Through, non-stoppers at Sheffield

[Masbroughlad]

Since the inception of British Rail, have there been any passenger service trains that passed through Sheffield centre roads (or platforms) as part of their journey?

(ie no set down or pick up)

 

[JonathanH]

Since the inception of British Rail, have there been any passenger service trains that passed through Sheffield centre roads (or platforms) as part of their journey?

(ie no set down or pick up)

There isn't much point in going non stop through Sheffield, because of the availability of the alternative route via Tinsley, and the fact that Sheffield is a primary destination.

 

[Magdalia]

Since the inception of British Rail, have there been any passenger service trains that passed through Sheffield centre roads (or platforms) as part of their journey?

(ie no set down or pick up)

For most of railway history, going back to the days of the Midland Railway, trains not calling at Sheffield Midland went via the "Old Road" direct between Chesterfield and Rotherham Masboro via Beighton Junction. In steam days this had the added advantage of avoiding the climb to Bradway Tunnel.

availability of the alternative route via Tinsley

But this route does not go via Tinsley, which is on ex Great Central lines, and the yard/depot were only built in the 1960s.

 

[edwin_m]

With the large number of excursion trains in the past, it's likely that just about every station, where we expect all trains to stop today, would have seen passenger trains passing through non-stop.

 

[Iskra]

With the large number of excursion trains in the past, it's likely that just about every station, where we expect all trains to stop today, would have seen passenger trains passing through non-stop.

I appreciate that is probably true, but Sheffield has many avoiding lines and an avoiding curve at Dore. So the only sensible option would be a train going from the Chinley area to North/East of Sheffield which doesn’t seem that likely a journey, although no doubt a railtour has done it.

However, would any of the old London St Pancras-Glasgow via Sheffield sleeper trains possibly done it on a rare occasion?

The other option I thought likely was possibly during the Sheffield Blitz, but that pre-dates the BR period set-out in the OP and I can find no evidence of the station being damaged with a quick online search on my phone.

Sheffield Victoria seems much more likely to have had non-stop passenger workings being on a more logical through route.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Until the mid-eighties there were a small number of trains booked to avoid Sheffield by using the "old road". It is possible some of these trains may have been diverted via the station on the odd occasion.

 

[Magdalia]

With the large number of excursion trains in the past, it's likely that just about every station, where we expect all trains to stop today, would have seen passenger trains passing through non-stop.

I appreciate that is probably true, but Sheffield has many avoiding lines and an avoiding curve at Dore. So the only sensible option would be a train going from the Chinley area to North/East of Sheffield which doesn’t seem that likely a journey, although no doubt a railtour has done it.

In steam days, most excursion trains stopped frequently for water. At big stations there could be changes of crew and/or loco. Many of these practices continued into the diesel era.

I am aware of a Newcastle to Buxton excursion in 1961 that fits this route criterion, but it stopped at Sheffield Midland to change locos.

Sheffield Victoria seems much more likely to have had non-stop passenger workings being on a more logical through route.

Again, trains are likely to stop to change crew and/or loco. But there is at least the possibility of trains via Woodhead running through Sheffield Victoria non-stop with electric locos and changing to/from steam or diesel traction at Rotherwood.

 

[Lemmy282]

Sheffield Midland was damaged during the war, the overall roof over platforms 5 to 8 was severely damaged and removed shortly after.
I'm not aware of any scheduled trains passing through non-stop, indeed Sheffield is not called the "Crucible" for nothing!
(Snooker reference, you need a red before any other colour.)
Certainly during the BR electric period Sheffield Victoria was a place where loco's were changed, steam/diesel to electric and vice versa, so unlikely any non-stop.

 

[Helvellyn]

Sheffield Midland was damaged during the war, the overall roof over platforms 5 to 8 was severely damaged and removed shortly after.

Never realised it used to have an overall roof over platforms 5-8. Quick Google search showed it looking very different.

Sheffield Midland Train Station

Sheffield Midland Train Station Thread all about Sheffield Midland Railway Station.

www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk

 

[Lemmy282]

That was the original part of the station, what is now platform 2 was the station frontage when originally built, platform 1 and the present frontage being added lster

 

[Spartacus]

There's probably have been little demand for trains going through Midland non-stop, north-south ones would go via the Old Road, and from what I can gather cross-pennine charters/excursions normally went via the Woodhead route rather than the Midland, but as said above would normally have had a loco change at Victoria, though I'm sure I've seen a footex with a pair of 37s at Woodhead tunnel. Even if they'd have been routed via Midland there's a good chance they might have had a crew change there, and Sheffield was known as a point to get stopped and pick delay up back before The Crucible was even built, there's a driver complaining about it in 1969's "Engines Must Not Enter The Potato Siding"!

 

[13001]

Whist not on Op definition, I think. The Leeds portion of the Poole service was not advertised as stopping in Sheffield. You could join it at Rotherham Masborough and it was not announced as arriving in Sheffield, to deter gronks bashers trying to join it. The few times I did it I had a Rotherham to derby ticket, yep no stop at Chesterfield either. Even then at Sheffield would sit quietly so as not to attract attention of station staff to my kid ned status!

Would add Derby was also hard to get as a non stopper. Managed it on a Sso relief that joined at bns and alighted at Sheffield. From memory it went via a platform track at modest speed.