Ernest Marple of Marple Ridgeway shut them down by putting a stooge in charge, Dr beeching an ici chemical engineer. Road open for his family firm to build motorways ,!
The ridiculous mindset that closed the route is still running the transport strategy in 'Modern Britain' today. They allowed the Woodhead tunnel to be repurposed meaning the route will never reopen
Beautiful line, but once coal declined its fate seemed to sealed. I don’t even know if now, in 2023, there would be enough demand to justify its reopening, however unlikely that is anyway with the main tunnel gone with electricity cables
That was a beautifully engineered line. It's disgraceful how railway infrastructure is treated. Unfortunately, the same thing occurs here in the United States. Watching those freights hauled by the electrics was like watching a beautifully designed and well oiled machine operating.
A fascinating and sad to see these routes being shut down, and any hope of restoring them scattered to the wind, as they sell off the track bed to developers/land owners, ensuring future use impossible. Men's livelyhoods and communities being snuffed out by the "uneconomical" argument put forward by those who profited most. This is where the capitalist face shows its uncaring side in sharp relief.
If the Woodhead route still existed, it could be electrified at 25kV and be a major trans Pennine route for freight and passengers. This would relieve the existing lines and improve the punctuality of trains. It's not too late! The track bed is still there! Why did you ever close the line?
The mainline between Sheffield and Manchester via Woodhead needs to be re-opened to match the Transpennine Route Upgrade between Leeds and Manchester. According to National Grid the high voltage cables are not an issue regarding reusing the tunnel for electric trains.
Should never have closed. I travelled with friends on a special from Essendine on the ECML to celebrate the opening of the electrified section in the 1950s and when living in Manchester many years later I travelled with my daughter on the last day of passenger trains on the Woodhead route. Thanks for the excellent video.
Aside from the loss of the majority of the Great Central further south - which was already engineered to a loading gauge suitable for modern megabox containers - the closure of this alternative corridor between Greater Manchester and Sheffield was IMO the greatest misstep of “Reshaping Britain’s Railways”. Even worse was the failure to protect the right of way by handing-over the later Woodhead bore to the CEGB to be used as a transmission cable route. Yes, the uneconomic branches needing trimming back was sensible but the abject failure to plan for further growth in the containerised freight sector - which had its own chapter in the report - and its need of well-engineered direct routes to ports was shortsighted at best and downright foolhardy at worst. Ah, Blighty; complacent, always run for now, claiming to be building for the future but usually for a future which never pans-out. And now haemorrhaging money on a vanity high-speed rail project that Britain doesn’t want or need and realistically cannot afford. Great job, leaders!
Two of the saddest sights in the world are a war cemetery and a locomotive scrap line. Superb film covering what will be remembered for many years hence, as a jewel in BR's crown. Sadly lamented.
Absolutely criminal what the government has done to the railway's in britain.
Ernest Marple of Marple Ridgeway shut them down by putting a stooge in charge, Dr beeching an ici chemical engineer. Road open for his family firm to build motorways ,!
The most informative video I've seen on the Woodhead route, thanks for posting Alan and well presented too
The ridiculous mindset that closed the route is still running the transport strategy in 'Modern Britain' today. They allowed the Woodhead tunnel to be repurposed meaning the route will never reopen
Beautiful line, but once coal declined its fate seemed to sealed. I don’t even know if now, in 2023, there would be enough demand to justify its reopening, however unlikely that is anyway with the main tunnel gone with electricity cables
That was a beautifully engineered line. It's disgraceful how railway infrastructure is treated. Unfortunately, the same thing occurs here in the United States. Watching those freights hauled by the electrics was like watching a beautifully designed and well oiled machine operating.
A fascinating and sad to see these routes being shut down, and any hope of restoring them scattered to the wind, as they sell off the track bed to developers/land owners, ensuring future use impossible. Men's livelyhoods and communities being snuffed out by the "uneconomical" argument put forward by those who profited most. This is where the capitalist face shows its uncaring side in sharp relief.
If the Woodhead route still existed, it could be electrified at 25kV and be a major trans Pennine route for freight and passengers. This would relieve the existing lines and improve the punctuality of trains. It's not too late! The track bed is still there! Why did you ever close the line?
Fascinating and sad in equal measure. It seems that even the sky shed tears on the last day of operation!. "Nothing less than a tragedy" - how true.
The mainline between Sheffield and Manchester via Woodhead needs to be re-opened to match the Transpennine Route Upgrade between Leeds and Manchester. According to National Grid the high voltage cables are not an issue regarding reusing the tunnel for electric trains.
My dad used to work on the Woodhead Line and drove those locos. I remember him telling me about them when I was young.
An excellent video and highlights lunatic political thinking in the UK to close such a valuable route which could have been well used today.
Real tragedy even 42 years on the implications of closing this line are still felt today.
Absolutely soul destroying
yes it was and still is a tragedy , great film , thanks from wigan , lancashire
Should never have closed. I travelled with friends on a special from Essendine on the ECML to celebrate the opening of the electrified section in the 1950s and when living in Manchester many years later I travelled with my daughter on the last day of passenger trains on the Woodhead route. Thanks for the excellent video.
Excellent presentation. I was lucky enough to see these locos in action at Manchester, Woodhead and Sheffield. That dates me!
Aside from the loss of the majority of the Great Central further south - which was already engineered to a loading gauge suitable for modern megabox containers - the closure of this alternative corridor between Greater Manchester and Sheffield was IMO the greatest misstep of “Reshaping Britain’s Railways”. Even worse was the failure to protect the right of way by handing-over the later Woodhead bore to the CEGB to be used as a transmission cable route. Yes, the uneconomic branches needing trimming back was sensible but the abject failure to plan for further growth in the containerised freight sector - which had its own chapter in the report - and its need of well-engineered direct routes to ports was shortsighted at best and downright foolhardy at worst. Ah, Blighty; complacent, always run for now, claiming to be building for the future but usually for a future which never pans-out. And now haemorrhaging money on a vanity high-speed rail project that Britain doesn’t want or need and realistically cannot afford. Great job, leaders!
This video is incredible so many fond memories and such a short sighted thing to close
Two of the saddest sights in the world are a war cemetery and a locomotive scrap line. Superb film covering what will be remembered for many years hence, as a jewel in BR's crown. Sadly lamented.