Good afternoon everyone. Today I'm taking you back in time 56 years, to 1969! Here I propose you the historic and famous Woodhead Electric Line, set in its last fully operational year. This is a route coming from TSC. We're in the North West/East Midlands of UK (GB at the time), between Greater Manchester, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. The line starts from the famous Manchester Piccadilly terminal, running along the suburban section to Glossop. From here, the real regional route begins, crossing the high moorlands of the Peak District, through the Southern Pennines. The long and winding climb takes you up to the famous Woodhead Tunnels ("Hell Holes"), cutting across the mountain. Then the descent begins, which leads to Penistone and then to Sheffield. To the old Victoria station. All this passing large goods yards, steelworks, mines, viaducts and junctions with several other lines! Oh, how could I forget the dedicated Wath freight branch! This is The Woodhead Line: Manchester to Sheffield via Penistone + Wath! HISTORICAL NOTES The line opened in 1845 (private railway), later merged with the Great Central Railway (1897). In 1923 LNER took control of the infrastructure, nationalised in 1948 (BR Eastern Region). The original terminals were Sheffield Bridgehouses and Manchester Central. Sheffield Victoria (1851) and Manchester Piccadilly (1960) came later. Initially operated with steam and diesel traction, it was electrified in 1953-55. Around the same time, the third Woodhead Tunnel opened. BR operated passenger services until January 1970. From that date, passenger service was suspended (except for Glossop Line), while freight services ended in July 1981. The line was partially closed and demolished through the 80s. Today much of the tracks and structures have disappeared, but the trace remain clearly visible! GENERAL FEATURES - 64.5mi (104 km) total length. - Double track, standard gauge (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in/1435 mm), electrified 1.5kV DC OHLE (mainline). - Double track to Wath. - Single Track to Glossop. - 1:40 (2.5%) max gradient. - 40-75mph (64-121km/h) max speed. - Electro-mechanical signals (semaphores) equipped + some modern light signals. - Infra management, passenger & freight services were handled by British Rail (BRB), Eastern Region div. THE ROUTE General view of the route. All stations/points of interest present. General route diagram (as it stands today). STATIONS The route had a total of 16 active stations/stops (including Piccadilly & Victoria), plus several abandoned/deactivated. The calls were, as follow: - Manchester Piccadilly main terminus Manchester Mayfield - Ardwick - Ashburys - Gorton - Fairfield - Guide Bridge Dewsnap sidings - Newton for Hyde - Godley Junction - Hattersley - Broadbottom - Dinting ---- To Glossop Central-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Glossop Central (terminal) ---- To Barnsley Jn.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Hadfield (end of suburban area) Woodhead Tunnels (summit). - Dunford Bridge Penistone Goods - Penistone a--- To Wath (freight only)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wombwell Main sidings Wath marshalling yard b---To Sheffield------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Sheffield Victoria terminus To Tinsley marshalling yard To Darnall/Rotherwood sidings Reference depots were: - Reddish TMD - Wath Shed - Tinsley TMD - Darnall LMD STATION PICS Manchester Piccadilly terminal, as it looked in 1969. Left: Dinting station. Right: Glossop Central station. Left: Guide Bridge station. Right: Penistone station. Please put your LIKE here first, thank you! Continue Below...
Page 2 Sheffield Victoria station, as it looked in 1969 (before its closure). PASSENGER SERVICE According to the original LMR 1969-70 TT: - Manchester Piccadilly->Sheffield Victoria(Eastbound) [mainline]: 16Tpd, 14x ->Sheffield Victoria, 1x ->Cleethorpes & 1x ->Parkeston Quay. 1Tph each direction. - Sheffield Victoria->Manchester Piccadilly(Westbound) [mainline]: 17Tpd, 15x Victoria terminal<-, 1x Cambridge<- & 1x Parkeston Quay<-. 1Tph each direction. - Manchester Piccailly->Glossop Central & Hadfield(Eastbound) [local stopper]: 24Tpd ->Glossop->Hadfield & 3Tpd ->Glossop Central(only). 2Tph each direction. - Hadfield & Glossop Central->Manchester Piccadilly(Westbound) [local stopper]: 24Tpd Hadfiel<-Glossop<- & 3Tpd Glossop Central<-. 2Tph each direction. Additionals: - Sheffield Midland/Chinley/New Mills Central<->Manchester Piccadilly(via Ashburys) [semi-fast]: 44/46Tpd each direction, AI only Piccadilly<->Ashburys. - London St. Pancras/Nottingham Midland<->Manchester Piccadilly(via Woodburn Jn.) [mainline]: 5Tpd <->London & 2Tpd <->Nottingham. Driveable, Piccadilly<->Woodburn Jn. FREIGHT SERVICE Freight service on this route included eastbound/westbound coal/steel trains. Express parcels and mixed services were also present. Some examples of the time: - Rotherwood sidings-Mottram yard (coal) - Wombwell Main sidings-Mottram yard (coal) - Dewsnap sidings-Wombwell Main sidings (manifest) - Wombwell Main sidings-Godley Jn. (steel) - Wath marshalling yard-Mottram yard (steel) - Tinsley marshalling yard-Penistone goods (empties) + Heavy shunting activities! ROLLING STOCK MOTIVE POWER - BR Class 76 EM1 DC loco & BR Class 08 Diesel-electric shunter. SELF-PROPELLED - BR Class 506 EMU. LOCO-HAULED - BR Mk1 Passenger coaches & BR Mk1 GUV Parcel van. FREIGHT - BR HAA 33T, HOP 21T, MCV 16T & Toad E 20T freight wagons/braked van. LAYERS - BR Class 101 & 104. - BR Class 40 "Whistler". - BR Class 45 "Peak". - BR Class 47 "Duff". Continue Below...
Page 3 LAMPOIL This route would hit many of the DTG process key points quite well, but "BR doesn't sell well" and the presence of the DC power supply (very unusual) certainly doesn't help! ROUTE PICS Left: Woodhead Tunnels, located at the namesake station. Right: Reddish TMD, largest depot in this Manchester area. Left: Tinsley Marshalling Yard, largest goods yard in the Sheffield district. Right: Wath Marshalling Yard, located at the north-east end of the related freight branch. Left: Rotherwood Sidings, located on the first miles of the Sheffield-Lincoln Line. Right: Dewsnap Sidings, located between Guide Bridge and Newton for Hyde. Left: Dinting Viaduct, just before the junction towards Glossop. Right: Oxpring Viaduct, past the Wath branch begin. Left: Torside/Woodhead Reservoirs, located along the River Etherow (leaving Hadfield to East). Right: Stocksbridge Steel Works, near Deepcar. Key iron&steel hub of the time. ROUTE VIDEOS 1965 Sheffield Victoria-Manchester Piccadilly cabride (commented). Late 1970s Wath Branch cabride (commented). Late 1960/70s Manchester Piccadilly trainspotting (commented). All RIGHTS and CREDITS to the original authors. Caravatt .
Absolutely outstanding suggestion. I second this 100%. As a caveat, it must have Class 76, 77 and 506 motive power as a bare minimum. A small detail as a side note, the Midland Blue Pullman sets were stored and maintained at Reddish Depot which would be awesome if we were to ever get them for Peak Forest and DLoGW (where they both fit perfectly). My money is waiting to be taken.
Great write-up! I could totally see this being a Just Trains project, and seeing them execute it very well!
As long as it's set in a time with all the stations still in operation, yes please! Awesome suggestion.
This would be a great route if made properly. The climb from Wath to Penistone would be a lot of fun for anyone who likes pulling heavy fright up hills
Having it just a year or two earlier would allow inclusion of Class 77 Co-Co locomotives for passenger services. This route would be somewhat incomplete without them.
Sure, setting it in 1967/68 wouldn't be a problem! 77 had double the horsepower and a 90mph top speed. Let's say we could consider it like the 87, while 76 the 86 of the case. Thanks for the Blue Pullmans detail, I didn't know that! Oh, that's for sure! The JT electric traction saga (DC this time) must go on, right? It would be enough to set it in the BR Green era, before 1957-64. In the 50s all stops were open! But a Stanier 8F and a Robinson O4 would also be needed, as steam locos! Yes, freight would be really challenging to manage here!
Love this suggestion! The only obstacle I can see is DTG not committing to this if they claim 'older routes don't sell well'.
Isn't this a TSC route that is requested heavily in the Game? There's also an earlier version of Woodhead in TSC with GT1 loco why not have that version in TSW 5. To operate classes 77/76 check TSC forums on how to use them
As another side note, if we were to get the complete route with Tinsley Marshalling Yard included, it would be awesome to have the unique trio of Class 13 master/slave shunters at some point. Realistically these were a pair of semi permanently coupled and ballasted Class 08s specifically for the unique requirements of Tinsley.
Well, it's already been suggested, at least four times here, so... As for the GT3, I'd say it would be interesting. A hybrid between an old steam engine chassis and a modern (at the time) turbine propulsion! MORE PICS Small photo dump from late 60s (1968-69), with Class 76s and 77s in action on the Woodhead Line! Class 76+Class 506 EMU at Manchester Piccadilly (Oct. 1969) / E26000 (76) "Tommy" (prototype)+Class 45 at Sheffield Victoria (Sept. 1969). Class 76 at Hadfield (freight train, Dec. 1969) / Class 77 (in an early BR Blue livery) at Penistone (1968). Pair of 77s at unknown depot (1968) / Group of 76+ Class 47 at Wath TMD (Aug. 1969). Class 76 leading a freight consist near Crowden (Sept. 1969) / 76+Mk1s at Bullhouse (Aug. 1969). I wish you a good weekend!
i was just thinking about this route the other day, so glad someone finally suggested it. This screams Just Trains. I 100% want this, and it would definitely be a first day purchase for me!
Respect to you, you put in way more effort than me for this route suggestion. I would really like to see this in TSW
