2. The Pennine Explorer II-03.01.19

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2019 > 2. The Pennine Explorer II-03.01.19

Just over forty years ago, I visited this area on the Pennine Explorer railtour that traversed the Woodhead Line prior to its closure. See..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/v/photos/21936chg/C318869404/x22-pennine-explorer-14-10-78 This is the first time that I have seen anything of the Woodhead Line since its closure. Turning up at Penistone in the half-light of a winter's afternoon was an eerie experience! I went with Andy travelling in his blue Nissan Micra that included a thrash over Saddleworth Pass and crossing the moors down into the Colne valley.

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Images 1-25 of 25 displayed.

323226, NT 10.59 Manchester Piccadilly-Hadfield (2G11, 1L), Guide Bridge station
With the spire of Audenshaw's St. Stephens church above the scene, 323226 arrives at Guide Bridge station working the 10.59 Manchester Piccadilly to Hadfield service. The station enjoys a regular service with trains arriving and departing at frequent intervals. The once extensive yards to the east of the station in which I photographed lines of class 76s when I passed in October 1978, have been removed but the land is still largely extant. Notice in this image the electrical stanchion supporting the catenary. This metalwork is the original installation from when the line was electrified for 1.5 kV DC operation in 1955. It has had the wiring replaced along with all the other infrastructure and now operates at 25 kV AC.
Keywords: 323226 10.59 Manchester Piccadilly-Hadfield 2G11 Guide Bridge station

323229, NT 10.40 Hadfield-Manchester Piccadilly (2G50, RT), Guide Bridge station
323229 arrives at Guide Bridge with the 10.40 Hadfield to Manchester Piccadilly. The area off to the right was where the once extensive yards used to be situated. Notice the original 1955 latticed stanchions that, when built, carried the 1.5 kV DC wiring.
Keywords: 323229 10.40 Hadfield-Manchester Piccadilly 2G50 Guide Bridge station

142007, NT 11.09 Manchester Piccadilly-Rose Hill Marple (2R09, RT), Guide Bridge station
142007 leaves Guide Bridge station forming the 11.09 Manchester Piccadilly to Rose Hill. Notice the class 66 in the background of the scene. It was waiting to come off Guide Bridge West junction.
Keywords: 142007 11.09 Manchester Piccadilly-Rose Hill Marple 2R09 Guide Bridge station

68023, 68027 & 68021, 09.22 York Siemens-Longsight (0M68), Stalybridge station
On arrival at Staylbridge station Andy I were greeted by the sight of three TransPennine Express branded class 68s undertaking a test run from York's Siemens dept to Longsight running as 0M68. With the crew standing chatting on the platform, 68023 'Achilles', 68027 and 68021 'Tireless' wait at platform three. Notice the ridiculous and unmanaged growth of scrub in between the running lines. Imagine what this will look like next spring and summer when the full growth takes place.
Keywords: 68023 68027 68021 09.22 York Siemens-Longsight 0M68 Stalybridge station

142056, NT 12.00 Stalybridge-Manchester Victoria (2J96, 1E), Stalybridge station
A scene soon to be confined to the history books! Entering its final year of operation, 142056 was delivered new in 1986 and was part of the second batch of fifty ordered by BR and it has been operating in the north west throughout its whole life. It is seen here about to leave Stalybridge's bay platform five with the 12.00 to Manchester Victoria.
Keywords: 142056 12.00 Stalybridge-Manchester Victoria 2J96 Stalybridge station

68021, 68027 & 68023, 09.22 York Siemens-Longsight (0M68) & class 185, TP 11.19 Manchester Airport-Newcastle (1P23, RT), Stalybridge station
A busy scene at Stalybridge station as a class 185 passes through working the 11.19 Manchester Airport to Newcastle service. How ironic that the class 185 DMU is passing three of the locomotives that will be replacing it soon on these services as TPE revert to using loco. hauled stock to address a number of issues on this, and other, routes. 68021 'Tireless', 68027 and 68023 'Achilles' pause on the middle platform forming the 09.22 York (Siemens) to Longsight training run.
Keywords: 68021 68027 68023 09.22 York Siemens-Longsight 0M68 class 185 TP 11.19 Manchester Airport-Newcastle 1P23 Stalybridge station

185111, TP 11.47 Manchester Piccadilly-Hull (1K17, 4L), Stalybridge station
185111 enters Stalybridge station with the TPE 11.47 Manchester Piccadilly to Hull working. Despite winning the Best Kept Large Station of the Year award last year the overgrown nature of the former trackbed between the platforms was a real mess. However, located behind me whilst taking this picture, was the popular and world renowned Station Buffet bar that has won numerous awards; unfortunately, they did not sell bacon baps so Andy did not visit it!
Keywords: 185111 11.47 Manchester Piccadilly-Hull 1K17 Stalybridge station

185123, TP 11.25 Liverpool Lime Street-Newcastle (9E11, RT), Mossley station
185123 forms the 11.25 Liverpool to Newcastle working as it passes through Mossley station. On this rather grey winter's day, the location of Mossley station fairly deep in a valley climbing the Pennines made for this rather dark and lifeless picture.
Keywords: 185123 11.25 Liverpool Lime Street-Newcastle 9E11 Mossley station

Frontage, Mossley station
Mossley station is an attractive building that sits high above the tracks with them passing through a short tunnel under the road to the left. The station was opened in 1849 by the London and North Western Railway.

Diggle Junction signal box (LNW, 1885)
Diggle Junction signal box is a large box constructed by the London and North Western Railway in 1885. It used to control an extensive area of yards and Diggle station, a short distance to the east of the box. It was named Junction as it used to be where the former Micklehurst loop diverged that ran along the other side of the Tame Valley to Stalybridge thus duplicating the Mossley route. This loop was used mainly for freight utilising the now closed single bore Standedge tunnels, colloquially referred to as the Nicholson and Nelson bores. The signal box has now been hugely rationalised, with only the section at this end being in use. It has also been clad in plastic and had its windows replaced by UPVC units. It does still retain some its L&NW character through.
Keywords: Diggle Junction signal box

185128, TP 12.19 Manchester Airport-Newcastle (1P25, RT), Slaithaite station
Having crossed the Pennines, 185128 descends through the Colne Valley with the 12.19 Manchester Airport to Newcastle working that will soon stop at Huddersfield. Just beyond the station is Slaithaite's 17-arch viaduct, a feature that dominates the landscape around the small town.
Keywords: 185128 12.19 Manchester Airport-Newcastle 1P25 Slaithaite station

Frontage, Huddersfield station
The frontage of Huddersfield station presents an imposing and grand image for what is, after all, just a railway station! It was designed by the architect James Pigott Pritchett and built by the firm of Joseph Kaye between 1846 and 1850 to the neo-classical style. It is a Grade I listed structure and it dominates St. George's Square where it is situated. The London and North Western Railway opened the station in 1847 to serve the hugely important town and community of West Yorkshire. To the far right of the picture is Andy's Nissan Micra, somewhat dwarfed by the building it's parked in front of!

144017, NT 14.12 Huddersfield-Sheffield (2B19, RT), Honley station
The guard peers down the platform at Honley station in the vain hope of some passengers, but, to no avail. 144017 waits forming the 2B19 14.12 Huddersfield to Sheffield service. In common with most of the stations on the Penistone Line, they are single platform affairs with some having double tracks to act as convenient passing places. Passenger numbers have been steadily falling at this station over the last few years. Perhaps, the hourly service pattern does not work well for the community?
Keywords: 144017 14.12 Huddersfield-Sheffield 2B19 Honley station

Former station building, Brockholes station
The present day Brockholes station has very limited facilities contained on a single platform some distance above the village of the same name. In this image, the old platform can be seen with the original station building. It has been tastefully restored complete with signage and working clock. This seems to be a far more appropriate way to preserve our proud heritage rather than simply razing it to the ground and building something new out of glass and concrete?
Keywords: Brockholes station

Andy, Shepley station
The split platform arrangement at Shepley station gave Andy and I an opportunity to photograph each other! So, here is Andy, taking a picture of me taking a picture of him! Shepley station was opened by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1850. It used to be where the short branch from Clayton West, that was closed by BR in 1983, joined the mainline, if the Penistone line could ever be described as such!.
Keywords: Shepley station

Former Woodhead platforms, Penistone station
When I last stood on this spot at Penistone station I was a 14 year-old school boy who was travellling on the Pennine Explorer railtour and took this picture...... https://www.ontheupfast.com/v/photos/21936chg/25481195204/x76016-76009-pennine-explorer-cardiff It is incredible to think that this station was once at a busy junction that carried through express trains between London and Manchester. In its later years it was an important and strategic freight route. It's interesting to consider that, if when it was electrified in 1955, it had been built to the 25Kv standard, rather than the more unusual 1.5Kv DC system then the line could still be in operation today. Indeed, there is continual talk of it partially re-openeing as the pressure builds on the remaining two trans-Pennine routes.
Keywords: Former Woodhead platforms Penistone station

Former electrification post, Penistone station
On the former platform ramp at Penistone station is the remains of an electrification mast. It has been crudely flame cut when all the infrastructure was removed following its closure in July 1981. However, removal and disposal of the assets did not get completed for a number of years so it is likely that this particular mast stood serving no purpose for some time.
Keywords: Penistone station

Former Woodhead platforms, Penistone station
The former Woodhead platforms at Penistone station are still very much in place despite being covered in grass and with silver birch trees growing out of them. The island platform had a number of buildings on it and was the one I stood on to take my pictures of the Pennine Explorer railtour in October 1978. Even though the line closed in 1981, it had not had a passenger service since 1970.
Keywords: Former Woodhead platforms, Penistone station

144021, NT 15.12 Huddersfield-Sheffield (2B21, RT), Penstone station
144021 waits at Penistone station with the 15.12 Huddersfield to Sheffield. Notice the ancient track still in use complete with check rails due to the sharp curve. As the class 144 have no bogies running on fixed axles and with them having a long wheel-base leads to ear piercing flange squeal and this was particularly bad as the train passed us at the flat foot crossing where we were standing.
Keywords: 144021 15.12 Huddersfield-Sheffield 2B21 Penstone station

Former railway buildings, Cammell Laird & Co.site, Penistone

Frontage, former-Pesntone station
The large station buildings at Penistone have not seen any railway use since the Woodhead route line was closed to passengers in January 1970. A number of businesses now occupy the building that was built by the Great Central in 1874.
Keywords: Penistone station

Former Woodhead platforms, Penistone station
The former Woodhead route station building at Penistone. The grand station buildings had extensive canopies along the entire frontage and there were also a number of station structures on the island platform directly in front of the camera. Whilst nature has taken over the platforms and trackbed, recent clearance of the trees has re-opened the site somewhat.
Keywords: Penistone station

Former Woodhead platforms, Penistone station
The former platforms of the Woodhead route Penistone station are still clearly in view using this low angle shot. Whilst some of the edging stones are lifting the basic structure as built by the Great Central Railway is still largely intact. There are discussions about the partial reopening of the route for freight use, however, as the new Woodhead tunnel bores are now in-use for other purposes this is looking rather more unlikely.
Keywords: Penistone station

Former platform, Silkstone station (now Silkstone Common)
In the half-light at Silkstone Common station the remains of the old platform can be seen. This remnant of the old station, simply named Silkstone, was opened by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway in 1855. It closed in 1959 to be re-opened by BR in 1983 at its new location just east of this spot. The old station building is still extant as a private residence named, appropriately, 'Station House'
Keywords: Silkstone station Silkstone Common

Dodworth signal box (BR, C.1959)
Dodworth signal box is not an attractive structure by anybody's standards! Built in or around 1959 the BR standard box served the junction with the Dodworth colliery as well as controlling the level crossing. After being renamed Redbrook Colliery it was closed in 1987, however, the box lingered on for a number of years finally closing in 2007 when the town was by-passed and traffic on the road in the foreground was reduced to a trickle. Allegedly, the signalling frame is still inside the box.
Keywords: Dodworth signal box

Images 1-25 of 25 displayed.