Lost Woodhead Railway - Dunford Bridge, tunnels, sidings and stations

[@mickd6942]

His photos are fantastic , car trains , an AC electric being towed past dunford on its way to Doncaster works , they are absolute gems

[@daystatesniper01]

Cracking video photos of the eastern old tunnel bores are rare this line will re-open but when is hmmm

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers 👍. I hope you're right. I'd love to ride on it in my lifetime.

[@john-pu5uy]

Was only there yesterday for a wander round.... Should never have closed..... thanks for the effort chaps.... keep the super content coming...

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers John. I nipped in on Tuesday for a few extra pieces of footage. It's getting less and less like an old railway now.

[@jimmyviaductophilelawley5587]

Hi I live at Townhead, quarter of a mile up the hill from Dunford Bridge in an off-grid community occupying two terraces built for the workeres at Dunford Bridge station and goods yard. When the railway closed to passengers they were abandoned by the railway and fell into disrepair. It was squatted by hippies in the early 70s and the community is celebrating 50 years this year! We own the proprty now as Lifespan Community Housing Co-operative and are totally solar and wind-powered, no mains gas or electricity! The houses are built from blue engineering brick and had no rooves when we took over. The buildings were just shells and we have brought them up to a state of decent repair. Amazing placde to live (if a little isolated)

[@mickd6942]

I remember being thrilled when I finally got to visit dunford bridge on my Honda 50 about ten years after closure And about ten years ago when I first visited woodhead , it felt like a pilgrimage to these famous sites .

[@WobblyRunner]

I would love to have a trip back in time to the late 50s or around then and have a sit down there for a few hours.

[@martinmarsola6477]

Thank you for this days walking tour. Great travel back in time. Appreciate the video and explanations of what the views are. See you on the next, Paul. Cheers mates! 🇬🇧🙂👍🇺🇸

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Martin. Glad you've been enjoying them. Onto the next one :)

[@Dave1976.]

Excellent vlog. Have seen quite a few of your vlogs. Enjoyed a lot of the series. If you do any more on Dunford bridge, it may be worth contacting who evers in charge to see if you can get a look in the tunnels with kind permission. Martin Zero has done a vlog on the wood head, worth looking at. Cant wait for the follow up. 5*****.

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks very much Dave. I look forward to the rest... hopefully in warmer times 😊

[@clivebroadhead4381]

It was easy for my Grandma to visit her friend in Dunford Bridge from where she lived in Darton. Now it would take ages by bus or be impossible. The line needs to be reopened to improve connectivity for the people of Barnsley and East Manchester.

[@stephencalladine]

all your explores are really superb paul like watching all of them keep them going as im a x railway tecnichian

[@WobblyRunner]

Glad you enjoy them. Having a technical background, it must make you wince when I'm walking around guessing things and not having a clue about what Im talking about 😄

[@chrischapman7514]

Great as always will look out for next adventure Paul thanx for sharing this once great line.

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Chris. Glad you've been enjoying the series. I've got some great stuff coming up.

[@chrischapman7514]

Great stuff will keep a look out Paul thanx.@@WobblyRunner

[@SustainableGal]

So glad nature has reclaimed it, sick of humanity wrecking everything

[@davidbutterworth9609]

Another great video Paul. There’s something haunting about that route. About to cycle the whole TPT again (4th time) in May. Might see you doing the final vid! Good luck.

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks David. That's some distance to cycle 👍. Great going.

[@mickd6942]

The wall that you were wondering if there were lines at the other side you are correct , as often seen were the line is on a gradient the sidings were built up level so unbraked wagons would not run away or through the buffer stops .

[@maestromanification]

Fantastic Paul, didn't realise track in the old tunnels was still in in 56 There was a pub at Dunford Bridge about 20 years ago. Me and some mates were following the Roger Albert Clark rally 2003 I think and stayed in the pub car park . In the morning a narrow gauge train appeared to get some materials from a lorry. Shame I didn't get any pictures. Would love to explore the old tunnels as there was signalbox in the ground between them halfway through. I assume national grid has sealed them forever

[@WobblyRunner]

A signal box actually underground? wowsers. I didnt even realise that the tunnels were linked underground?

[@maestromanification]

@@WobblyRunner I believe so Paul. From what I've read the box wasn't open very long as conditions were pretty horrendous. Not sure how the signalman got there. I can't imagine them having a 1½ underground walk. I've heard people say the old tunnels had a few cross passages and those that have been through the new tunnel there was one passage to the old ones I remember the air shaft that vast high on the Moor with the 76 mural on it. Thar didn't fo straight down but appeared to branch to separate tunnels. I believe that was the only one to the new tunnel and the rest of the old tunnel ones were capped

[@WobblyRunner]

Well that answers one of my other questions about the shafts

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

That's been a great series, well done. It's a shame that there wasn't more of the Station at Dunford Bridge, the shots of the Station when it was working indicate a lot of infrastructure, but it seems to have all been decimated.

[@WobblyRunner]

It's astonishing to see what was there compared to today. Really is a shame, but at least it's a nice green space now and a decent car park. Would liked to have seen some remains though.

[@stephenchecksfield632]

Superb video 😊

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it

[@willswheels283]

Great vid mate, went to Dunford bridge last year and took a couple of pics, it feels an isolated area even though there are some houses around and about, the station area at Dunford bridge was just coming to the end of being landscaped when I visited it, you sounded like you were unimpressed with the walk though? I’m hoping to take my pedal bike along the path at the woodhead side of the track, it’s a scenic area between Hadfield and Woodhead so it should be a nice ride. Looking forwards to your vid on it.

[@WobblyRunner]

👍 Great stuff Will. Yeah I'm looking forward to the warmer weather to get stuck in to the Woodhead side. No doubt I'll end up picking a wet day though 😉

[@willswheels283]

@@WobblyRunner You can get a lot of wet weather up there, lovely area though.

[@jennythescouser]

Please mention the cemetery where all the navies that lost their lives while digging the tunnel. I'm not sure which end of the tunnel it is, but it makes the history of the unused tunnels more poignant.

[@WobblyRunner]

😉 I'll make sure I cover that when we do the tunnels. I've not put the plans for video together yet, but you're 100% correct.

[@iancaveney7464]

Just reminded me of the time an old fella was telling me how there was a signalbox halfway through the new tunnel, I gave him an incredulous look, he winked, tapped his nose and wandered off chuckling to himself. 😂 Anyway, it's criminal they didn't turn one of the old tunnels into a footpath/cycleway when they shifted the cables. 🙄

[@WobblyRunner]

I've had a few people mention about the signal box in the tunnel. Amazing to think. I wonder what's in there now. I think that makes them all even more intruiging. The Woodhead has so many people gripped and it's easy to see why 🙂

[@clivebroadhead4381]

With the cancellation of HS2b to Manchester and the anticipated congestion North of Birmingham is it time to reopen the line between Manchester, Sheffield and Doncaster for passenger and container traffic?

[@WobblyRunner]

I genuinely believe at some point they will reopen it. I hope its within my lifetime. I suppose it just needs a government who are interested in investing in railways or finishing a project

[@BobDazify]

Anyone know the state of the old tunnels, are they collapsed now? I heard they were in a poor state and they are bricked up at both ends but wonder if tunnel 2 might still be navigable.

[@WobblyRunner]

A look inside or walk through them would be priceless 😊. They seem to be so secretive about the tunnels don't they these days. There would be plenty wanting to do guided tours, me included.

[@nigelkthomas9501]

This railway is only sleeping in my book. It will awaken one day. It should never have been closed in the first place. Such a shocking hideous waste especially after so much investment.

[@WobblyRunner]

I hope you're right. And I hope I get to see it. I think it's going to take a huge shift in government though.

[@nigelkthomas9501]

@@WobblyRunner It’s been said that if it was in Scotland, it would’ve been reopened by now.