More Disused Railways of the Rother Valley & Killamarsh

Welcome to this feature video from the border of Sheffield & Rotherham, South Yorkshire & Derbyshire. A site of a multiple main lines passing through along with many colliery branches, junctions and sidings. This must have been heaven for trainspotters. That was, many decades ago. These days the majority of the lines are now disused. Abandoned and torn up, with plenty of remains to look around. Of course, we've covered this area many times. This was my stomping group for 15 years until recently. I've covered many miles in and around the footpaths, official and unofficial.
In this video, me and ‪@mrbetamax1969‬ look around some of the bits I've not covered before.
Firstly we see the remains of the former flour mill in killamarsh, the bridge that carried it over the River Rother, which suffered flooding and now demolished.
Where Rother Valley Country Park lake sits now was originally a scrap yard - Thos. W. Ward of Killamarsh. Many steam locos and wagons were cut up here. Nothing remains due to open cast mining, but we can spot a few things.
We look at the 4 lines which crossed the Meadowgate Lane footpath, with the Lancashire Derbyshire & East Coast Railway, Midland Railway (still open), Great Central Railway and the Holbrook colliery branch.
We then look at a few of the remaining bridges for the Holbrook Colliery Branch, which ran to the GCR near Beighton.
Just south of Killamarsh, we look at a spot call Cat Gallows, which had a bridge cross the GCR and Chesterfield Canal.
Also featuring Killarmarsh Central station and various disused railway bridge remains.
Renton's youtube channel - ‪@mrbetamax1969‬ / @mrbetamax1969
Previous videos
Rother Valley Railway - • Disused Railway Explor...
GCR - • A Disused Great Centra...
LDECR - • Disused Railway Walk K...
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[@martinmarsola6477]

Thank you for the walking tour this day. Again, it’s a walk in the past. Appreciate your time involved in these. See you on the next. It’s nice to see the Boss again with your traveling partner. Cheers Paul! 🇬🇧🙂👍🇺🇸

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks Martin. All the very best. See you on the next one.

[@Carolb66]

Hi Paul, this is one of my favourite disused railway areas , so much to see so many bridges & walks & so much history to the area. I've lived in Rother Valley nearly all my life & I never knew there was do much railway history in my area! Fab explore! ❤😊👍

[@WobblyRunner]

I find it a very addictive area. Could spend days walking around there.

[@MalacdenValleyModels]

Hi Paul, yes on wooden fishplates, manufactured by a company called Permali (business is still around today). Track keys were also originally made out of wood as well (Key: The wedge that secures the rail to the rail chair). Great bit of history in this video, thanks for sharing 😊👍

[@WobblyRunner]

Great stuff and nice piece of info 👍👌

[@chrischapman7514]

Another great video didnt realise they was so many lines.Can remember bn told about the scrap yard with the steam locos in.Glad to see a class 56 and some more bridges with blue bricks keep up the good videos Paul.

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Chris 👍😊

[@willswheels283]

Another interesting video Paul, I’m enjoying them, I don’t know this area very well but still interesting watching, so many lines around there, many disused, some served collieries and others were passenger carrying, all good stuff mate. Thanks.👍

[@WobblyRunner]

👍 It's probably the area that got me initially interested in disused railways again

[@jennythescouser]

Yay, the Hell Hound is back! Though I think he may need some cod liver oil, because he was sounding a bit squeaky - lol.

[@WobblyRunner]

😄 That animal can't stand still for more than 10 seconds 😆

[@martynbrailsford3943]

Hi Paul, Yes they did make wooden fishplate, for use at insulated joint between track circuits before modern plastics were used instead.

[@WobblyRunner]

👍 Great stuff cheers Martyn. I can't believe I've never noticed any before.

[@mikewood142]

Another Great video Paul, Please keep up the good work. I've said this to you before Paul, and I'll say it again, it's amazing how much old railway infrastructure is still about in the modern day and also like the places you visited in this video, even closer to near where I live too. Sadly I've not walked around the Killamarsh area before, but after just watching this video I think I'll pop over sometime to have a good look around the area. You fill me with so much positive joy and give me ideas for many of my walks too. So again Paul, a very BIG thank you to yourself and your channel 😃👍 On another note last Monday I decided to follow one of your other videos and had a lovely walk on the High Peak Railway up to Middleton Winding House Engine which I really enjoyed. One question to you Paul, in a bit of jokey banter, how on earth did you and your mate manage to climb up Sheep Pasture? Lol 😂😂 that was a bit of a killer for me, by the time I got to the top I was almost on my hands and knees lol 😂😂 but what a lovely view from the top. Once the warmer weather appears soon, I'm planning on following your footsteps again and follow the rest of the route, well that is once I've seen the rest of the brilliant series your doing. Anyway all the best to yourself and Gordo, have a lovely Easter weekend. From. Devon Mike (Lives in Chesterfield).

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks Mike. Well worth a visit to Killamarsh and Rother Valley. Such a large area to explore too. Glad you enjoyed the high peak railway. The inclines have to been seen to be believed don't they 😄. I bet it was a sight seeing the trains being lowered down.

[@maestromanification]

Excellent video Paul. Unbelievable just how much railway there was in that area, oh for a time machine! That area seems to have gone completely mad with vegetation As people have said the wooden fishplates were for insulated rail joints for track circuits. They aren't completely wooden as had steal plates on the outside for strengthening but stopped the current in the track circuit passing to the next rail

[@WobblyRunner]

Fascinating stuff Russ. I can't believe I've ever seen come across them before. I thought they would have rotten away. It's a great area isn't it.

[@maestromanification]

@@WobblyRunner they aren't common things to find hanging around

[@jasinere35]

this vids jogged some memories for me especially the hidden gems that i looked into & any reason why the girder bridge over the active line has a large chunk of decking missing as thats puzzled me i know the viaduct thats sat in the trees is beyond repair & it cant be removed as the loaction isnt an easy one to get access to, this area i have pics of especially the viaduct & old station before the houses got built

[@jasinere35]

keep up the good work paul & somewhere across the other side of the lake was the tunnel which is buried now

[@WobblyRunner]

Lots to feast on Jason. I wonder if anyone from network rail checks the girder bridge.

[@mickd6942]

One of the first things they do prior to demolition is put a small hole in the decking to see how thick it is so maybe they just wanted to check the thickness of the decking .

[@eggy77]

Think you're gonna have to invest in some waders to get down in that cutting can't see it drying out anytime in the next few years

[@WobblyRunner]

I think you're right 😄

[@peebee143]

What you may be looking at (7:46) is the remains of a junction telegraph pole. Where connections needed to be made with signal boxes on splitting routes they would make wire junctions atop a pole and the wires would separate on a set of cross-timbers to each line at the junction. Can make for a very complicated looking pole top. Also, previous to the telegraph pole remains you showed a bullhead rail wooden fishplate. These were used at an earlier time to provide insulation between track circuits in the days before reliable nylon or plastic insulators.

[@WobblyRunner]

Great stuff. Cheers for the info. I noticed a lot of those wooden fishplates. I was a little suspicious at the time as they looked in great condition. Almost like they were almost new.

[@peebee143]

@@WobblyRunner You are very welcome. I often notice stuff along your walks, sometimes you mention it, sometimes you don't.

[@WobblyRunner]

@peebee143 haha you wouldnt believe the amount of stuff I see when Im doing the editing that I didnt notice at the time