Wadsley Bridge Station
Encyclopedia
Wadsley Bridge railway station was a station in Sheffield
, South Yorkshire
, England
on the Great Central Railway
's core route between Manchester
and Sheffield.
, on its original route from Bridgehouses
in Sheffield (soon superseded by Sheffield Victoria
) to Manchester London Road. This route became more popularly known as the Woodhead Line
. The station stood on the north side of Halifax Road between Neepsend
and Oughtibridge stations.
The station closed to regular passenger service on 15 June 1959, with the Woodhead Line itself closing to passengers in 1970. However, Wadsley Bridge railway station still saw occasional passenger use - summer specials were advertised until 31 October 1965, Sheffield-Huddersfield passenger trains continued to run through the station until 1983 and football specials used the station until 1996, serving Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium
.
The station buildings survived until final closure, but have since been demolished. The two platforms remain, however they are in a visibly poor condition. Passing through the station is the single line from Sheffield to Stocksbridge
- this has been retained for occasional freight workings to steel mills in Stocksbridge.
An old station sign, almost certainly from the signal box, can be seen attached to the adjacent John Fairest Funeral Home
(see picture).
The weighbridge has recently (2008) been removed and reconstructed at Levisham railway station
on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
.
by The FA as a proposed venue for matches as part of the English 2018 & 2022 FIFA World Cup bid
has opened up the possibility of the station being temporarily opened during the event for fan transport to the stadium, though no announcement has yet to be made.
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...
, 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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 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...
's core route 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.
History
The station opened on 14 July 1845 as part of the then Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester RailwaySheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway
The Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway was an early British railway company which opened in stages between 1841 and 1845 between Sheffield and Manchester via Ashton-under-Lyne...
, on its original route from Bridgehouses
Bridgehouses railway station
Bridgehouses railway station was the terminal station of the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway from its opening in 1845 until the opening of the Wicker Arches, a long viaduct across the Don Valley, which supported the new Sheffield Victoria opened on 15 September 1851...
in Sheffield (soon superseded by Sheffield Victoria
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:...
) to Manchester London Road. This route became more popularly known as the Woodhead Line
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...
. The station stood on the north side of Halifax Road between Neepsend
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:...
and Oughtibridge stations.
The station closed to regular passenger service on 15 June 1959, with the Woodhead Line itself closing to passengers in 1970. However, Wadsley Bridge railway station still saw occasional passenger use - summer specials were advertised until 31 October 1965, Sheffield-Huddersfield passenger trains continued to run through the station until 1983 and football specials used the station until 1996, serving Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
.
Present
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....
- this has been retained for occasional freight workings to steel mills in Stocksbridge.
An old station sign, almost certainly from the signal box, can be seen attached to the adjacent John Fairest Funeral Home
Funeral director
A funeral director , also known as a mortician or undertaker, is a professional involved in the business of funeral rites. These tasks often entail the embalming and burial or cremation of the dead, as well as the planning and arrangement of the actual funeral ceremony...
(see picture).
The weighbridge has recently (2008) been removed and reconstructed at Levisham railway station
Levisham railway station
Levisham railway station is a station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and serves the village of Levisham in North Yorkshire, England. Holiday accommodation is available in the form of a camping coach.-Origins :...
on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England. First opened in 1836 as the Whitby and Pickering Railway, the railway was planned in 1831 by George Stephenson as a means of opening up trade routes inland from the then important seaport of Whitby. The line...
.
Possible future use
The selection of Hillsborough StadiumHillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
by The FA as a proposed venue for matches as part of the English 2018 & 2022 FIFA World Cup bid
English 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup bid
England 2018 was the Football Association's unsuccessful bid for the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. FIFA invited bidding countries to bid for either the 2018 or the 2022 finals, or both...
has opened up the possibility of the station being temporarily opened during the event for fan transport to the stadium, though no announcement has yet to be made.