The Woodhead Route

Tweeting bygone pictures from The Woodhead Route between Manchester, Sheffield & Wath, Electrified in 1954 and closed on the 18th July 1981.

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

Lion " Titfield Thunderbolt " on its way from the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry.

To the Dinting Railway Centre, passing a Class 76 near Newton for Hyde,
in August 1980.

© mollyschase

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

On This Day.

3rd June 1954.

And it's the Woodhead electrification opening ceremony.

Sadly the Woodhead tunnel would only have a railway working life of 27 years.

The fact that this was a pre war design using the DC voltage was later one of its downfalls.

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

On This Day.

Not the normal Woodhead Electric, Class 83 E3098 is hauled over the Woodhead Route by EM1 26053.

Seen from the signalbox at Dunford East on 2nd June 1971, the train is 8Z30 1230 Bury to Doncaster Works.

© Keith Long

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

@Pott_Shrigley_ Still got the road sign for the A625 to Chapel in le Frith, which went over Man Tor (Shivering Mountain)

A problematic Road which closed officially in 1979.

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

There were models of both the Woodhead electrics EM1 and the EM2.

The Trix EM1 was in cast metal. More often black.

Here showcased in the Model Railway News of January 1963.

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

B1 class No 61163 passing through Wortley between Sheffield Victoria and Penistone on 25th July 1954

The station close to passengers in 1955, with the rest of the local stations on this section of line closing in 1959.

© PU.

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

Here's a nice picture to cool you down in this heatwave. ☀️

Dunford East Box
4th January 1979.

© Arnie Furniss.

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

The long hot summer of 1976.

47164 heads a rare diesel freight over the Woodhead Route through the Longdendale Valley towards Manchester.

© David Flitcroft

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

Glossop Station in 1971.

The Class 506 stands in the platform with a service to Hadfield.

These units worked from 1954 until 1984.

Today services use the platform to the left-hand side.

© Tom Burnham

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

@hardwick__gary 17th June 1981.

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

On this day

15th of May 1983.

This was Sheffield Victoria

This was the last day that the Sheffield Midland to Huddersfield via Penistone service was diverted via Deepcar, including a change of ends for the driver at Woodburn Junction.

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

Great Central Railway ‘O4’ 2-8-0 63683 restarts its train after a long wait in the loop with a Down freight at Dunford Bridge station in the early 1950s.

© Kenneth Field/Rail Archive Stephenson.

[Chris Sykes @N_Amberfield]

76032 at Dinting with empty MGR hoppers 23rd April 1979 #WoodheadWedesday

📸 Roger Sutcliffe

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

May 1964, Manchester Piccadilly, Platform 1.

E27004 (Juno) is backing into it's coaching stock.
It will then work a service to Sheffield Victoria via Woodhead.

It was sold to the Netherlands railway, where it worked until 1986, then sadly scrapped.

© KDH Archive

[Lucy @screwloose1980]

22nd May 1986 Sheffield Victoria.

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

A busy time at Godley Junction in the late 1970s, this station has since closed and replaced with the present Godley station.

Changes between electric and diesel taking place for freight headed off along the Stockport Tiviot Dale line.

© Gary Brookes.

[Lucy @screwloose1980]

Five Arches, Herries Road

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

40 years ago today

4th May 1986, and loco 37024 emerges from the "new" Woodhead tunnel for the very last time as track lifting had reached the tunnel entrance.

© Normand1946

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

@TPT_National No problem.

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

76006 is between Dunford Bridge and Penistone on a LCGB Railtour on the 30/12/1980.

Is section of line is now part of the @TPT_National Network.

© KJC JACKSON

[The Woodhead Route @WoodheadRoute]

Realistically.....

The Sheffield Victoria - Deepcar/Stocksbridge - Penistone corridor.

Which would be better, Tram Train services or Heavy Rail ?