The Lost Woodhead Railway Part 2 - Oxspring & Penistone

In part 2 we are in Penistone. Here we can find the old Penistone station platforms as well as the turntable and tank ramps.
We start at the exit to Thurgoland tunnel, where were left you in part 1 of this series. Immediately we cross the Rumtickle viaduct over the River Don. Next up is the Blackmoor crossing, a former small gated level crossing.
After a straight section through the village of Oxspring, we reach the outskirts of Penistone. Once an important junction with the Wath arm of the electrified woodhead railway and host to a number of sidings and marhalling yards. We see remains of World War 2 history with the WW2 tank ramp. Used to unload tank for training in preperation for the D-day landings. In the same section of sidings from the tank ramp is the disused turntable. Now only a shell, but dates back to the time when steam met electric to carry the coal wagons over the Pennines via the Woodhead tunnel.
After leaving the turntable in the woods, we approach Huddersfield junction, where the Huddersfield line leaves. Here you'll find Penistone station, still partly in use on the Sheffield, Barnsley and Huddersfield line. However, half of the station is abandoned with platforms from our Woodhead line overgrown. Platforms and old station buildings (on one side) still remain.
The line opened in 1845, built by the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway. It became part of the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway in 1847. In 1897 it became part of the Great Central Railway (GCR) and it’s mainline between Manchester and London (via Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester). In 1923, it was grouped under LNER (London North Eastern Railway). Before upon nationalisation moving under British Railways in 1948.
Before the outset of WW2, plans were drawn up to electrify the section of the GCR between Manchester and Wath and Sheffield. Steam hauled heavy freight trains were struggling over the steep gradients on the line at the time. The project was delayed by the war, but was completed in 1955. The overhead wires energised at 1,500 volts DC. Whilst this was tried and tested technology (and is still standard in the Netherlands), the comparatively low voltage meant that a large number of electricity substations and heavy cabling would be required. It also made regenerative braking by transfer of power from descending to ascending trains in the same section of line comparatively straightforward.
Having seen major investment in the 1950s, the line was controversially closed to passenger traffic on 5 January 1970. Freight continued until 1981 when the line was mothballed. The tracks were ripped up in the following years.
Become a channel member - kzbin.info...
Buy me a coffee - ko-fi.com/wobblyrunner
Facebook - / wobbly.runner
Instagram - / wobbly.runner

[@martinmarsola6477]

Thank you for today’s video. The weather was lousy with the rain, but the video was successful. Enjoy the weekend, and see you on the next. Cheers Paul! 🇬🇧🙂👍🇺🇸

[@WobblyRunner]

Good old English weather 😄 Cheers Martin. Have a nice weekend

[@peterstudley1804]

Hi chaps brilliant video, the treads on the tank ramp are sawn to size old bull head rail , secondly the turn table was probably used until early 1980s to turn 08 class shunters , still can't believe the woodhead route was closed, its criminal.

[@WobblyRunner]

👍thanks Peter. Great info. It is indeed criminal looking back. I'm sure someone somewhere is regretting the decision.

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

Excellent work baring in mind the rain. Great to see the old tank ramp still in place, the turntable's a beauty too. You could definitely get onto the old Station part at Penistone, I saw Rob Bell the railway historian cover it in a programme on TV.

[@WobblyRunner]

I bet he got access for the tele.

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

@@WobblyRunner Very possibly, but it was about 3 years ago and the fences were definitely not there.

[@daystatesniper01]

Cracking video in wretched conditions

[@WobblyRunner]

Thank you 👍🙂

[@chrischapman7514]

Great video again such a shame the line closed.

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Chris. What a great it would have been to see it in action.

[@user-wh9pt6dx5c]

Me and my best friend Brett did the second part of the woodhead line yesterday

[@psychicspies673]

Gammon and Branston pickle lol. Random hangover cure?! So wet by the end but worth it!

[@WobblyRunner]

😄 you know you've inspired me and I've been having the same sarnie as that recently. Sometimes with added cheese too. 😋

[@mickd6942]

The big white building to the west of the station was the lines electrical control centre where the woodhead line and wath branch’s electrical supply was able to be switched off in sections , the massive control panel still survives in a waggon at a preserved railway .

[@WobblyRunner]

I'll look that up. I was going to poke my nose in on my way back. But there was a police van parked in the little road by the side. So thought I better not.

[@mickd6942]

@@WobblyRunner I think the panel belongs to the EM2 society

[@andrewmaurerandrew6801]

Quality as always top man I’ve done that route many times 👍

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Andrew. Look out for the next part in the coming weeks 👍

[@tonystack7375]

Great video again.

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Tony.

[@borderlands6606]

The red brick inserts mentioned at 5:12 probably date to the time the line was electrified. Bridges would need to be raised to accommodate the catenary, and stonework by that time would have been prohibitively expensive.

[@WobblyRunner]

👍 saw some great examples of that on the Worsbrough branch yesterday too

[@tango6nf477]

The idea of having a direct rail route between two of the greatest manufacturing cities in England was a no brainer which is why the line was built, so why exactly was it closed? What were the grounds for doing so, especially as the new Woodhead tunnel was not cut until the 1950's. Does anyone know why? Another nice (wet) video boys, thanks and keep up the good work.

[@jimswannack6309]

It's alleged that because it was part of the old Great Central route, when it was absorbed in the 1923 groupings into LNER, it didn't really have the institutional history or clout. This became even worse with nationalisation in 1948, so by the time Beeching came along, it was curtains.

[@WobblyRunner]

Every bit of the Woodhead line I see me more in disbelief it shut. Cost cutting when it was popular to close railways. I've recently had a few experiences travelling by train between Sheffield and Manchester. Both were overcrowded, delayed (and one cancelled) and very unpleasant. ☹️. It really puts in it perspective how much we could have done with this line today.

[@borderlands6606]

There are a number of factors in its closure, the main one being the 1500v DC system which did not fit with BR's plans for electrified main lines. This left the Woodhead as an anomaly almost as soon as it was built, and the nationalised company were keen to do away with non-standard traction. Added to the fact the route ran through sparsely populated areas, with little revenue earning opportunities beyond coal traffic. By the time of its closure I think Fiddlers Ferry power station was the only customer, and the miner's strike and Thatcher delivered the coup de grace. Nevertheless, it represented a huge investment from a post-war budget, with passengers lasting a mere 16 years on the electrified route. With hindsight it would have formed a major part of the modern British network.

[@yorkie2789]

Respect to you both for getting out in the rain, great video.

[@WobblyRunner]

👍😉 a nice cup of tea makes up for the rain.

[@kieranbeecroft8414]

Some Diesels such as the class 20 also have a "front" end, but could be run forwards and backwards and I didn't think they saw much use on this line

[@WobblyRunner]

Not seen a photo of one on there. I know they worked commonly in pairs a lot. Good shout though

[@Carolb66]

Romtickle viaduct! That'll do! 😂❤👍

[@WobblyRunner]

😁

[@DYLINGTONMODELRAILWAY]

Another enjoyable watch, really enjoy seeing your adventures, and so does my grandson. I think he's planning to do a video of the Christmas scene we're creating on his layout to post in the next couple of weeks .... cheers James 🙂👍

[@WobblyRunner]

Fantastic stuff cheers James. Look forward to seeing it.

[@psychicspies673]

No way.. awesome! I’ll have to try with cheese 😊

[@WobblyRunner]

Everything is better with cheese. Even Shredded wheat 😄

[@psychicspies673]

@@WobblyRunner I agree on toast but cereal. Blurghhh!

[@WobblyRunner]

😁

[@jontaylor1652]

Those EM electric locos did have to be turned, although I'm not saying that would be done here. Because of the weight of the coal trains and the nature of the route it was found that a lot more ware and tare was occurring at one end so to counter that the locos were periodically turned. I don't remember the full story of what was going on or where they were actually turned, hopefully someone can give us more details in the comments.

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Jon. I didn't realise that. I know Godley went out of use in the 60s too. Wonder if they turned around at Dinting triangle.

[@jontaylor1652]

@@WobblyRunner It was a little bit before my time but I definitely remember them having to be turned somewhere. Hopefully someone in the comments can give us the info. Nice video by the way!

[@maestromanification]

Great video Paul. Amazing to think Penistone was once the pinnacle of modern railways, so sad nowadays. I'm sure that turntable was out of use well before the 80s. Might have still been there disused and I'm pretty certain it wasn't wired so the 76s wouldn't have used it That building beyond the station in Dunford Bridge direction I believe was the electrical control room for the line. I'll have look at some books and let you know

[@mickd6942]

Is there any proof the ramp was used for tanks , it doesn’t make any sense , they weren’t built there and why practice on the moors for a beach invasion , ww2 tanks are heavy and would bog down on moorland , I still reckon it was more probably used for agricultural machinery , the ww1 era tractors were often tracked which is where the idea for the original tanks came from , a great story for tourists but I don’t buy it .

[@WobblyRunner]

Intetesting viewpoint. I guess we'll never know for sure. There are photos on the notice board, but not sure if they're from Penistone?

[@borderlands6606]

Locals have said hundreds of tanks passed through in living memory, so it's highly likely the ramps were used for the stated purposes. If I recall correctly there is another sign at Langsett which recalls the area as a US armoured training ground.