Report of fire in Totley Tunnel (15/08)

[Killingworth]

All trains stopped between Manchester and Sheffield since about 14.00. Fire crews in attendance at Totley end which is quite hard to access.

From SY Fire & Rescue Facebook

Four fire crews are in attendance at a fire in Totley rail tunnel in Sheffield.

There is a lot of smoke in the area so please keep windows and doors closed if you live nearby and avoid the area if possible.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Aug 2026 ==

Rail replacement buses being organised. Inspection needed so no trains expected to run before 17.30 according to National Rail on X.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Aug 2026 ==

In olden times smoke would pour out of both ends of the tunnel and out of the air shafts after a heavy coal train had laboured through. More recentky there have been occasional small fires on modern dmus and they've caused passengers some concern when the train has stopped. Fortunately none have been serious.

Today the last train through seems to have been a late running EMR service; https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:05016/2026-08-15/detailed#allox_id=0

It appears to have taken almost 18 minutes instead of the normal maximum of 5 to pass through.

The previous TPE services in both directions were delayed for long periods before passing through.

This event reminds us of the almost 6 minute necessary separation that adds further to delays on the Hope Valley line. No train is permitted to enter the tunnel until the previous train has fully cleared.

Latest is that 6 fire engines were deployed

 

[duffield]

Looks like it's open again, I've just seen freight service 6M18 (Attercliffe Sheffield to Peak Forest RMC Sidings) pass through on Traksy.

 

[Trainguy34]

Appears there was a BBC Article about it.

Trains through the Peak District have been halted by a fire close to the tracks.

A fire in Totley Rail Tunnel between Totley, Sheffield, and Grindleford, in Derbyshire's Hope Valley, has led to all lines being closed, said National Rail.

Until a safety inspection can be carried out, no services can run through the area, a spokesperson said.

East Midlands Railway (EMR) trains between Liverpool Lime Street and Nottingham/Norwich, Northern services between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield, and TransPennine Express between Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes are affected.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had four fire crews in attendance at a fire in the tunnel.

A spokesperson said: "There is a lot of smoke in the area so please keep windows and doors closed if you live nearby and avoid the area if possible."

EMR added: "Network Rail and the emergency services are investigating further."​

 

[Russel]

How does a fire start in a tunnel?

 

[Killingworth]

How does a fire start in a tunnel?

Quite, and a 3.5 mile wet tunnel at that.

The fear is that it may be a fire on a halted train half way through. That has happened before but quickly extinguished. Nevertheless those aboard were alarmed by the smoke. I've been aboard a train where the lights went out shortly after leaving Grindleford. It seems a long way to Dore..

However this must surely have been on the sides of the 0.5 mile cutting between the tunnel mouth and tbe access point by the site of former Totley Tunnel East signal box.

Whatever, although the line has been open for the last hour or so services are severely disrupted for the rest of the day. Dore & Totley car park was still 2/3 full an hour ago so the bus substitutes being provided will be needed for those returning.

 

[Fokx]

How does a fire start in a tunnel?

Electrical equipment inside the tunnel

 

[CalderRail]

How does a fire start in a tunnel?

*laughs in Summit Tunnel Fire*

 

[Killingworth]

*laughs in Summit Tunnel Fire*

Well it must have been all clear this evening to allow a long train full of wood pellets for Drax to go through, seemingly given priority over restricted passenger services.

 

[Bow Fell]

Absolutely, plan was for an ECS or freight to run through the tunnel in effect to “route prove” the section, to avoid any risk to passenger services. The freight was the quickest identified train.

 

[CalderRail]

Well it must have been all clear this evening to allow a long train full of wood pellets for Drax to go through, seemingly given priority over restricted passenger services.

Oh I'm not doubting that the Drax train went through (slowly, mind, to check). It's just the question I was responding to of how a fire can start in a tunnel - I'm just old enough to remember Summit!

 

[M60lad]

Due to the above incident EMR have got 3 units currently stabled the wrong side of the Pennines at Platform 3 Manchester Piccadilly with 170208 nearest the buffers having terminated short at Manchester Oxford Road and then shunted into the shed at Piccadilly and in front is 158774 + 158806 which terminated at Grindleford and then ran ECS back to Piccadilly.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How does a fire start in a tunnel?

Fault of some sort on a train passing through the tunnel?! The fire inside Summit tunnel between Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire in 1984 was essentially caused by a defective axle bearing, resulting in the derailment of several fuel tankers mid-tunnel, which then leaked, with the petrol vapour catching fire.

 

[CalderRail]

If you want to read the after-action report of the Summit fire it's right here: https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/DoT_Summit1984.pdf

However, we are getting a bit off topic, I guess.

With units the wrong side of the tunnel right now, I'd guess they will run some ECS first thing? Or run them in multiple with regulars to get back to where they are needed?

 

[Fokx]

Due to the above incident EMR have got 3 units currently stabled the wrong side of the Pennines at Platform 3 Manchester Piccadilly with 170208 nearest the buffers having terminated short at Manchester Oxford Road and then shunted into the shed at Piccadilly and in front is 158774 + 158806 which terminated at Grindleford and then ran ECS back to Piccadilly.

There's also 4 class 158 at Liverpool Lime Street platform 2

 

[IanMac]

I would have thought they will all somehow get back to Nottingham as soon as convenient , so as to be ready for service early on Monday.

 

[liamf656]

There's also 4 class 158 at Liverpool Lime Street platform 2

These will run in 8 car formation in service tomorrow morning

 

[tokoto]

We were on 1B76, the TransPennine Liverpool Lime Street to Cleethorpes service, this afternoon. We picked it up at Oxford Road (due 12.09), where it was already running around 20 minutes late.

Apparently, there was a communication fault between the front and rear Class 185 units, so the rear unit was locked out of use. The front unit was therefore so packed that we had to leave people on the platform at Stockport.

As we approached Sheffield, an alarm started sounding while we were in a tunnel - I’m now guessing that was Totley Tunnel - and the train came to an emergency stop shortly after leaving it. Apparently, a fire sensor had activated in the locked rear unit.

The driver carried out inspections and we were at a stand for quite a while, with excellent regular announcements from the train manager. We got on the move and eventually arrived at Sheffield 57 minutes late, where the service was terminated and the train taken out of service.

I’ve got no evidence that this was connected to the fire and subsequent closure, but it feels like quite a coincidence if it wasn’t!

We were due to head back from Sheffield at around 6pm and got caught up in all the disruption. We eventually caught the 20:14 to Manchester Piccadilly with Northern - but only after being sent from platform 7 to platform 2C and then back again following multiple platform alterations!

Not the smoothest day out for us!

 

[Freightmaster]

Four fire crews are in attendance at a fire in Totley rail tunnel in Sheffield.

Well it must have been all clear this evening to allow a long train full of wood pellets for Drax to go through

In hindsight, that doesn't seem like the most suitable 'proving' train to send though in the wake of a fire!!

 

[Falcon1200]

Glasgow Control once received a report of smoke pouring out of Falkirk High Tunnel, a concerned member of the public had phoned the Fire service. It was shortly after a steam-hauled special had passed through....

 

[Bantamzen]

I got caught up with this at the back end of the disruption. Firstly the Calder Valley service to Manchester from Bradford (starting at Leeds) yesterday evening was rammed full of diverted Hope Valley passengers. Then when I had to change plans at Piccadilly as the Mid Cheshire service was going to terminate at Altrincham due to a broken down train towards Chester (although as I understand it this eventually terminated at Stockport because it too failed!), there were obviously no Trans Pennine or East Midlands services towards Warrington Central. So I ended up on a Transport for Wales service to Bank Quay.

Given the issues in the morning on the Calder Valley due to a points failure, the fire at Totley and another borked train on the Mid Cheshire it wasn't a great day at all in the region. Getting around by train is getting increasingly frustrating.

 

[DarloRich]

Found on Facebook. A post from Bolsover fire station about working at Totely tunnel

This post came up on my facebook. It is from Bolsover Fire Station who said they were providing support for fire crews in the peak district and were called to Totley Tunnel. They say their crews walked 5 kilometres through the tunnel wearing beathing apparatus to deal with the issue.
They do not say what the issue was nor do I have further information.

I thought it might give some context/colour and flush out posters with more information to share.

 

[Killingworth]

Found on Facebook. A post from bolsover fire station about working at totely tunnel

Apparently an electrical fire in the tunnel. Bolsover crews went in from the Grindleford end, SY from Totley.

Access from the west is relatively easy with road down to Grindleford station immediately beside the portal.

From the Totley end it's half a mile of an overgrowing deep cutting - telephoto view below

 

[AWWisher]

On a tangent, but relevant:
"Smoke" is often seen coming out of the vents of the disused Woodhead tunnels. It is, in fact, condensation, formed when there are temperature/pressure changes.

 

[Acathater]

Found on Facebook. A post from bolsover fire station about working at totely tunnel

Walked 5.6km in breathing apparatus?
That's quite some walk - and I'm surprised their gas bottles lasted the whole length

 

[Elecman]

Walked 5.6km in breathing apparatus?
That's quite some walk - and I'm surprised their gas bottles lasted the whole length

The quote sad wearing BA not necessarily using them ‘under air’

 

[Killingworth]

The quote sad wearing BA not necessarily using them ‘under air’

Nor walking the full length, possibly half way and back again after meeting a crew doing the same from the Totley end?

It's curious that there should be so much smoke from electrical equipment. I understood all the signalling was replaced during the recent improvement work completed less than 3 years ago. What else might be in there to burn?

 

[Leedsbusman]

Nor walking the full length, possibly half way and back again after meeting a crew doing the same from the Totley end?

It's curious that there should be so much smoke from electrical equipment. I understood all the signalling was replaced during the recent improvement work completed less than 3 years ago. What else might be in there to burn?

Isn’t walking half way and then back again equivalent to walking the full length?

 

[Nym]

Isn’t walking half way and then back again equivalent to walking the full length?

Not if you're walking slower than the other team.

 

[Killingworth]

Isn’t walking half way and then back again equivalent to walking the full length?

Semantics. However there's a serious issue here. We all hope a train won't be involved in an incident within the tunnel.

Looking at Totley Tunnel East on RTT for Saturday between 12.00 and 14.30 the existence of a fire may have been known by 13.00 when 2S80 1148 Piccadilly - Sheffield passed through and was then cancelled for a return at 13.14 due to a fire.

Nevertheless TPE and EMR trains passed through up to an hour later.

It's a long way to walk in the dark, 3.5 miles plus another 0.5 miles at the Totley end from/to an access point. It's simple for Sheffield based emergency services (maybe 6 appliances) to get to that point on the road but carrying equipment down the cutting and along into the tunnel takes time. Network Rail response vehicles were parked almost a mile further away in Dore & Totley station car park. If a fire crew at the Grindleford end came from Bolsover (Chesterfield would be nearer) that's 20 miles they'll have travelled, much of it on country roads.

In an emergency these details matter.

At 19.04 on 24th May 1971 an eastbound train derailed in the tunnel. The Class 45 hauled stock encountered a broken rail, the loco stayed on the track but the coupling broke behind it. The very lightly loaded 9 carriages stayed upright but they came to rest fouling the westbound track. The loco exited the tunnel alone at the Totley end. No serious casualties but it took a long time to rescue those marooned in the long tunnel. It could have been a lot worse, see; https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=460 Passengers finally got out at 22.10 and were taken to Chesterfield. The line was much less busy in 1971 than today. Local residents are sensitive to the danger.

The line between Dore and Bamford was resignalled only 3 years ago. Surely that wasn't the electrical equiment that was alight? Trains seemed to run quite soon after the smoke cleared suggesting it was something else.

 

[Acathater]

The line between Dore and Bamford was resignalled only 3 years ago. Surely that wasn't the electrical equiment that was alight? Trains seemed to run quite soon after the smoke cleared suggesting it was something else.

How much of a historic soot build up is there in that tunnel?