Broomhouse Tunnel
Encyclopedia
Broomhouse Tunnel was on the Midland Main Line
between Chesterfield
and Sheffield. It was built by the Midland Railway
in 1870 on what is known to railwaymen as the "New Road" to Sheffield. This bypassed the North Midland Railway
's original line, which came to be known as "Old Road", which had avoided Sheffield due to the gradients involved, see topographical map of the Sheffield area.
Broomhouse Tunnel was 92 yards long, through a narrow ridge a mile past Sheepbridge. It was opened out to become a cutting in 1969, Railway Magazine July 1969 P409, plus (picture) Nov 1969 p636.
The line diverged just north of Chesterfield
at Tapton Junction with a steady three and a half mile climb at 1 in 100, through Sheepbridge
and Unstone
stations, before a short drop to Dronfield
. From there it climbed to the summit before Bradway Tunnel
thence to what would become the junction through Dore and Totley and the line to Manchester
, continuing to Beauchief.
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
between Chesterfield
Chesterfield railway station
Entrance to the station is on Crow Lane and includes a car park, taxi rank and bus stop. There is also a small car park on the other side of Crow Lane which does not have a parking charge. The main entrance leads to the station concourse, which is very spacious and was built in the late 1990s. It...
and Sheffield. It was built by the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
in 1870 on what is known to railwaymen as the "New Road" to Sheffield. This bypassed the North Midland Railway
North Midland Railway
The North Midland Railway was a British railway company, which opened its line from Derby to Rotherham and Leeds in 1840.At Derby it connected with the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
's original line, which came to be known as "Old Road", which had avoided Sheffield due to the gradients involved, see topographical map of the Sheffield area.
Broomhouse Tunnel was 92 yards long, through a narrow ridge a mile past Sheepbridge. It was opened out to become a cutting in 1969, Railway Magazine July 1969 P409, plus (picture) Nov 1969 p636.
The line diverged just north of Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
at Tapton Junction with a steady three and a half mile climb at 1 in 100, through Sheepbridge
Sheepbridge railway station
Sheepbridge railway station was a station in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England.It was built by the Midland Railway in 1870 on what is known to railwaymen as the "New Road" to Sheffield...
and Unstone
Unstone railway station
Unstone railway station was a station in Derbyshire, England.It was built by the Midland Railway in 1870 on what is known to railwaymen as the "New Road" to Sheffield...
stations, before a short drop to Dronfield
Dronfield railway station
Dronfield railway station serves the town of Dronfield in Derbyshire, England , south of Sheffield, on the Midland Main Line between Chesterfield and Sheffield....
. From there it climbed to the summit before Bradway Tunnel
Bradway Tunnel
Bradway Tunnel, long, was built in 1870 about north of Dronfield, Derbyshire, in South Yorkshire, England.It is at the summit of the Midland Main Line between Chesterfield and Sheffield, on what is known to railwaymen as the "New Road" built by the Midland Railway to serve Sheffield, which was...
thence to what would become the junction through Dore and Totley and the line to Manchester
Hope Valley Line
The Hope Valley Line is a railway line in England linking Sheffield with Manchester. It was completed in 1894.From Sheffield, trains head down the Midland Main Line to Dore, where the Hope Valley Line branches off to run through the Totley Tunnel .It emerges in the stunning scenery of the Hope...
, continuing to Beauchief.