TRIVIA: Closed railways with the highest line speed

[Grumpy]

The main reason is that it took half (or thereabouts) the number of trains off the Cudworth route making investment in the Midland route less important.

My point was that the NE-SW trains running between York and Sheffield didn't run via Cudworth . North of Swinton they ran on the S&K, usually calling at Pontefract Baghill. Therefore it's incorrect to claim that diverting via Doncaster would have taken trains off the Cudworth route. Unless I'm missing something (apart from my marbles)

 

[jadmor]

The line had been chosen as the future high speed route from Sheffield to Leeds, the section between Swinton and Cudworth had been upgraded will all CWR and deep ballasted, speeds increased and also re-signalled with colour light signals albeit still controlled by manual boxes pending full completion of the route. HSTs ran on the route for several years when they were introduced.

Then disaster struck when the long buried stone arched Chevet Viaduct began to collapse inside it's infill. Various attempts were made by BR to rectify the problem but to no avail. Finally the DfT wouldn't grant the finance to allow rebuilding of the embankment and the Fast lines closed between Cudwoth and Royston in 1984. The Up and Down Slows between those points were then re-named Up and Down Mains.
The Up and Down Mains between Swinton and Cudwoth closed in 1987 and all the work which had been done on that section was wasted.
All that remains today is the freight only single line to the glassworks at Cudwoth, most of which was originally the Up Slow.

I travelled over that section in 1974 on the old Thames Clyde express. The line was not shown on the BR route map( although I think it did appear the following year) so I was a bit puzzled when we were routed through Wakefield Kirkgate .

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Aug 2025 ==

Yes, that's correct, trains to York took the line from Altofts Junction to Burton Salmon although some went via the Swinton & Knottingley route making a very useful stop at Pontefract.

Regarding Sheffield to Leeds, in the early 1980s, some expresses ran non-stop taking just under 55mins., some made just one stop at Rotherham Masborough which added an extre 2-3 mins. However, some did actually call at Wakefield Westgate which involved a tortuous crawl through six junctions at Wakefield, none being more than 20mph and added almost an extra 10mins. journey time.

I think that I was on one of those services in 1974 on the Thames Clyde Express. We came off the main line after Westgate, through Kirkgate, then joined the Cudworth route

 

[Magdalia]

There were several options in the 1960s between Sheffield and Leeds/York, not only chosen by line speed but also which stations to serve

Up to 1965 that included 2 separate Sheffield stations, and that determined routes.

Ex Midland trains, from/to Sheffield Midland, ran via the Midland route: Rotherham Masboro, Cudworth, Normanton to Altofts Junction. Trains to/from York and beyond then went via Castleford.

Ex Great Central trains, from/to Sheffield Victoria ran via the Swinton and Knottingley route: Rotherham Central, Bolton on Dearne and Pontefract Baghill.

The two York routes converged at Burton Salmon.

 

[Grumpy]

Up to 1965 that included 2 separate Sheffield stations, and that determined routes.

Ex Midland trains, from/to Sheffield Midland, ran via the Midland route: Rotherham Masboro, Cudworth, Normanton to Altofts Junction. Trains to/from York and beyond then went via Castleford.

Ex Great Central trains, from/to Sheffield Victoria ran via the Swinton and Knottingley route: Rotherham Central, Bolton on Dearne and Pontefract Baghill.

The two York routes converged at Burton Salmon.

Well I've just dug out the NER summer 1958 timetable. Things you do when it's too hot to venture out. Looking at southbound MF departures from York we have the following-
0730 all stations to Sheffield Midland via Pontefract
0920 Newcastle to Bristol via Sheffield Midland. Calling at Pontefract
1000 Newcastle to Cardiff via Sheffield Midland. Calling at Pontefract
1023 Newcastle to Bournemouth. Called at Sheffield Victoria but also Pontefr.act.
1148 All stations to Sheffield Midland via Pontefract
1226 York to Banbury. Called at Pontefract and Sheffield Victoria
1248 York to Bristol. Called at Sheffield Midland and Pontefract
1418 FO York to Gloucester. Called at Sheffield Midland
1423 Newcastle to Bristol. Called Sheffield Midland and Pontefract.
1615 All stations to Sheffield Midland via Pontefract
1700 FO Fast to Sheffield Midland
1716 Newcastle to Birmingham. Called Sheffield Midland and Pontefract
1840 York to Swindon. Called at Sheffield Victoria
1915 All stations to Sheffield Midland via Pontefract
2106FO Newcastle to Birmingham . Called Sheffield Midland and Pontefract
2130 Newcastle to Bristol. Called Sheffield Midland and Pontefract
2222 York to Swindon. Called Sheffield Victoria and Pontefract

The trains for the GC route ran via Sheffield Victoria as stated.
However, given that practically all the others called at Pontefract, it is clearly wrong to say they ran via Cudworth

 

[Taunton]

There was a discussion about South/West Yorkshire routings here a while ago, which pretty much got all the detail. It was also a commercial case that running from Sheffield to York stopping at either Leeds or Doncaster was better for revenue rather than places like Pontefract or Normanton.

 

[Magdalia]

Things you do when it's too hot to venture out.

You're right. The things you don't do when it is too hot inside, never mind going out!

 

[norbitonflyer]

Getting back on topic with line speeeds, Reading the history of the Cromford & High Peak Railway. Apparently the half mile approaching the bottom of the Hopton incline (1 in 14) had no speed limit at all.

Originally rope worked, but converted to loco haulage in 1877, unlike the other, steeper, inclines elsewhere on the line.

 

[Mugby]

I think that I was on one of those services in 1974 on the Thames Clyde Express. We came off the main line after Westgate, through Kirkgate, then joined the Cudworth route

The curve from Westgate to Kirkgate used to be double track at that time, it's now single. After passing through those junctions you would join the Cudworth route at Oakenshaw.

 

[KevinBrum12]

Would Stratford-upon-Avon - Honeybourne count? In GWR and BR(WR) days it was used for Birmingham Snow Hill - Cardiff and Birmingham Snow-Hill - West Country expresses.