Don Valley Railway
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The Don Valley Railway is a project started September 2003 to restore a passenger rail link along the section of the Woodhead Line that runs between Deepcar and central Sheffield. The project is being developed by Don Valley Railway Ltd., a not-for-profit company and registered charity that is based in Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire. The company plans to renovate and reopen some of the closed stations along the route, as well as building some new ones. Once the infrastructure is completed, the company plans to introduce weekday passenger services, and operate steam trains for the purposes of tourism at weekends[1].
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[edit] Project
The proposed route runs along trackbed owned by Network Rail[2] that was constructed in the 1840s by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway (later the Great Central Railway) as part of their line between Manchester and Sheffield. 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[1].
[edit] Workshops
The Don Valley Railway would operate out of workshops at the Deepcar 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.
[edit] Stations
There are seven stations proposed along the route serving Deepcar, Wharncliffe Side, Oughtibridge, Wadsley Bridge, Sheffield College, Sheffield Ski Village, and Sheffield City Centre. The original Deepcar Station would be renovated to serve as the northern terminus for the route. Although the Woodhead Line also had stops at Oughtibridge Station, Wadsley Bridge Station, and Sheffield Victoria Station these sites are unavailable for renovation/reconstruction so new stations would be built, with the Sheffield terminus linking to the Sheffield Supertram network at Nunnery Square. Further new stations would be constructed at Sheffield College and the Ski Village (close to the former site of Neepsend Station).
[edit] Leisure
At weekends and holidays Don Valley Railway ltd. plan to operate the line as a heritage railway, with steam trains running along the route. In addition they hope to establish a living museum in Deepcar or Stocksbridge, which will be centred on the history of steel making in the valley and provide a local visitor attraction.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Revived rail link could ease city traffic chaos. Sheffield Telegraph, 9 October 2006.
- ^ The Route. Don Valley Railway website (URL accessed 14 November 2006)
