Manchester to Nottingham in 8 minutes: flight sim of closed GC Railway via Woodhead and Sheffield

We follow the path of the former Great Central Railway main line, from Manchester's London Road Station (now Piccadilly) to the site of Nottingham's Victoria Station, via Woodhead, Penistone and Sheffield Victoria. With the aid of Google Earth we cover the 80 mile trip in just 8 minutes. Yellow graphics and text are used for disused sections of the line and abandoned stations. Grey graphics and white text are used for line sections and stations in current use. Only stations which were served by the original GCR are labelled (for example, there are no labels for stations opened in the late 20th century such as Flowery Fields and Godley).
The route is mostly disused, but sections from Manchester to Hadfield and from Deepcar through Sheffield to Beighton are still operated by National Rail. Much of the abandoned track is given over to long distance footpaths/cycleways: the Trans-Pennine trail and the Five pits Trail. The 3-mile long Woodhead Tunnels are used by National Grid for power transmission. South of Tibshelf, through to Nottingham, the route is mostly obscured by building developments and landscaping.

[@rwm2986]

Thanks, another excellent video. I do like the way that at least the clock tower was preserved at Nottingham Victoria.

[@EM-yk1dw]

Why the GC was closed is beggars belief. The line went through several major cities and would have been very useful now.

[@andrewholloway231]

With hindsight being a wonderful thing... probably a lack of foresight! I maybe wrong but I think there was a boundary change in 1958 and the GC went from the Eastern Region to the Midland Region... and, correct me if I am wrong, the Midland Region wanted rid of it!

[@EM-yk1dw]

@@andrewholloway231Yes and the Beeching report was ripe on route duplication too.

[@BlackAndDeckerBoy]

Falling freight traffic and passengers were not what they are today with long distance commuting. Parallel alternatives routes existed and are still open. M1 & M6 taking traffic away from the railways. No crystal ball available on globalisation, climate emergencies and mass migration

[@shahedmc9656]

Great piece of work. It appears most of the trackbed is still there.

[@nickbergquist6222]

I think you will find that most of the trackbed of the GCR mainline has been removed beyond recognition, as though it never existed, from Nottingham to Sheffield. The formation has been lost.

[@davem7293]

Again, absolutely brilliant.

[@jordanlinton480]

gorgeous couple days out on a bike!

[@roberthoward3723]

Incredible thanks for the ride

[@flymuzza9205]

I stayed at Crowden Youth Hostel in 1980. The valley echoed to the rattle of frequent electric-hauled freight trains. It seemed like there were 3 to 5 trains an hour in each direction, coal, tanker and container trains. Yet the line closed completely the following year. I can't help wondering what happened to all that freight... M62? Surely not.

[@kevinfowkes2327]

The majority of the traffic was coal, and for a couple of years it was diverted, mostly northwards via Healey Mills then down to Manchester via Stalybridge. But within a few years a great deal of this traffic had disappeared due to the miners strike, pit closures, steelworks closures, and British Coal localising supply of coal to power stations reducing the need for it to cross the Pennines. I'd guess that today, the vast majority of the freight traffic that went via Woodhead just doesn't exist any more, either on rail or road.

[@thenottinghamnutter]

I LOVE your "Ghost Train" videos... Can you do one of this route?

[@flymuzza9205]

Thanks, but they're not mine. The creator is www.youtube.com/@ghosttrainlostrailways

[@flymuzza9205]

... but I agree, their videos are something special!

[@owenyowenface]

5 mins 30 seconds.Exact moment the flight goes over my permanent camping tent where the GCR crosses over the former LD & ECR at Arkwright Town.The removal of the overbridge span in 1973,and the burying of the short Springwood Tunnel beneath farmers fields is the reason why the Transpennine Trail does not link up with the Five Pits trail at the former Heath Railway Station. Music was okay,nice pace to it matching the speed of the flight though i would have prefered something classical 😊

[@flymuzza9205]

Fascinating background info, many thanks

[@flymuzza9205]

What do you think of the soundtrack? If too many people find it irritating, it can easily be removed!

[@evanhenton3381]

I think it’s fine

[@EM-yk1dw]

It’s fine

[@ogo2l]

I could do without it. Still a very interesting Video, many thanks. Maybe a bit slower next time.

[@owencarlstrand1945]

I could do without the music but a brilliant video.

[@rwm2986]

OK for me!

[@steelheadplayer]

Interesting, couple of place names spelled incorrectly though.

[@flymuzza9205]

Oh no, really? Wardsley Bridge and ....?

[@steelheadplayer]

@@flymuzza9205 Oughtibridge