Don Valley Railway
Encyclopedia
Woodhead Line
The Woodhead Line was a railway line linking Sheffield, Penistone and Manchester in the north of England. A key feature of the route is the passage under the high moorlands of the northern Peak District through the Woodhead Tunnels...
that runs between Deepcar
Deepcar railway station
Deepcar railway station, originally "Deep Car", is a disused railway station near Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The station, situated on the line built by the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway, opened on 14 July 1845...
and Sheffield Don Valley. The project is being developed by Don Valley Railway Ltd., a not-for-profit company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
and registered charity that is based in Stocksbridge
Stocksbridge
Stocksbridge is a small town and civil parish in the City of Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England, with a population of 13,663. It lies just to the east of the Peak District....
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
. The company plans to renovate and reopen some of the closed stations along the route, as well as building 2 or 3 new ones. Once the infrastructure is completed, the company plans to operate steam, diesel and electric trains for the purposes of tourism at weekends and weekday commuter service.
Project
The proposed route runs along trackbed owned by Network RailNetwork Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
that was constructed in the 1840s by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway (later the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
) as part of their line between Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
. This line, which became known as the Woodhead Line, closed to passengers in 1970. The portion of the Woodhead Line that the Don Valley Railway propose to use is currently used as a freight-only line linking the national rail network with tracks owned by the steelworks at Stocksbridge
Stocksbridge
Stocksbridge is a small town and civil parish in the City of Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England, with a population of 13,663. It lies just to the east of the Peak District....
.
History
Stocksbridge resident David Goodison first conceived the idea of rehabilitating the line in 2003, and local authorities, politicians, and community groups have since voiced their support. The South Yorkshire Passenger Transport ExecutiveSouth Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
The South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive is the Passenger Transport Executive for South Yorkshire in England. It is supervised by the South Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority, which consists of representatives from the metropolitan boroughs of Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, and...
(SYPTE) included the proposal as a potential re-opened route in its 2009 Rail Strategy & Delivery Plan, noting the ongoing investigation of the plan's feasibility, and that the executive had been lending support and advice for the project. In early 2010, SYPTE reaffirmed its support for the project, contributing funds toward professional assessment of the business plan to re-open the line and the feasibility of the line itself; additional funding for the assessment was to be provided by Sheffield City Council and private supporters.
The railway project received a boost in late June 2010 when a feasibility study draft indicated that the cost to develop a weekday commuter service along the route would be several times lower than initially estimated. A local government official supportive of the project cited reduced traffic as a primary benefit, leading to shorter commutes and a smaller regional carbon footprint. However, the same official admitted that raising capital for the project remained difficult in the economic environment of mid-2010.
Workshops
The Don Valley Railway would operate out of workshops at either the Deepcar railway station or a potential Stocksbridge railway station. It is hoped that engineering students and railway enthusiasts will volunteer in order to gain practical experience, as well as keep the service running, especially reinstate the line to double track.Stations
There are seven stations proposed along the route so far serving Deepcar, Wharncliffe Side, OughtibridgeOughtibridge
Oughtibridge is a residential village on the northern outskirts of Sheffield within the bounds of Bradfield Parish Council. The village stands northwest of the city centre in the valley of the River Don...
, Wadsley Bridge
Wadsley Bridge
Wadsley Bridge is a suburb of Sheffield 3 mi northwest of the city centre. The area is a mixture of residential housing and small industrial and commercial premises.-Etymology:...
, Hillsborough
Hillsborough, South Yorkshire
Hillsborough is an electoral ward which includes the districts of Malin Bridge, Owlerton, Wadsley and Wisewood. It is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the northwestern part of the city and covers an area of 4.6 km2...
, Owlerton
Owlerton
Owlerton is a suburb of the city of Sheffield, it lies northwest of the city centre near the confluence of the River Don and River Loxley. Owlerton was formerly a small rural settlement with its origins in the Early Middle Ages, it became part of Sheffield in the early 1900s as the city expanded...
, the Ski Village
Sheffield Ski Village
Sheffield Ski Village is an artificial ski slope complex in the Parkwood Springs area of Sheffield, England. It is believed to be the largest artificial ski resort in Europe with a sports shop, bar, restaurant and a range of slopes which include a snowflex nursery slope, a dendix recreational...
, and a new Station at the Nunnery Square Supertram
Supertram
Supertram may refer to:* Stagecoach Supertram, Sheffield's modern tram system.* Leeds Supertram, a proposed but rejected modern tram system project for the city of Leeds...
depot in Sheffield City Centre
Sheffield City Centre
Sheffield City Centre—often just referred to as town—is a district of the City of Sheffield, and part of the Sheffield Central ward. It includes the area that is within a radius of roughly of Sheffield Cathedral, and is encircled by the Inner Ring Road—a circular route started in the late 1960s...
called Don Valley. The original Deepcar railway station
Deepcar railway station
Deepcar railway station, originally "Deep Car", is a disused railway station near Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The station, situated on the line built by the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway, opened on 14 July 1845...
would be renovated to serve as the northern terminus for the route. Although the Woodhead Line also had stops at Oughtibridge Station, Wadsley Bridge railway station, and Sheffield Victoria Station
Sheffield Victoria Station
Sheffield Victoria was the main railway station in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England on the Great Central Railway, between Chesterfield and Penistone.-Early history:...
these sites are currently unavailable for renovation/reconstruction so new stations would be built, with the Sheffield terminus linking to the Sheffield Supertram
Sheffield Supertram
The Supertram, officially called the Stagecoach Supertram, is a light rail tram system in the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England...
network at Nunnery Square. Further new station halts would be constructed at Sheffield College in Owlerton
Owlerton
Owlerton is a suburb of the city of Sheffield, it lies northwest of the city centre near the confluence of the River Don and River Loxley. Owlerton was formerly a small rural settlement with its origins in the Early Middle Ages, it became part of Sheffield in the early 1900s as the city expanded...
and the Ski Village (close to the former site of Neepsend railway station
Neepsend railway station
Neepsend railway station was a railway station on the former Great Central Railway in England. Ski Village railway station is a proposed station to occupy the former Neepsend station site.-History:...
).
List of stations
- DeepcarDeepcar railway stationDeepcar railway station, originally "Deep Car", is a disused railway station near Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The station, situated on the line built by the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway, opened on 14 July 1845...
(reopened old station) - Wharncliffe Side (reopened old halt)
- OughtibridgeOughty Bridge railway stationOughty Bridge railway station was a railway station on the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway built to serve the village of Oughtibridge, near Sheffield, South Yorkshire....
(reopened old station, formerly known as Oughty Bridge) - Wadsley Bridge (reopened old station, formerly erroneously known as Wadslibridge)
- Hillsborough and Owlerton (Proposed station to serve the Sheffield College Hillsborough Campus and the districts of HillsboroughHillsborough, South YorkshireHillsborough is an electoral ward which includes the districts of Malin Bridge, Owlerton, Wadsley and Wisewood. It is one of the 28 electoral wards in City of Sheffield, England. It is located in the northwestern part of the city and covers an area of 4.6 km2...
and OwlertonOwlertonOwlerton is a suburb of the city of Sheffield, it lies northwest of the city centre near the confluence of the River Don and River Loxley. Owlerton was formerly a small rural settlement with its origins in the Early Middle Ages, it became part of Sheffield in the early 1900s as the city expanded...
) - Ski VillageNeepsend railway stationNeepsend railway station was a railway station on the former Great Central Railway in England. Ski Village railway station is a proposed station to occupy the former Neepsend station site.-History:...
(New halt to serve the Ski VillageSheffield Ski VillageSheffield Ski Village is an artificial ski slope complex in the Parkwood Springs area of Sheffield, England. It is believed to be the largest artificial ski resort in Europe with a sports shop, bar, restaurant and a range of slopes which include a snowflex nursery slope, a dendix recreational...
) - Sheffield Don Valley (New station to serve part of the Lower Don ValleyLower Don ValleyThe Lower Don Valley, or historically the East End of Sheffield, is the mainly industrial north-east quarter of Sheffield, England. Based around the River Don it encompasses the areas of Attercliffe, Brightside, Darnall, Tinsley and Wincobank....
area of Sheffield and link into the Sheffield SupertramSheffield SupertramThe Supertram, officially called the Stagecoach Supertram, is a light rail tram system in the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England...
and also to interchange with train services on the Sheffield to Lincoln LineSheffield to Lincoln LineThe Sheffield to Lincoln line is a railway line in England. It runs from Sheffield east to Lincoln via Worksop, Retford and Gainsborough Lea Road. The route comprises the main line of the former Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, to Gainsborough, Trent Junction, where it then follows...
).
Leisure
At weekends and holidays Don Valley Railway ltd. plan to operate the Don Valley Railway line as a double trackDouble track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
ed heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
, with Preserved Steam, Diesel and Electric trains running along the route between Sheffield City Centre
Sheffield City Centre
Sheffield City Centre—often just referred to as town—is a district of the City of Sheffield, and part of the Sheffield Central ward. It includes the area that is within a radius of roughly of Sheffield Cathedral, and is encircled by the Inner Ring Road—a circular route started in the late 1960s...
and Deepcar. In addition they hope to establish a living museum
Living museum
A living museum is a type of museum, in which historical events showing the life in ancient times are performed, especially in ethnographic or historical views, or processes for producing a commercial product in terms of technical and technological developments are shown, especially the craft...
in Stocksbridge, which will be centred on the history of steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
making in the valley and provide a local visitor attraction. It also hopes one day the line may become the second Heritage Railway with double track after the Great Central Steam Railway
Great Central Railway (preserved)
The Great Central Railway is a heritage railway split into two adjacent sections, one in Leicestershire and the other Nottinghamshire.The Leicestershire section is currently Britain's only double track mainline heritage railway, with of working double track, period signalling, locomotives and...
.
2010 feasibility study
In late 2010 the Don Valley Railway had a feasibility study for the line to have commuter services between Deepcar and Sheffield Victoria. The study was to GRIP level 1. The study showed that the line could be restored for just £4 million, due to track being in good condition for the steel works trains. In contrast the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail LinkAirdrie-Bathgate Rail Link
The Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link is a railway in central Scotland.Instigated as part of a round of transport improvement projects proposed by the then Scottish Executive in 2003, the plan was to open up a fourth direct railway link between the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. The project was...
in Scotland cost over £300 million and Sheffield Inner Relief Road, part of Sheffield Inner Ring Road
Sheffield Inner Ring Road
Sheffield Inner Ring Road is a dual-carriageway circling central Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Built from the 1960s onwards the Ring Road connects to the Sheffield Parkway, which itself connects with the M1 motorway...
, cost £65 million for 1.5km of road. The study also said that the service would take 11 minutes from a reinstated Victoria to a reinstated Deepcar and a half hourly service could be operated by one unit. The line would have less subsidy per passenger than SYPTE's existing rail services, costing £500,000. The study can be found on the Don Valley Railway's website.
