• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Deepcar steel train

Status
Not open for further replies.

Wayne679

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2021
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield
Hi folks I just wondered if anyone knows if the freight working from Rotherham to Deepcar is still being run?. I think the Steelworks was put up for sale a few months ago so has this affected the running of the train?.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Iskra

Established Member
Joined
11 Jun 2014
Messages
7,785
Location
West Riding
It stopped for a couple of weeks a few months back while the steel works staff were furloughed due to business uncertainty and I think some maintenance and track re-laying was carried out during this time. The staff are all now back at work to my knowledge.

I believe the works is on its current annual 2 week 'stock take weeks' currently, where little happens apart from more maintenance and most staff are on holiday.

The wagons did change over last week to different types with loaded wagons leaving, which corresponds with what @Freightmaster states above. Not much has happened in the rail yard since then, which backs up the annual stock takes theory. Hopefully back to normal soon :)

I work nearby and see the rail yard 5 days a week. One of the shunters had a repaint in the first shutdown earlier this year:

1627416852200.png
 
Last edited:

Wayne679

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2021
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield
Thanks for your replies. Hopefully it might start running more often in the future. Does anyone know the full diagram for the loco?. I was lead to believe it started at Toton and went empties to Aldwarke before heading through to Stocksbridge. After doing the shunt manoeuvres I thought it headed back to Aldwarke and then at some point it went back to Toton. A late finish for the driver but a potential early bath if the steel train didn’t run.
 

Freightmaster

Established Member
Joined
7 Jul 2009
Messages
3,469
Thanks for your replies. Hopefully it might start running more often in the future. Does anyone know the full diagram for the loco?. I was lead to believe it started at Toton and went empties to Aldwarke before heading through to Stocksbridge.
The loco normally runs light engine from/to Rotherham steel terminal to work the Deepcar trip.




MARK
 

stantheman

On Moderation
Joined
17 Nov 2017
Messages
336
Maybe not a directly related question to the topic but is this the stub of what was once a through route to somewhere and does it pass through the site of Sheffield Victoria . Not a native of Yorkshire so hope this isn’t a silly question
 

eastwestdivide

Established Member
Joined
17 Aug 2009
Messages
2,532
Location
S Yorks, usually
If anyone’s planning to go and see the train while the evenings are light, just a warning that, as well as not running every day, it has been known to run early (30 mins or so) on the outward journey from Aldwarke.

And yes, it runs via Sheffield Victoria and the east side remains of the Woodhead route between Sheffield and Manchester.
 

Wayne679

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2021
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield
Thanks for your information eastwestdivide. Aye it’s a sporadically run diagram. We could do with someone on here who is in the know giving us the heads up of when it is definitely running on a particular day. Fortunately I only live a good 5 minutes away from the line at Neepsend so I just need to find a decent vantage point. Perhaps I’ll take a look around the old Victoria station.
 

eastwestdivide

Established Member
Joined
17 Aug 2009
Messages
2,532
Location
S Yorks, usually
Have a look on realtimetrains for a light engine running to “Aldwarke U.E.S.” around 1700 each day. If that actually runs, it’s a fairly good indicator that the steel train will run.
 

Freightmaster

Established Member
Joined
7 Jul 2009
Messages
3,469
Have a look on realtimetrains for a light engine running to “Aldwarke U.E.S.” around 1700 each day.
This is the move in question:

0J57 - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/H14404/2021-08-02/detailed

If that actually runs, it’s a fairly good indicator that the steel train will run.

If it is running, it will be activated before 15.41, like this:




Good luck! :smile:



MARK
 

Wayne679

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2021
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield
Thanks for all the replies guys. How bizzare that it takes 55 minutes to do that short manoeuvre from Masbrough to Aldwarke. The whole run to stocksbridge takes less than that!.

I took a look a short while ago and both the empty stock and the steel train are both showing as cancelled today Monday 2nd August. It often takes ages after the scheduled time for the system to update to cancelled but today it’s ahead of itself which is better and I know i don’t need to venture out later.
 
Last edited:

Iskra

Established Member
Joined
11 Jun 2014
Messages
7,785
Location
West Riding
Maybe not a directly related question to the topic but is this the stub of what was once a through route to somewhere and does it pass through the site of Sheffield Victoria . Not a native of Yorkshire so hope this isn’t a silly question
It was the electrified Sheffield to Penistone line up until Deepcar. At Deepcar the line branched off the Penistone Line and was a stub with the Stocksbridge Railway (owned by the steelworks), running to Stocksbridge Steel works and related industries, limited passenger services ran Deepcar-Stocksbridge mainly for workers from 1877 to 1931.
 

Wayne679

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2021
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield
This steel train hasn’t run in over 2 weeks. I would expect it to make an appearance at some point next week if they are back at full production at Stocksbridge by then.

It looks today 10/08 as though the light engine manoeuvre from Masbrough to Aldwarke is on the move. So I’m predicting the first steel train run for almost 3 weeks. I can’t go to look as im not in Sheffield today. ☹️

It stopped for a couple of weeks a few months back while the steel works staff were furloughed due to business uncertainty and I think some maintenance and track re-laying was carried out during this time. The staff are all now back at work to my knowledge.

I believe the works is on its current annual 2 week 'stock take weeks' currently, where little happens apart from more maintenance and most staff are on holiday.

The wagons did change over last week to different types with loaded wagons leaving, which corresponds with what @Freightmaster states above. Not much has happened in the rail yard since then, which backs up the annual stock takes theory. Hopefully back to normal soon :)

I work nearby and see the rail yard 5 days a week. One of the shunters had a repaint in the first shutdown earlier this year:

View attachment 100357
It be looks like the steel train hasn’t run in 3 weeks. Am I right in thinking that the longer it goes on the less likely it is that it may return?.
 
Last edited:

Adrian Barr

Member
Joined
2 Jul 2020
Messages
152
Location
Doncaster
The Deepcar trip should be running this evening (Thu 26th August). The typical diagram for the loco off Rotherham involved a trip to Deepcar followed by a return trip from Aldwarke to Scunthorpe. During the last two or three weeks, with the Deepcar not running, the Aldwarke - Scunthorpe train has run several times in an early evening path - I went to Hatfield & Stainforth to get a photo a couple of weeks back. The wagons were BDAs loaded with nice shiny steel billets (long and narrow with a square cross-section). This is a bit confusing because, going back several years, I think steel billets used to come loaded the other way from Scunthorpe into Aldwarke for processing into reinforcing bar and wire-rod-in-coil.
 

Wayne679

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2021
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield
Thanks for the info folks. Damn I was working today so I missed the opportunity to take a look. Yes it looks like it ran today. I was beginning to think it had gone for good. Strange that it ran quite a bit earlier although I realise it can run early, on time or later. It didn’t hang around long at Stocksbridge either and according to realtime trains it was back at Aldwarke by 19:12. Now there’s not much in the way of scenery as the line is covered by a lot of trees but a cab ride on this line would be amazing.
 

_toommm_

Established Member
Joined
8 Jul 2017
Messages
5,843
Location
Yorkshire
Thanks for the info folks. Damn I was working today so I missed the opportunity to take a look. Yes it looks like it ran today. I was beginning to think it had gone for good. Strange that it ran quite a bit earlier although I realise it can run early, on time or later. It didn’t hang around long at Stocksbridge either and according to realtime trains it was back at Aldwarke by 19:12. Now there’s not much in the way of scenery as the line is covered by a lot of trees but a cab ride on this line would be amazing.

It’s not quite a cab ride but there’s this video from a railtour (not my video so credit to the OP):

 

Wayne679

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2021
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield
Thanks guys. I will try and get out to catch the steel train next week as the nights are drawing in quickly while there’s still some daylight in the evenings. As it ran for the first time in a while on Thursday I would expect it will be out a couple of times a week from now on.
 

eastwestdivide

Established Member
Joined
17 Aug 2009
Messages
2,532
Location
S Yorks, usually
Photo spots: on the bank (Brunswick Road) above the Wicker, Woodburn Jn footbridge, around some of the tram stops near Tinsley, lower deck of the M1 viaduct, the new road Blackburn Meadows Way, Bessemer Way, and the station and assorted bridges around Rotherham. Also the vegetation has been cleared at Forge Way opposite side of the line to the canalbasin at Rotherham. Good luck!
 

Wayne679

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2021
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield
Thanks eastwestdivide. I’m not far from the line at Neepsend so considering trying to get a vantage point perhaps line side somewhere up there. I’ve noticed it’s not running tonight but perhaps it will make an appearance next week at some point.
 

BR 45111

Member
Joined
28 Aug 2019
Messages
163
Location
Sheffield
I’ve photographed this working for a number of years sadly recently it’s become more and more difficult.
What I have noticed is the Aldwarke - Scunthorpe which is normally FSSux in RTT when that becomes more specific, recently it was MTWF , 6J57 ran on the Thursday , twice that has happened recently .
With the leaf fall season nearly upon us the working will get a 60 allocated but sadly that will be in the dark .
Speaking of the leaf fall season , last the year the RHTT visited the line on at least two occasions not diagrammed but only comes up as far as Deepcar , both workings were in the daylight .
To add to the locations already given there are two bridges in the Neepsend area , one near the cart track . Should night photography be your thing the lighting at Rotherham Central is helpful and subtle .
If 6J57 is to run its often activated very early in the morning.

Regards
Marcus
 

Wayne679

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2021
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield
I’ve photographed this working for a number of years sadly recently it’s become more and more difficult.
What I have noticed is the Aldwarke - Scunthorpe which is normally FSSux in RTT when that becomes more specific, recently it was MTWF , 6J57 ran on the Thursday , twice that has happened recently .
With the leaf fall season nearly upon us the working will get a 60 allocated but sadly that will be in the dark .
Speaking of the leaf fall season , last the year the RHTT visited the line on at least two occasions not diagrammed but only comes up as far as Deepcar , both workings were in the daylight .
To add to the locations already given there are two bridges in the Neepsend area , one near the cart track . Should night photography be your thing the lighting at Rotherham Central is helpful and subtle .
If 6J57 is to run its often activated very early in the morning.

Regards
Marcus
Thanks for the info Marcus. Yes I’ve been up to the bridge that you mentioned up at Neepsend as it’s only 20 minutes walk from where I live. You could at one time get lineside further up at near Owlerton at Wardsend Cemetery. I haven’t been up there for around 10 years but you could get some good photos up there and the fence had often been taken down in certain places. Is there a way I can determine if the train is activated? Looking on Real-time trains and Traksy there isn’t anything I have noticed that gives any clues. I know there is a 1641 departure from Masborough to Aldwarke that sometimes runs. Ive seen it on Traksy a few times and wrongly thought it meant the Deepcar train would run. However it seems that when this arrives at Aldwarke it runs out to Scunthorpe instead.
 

Freightmaster

Established Member
Joined
7 Jul 2009
Messages
3,469
Is there a way I can determine if the train is activated? Looking on Real-time trains and Traksy there isn’t anything I have noticed that gives any clues.
If you look at 6J57 for a given day, if it is activated at exactly 1617, it almost certainly will not run
on that day, like this: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/H15966/2021-08-25/detailed


...whereas if it is activated at any time other than 1617, it should run that day,
like this: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/H15966/2021-08-26/detailed


(I'm assuming that you are viewing the RTT links on a desktop computer or tablet; if you
are using a mobile phone, you may need to click on the [ show train information ⬇️ ] link
to see the activation details...





MARK
 

BR 45111

Member
Joined
28 Aug 2019
Messages
163
Location
Sheffield
Thanks for the info Marcus. Yes I’ve been up to the bridge that you mentioned up at Neepsend as it’s only 20 minutes walk from where I live. You could at one time get lineside further up at near Owlerton at Wardsend Cemetery. I haven’t been up there for around 10 years but you could get some good photos up there and the fence had often been taken down in certain places. Is there a way I can determine if the train is activated? Looking on Real-time trains and Traksy there isn’t anything I have noticed that gives any clues. I know there is a 1641 departure from Masborough to Aldwarke that sometimes runs. Ive seen it on Traksy a few times and wrongly thought it meant the Deepcar train would run. However it seems that when this arrives at Aldwarke it runs out to Scunthorpe instead.
I believe 6D23 the Aldwarke - Scunthorpe is in RTT for MTWFO next week , when this has happened previously Wayne I believe 6J57 has run on the Thursday when 6D23 hasn’t so maybe worth keeping an eye out next week .

Regards
Marcus
 

Wayne679

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2021
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield
No sign of the Deepcar Steel train for over 2 weeks now. I’ll keep checking this week to see if it runs. Does anyone know what the purpose of running the train is?. Does it take materials up to Stocksbridge or bring things from there to take to Aldwarke?. I’m guessing it runs without any freight on one of the trips. This train used to run fairly frequently a few years ago several times a week but now it is very much a rarity. I know there is uncertainty around the steelworks at the moment but the lack of trains makes me think that they can’t be producing much up at Stocksbridge at the moment.
 

Adrian Barr

Member
Joined
2 Jul 2020
Messages
152
Location
Doncaster
The main purpose of the train appears to be to transport ingots / bloom on BBA wagons from Aldwarke to Stocksbridge. Some photos of 6J57 show the load clearly:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49068127@N06/48057496728/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/imarch1/49560817877/

MTA & SPA open wagons are used for return traffic from Deepcar, which appears to be both scrap and steel rods to judge from this rare daylight photo of the return working:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/50918331282/

Nice photo of the train in Aldwarke: https://www.flickr.com/photos/49068127@N06/14701920549

And of the sidings at Stocksbridge: https://www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/29978204952/
 

Wayne679

Member
Joined
27 Jul 2021
Messages
36
Location
Sheffield
This Thursday 30th of September it will be 5 weeks since a train ran up to the steelworks from
Aldwarke. Unless it’s run since and I’ve missed it but I don’t think it has. I know they have done some engineering work up there a few weeks back so that is probably an indication that they are keeping the route open. I’m hopeful it might run this week as the longer it is without running is not good for the route.
 

BR 45111

Member
Joined
28 Aug 2019
Messages
163
Location
Sheffield
If it does run anytime in the near future, with the leaf fall season it generally requires a class 60 .

regards
Marcus
 

Amlag

Member
Joined
8 Jul 2018
Messages
224
The announcement today on BBC News that the Govt is providing £50 million to Liberty Steel to restart
Steel production at Rotherham would seem to mean that trains will again run regularly between Aldwarke Steel works ( which has a very extensive internal rsilway system ) and Stocksbridge.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top