Sheffield's Lost Stations of the Sheaf Valley

[@rogerbarton1790]

It's Beecheef! Interesting spelling of "Abbey Dale" and "Mill Houses". Laycock Engineering had a factory there, I think it was shown at 14:30. I used to live on Millhouses Lane and remember watching Sir Nigel Gresley going full speed under that bridge.

[@richardhobson5995]

Millhouse was my local station when I was growing up, I used to fall asleep to the sound of the trains.

[@john-pu5uy]

Loving it matey-- some decent viewing - keep the Good content coming...

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers John. Appreciate the support 👍

[@chrischapman7514]

Another interesting video thanx for sharing again and keep up the great work.

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Chris

[@ceanothus_bluemoon]

Fascinating explore. Spent a lot of trime up Dore and Totley and Abbeydale and Beauchief as a kid. In Millhouses park, the long-gone garden centre next to Dore station, the bluebell woods etc. Can't say I was a big railway fan back then, that came later! That was a huge amount of railway land where Tesco etc is now. What a shame so much is gone.

[@WobblyRunner]

👍 Nice one. It sure was. It must have been so exciting to see all the activity in the old yards and sheds

[@neilclongley1772]

Bowchief? Tha means Beechif love!

[@jontaylor1652]

Another interesting journey, thanks and a happy new year to you and your family.

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks Jon. Happy New year to you 👋

[@Its-DaveT]

Great video Paul, Sheffield (aka Sceaf as it was known prior to the 12th century) keeps on giving!! Fantastic insight into those stations. They had a bit of a GCR feel to them with access off the bridges to the central platforms. The pointed coping stone you couldn’t remember the name of is a pier stone, they sit either side of the entrance way 👍 Looking forward to the next episode! Wishing you a very happy new year, keep the videos coming 😊👍

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks David. Happy New year to you too. I thought exactly the same about the GCR middle platform and footbridge access. Expanded just after the GCR was built, so looks to be some influence there

[@nigelhudson1948]

So many memories from the late 50s/early 60s! Playing in Millhouses Park. Taking the train from Millhouses into Sheffield or out into the Hope Valley. Trainspotting at Dore and Totley station. Sneaking into Millhouses engine shed to take engine numbers.

[@WobblyRunner]

Great info Neil. Stories like that make it all feel real 👍. It's hard to get a feel these days at the various locations you mentioned. So little evidence left 🙁

[@timjohnson689]

Millhouses was my local disused station when I was growing up! Used to play on the platforms sometimes, which were still there in the mid 80s. There was also a part of the old station building you could crawl into, now bricked up. There was a mock-Tudor style building going up onto road level which was certainly there in the late 70s when I was a small child. I reckon this is the station with the best chance of reopening someday.

[@WobblyRunner]

👍 before I started making this series, I didn't realise just what a great suburban railway system Sheffield had... in the valleys of course. It's a shame there seems to be a u-turn in expanding railways since the election. It would appear they can't get get the new Waverley station forward now 😒

[@martinmarsola6477]

Thank you for the walking tour today. Always an interesting walk back in time. Enjoy the weekend, and Happy New Year to and your family, Paul! 🇬🇧❤️👍🙂🇺🇸

[@WobblyRunner]

Thank Martin. Happy New year to you 😉🎁🇺🇸

[@peterskegness3204]

Very interesting film and to learn how much the Midland Main Line has changed over the years, even on the stretch into Sheffield. One of the lesser known aspects of Midland Station is that at one time, approaching from the South, a diveunder enabled trains to run directly into platform 1 without having to negotiate a lot of complicated pointwork. I think this was taken out in the early 1970's and does appear on an old Cab Ride film from that era. Whilst the southern end has been filled in, the portal of the Northern end can still be seen if you look carefully out of the right hand side when going south from Sheffield.

[@WobblyRunner]

Ah yes where the train wash is. I used to live on Olive Grove Road overlooking the railway by the council yard about 25 years ago 🙂. Ps. Loved your old photos from Doncaster. I spent many hours on the old cattle docks growing up.

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

Fascinating to see what has happened to these old Stations and their infrastructure. I always feel a little sad when I see how old Stations were decimated, but hope springs eternal when I see a Stationmaster's House still in use, even if it is now privately owned.

[@WobblyRunner]

You love a good private dwelling railway building 😄. You have to buy one now you're retired.

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

@@WobblyRunner You're right I absolutely love an old Stationmaster's House that is still lived in and looked after, however, it's The Wife who is retired not me, I'm a toy boy!!!!!

[@WobblyRunner]

😄 semi retired then. You could have your PT clients jump up and down off the platforms

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

@@WobblyRunner Now there's an idea, plyometrics on the platform!!!

[@mrbetamax1969]

Memories of the 70s I had 4got.

[@WobblyRunner]

You remember these stations Phil?

[@mrbetamax1969]

​@@WobblyRunnermillhouse Park clip it was the place 2be in summer holidays in 70s before I started getting shipped down London Village.

[@Carolb66]

Hi Paul, I loved this video. My younger years were spent in Totley & teenage years in Beuchief with family living there. I spent ages at Totley watching the trains from a pedestrian wooden bridge with a signal box at the bottom. I used to wave to the signalman.! Then I spent time on Beuchief bridge watching the trains & in later years the Beuchief pub. Fab memories! ❤😊👍🎅

[@WobblyRunner]

Nice one Carol. This one's literally up your street 😄. What a beautiful part of the city.

[@Carolb66]

@@WobblyRunner 🤣👍🥰

[@JANGLEPOP1]

That signal box type entrance from the bridge at Millhouses I believe was painted green and white. Beauchief had the same arrangement but was painted blue and white.

[@WobblyRunner]

👍🙂 that's good info. I'd only ever seen black and white photos of them. It's hard to imagine the colours. I bet they were well kept?

[@psychicspies673]

Brilliant video as ever and what a lovely day that was for filming. Bored of mince pies now tho 😂 Slight correction…it’s the Sheffield Model Railway Enthusiasts (SMRE) who have the lovely Millhouses and Eccesall sign 😊

[@WobblyRunner]

👍👍👍🙂 Blue skies seem a long time ago now don't they.

[@psychicspies673]

I’m really hoping it improves for our explore in January

[@WobblyRunner]

@@psychicspies673 me too 🙂

[@Rockthecasbah3535]

There's a lot of engineering work going on on the hopeless valley line to free up capacity & journey times for passenger trains because of a lot of freight use It as well as Earles Sidings.

[@markcf83]

Must admit I didn't know that about the section between Sheffield and Dore. I guessed there might have been at least one station but wasn't entirely sure.

[@WobblyRunner]

I was the same Mark. Which is amazing given I lived about half a mile from heeley station for a few years.

[@maestromanification]

Interesting video Paul, shame they didn’t use the tracked of the redundant lines for the tram

[@WobblyRunner]

From going to have a look, it's amazing how they're not making more of this line. Given the traffic issues into the city from that way.

[@chrisjubb-hearnborough]

Was wondering when you'd do towards Heeley as that's where I used to live. Ps Beauchief is pronounced 'bee-chiff' 😊

[@WobblyRunner]

Been on the list for quite a while now. Nice to get it done 😄

[@MagicM03]

Yeah, I can confirm Beauchief is pronounced locally as 'Bee-chiff' not 'Bow-chief' ;)

[@ousetunes]

Excellent video, esp as I live round the corner from the former Millhouses station. I wish these stations could be reopened but our councils and government are too short sighted. Plus of course, we are in the North.......

[@WobblyRunner]

Fully agree. Such a shame. Dare I say if it was certain other cities, they would be reopened. Such a large catchment area for each of these old stations along the route.

[@KingLofts]

Those stone sculptures are by local sculptor and carver Steve Roche.

[@WobblyRunner]

👍 Great little touch and point of interest

[@jonb4020]

What a shame they were destroyed. A local service into and out of town would be excellent and would take a lot of cars off the road. What a shame we don't have a train culture like Italy or Germany!

[@martinevans3021]

It’s Bee-chief

[@timjohnson689]

I'd say bee-chiff myself, not chief, but that's being pedantic!

[@scottc1589]

I never made the connection before that the name Sheffield is derived from the Sheaf River. Following that logic, maybe the name should be changed to Shefcity?!

[@WobblyRunner]

😄 And obviously Doncaster after the Don. Rotherham after the Rother.

[@OutcastSpartan]

I'd pronounce it Bo chief. because most named beginning with Beau are pronounced bo.

[@WobblyRunner]

My thoughts exactly 😊

[@timjohnson689]

@@WobblyRunner Ah well, common sense doesn't work with British place names does it? It's said how the locals say it, and that's all there is to it! Beauchief was always a way you could tell if someone was new to Sheffield.

[@WobblyRunner]

Yep 😊 All part of the challenge. I'd lived in Sheffield 25 years and I still got it wrong 😄

[@neilhardwick3274]

It’s pronounced Bee Chief.