Sheffield Midland

[9007pinza]

Passing through the stunning Sheffield Midland railway station last week. Very clean and tidy. It took me back to my spotting days, where coming from the N.E. (Yes, we had the Deltics), Sheffield was a magical place, & easy to 'kop' many locos. It was the loco era, and seeing Peaks, Brush4,s Brush 2,s, Type 3,s (now the 37,s) and Type 4,s. Even the station pilots were great to see. Although the present generation of rolling stock and trains are magnificent & state of the art & ultra efficient, I still see them as EMU,s and DMU,s. I loved the locomotive era.!

 

[yorksrob]

I miss seeing as many HST's coming through as in the old days.

It is a nice station though - particularly with the Sheffield Tap.

 

[kevconnor]

It has had a lot done to it and spent on it, by the last 90's early 2000's Sheffield Midland and the area around the station had become very run down and derelict. With Sheaf House, Dyson House and Nelson Mandella Building all being demolished since then and major remodelling of both the station and its environs.

 

[Western Sunset]

I preferred Sheffield Victoria...

 

[greyman42]

Passing through the stunning Sheffield Midland railway station last week.

I have never heard it being referred to a stunning before.

 

[ricoblade]

Passing through the stunning Sheffield Midland railway station last week. Very clean and tidy. It took me back to my spotting days, where coming from the N.E. (Yes, we had the Deltics), Sheffield was a magical place, & easy to 'kop' many locos. It was the loco era, and seeing Peaks, Brush4,s Brush 2,s, Type 3,s (now the 37,s) and Type 4,s. Even the station pilots were great to see. Although the present generation of rolling stock and trains are magnificent & state of the art & ultra efficient, I still see them as EMU,s and DMU,s. I loved the locomotive era.!

Ha - As a Sheffield Gricer in the early 80s, we thought Sheffield was boring (too many Peaks and Duffs) but that's all to do with what you're used to. Going to Donny and seeing Deltics and Manchester for 'lectrics were exotic and the day a Hoover appeared on a Newcastle Plymouth at Midland was memorable. The biggest excitement was what turned up to haul summer Saturday holiday specials, 37s and 40s if you were lucky.

 

[Bevan Price]

Ha - As a Sheffield Gricer in the early 80s, we thought Sheffield was boring (too many Peaks and Duffs) but that's all to do with what you're used to. Going to Donny and seeing Deltics and Manchester for 'lectrics were exotic and the day a Hoover appeared on a Newcastle Plymouth at Midland was memorable. The biggest excitement was what turned up to haul summer Saturday holiday specials, 37s and 40s if you were lucky.

Plus 20s, 25s and 31s a bit earlier. In the 1970s, two Scarborough / Sheffield summer saturday trains were booked for pairs of York Class 20s.

 

[Justin Smith]

One bonus of being in Sheff for a day was you also could get to Tinsley pretty easily, on the 24 to Brinsworth !
I remember a sign there "no entry to train spotters" (or similar), but if you didn't go in you'd miss more than half the numbers as the locos were parked up in lines so I used pluck up my courage and just walk straight in. I don't remember ever getting stopped though you'd not get away with it these days, it's far too dangerous (apparently).

 

[ricoblade]

One bonus of being in Sheff for a day was you also could get to Tinsley pretty easily, on the 24 to Brinsworth !
I remember a sign there "no entry to train spotters" (or similar), but if you didn't go in you'd miss more than half the numbers as the locos were parked up in lines so I used pluck up my courage and just walk straight in. I don't remember ever getting stopped though you'd not get away with it these days, it's far too dangerous (apparently).

Yep, 24 to the 3 Vultures (Magpies). We would go into the office and ask to see the "Tops sheet" (I think, it was a long time ago!).

 

[kermit]

Last time I was in Sheffield Midland was the 80s, and it was a dump! I remember wandering unhindered around Sheffield Victoria at the same time, with abandoned phones, electrical gear and railway paperwork just lying about. It's good to hear that something has improved over time!

 

[Justin Smith]

Last time I was in Sheffield Midland was the 80s, and it was a dump! I remember wandering unhindered around Sheffield Victoria at the same time, with abandoned phones, electrical gear and railway paperwork just lying about. It's good to hear that something has improved over time!

Victoria hasn't improved over time, unless you consider its demolition and disappearance from the face of the earth (apart from the odd wall) an improvement !

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Sep 2022 ==

Yep, 24 to the 3 Vultures (Magpies). We would go into the office and ask to see the "Tops sheet" (I think, it was a long time ago!).

Thinking back to my youth, as regards train spotting, does that count though ?
Surely you have to know you have seen the exact loco(s) ?
For example, if the list of numbers of locos on shed included a few inside the depot, how can one count them if one has not actually seen them ! Personally I'd feel I'd cheated anyway if I saw a load of locos (mainly just the roofs ! ) but was given a list of all the numbers of those locos (but not for each one individually as I spotted it) ! !
Having said that if one had been 45 064 or 45 068 (the last I needed to clear the C45s) I might not be so fussy. I never did see them...

 

[BrianW]

Yep, 24 to the 3 Vultures (Magpies). We would go into the office and ask to see the "Tops sheet" (I think, it was a long time ago!).

Go into the office? I was always concerned about being thrown out (at any shed) so steering well clear from any 'office'.

Regarding Sheffield Midland (which I note it is still referred to as?) I recall arriving (for an interview for a place at the University- the only one there then!) in 1967 from St Pancras via lovely suburbs and some kind of 'rat hole' into the westernmost platform and getting the (then) 60 bus just outside the station- an ideal example of transport integration. For the return journey I travelled again from Midland Station (had Victoria closed then?) but this time to Kings Cross via hellholes of industry, steel, mining ... joining the ECML at Retford across the location of the recently removed diamond (?) crossing to the south of that station. Times of rationalisation and investment to facilitate 'improvements'.

I was successful in getting a place at the Uni and had a very enjoyable several years (five in total) in Sheffield with Stones and Tetley's and the locals ; it has changed much since . Happy memories.

 

[Justin Smith]

Go into the office? I was always concerned about being thrown out (at any shed) so steering well clear from any 'office'.

Regarding Sheffield Midland (which I note it is still referred to as?) I recall arriving (for an interview for a place at the University- the only one there then!) in 1967 from St Pancras via lovely suburbs and some kind of 'rat hole' into the westernmost platform and getting the (then) 60 bus just outside the station- an ideal example of transport integration. For the return journey I travelled again from Midland Station (had Victoria closed then?) but this time to Kings Cross via hellholes of industry, steel, mining ... joining the ECML at Retford across the location of the recently removed diamond (?) crossing to the south of that station. Times of rationalisation and investment to facilitate 'improvements'.

I was successful in getting a place at the Uni and had a very enjoyable several years (five in total) in Sheffield with Stones and Tetley's and the locals ; it has changed much since . Happy memories.

I learnt that lesson early on !
If you ever ask anyone in authority if you can do something (which requires a favour or bending of the rules) it makes it very easy for them to say no. Quite apart from anything else the fact you are even asking them implies you know you're asking for something above and beyond and therefore you half expect them to say no, making it even more likely they will.
On the other hand, if you just get on and do it they have to put themselves out to collar you and potentially get into a argument, so most will not bother.

 

[Harvester]

For the return journey I travelled again from Midland Station (had Victoria closed then?) but this time to Kings Cross

Victoria was still open in 1967, closing in January 1970 after the passenger service over Woodhead to Manchester ceased. I can remember travelling on a diverted Sunday Sheffield to Manchester train in early 1981, over the soon to close Woodhead freight route. We passed through Sheffield Victoria although by that time part of the station had been demolished, and what remained was derelict.

 

[Mattyjm]

Ha - As a Sheffield Gricer in the early 80s, we thought Sheffield was boring (too many Peaks and Duffs) but that's all to do with what you're used to. Going to Donny and seeing Deltics and Manchester for 'lectrics were exotic and the day a Hoover appeared on a Newcastle Plymouth at Midland was memorable. The biggest excitement was what turned up to haul summer Saturday holiday specials, 37s and 40s if you were lucky.

Being Doncaster born bread ! Deltic are my thing but visits to Sheffield threw up Harwich boat train ( stratford 47 ) , Trip to Darnall to catch a 79 ! Summer had the 20,s on the Skeggy! York - Tenby was always a rare no heat 47 . I liked it because at that time No HST,s

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Sep 2022 ==

Being Doncaster born bread ! Deltic are my thing but visits to Sheffield threw up Harwich boat train ( stratford 47 ) , Trip to Darnall to catch a 79 ! Summer had the 20,s on the Skeggy! York - Tenby was always a rare no heat 47 . I liked it because at that time No HST,s

76,s