I am from Woodhouse, my family lived in what was once Victoria Road, now Ashpool Close, from when the old houses were built in the 1890s to when they were demolished in 1979 (Near the Working Men's Club). My Grandfather had his allotment garden on what is still called Victoria Road Allotments. My Grandfather used to play down where that railway was, he used to tell me all about the little tank engines and coal trains heading to Woodhouse. I think my Great Grandfather worked at that pit closer to Woodhouse Junction. It looks so overgrown now, that valley did not have all that vegetation there when I was a kid. We left the UK in 67 but that is still my spiritual home and I still have family there. I am a railway engineer, just like my dad was. He used to maintain that old signal box at Woodhouse. Thank you for posting this, it has brought back lots of memories. Number 23 bus coming down Normanton Springs and up Coisley Hill after a trip to Redgates.
Cheers Steven. That was great to read to many of your memories. And it's good to hear you followed your father's footsteps becoming a railway engineer 👍. Ps it's a shame the Woodhouse box was recently demolished.
Top video. I enjoyed the tie in of the lines with the disused collieries. I find the history of the coal industry fascinating and so full of contradictions. I visited the site of a former mine South of Sheffield and remember it being a desolate wasteland. I also had a distant relative, an ex-Kent coalfield miner, who wheezed his way through the final years if his life. Coal was so much a part of the industrial and economic development of the UK, provided employment for thousands yet also was also responsible for environmental damage, illness and death through accidents in unimaginable working conditions. Events like Aberfan and the miners' strike in the 1980s. Yet, here we are in the 21st century, with an energy crisis related to the international market in oil and gas.
You make some great points Paul. It's only when I've started going around doing these videos in Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and wherever that you realise the scale of the industry that we once had.
Another cracking history lesson in my now local stomping ground Paul, A work colleagues house backs onto that line. I may have to have a wander down their at some point. Hopefully my working pattern will be changing in a few weeks and i will have a lot more time on my hands to have little explores.
Great video, I've been passing that old bridge opposite the tip for 41 years and never realised it was there! We used to live in what I believe are the old railway workers houses on coisley road. Thanks for posting.
@@stevenstopford9847 I think mines going the same way 😁. Its dark when I leave for work and dark when I get home now. I might try and sneak in one more ride if we have a nice day. I'm not sure where this summer has gone, I've hardly used it.
@@WobblyRunner yes the nights are creeping in now and I couldn't agree more where has summer gone and time in general stay safe and many thanks for your brilliant vids 👍
Birley East was indeed kept on as a "training colliery" for the Bevin Boys during WW2 (I stand to be corrected) and part of Birley East survived until the 1980s as a pumping station for Brookhouse Colliery. Also from what I can gather, an extra bore was driven into the workings for pumping long after East Birley was gone, the top of which and some of its infrastructure is still there.
I've often wondered what was in that area around the A57, now I know👍. Great information as always backed up with maps that clearly show where we are. That whole area surrounding Sheffield seems to be crammed with railway history - should keep you occupied for years!!!!!
Great video Paul, I'm just starting to discover this area by Mountain Bike with some mates. Would these branch lines have serviced the Woodhead Line pre-electrification? Please keep these videos coming they're great.
Nice one Jason. Woodhead stuff would have gotten up through Woodhouse. Not sure about the Birley colliery line though. But no doubt some coal at some stage would have made its way over there
Excellent video Paul I had no idea that line existed and I'm Sheffield born and raised (although an ex pat in the US now). Must have crossed that old track bed hundreds of times visiting relatives out in Halfway and had no idea until now (and i'm in my 50s!). Keep up the good work. Ever considered covering the 'down London line' which you can still see the remains of on the approach to Sheffield Midland Station?
I grew up on Coisley Hill and you could see clearly where the track went at the end of the garden and the allotments. It was a cinder track at the time in the mid 70s. I imagine a lot of the track was buried by the city school playing fields. A few of us as kids tried to dig into the tunnel further up on Normanton Springs near Haxby Place.
@@WobblyRunner It was a strange place to grow up. My house was bang in the middle of the A57 roundabout. The houses were pulled down in 1979 but at the time it was strangely rural. You could walk miles either to Handsworth or Mosborough and just see hints of former lives and industry.
Another great video Paul, I have a reasonable knowledge Sheffield railways but not heard of that one. A surprising amount left considering how long its been closed Cheers Russ
I am from Woodhouse, my family lived in what was once Victoria Road, now Ashpool Close, from when the old houses were built in the 1890s to when they were demolished in 1979 (Near the Working Men's Club). My Grandfather had his allotment garden on what is still called Victoria Road Allotments. My Grandfather used to play down where that railway was, he used to tell me all about the little tank engines and coal trains heading to Woodhouse. I think my Great Grandfather worked at that pit closer to Woodhouse Junction. It looks so overgrown now, that valley did not have all that vegetation there when I was a kid. We left the UK in 67 but that is still my spiritual home and I still have family there. I am a railway engineer, just like my dad was. He used to maintain that old signal box at Woodhouse. Thank you for posting this, it has brought back lots of memories. Number 23 bus coming down Normanton Springs and up Coisley Hill after a trip to Redgates.
Cheers Steven. That was great to read to many of your memories. And it's good to hear you followed your father's footsteps becoming a railway engineer 👍.
Ps it's a shame the Woodhouse box was recently demolished.
Top video. I enjoyed the tie in of the lines with the disused collieries. I find the history of the coal industry fascinating and so full of contradictions. I visited the site of a former mine South of Sheffield and remember it being a desolate wasteland. I also had a distant relative, an ex-Kent coalfield miner, who wheezed his way through the final years if his life. Coal was so much a part of the industrial and economic development of the UK, provided employment for thousands yet also was also responsible for environmental damage, illness and death through accidents in unimaginable working conditions. Events like Aberfan and the miners' strike in the 1980s. Yet, here we are in the 21st century, with an energy crisis related to the international market in oil and gas.
You make some great points Paul.
It's only when I've started going around doing these videos in Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and wherever that you realise the scale of the industry that we once had.
Another cracking history lesson in my now local stomping ground Paul, A work colleagues house backs onto that line. I may have to have a wander down their at some point. Hopefully my working pattern will be changing in a few weeks and i will have a lot more time on my hands to have little explores.
More fun, less work :)
Really interesting, thanks. The Birley collieries have a very sad accident record wuth many deaths and injuries. Sad that there is no memorial.
Thanks Philip.
Very sad. A very common trend on a lot of the colliery areas I've covered. Like Denaby/Cadeby.
Hi what a great video you had doing i like it 😁😁😁😇😇❤️
Great video, I've been passing that old bridge opposite the tip for 41 years and never realised it was there! We used to live in what I believe are the old railway workers houses on coisley road. Thanks for posting.
Cheers David. You're trip down Beighton Road will never be the same again.
Are those railway cottages still there on Coisley Road?
@@WobblyRunner The main blocks were knocked down in 1979 for the bypass. A bit further up the hill the houses are still there.
Reminds me of the old Grange Colliery line which ran from Kimberworth to Grange lane station. Worth a walk if you've not checked it out yet.
Ahhh I know the one. I've been past but not walked it. Is there much to see?
Brilliant video many thanks 👍
Cheers Steven
@@WobblyRunner your welcome how's the bike? My old Honda is garaged now for winter
@@stevenstopford9847 I think mines going the same way 😁. Its dark when I leave for work and dark when I get home now. I might try and sneak in one more ride if we have a nice day. I'm not sure where this summer has gone, I've hardly used it.
@@WobblyRunner yes the nights are creeping in now and I couldn't agree more where has summer gone and time in general stay safe and many thanks for your brilliant vids 👍
Birley East was indeed kept on as a "training colliery" for the Bevin Boys during WW2 (I stand to be corrected) and part of Birley East survived until the 1980s as a pumping station for Brookhouse Colliery.
Also from what I can gather, an extra bore was driven into the workings for pumping long after East Birley was gone, the top of which and some of its infrastructure is still there.
Cheers DJT. All good info. 👍
I've often wondered what was in that area around the A57, now I know👍. Great information as always backed up with maps that clearly show where we are. That whole area surrounding Sheffield seems to be crammed with railway history - should keep you occupied for years!!!!!
Haha yes 😁. Plenty to see, but I think I'm starting to scrape the barrel down my old neck of the woods
Great video Paul, I'm just starting to discover this area by Mountain Bike with some mates. Would these branch lines have serviced the Woodhead Line pre-electrification? Please keep these videos coming they're great.
Nice one Jason.
Woodhead stuff would have gotten up through Woodhouse. Not sure about the Birley colliery line though. But no doubt some coal at some stage would have made its way over there
Excellent video Paul I had no idea that line existed and I'm Sheffield born and raised (although an ex pat in the US now). Must have crossed that old track bed hundreds of times visiting relatives out in Halfway and had no idea until now (and i'm in my 50s!). Keep up the good work. Ever considered covering the 'down London line' which you can still see the remains of on the approach to Sheffield Midland Station?
Cheers James. Is that the one that ducked under that is now the car wash train thingy?
@@WobblyRunner - thats the one!
I grew up on Coisley Hill and you could see clearly where the track went at the end of the garden and the allotments. It was a cinder track at the time in the mid 70s. I imagine a lot of the track was buried by the city school playing fields. A few of us as kids tried to dig into the tunnel further up on Normanton Springs near Haxby Place.
Cheers for the info. Great to read historical accounts from when more remains of the railway were there👍🙂
@@WobblyRunner It was a strange place to grow up. My house was bang in the middle of the A57 roundabout. The houses were pulled down in 1979 but at the time it was strangely rural. You could walk miles either to Handsworth or Mosborough and just see hints of former lives and industry.
Another great video Paul, I have a reasonable knowledge Sheffield railways but not heard of that one. A surprising amount left considering how long its been closed
Cheers Russ
Cheers Russ. Yep, a few suprises here. One of the forgotten ones this one.
Any truth under that bridge there's a train buried?
Grateful for this paul nicely put together 👍
Oh god. I'd never heard that rumour before.
Wish I'd had my emergency toilet trowel with me now.
Used to play on the open cast near linley Lane in late 70s my uncle lived there.
@@WobblyRunner i always use the trowel attachment on my swiss army knife for digging out lost trains lol
Not familiar with that area but as usual most of that history as almost gone keep up the great interesting videos 👍
Thanks Andrew 👍🙂