Penistone Line
Encyclopedia
The Penistone Line is operated by Northern Rail
in the West Yorkshire Metro/ Travel South Yorkshire area of northern England. It connects Huddersfield
and Sheffield
via Penistone
and Barnsley
, serving many rural communities. Metrocards (Zone 5) can be used for travel between Huddersfield and Denby Dale and intermediate stations.
(L&YR). From the joint L&YR/London and North Western Railway
Huddersfield station trains ran south to Springwood Junction (south of Huddersfield) on the London and North Western Railway
Leeds
- Manchester
main line, where the L&YR line began; from there the route was as follows:
The southern part of that section follows the upper reaches of the River Don.
line from Manchester via the Woodhead Tunnel
, travelling eastwards. It deviates from the former main line towards Sheffield Victoria at a point once known as Barnsley Junction, and heads towards that town beyond which it takes a circuitous route via Wombwell
before going south to Sheffield. The route is as follows:
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
in the West Yorkshire Metro/ Travel South Yorkshire area of northern England. It connects Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
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...
via Penistone
Penistone
Penistone is a small town market town and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, England, with a population of 10,101 at the 2001 census. It lies west of the town of Barnsley and north east of Glossop, in the foothills of the Pennines...
and Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
, serving many rural communities. Metrocards (Zone 5) can be used for travel between Huddersfield and Denby Dale and intermediate stations.
Line details
Huddersfield - Penistone
The first section of line between and was opened on 1 July 1850 by the Lancashire and Yorkshire RailwayLancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
(L&YR). From the joint L&YR/London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
Huddersfield station trains ran south to Springwood Junction (south of Huddersfield) on the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
- 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...
main line, where the L&YR line began; from there the route was as follows:
- Springwood Tunnel
- Meltham Branch Junction was the junction for the now disused Meltham branch lineMeltham branch lineThe Meltham branch line is a disused railway line that ran for 3½ miles from Lockwood to Meltham, in West Yorkshire, England. The line was single track for its entire length. The last regular passenger service was on May 21, 1949. It closed completely on April 3, 1965.-History:The line was...
- Robin Hood Tunnel
- Honley Tunnel
- was the junction for the now closed Holmfirth Branch LineHolmfirth Branch LineThe Holmfirth Branch Line is a disused railway line that ran for from Brockholes to Holmfirth, in West Yorkshire, England. The line was built as double track as there were plans to extend the line up the Holme Valley.-Construction:...
. - Thurstonland Tunnel
- also serves ShelleyShelley, West YorkshireShelley is a village in the county of West Yorkshire, England, 3 miles north of Holmfirth and 6 miles south east of Huddersfield. It sometimes appears as Shelley Woodhouse and has a population of 3,059 . It is part of the Kirkburton ward of the local council. Road transport links are...
- Clayton West Junction for the now closed Clayton WestClayton WestClayton West is a village in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. It had a population of 2,648 . and 2,704 in 2008. It is south east of Huddersfield and north west of Barnsley.It is in the parish of Clayton West and High Hoyland...
branch Clayton West signal box - Cumberworth Tunnel
- Denby DaleDenby Dale railway stationDenby Dale railway station serves the village of Denby Dale, in West Yorkshire, England and the surrounding area. It lies on the Penistone Line south east of Huddersfield and is operated by Northern Rail.-Tickets:...
also serves Upper CumberworthUpper CumberworthUpper Cumberworth is a small village in West Yorkshire, England, within the Civil parish of Denby Dale and the Diocese of Wakefield. It is between the villages of Denby Dale and Shepley, above the village of Lower Cumberworth...
and Lower Cumberworth, and was originally Denby Dale & Cumberworth - Denby Dale viaduct
- Wellhouse Tunnel
- Penistone Viaduct
- The station was opened with the line; in 1874 a joint L&YR/Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire RailwayManchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire RailwayThe Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
(GCR from 1899) station was built to replace the original M.S.& L.R. Penistone station which served only the line to Manchester. This line was closed to passenger traffic on 5 January 1970 and completely 11 years later.
The southern part of that section follows the upper reaches of the River Don.
Penistone - Barnsley - Sheffield
At Penistone, the route joins the former Great Central RailwayGreat 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...
line from Manchester via the Woodhead Tunnel
Woodhead Tunnel
The Woodhead Tunnels are three parallel trans-Pennine 3-mile long railway tunnels on the Woodhead Line, a former major rail link from Manchester to Sheffield in northern England...
, travelling eastwards. It deviates from the former main line towards Sheffield Victoria at a point once known as Barnsley Junction, and heads towards that town beyond which it takes a circuitous route via Wombwell
Wombwell
Wombwell is a small town near Barnsley, located in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 15,180.Its name's origin may mean "Womba's Well", or "well in a hollow"....
before going south to Sheffield. The route is as follows:
- Penistone : the junction here was originally known as Huddersfield Junction.
- junction, originally Barnsley Junction, with the direct line to that town and West Silkstone Junction, a few miles further, via Worsborough to Wombwell and the Wath marshalling yardWath marshalling yardWath marshalling yard, also known as Wath concentration yard, was a large railway marshalling yard specifically designed for the concentration of coal traffic. It was set at the heart of the South Yorkshire Coalfield, at Wath-upon-Dearne, approximately halfway between Barnsley and Doncaster, in...
(freight-only) (closed) - (was Silkstone: the station was re-opened when the direct line to Sheffield closed and trains diverted via Barnsley on 16 May 1983)
- (as for Silkstone - a re-opened station) (closed)
- the line then descends steeply, latterly at 1 in 50 to the former location of the junction which brought the M.S.& L. R. trains from Barnsley Court House to the Penistone line.
- the line joins the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway's line from Wakefield and enters the former Barnsley Exchange, rebuilt and renamed Barnsley InterchangeBarnsley InterchangeBarnsley Interchange lies in the centre of the town of Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, England. The station was opened in 1850 and is north of Sheffield...
. - Barnsley InterchangeBarnsley InterchangeBarnsley Interchange lies in the centre of the town of Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, England. The station was opened in 1850 and is north of Sheffield...
. Barnsley was served by three railway companies: L&Y, GCR, and Midland; and by two stations: Exchange and Court House. The latter is now closed. The Penistone Line continues to Sheffield, leaving the station over Jumble Lane crossing on tracks of the former South Yorkshire RailwaySouth Yorkshire RailwayThe South Yorkshire Railway was a railway company which was based in the south of the former West Riding of Yorkshire, England. Its first section of line opened on 10 November 1849 between Swinton Junction and Doncaster...
(later Great Central) but only for a short distance. A connection made in April 1960 by British Rail gave access to the Midland route towards Sheffield (and also enabled the closure of Court House station): - junction for the BirdwellBirdwell, South YorkshireBirdwell is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England.Birdwell is located approximately 4.5 miles south of Barnsley and neighbouring villages include Worsbrough Village, Tankersley , and Hoyland Common.The A61 Birdwell is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of...
and PilleyPilley, South YorkshirePilley is a village in the English county of South Yorkshire.Pilley forms part of the borough of Barnsley and lies to the south of that town and to the west of Junction 36 of the M1 motorway.- External links :...
freight-only branch - passes over Swaithe Viaduct high over the Worsborough line
- (was Wombwell West)
- (was Elsecar & Hoyland) (not all trains stop here - check WY Metro)
- Wentworth & Hoyland Common (closed)
- Tankersley Tunnel
- (was Chapeltown South). This station being the first to be rebuilt under the guidance of the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive was moved some 500 yards further south and new approaches made from the town centre and via the ASDA car park.
- Meadowhall InterchangeMeadowhall InterchangeMeadowhall Interchange to the north of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England is a railway station on the Midland Main Line, a Sheffield Supertram stop, and bus station. It is close to junction 34 on the M1, and serves Meadowhall Shopping Centre...
(the previous station on the site was named Wincobank and Meadowhall), closed in the 1990s, closed in the 1990s. - Sheffield MidlandSheffield Midland stationSheffield station, formerly Pond Street and later Sheffield Midland, is a railway station in Sheffield, England and is the busiest station in South Yorkshire...
Network Rail
The 32.6-km section of line from Springwood Junction (between and ) to Barnsley Station Junction (between and ) constitutes Network Rail route LNE 15A.
{|{| class="wikitable" cellpadding="2" style="margin: 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 85%;"
|align=left|LNE 15A
|width=50 align=right|M-Ch
Chain (unit)
A chain is a unit of length; it measures 66 feet or 22 yards or 100 links . There are 10 chains in a furlong, and 80 chains in one statute mile. An acre is the area of 10 square chains...
|width=50 align=right|km
|-
|align=left|
|align=right|– 0-11
|align=right|– 0.20
|-
|align=left|Barnsley Station Junction
|align=right|0-00
|align=right|0.00
|-
|align=left|
|align=right|2-64
|align=right|4.50
|-
|align=left|
|align=right|4-22
|align=right|6.90
|-
|align=left|
|align=right|7-25
|align=right|11.75
|-
|align=left|
|align=right|11-30
|align=right|18.30
|-
|align=left|Clayton West Junction
|align=right|12-73
|align=right|20.80
|-
|align=left|
|align=right|13-47
|align=right|21.85
|-
|align=left|
|align=right|14-35
|align=right|23.25
|-
|align=left|
|align=right|16-36
|align=right|26.45
|-
|align=left|
|align=right|18-35
|align=right|29.65
|-
|align=left|
|align=right|19-43
|align=right|31.45
|-
|align=left|Springwood Junction
|align=right|20-21
|align=right|32.60
|-
|align=left|
|align=right|+ 0-40
|align=right|+ 0.80
|}
The Penistone Line today
The Penistone Line Partnership, representing local interests, is a long-time supporter of services on the route and has provided music and real-ale trains.In November 2005 the line was named as a pilot project within the Department for Transport's
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
Community Rail Strategy. The section from Barnsley to Huddersfield was designated a community rail
Community rail
In the United Kingdom, a community rail line is a local railway which is specially supported by local organisations. This support is usually through a Community Rail Partnerships – comprising both the railway operator, local councils and other community organisations – or sometimes by...
line in May 2006. This led to line speed improvements at Cumberworth Tunnel and improved reliability. Passenger numbers have continued to grow to a record 1,030,000 in 2005.
Tram-trains trial
On 18 March 2008, the Department for Transport released details of a proposal to trial tram-trainTram-train
A tram-train is a light-rail public transport system where trams run both on an urban tramway network and on main-line railways to combine the tram's flexibility and availability and the train's greater speed...
s on the Penistone Line, the first use of such vehicles in the UK. The trial was to start in 2010 and last for two years. Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
, the operator of passenger services on the line, asked potential manufacturers to tender for the design and construction of five new vehicles, which Northern Rail would subsequently lease. In addition, Network Rail
Network 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...
planned to spend £15m modifying track and stations to make them compatible with the new vehicles.
However, it was announced on 15 September 2009 that a city tram-train trial between Rotherham and Sheffield would replace the Penistone Line scheme.