Killingworth
Established Member
That's not quite as easy as it may sound, not least because there was a lot less traffic when the trams were withdrawn in 1960. See old film that starts by highlighting the part alongside Millhouses Park.The tram route out to Beauchief was one of the few in Sheffield to have significant sections of reserved track. Restoring that and extending to Dore would provide a far better option for commuters into Sheffield than trying to provide extra trains on a very busy section of line.
The biggest problem with trams isn't the bits that can operate on a dual carriageway, be they reserved track or not, but in this case the far more congested Abbeydale Road out of Sheffield to the former Millhouses terminus. Trams and free flowing traffic would be challenging and parking lost. Undertaking trams today would not be allowed! Even in the late 1970s traffic flowed two abreast into the city centre at rush hours. Today wider cars and bus lanes have made it worse.
From there along Abbeydale Road South alongside Millhouses Park would take tram tracks relatively easily (but would lose a lot of parking for the park if reserved or set into the road) as far as Beauchief crossroads. From the crossroads land alongside the road has been earmarked for dual carriageway or tram tracks as far as the railway bridge where it becomes Baslow Road, although it would be unpopular as many mature trees would have to be removed to do it. From the railway bridge was dualled almost 60 years ago out towards Totley and that would relatively easily take tram tracks.
Those who suggest running on a reserved tram tack alongside the railway out to Millhouses or Beauchief need to consider how the trams could get from the railway alignment onto the road. Detailed maps and on the ground observation will show that.
All very simple as a thought, but incredibly expensive and disruptive to complete and possibly not too helpful to meet the needs that will be seen in the 2030s and beyond.
But I'm now well off the Hope Valley Capacity Scheme topic. That just stretches to limited resignalling down the Sheaf Valley to make better use of the Heeley up loop.