that now I still have steam engines passing at the bottom of my garden thankfully as i am very grateful to live in the Isle of Man

[@alanmeloy6038]

Hi Steve, the airport was on land adjacent to the yard, at the bottom of Wood Lane, it chopped the end of the golf course off. At one point the airport was open and the rail yard was just in its death throes over the bridge. Airport almost oblitetared by new build industral units now.

[@briancooper562]

My grandfather use to work at Gilmores brewery on t' Wicker as a drayman between the wars. The horses used where stabled under the Victoria approach ramps. I worked near Tinsley yard (Lets be Avenue) in the 2000 to 2015 and the only regular service you could see was to the now Outokumpu steel works (Usually a 66 to take away rolled products).

[@hellothere6023]

In the cultivated area of Tinsley I’ve read that DB are expanding their sidings and including a washroom

[@ianbarnard4547]

Great Video. Brightside was where I was taken when I was first introduced to Train Spotting. The Bridge in the opening sequence was where we sat with our bikes and saw all the Jubilees, Royal Scots et al and what really stands out was a Crab literally clanking down the back line with Bearings that could be heard in Leeds! Great days. Now I am in South Africa where I have seen Garratts and other great engines when Steam was king here. Thank you.

[@MyMarlinman]

I worked at Tinsley M. Yard back in the early 1970 s. We worked in the Outdoor Maintenance Department Covering both yards.Remember a phone call one night regarding a horse loose on the tracks and had to catch it before it got hit with loose wagons.Thanks, your visit brought back vivid memories. Such a shame to see it as it is now.

[@gerrymanning1766]

DB have now built a intermodal facility at Tinsley marshalling yard, opened a couple of months ago.

[@ianjones4116]

Budlea, nothing but Bloody Budlea bushes. Hated them when I worked on Pway. 😡👍😎

[@marcushenno]

I love learning about our previous rail infrastructure, wish we still had it around

[@richardwatkins8170]

Well done gents loved watching this

[@derekmeller5873]

That was great. The company I work for started off the new IKEA at Sheffield. Had a bit of a rummage on the old midland connecting line. There were still old lines on the site of IKEA from Tinsley wire works. Fascinating area with lost railway everywhere. Really enjoyable watch, thanks guys. 🍻

[@andybeeley]

Hi there very interesting video, it's a shame there's not much left of the Tinsley I knew, I started my railway career at Tinsley on the footplate back in1979 it was a very different place then busy all the time, then we had the steel and miners strikes and things changed and it started to be run down and the trains all became air braked and in complete formations and didn't need the wagons to be sorted like they used to be. I left in 1987 a long time before the closure.

[@22pcirish]

Tinsley is likely more busy today as a container terminal as well as steel and aggregates that it ever was as just a shunting yard.

[@atlasduff4628]

Tinsley is a pale imitation of what it used to be. It's very sad to drive by and think of what has been lost.

[@paul-m3kqe]

fantastic video nick and allen

[@jayt6215]

Really nice video. I love seeing your British infrastructure. Most here in the US is so much more industrial and plain, at least in the Midwest.

[@johnmasters504]

Great video, once took a pair of 20s from March to Tinsley, once went on a railtour through the yard, once went to the last open day at Tinsley Depot, plus a few minibus tours to there with RESL.

[@dlewis6207]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. I'm going to have a pop down to tinsley. it's not far from me.

[@dalehorne9815]

Brilliant video very interesting to watch. 😀

[@taxisss]

I grew up round area my dad was a driver at Marlboro ugh ended up at tinsley

[@camperp195]

This is so interesting,thank you so much for this,such a shame this is all being lost,due to “progress” 😞

[@Mapbim]

Very interesing video, keep uploading those

[@NOMADCREATIVESOLUTIONS]

I thought that was Nick.. hey Nick..

[@MalcolmCrabbe]

Enjoyed that... Interesting to see how things were in comparison to how they are now

[@darylslinn5704]

During the Spring and Summer of this year the line in the old reception siding where the overgrowth had been cleared was used as a temporary freight terminal whilst the terminal in Rotherham was being rebuilt. When passing over the Sheffield Parkway bridge at the end of the yard you could see a Class 66 parked up with a train of freightliner wagons being loaded and unloaded.

[@MrBook123456]

good video

[@andywoody8528]

Very interesting

[@antonyadshead91]

Great stuff. I live in Sheff and intended to go and explore this stuff. You've saved me a job now :) I travelled from Brum to Tinsley depot at the age of about 12 in the mid-70s so long held an interest in the place.

[@johnmcmurdy440]

Dc. C

[@andybbeck2043]

👌 super

[@stuartpattison1576]

enjoyed this. Subbed.

[@andrewnewby6923]

The video l love it

[@philsooty61]

Did he mean Attercliffe? never heard of the name I think he said and I've lived in Sheffield for nigh on 72 years, and in 1957 I used to go with my Mum to Brightside pushing an old pram and collecting coal that had dropped off the wagons, that's how hard times where then, some kindly Railway workers used to shovel some coal on to the lineside for people like my Mum

[@onemanc]

It was… the narrator is very embarrassed he blamed it on his age!…

[@dcarter3921]

It should be criminal to leave our heritage, our national treasures, to be run down and forgotten like it is all over the country. Like my granddad use to say, "It all started with that Beeching!". To my granddad, the name Beeching was the equivalent of a swear word.

[@taxisss]

I had an interview for a job as a fitter

[@TheDraxFlyer]

just watched your brilliant video i have been up there recently working the Bardon Hill stone train with GBRf the old reception yard and coal holding sidings are going to be a container terminal they are clearing it out now and also they were clearing all the trees and bushes from the avoiding lines i spoke to one of construction staff there and he told me that Treeton junction is being re laid to accept traffic from the north and south and to save the trains time and not having to run round at various places all the best mate

[@onemanc]

I did hear rumours, I am glad it is happening.... I was lucky to film it when I did, thx mate.

[@TheDraxFlyer]

@@onemanc there is a new steel train going in there DB are running that service

[@paulduncan4892]

Treeton is not reopening unfortunately.

[@jasinere35]

the remainig abutment was a single one twinned up & plans to run a footpath along the old bed to the canal towpath which is wrote on the noticeboard on the gates

[@WaveyDaveySteeler]

The station between Brightside and Sheffield was Attercliffe Road NOT Attenborough as you mention whilst at Brightside.

[@onemanc]

Thx wavey he realised it two weeks after launch, his rail mates have not forgiven him since...

[@kiwitrains]

👍👍

[@antonybullock2240]

If you made it to Treeton, you've covered some distance.

[@taxisss]

Wicker arches

[@stevep7950]

1:40 Not Attenborough but Attercliffe Road

[@bustermustaffa6594]

@ tinsley train yard is is getting cleared to build more warehouses so I've been told

[@tonystack7375]

What! no yellow jackets for the men?

[@TheFilwud]

The tunnel you showed at somewhere around 37 minutes in, was that "Fiery Jacks " tunnel?

[@BigA1]

So why was the (according to the public information film) worlds biggest marshalling yard decimated? I remember Sheffield in the 1960's when I was a student at the University. One of the societies I belonged to organised a trip to Treeton colliery and we went down to the coal face. I keep meaning to return for a visit to Sheffield to see how it's changed.

[@damiendye6623]

It not the same city, it a big student city now and the council has been flattening everything

[@22pcirish]

The railway stopped wagon load freight is the simple answer. Tinsley is now busy as a container, steel and aggregates terminal.

[@darylslinn5704]

When was this filmed ?

[@onemanc]

July.

[@darylslinn5704]

@@onemanc Blimey that's grown back quick.

[@markwebster7128]

Can you still get from Woodburn Junction to Tinsley

[@onemanc]

Yes it’s a single freight line

[@markwebster7128]

@@onemanc thanks. Think I've been down it on a railtour. Must go round of what's left at Tinsley. Whats the nearest tram stop/bus stop?

[@onemanc]

Meadowhall south Tinsley is yr nearest tram stop

[@melissamason6490]

Is the dive under still there? dont recal seeing it in the video.

[@onemanc]

Yes it is, engineers were working around that area and asked me not to film them, the route over the dive under is being used as a temporary road to access the old reception sidings area.

[@melissamason6490]

@@onemanc thanks👍

[@jamesbeckwith3639]

I visited Tinsley last year before the 2nd lockdown and viewing the main yard from the bridge by the old depot the part of the dive under that was visible from the bridge has been filled in. I don't know if the other end that was by the yard depot has been filled in though. I wanted to try and gain access to measure it up for a possible model railway feature but never got round to it.

[@joey64100]

What a sad waste, less railway and more lorry served warehouses i would guess. The benefits of privatisation?

[@philipholme9911]

Having worked at some of the sites visited i find these video interesting. However please do not claim you have permision to go track side. No COSS, Picop, signaler etc would give you that permission to trackside without having the correct PPE, plan, coms equipment, sentinal card etc.. If they did they would lose there job and you could be prosecuted by BTP.