Barnsley and Beyond

By Peter Hadfield

A collection of memories of a bygone age of the railway system that operated around the Barnsley area and beyond. It was a time when steam was still kind (the local passenger, express and freight traffic were worked by steam), however the advent of diesel, although not initially noticeable, was gradually waking place. Towards the end of the 1950s and throughout the 1960s, rationalisation of the railway system and mass dieselisation took place, culminating in the end of steam on British railways (with the exception of the running of the Flying Scotsman) in August 1968. Many of the previously unseen photographs in this book include those by Royston Shed's steam fleet during the lat months of working, before closing to steam officially on 4 November 1967; Thompson B1s, ex Great Central Directors and Royston 8Fs at Stairfoot; An ex Midland engine hauling an express over Swaithe viaduct; Barnsley Court House station prior to closure on 1960 and the famous Flying Scotsman's visit to Barnsley on 21 June 1969.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Release date: Nov 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781473856493

Book preview

Chapter One

FORMATIVE YEARS

WHERE DID MY passion for railways come from? Was it inherited from my mother, who had worked on the railway for the London Midland Scottish railway as a traffic controller at Cudworth Station during and after the 1939-45 Second World War? She loved the job and would often recall the memories etched in her mind. She remembered the LMS numbering of locomotives, i.e. four numbers, and an occasion when a prisoner of war train passing through the Cudworth sector was halted, following the escape of a number of PoWs. All rail traffic was stopped until their recapture.

My mother with fellow workers at Cudworth station during the late 1940s. P. Hadfield

One of my first recollections was viewing trains on the Barnsley to Sheffield line, which passed by Hunningley Lane infant school. The school can be seen to the right of the photograph. The picture shows Stanier Black 5 4-6-0 number 44693 heading the Halifax – St Pancras train near Hunningley Lane, 24 March 1962. P. Hadfield

Hunningley Lane Infants School shortly after closure in 1986. P. Hadfield

My cousin, Terry, informs me that as a young boy he would take me down to Cudworth railway bridges, trainspotting. I cannot recall these early times but have no reason whatsoever to doubt him, as he looked after me like a brother. My first clear memories of my interest in trains was whilst I attended Hunningley Lane Infant School around 1955/56. My classroom had a view of the Barnsley to Sheffield line, (which opened in 1897), with the Barnsley to Sheffield passenger pull and push service being propelled by Stanier and Ivatt’s 2-6-4 tanks 40148, 40181, 41274, 41281, 41282, operating out of the Royston, Leeds and Low Moor depots. All through spring, summer and autumn, before the dark nights crept in, (imagine this with the concerns of parents today) – I would be allowed to go down Field Lane to watch the 6pm London St Pancras to Bradford express pass by. More often than not it would be a 4-6-0 Jubilee class engine hauling the train.

Field Lane bridge where I used to train spot particularly to watch the Thames-Clyde express Glasgow St Enoch to London St Pancras (during school holidays and Saturdays) and the 6pm London St Pancras – Bradford express along with freights and excursion specials. A . Godfrey

Jubilee class

The Jubilee Class of engines were introduced by Sir William Stanier in 1934. The Jubilees had a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement with taper boilers. All the locomotives were named predominantly after former British Commonwealth countries and states, British Admirals, Naval battles and ships. The class was built to haul express passenger and freight trains. There was a total of 191 in the class numbering from 45552 to 45742.

Four engines are still preserved today: 45593 Kolhapur, 45596 Bahamas, 45690 Leander and 45699 Galatea.

45562 Alberta photographed at Newcastle station with the Royal train in 1967. This locomotive is shown on the front cover at Barnsley Exchange station.

My first recollection of spotting Jubilees was at Swaithe Bridge, with my friend John Taylor. There we saw 45612 Jamaica and 45675 Hardy. Swaithe Bridge is situated on White Cross Lane, approximately 200-300 yards south of Monkspring Junction. The bridge at Field Lane, and the double signals which were situated approximately 200-300 yards in the direction of Monkspring Junction, played an important part in my boyhood memories. We called it the Field Lane line, though its official name was the Chapeltown Loop. It was an alternative route to Sheffield. The main Midland mainline ran through Cudworth, Darfield, Wath-upon-Dearne joining the Sheffield to York line (originally known as the Swinton and Knottingley line) at Wath Road Junction, heading to Rotherham, through Rotherham Masborough Station, Meadowhall and finally into Sheffield. The Chapeltown Loop line (which came into use in 1899) branched off the main Midland line (which had opened to traffic in 1840, and was the first railway to come into the Barnsley area) south of Cudworth station and climbed towards Ardsley, crossed Sunny Bank viaduct at Lundwood, and then through Ardsley Tunnel, bridging the former LNER Great Central lines, via a large brick viaduct over Stairfoot, and over the Dearne and Dove Canal, Field Lane and finally at Monkspring Junction it joined the Barnsley to Sheffield line over Swaithe viaduct. The Wath to Penistone electrified line ran underneath, and the line was then bridged by the former Great Central Barnsley to Sheffield line which originally opened in 1854. It then climbed to Wombwell West station, then onto Elsecar, Wentworth for Hoyland Common, Chapeltown, Ecclesfield, Brightside, Attercliffe Road and finally into Sheffield Midland station.

Royal Scot Class

The Royal Scot Class of engines were introduced in 1927 and then rebuilt in 1943 by Sir William Stanier with taper boilers, new cylinders and double chimneys. 46170 named British Legion was a rebuild of the high pressure compound locomotive No 6399 Fury (introduced 1929). British Railway’s numbering was 46100 to 46170, a total of 71 in the class. They were predominantly named after British army regiments and were used to haul express passenger trains over the London Midland and Scottish region. Two engines are preserved today, 46100 Royal Scot and 46115 Scots Guardsman.

This photograph shows 6115 Scots Guardsman in LMS colours being renumbered 46115 in British Railway days along with green livery.

Sunny Bank viaduct can be seen from the Cundy Cross roundabout. P. Wilkinson