I can’t see a dedicated thread for this, so here it is. The route from Sheffield to Penistone via Deepcar is part of the old Woodhead route, as most will know. The route from Sheffield to Stocksbridge still exists (albeit on a single line with loops) for the purposes of the steel industry I believe. Deepcar to Penistone is now a cycle path.
Let’s imagine the line is built in some form. What if there was a suburban network in Sheffield, with services out to various heavy rail locations, mainly on the existing network. Similar to an S-Bahn (or a Shef-Bahn). This could be in the form of a Chesterfield to Stocksbridge/Penistone service, with a tram interchange at Nunnery Square. The Worksop (and beyond) service to Sheffield service would still go into Sheffield Midland if capacity allows. The route has already been put against the Altnabreac criteria, getting at least a solid 4.5 out of 5.
My next question is, which route? For me, there’s 4 options:
Option 1: Use the entire Sheffield to Penistone route, serving Stocksbridge through a station the other side of Deepcar. This would mean a 2-3 mile walk for many. A bus could help but not desirable for most commuters.
Option 2: Use the Sheffield to Deepcar section, then use the freight line into Stocksbridge, where the train finishes. Serves Stocksbridge but not one for those with branchphobia.
Option 3: Option 2, but curve off to the right and head on a new alignment of a little under 2 miles towards Penistone, somehow fighting the issue of pretty steep gradients en route.
Option 4: Options 1 and 2, with the Worksop (and beyond) services also going this way, or double the service on the Barrow Hill line.