Deepcar branch modernisation?

[Steelman79]

Hello All,first post on here.
Today while out walking with the kids in Wharncliffe Woods I noticed signs of recent work on the line up to Stocksbridge.
Firstly a few "grey boxes" have appeared lineside and up on the track banking. These look like some kind of control panels.
Also the foot crossing across the line in the woods has been replaced with a brand new one and all the signs and gates are brand new aswell, on these signs there is contact details for Woodbourn Jnc signalbox, (it isn't possible for vehicles to use this crossing?).
Also brand new bridge strike signs have been put up on bridge 108 in the woods, (this also is never used by vehicles?).
Also signs of tree felling lineside.
Lastly, while driving past Wadsley Bridge station last week I noticed that the old underpass between platforms has been dug out and gated off ( this must have been filled in for 25+ years so why dig it out now?.
Has anybody on here got any idea as to what's going on, is this just general maintainence by Network Rail or is something else afoot???.

 

[itsjustmyjob]

Lastly, while driving past Wadsley Bridge station last week I noticed that the old underpass between platforms has been dug out and gated off ( this must have been filled in for 25+ years so why dig it out now?.
Has anybody on here got any idea as to what's going on, is this just general maintainence by Network Rail or is something else afoot???.

I saw that on a recent visit to 'The New Inn' next to Wadsley Bridge station.
I wondered if it was dug out to inspect the condition of the structure, given that it carries a railway line above it?

 

[Steelman79]

Could be but I'd imagine that it would have needed inspecting sooner than now.
There is also a couple of the earlier mentioned "grey boxes" appeared lineside above the old underpass.

 

[deltic08]

Could be but I'd imagine that it would have needed inspecting sooner than now.
There is also a couple of the earlier mentioned "grey boxes" appeared lineside above the old underpass.

Welcome aboard. Do you know what you have let yourself in for?

 

[JohnB57]

Welcome aboard. Do you know what you have let yourself in for?

Rail Through the Looking Glass. Fact to fantasy and everything in between, eh?

Edit... Sorry SM79 - this looked like it was a comment on your posts. It wasn't and I'm fascinated by any potential development of the Deepcar line, which is fairly local to me. This is a terrific forum but the "Fact to Fantasy" epithet is pretty accurate!

 

[Steelman79]

Rail Through the Looking Glass. Fact to fantasy and everything in between, eh?

Edit... Sorry SM79 - this looked like it was a comment on your posts. It wasn't and I'm fascinated by any potential development of the Deepcar line, which is fairly local to me. This is a terrific forum but the "Fact to Fantasy" epithet is pretty accurate!

Lets stick to the facts please, I asked about recent work which has been undertaken on the Deepcar Branch.

I am aware that there is a few dreamers who will think this is a "Is the woodhead going to re-open" thread.

I can assure you I am merely curious as to the work which has been done on the line.

Anybody who still thinks woodhead can or will re-open is living in a dreamworld.

Hope this clears things up.

 

[JohnB57]

Lets stick to the facts please, I asked about recent work which has been undertaken on the Deepcar Branch.

I am aware that there is a few dreamers who will think this is a "Is the woodhead going to re-open" thread.

I can assure you I am merely curious as to the work which has been done on the line.

Anybody who still thinks woodhead can or will re-open is living in a dreamworld.

Hope this clears things up.

Nothing for you to clear up - it was me who confused matters.

Deltic08 was welcoming you to the forum and in jest asked if you knew what you were letting yourself in for on here. My comment was intended as a response to his, but my attempt at humour failed. It often does...

I agree about Woodhead and I'm also curious about the Deepcar branch. I have old slides of the final days of former and relatively recent images of the odd railtour on the latter. Both are, as I mentioned, local-ish to me.

However, apologies again for the confusion I caused.

 

[Mickc1440]

The grey boxes are our traction gel applicators, installed for the leaf fall season to assist DBS's trains up to Stocksbridge.
The other works taking place has been to repair a retaining wall.

 

[Sox]

Yes, Woodhead truly ker'nerd, National Grid has now laid 400kV cables in the '53 tunnels which would cost several millions to shift and the twin bores are goosed anyway.

 

[Steelman79]

The grey boxes are our traction gel applicators, installed for the leaf fall season to assist DBS's trains up to Stocksbridge.
The other works taking place has been to repair a retaining wall.

Many thanks for your explaination Mickc

 

[RichmondCommu]

Clearly Network Rail are confident that the medium term future of the steel plant at Stocksbridge is secure enough for them to spend money on the line.

 

[Steelman79]

Clearly Network Rail are confident that the medium future of the steel plant at Stocksbridge is secure enough for them to spend money on the line.

I used to work in the electric arc melting shop there until it shut in 2005.

However there is still a lot of specialist steels (ESR, VAR and VIM steels), remelted there.
I honestly believe that Stocksbridge could well be the last steelplant left in South Yorkshire if things carry on as they are in the industry

 

[WestRiding]

Pity the local powers that be, do not see the potential for a passenger service up to Stocksbridge. The line will shut when the Steelworks does. Then some bright spark will have an idea, a passenger service to Stocksbridge (after the line has become over-grown and un-useable, adding millions of pounds to the cost). I can see it now. Surely this would be an excellent case for tram train, with a city facing junction/connection at Nunnery Depot, given trams ability to do tight corners, linking it up to supertram at Nunnery Square P&R.

 

[Steelman79]

There is a tramlink feeder bus which runs every 10 mins from Stocksbridge to Middlewood tram terminus.

It's very well used so I don't think there's much chance of tram-train being used now although I think you're right in saying it was shortsighted not to run the tram up here originally.

Like Rich Comm said Network Rail have obviously got faith that the works will be open for a while, indeed like I said earlier I honestly believe it will be the last one left in South Yorkshire due to the specialist steels it produces.

 

[MarkRedon]

Pity the local powers that be, do not see the potential for a passenger service up to Stocksbridge. The line will shut when the Steelworks does. Then some bright spark will have an idea, a passenger service to Stocksbridge (after the line has become over-grown and un-useable, adding millions of pounds to the cost). I can see it now. Surely this would be an excellent case for tram train, with a city facing junction/connection at Nunnery Depot, given trams ability to do tight corners, linking it up to supertram at Nunnery Square P&R.

Has no-one here heard of the Don Valley Railway, a campaigning group pushing for passenger service on the Stocksbridge line? See: http://donvalleyrailway.org/category/news/

 

[Steelman79]

Yep, heard of them.....

Don't Valley Railway= A yet to be built station at Stocksbridge although this will almost certainly be on the new Fox Valley development, this is in the valley bottom so people who live up the top end of Stocksbridge face travelling up to a mile to this new station.

Next stop Deepcar station which is quite a way from Deepcar as well as the station itself now being a quite splendid private dwelling.

Next possible stop is Wharncliffe Side although no station has ever existed here as the village is quite far removed from the route.

Oughtiibridge comes next although again the station is 1/2 mile up a steep hill away from the village and is again a private dwelling.

Wadsley Bridge station comes next (this is likely to be quite well used in my opinion), then on to Sheffield itself passing the site of the ski village, (DVR had planned a station here I believe but this is now pointless as the ski village burnt down a couple of years ago), Next stop Sheffield.

Stagecoach Tramlink Service = Arrives in Stocksbridge and covers the vast majority of the housing estates in a circle on its way back to Deepcar, then runs back into Deepcar straight along the main road so within easy reach to the vast majority of residents.

Next it's on to Wharncliffe Side again passing straight through the centre of the village.

Oughtibridge comes next, again passing straight through the centre of the village within easy reach of most,(anybody up the hillside towards worrall can catch Stagecoach no 57 service to go straight into Sheffield or catch up with the tram in Hillsborough).

Now straight to Middlewood terminus where 9 times out of 10 a tram is sat waiting to depart to Sheffield/Meadowhall........

I wonder if the DVR will be a success if it ever does get off the ground????

Sorry for sounding so pessimistic but realistically what incentive is there to use the rail link if it WAS available?