The Worsbrough Incline & Abandoned Collieries

We're continuing our journey down the Wath to Penistone railway, Barnsley avoiding line. Once part of the historic Woodhead route which saw countless tonnes of coal and freight head westbound from the coalfields of Yorkshire to the hungry power stations of the west. We're on a section of the line between Silkstone Common and Dodworth today that was made famouse for it's unusually steep gradient, which caused a few interesting workings - the Worsbrough Incline (or Worsbrough Bank as it was also known). As well as this, there were several collieries along the way. We'll see evidence of the former Old Sovereign and New Sovereign Collieries. Then part of the branch line to Wentworth Silkstone Colliery.
Let’s talk a bit more about this incline. Now it’s not an incline like I’ve covered in the recent past - not like those on the Cromford & High Peak. But at 1 in 40, it’s quite serious in terms of a mainline railway. For comparison, the well known Lickey incline is 1 in 37.7. Sheepasture on the Cromford & high peak was about 1 in 8.
This gradient and the heavily ladened coal trains using it was one of the drivers behind the electrification in the 1950s. However even the electric locos themselves needed to double head and even have two bankers at the back on some trains. During steam days, all westbound trains needed to be banked. So what is banking for those who aren’t familiar? We’re basically talking adding an additional engine (or two in some cases) at the back to give it a push.
Such was the scale of the job, In 1925 the LNER built the most powerful (and longest) steam engine to ever run on British tracks - The one-off Class U1. You’ll hear us refer to this as a garrett. Designed by famous Nigel Gresley and built by Beyer, Peacock and Company. On a typical day it would bank 18 trains from Wentworth Junction upto West Silkstone Junction. Though, not without issue. Multiple steam engines working hard through the Silkstone Tunnels, usually mean the poor crew of the Garett at the back would be met with a poisonous concoction of soot and smoke. They would detach, return down the incline light engine, before doing it all over again. It was no longer required after electrification and struggling to be practical enough for use elsewhere on the network, so it was scrapped in 1956.
The line east of Old Sovereign Coliery was opened in the 1850s, however it wasnt extended towards West Silkstone Junction until 1880.
This line only really served freight traffic and was littered with collieries along the way - the majority with the own branch lines. However, the line closed in 1981 when the full Woodhead route was closed. It is now part of the Trans-Pennine Trail. A long distance network of cycle paths.
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