Beeching's Axe
A
DC electrification system was introduced to the Woodhead line in 1954, which was unique to the line. I have heard that this gave rise to technical
problems which could only be cured by a costly conversion to the more efficient
AC power. I am speculating that this might have been a strong element in the decision
to close the line. The locomotives used regenerative braking, which made them more energy-efficient.
Dr. Beeching was a famous (or infamous) transport minister of the nineteen-sixties. In 1963 he chose to close down the Woodhead line to Manchester. First to passenger transport in 1969 and finally to freight in 1983. This was a bitter blow to the Penistone area but passengers had been dwindling for a long time.
The line to Sheffield Victoria station continued in use for quite a long time and the scan below shows two sides of the same ticket stub from 1970. In those days, it was possible to buy train tickets from High Street travel agents as well as the Railway ticket office.
The timetable shown right (click it) is the last one for the full Woodhead line. Some times are also shown for the other trans-pennine route which started from Sheffield Midland, through the scenic Hope Valley (about 20 miles south of Penistone) to terminate at Manchester Victoria. That route is still in use.
Sheffield
Victoria station had a long steep approach road from near the River Don close
to where the Hilton Hotel is now. Here are both sides of a half ticket which I
purchased for a 'cheap day return'. The guard on the train would either tear it
in two or punch a 'V' - shaped notch in it.
After the demise of the Manchester end of the line, the Sheffield end was routed to Midland station, after passing through the rather depressing sight of the old dilapidated Victoria station. The train would stop for a few minutes and change direction at a points, to reverse into the Midland Station. It later changed to its current route, via Elsecar and Barnsley to Sheffield Midland. An extra station was added in the nineties for Meadowhall shopping centre.
