Wombwell Main Exchange Sidings

[John76]

Does anyone know anything about the history of the exchange sidings at Wombwell Main Junction? They appear to have been built in the early 1950s around the changeover to electric traction. I can only assume they were built for traction changes for traffic coming from Stairfoot and Cudworth. I have never seen any photo's of their construction or the location before they were built, and don't recall reading much about them in the numerous Woodhead books. For example, was the signal box extended to cope with a bigger lever frame?

 

Can anybody help?

[Guest bri.s]

Hi john76

 

This is all a bit of a guess

it was built for as you say change over and for the bankers ,the original path of the worsbough line (before electrification started )didn't go through wombwell main junction ,

Aldam junction was originally a 3 way junction with lines to stairfoot ,worsbough and then wombwell main dovecliff/ Sheffield

The worsbough line connected in the middle where the substation was put at Aldam

And they changed it so the worsbough line connected at wombwell main instead (if you look in google earth you can just make out the original path of the line from Aldam junction )

If you look on pictures of wombwell main junction box you can see where it's been extended by the brick work ,it would have been extended for the new connection to the worsbough branch and sidings

Probably all happened when the line was electrified in the 50's but could have been earlier they started work on the worsbough branch before the Second World War so wombwell main could have been changed before then

 

Brian

[Rivercider]

Here, from Flickr, is a view of the box shortly before closure in 1982

the different brickwork of the extension can be seen

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tractionart/7355064626/in/photolist-auaJVw-akBF98-amcGMw-akUNdd-aG47RF-amcGMo-akBF9k-akkZPH-eDfDAU-akkZPR-e114hu-cSNo65-dZUnFV-akkZPX-aG47QM-aULZjr-dFT9Eo-pwT1VY-c5Rf5U-bVzTQK-aULp9n-ccWCt5-dCMnq5-c6ir9W-dPhCga-bVzbqR-dCzpG2-c9wEph-c9wRn7-dFpaKe-c5PgBy

 

cheers

[Guest bri.s]

Looking on old maps ,the new connection from wombwell to the worsbough branch was there around 1931 but no sidings so the sidings were added for the electrification in the early 50's

I've not seen a picture of how it was originally unfortunately either or anything of it being built

 

Brian

[John76]

Thanks for the responses gents. The extension to the signal box is obvious once it has been pointed out.

 

Does anyone know when the line to Stairfoot was closed? I have read it somewhere and know that after closure any traffic for the Worsbrough branch would just go to Wath yard before heading back up the branch. This makes me think though what happened to traffic when the Worsbrough branch came direct from Aldham Junction? Surely it just went to Wath Yard before running around to head up the branch???

[Guest bri.s]

Not sure when it closed I'll see if I can find out I've seen pictures of stairfoot sidings still in use in 67 but the junction and tracks were rusty I believe new oaks box was opened as required by then ,meaning hardly ever I think the connection form new oaks to wombwell main had been left to rot for quite a while ,I was told they did try and send things down that way with a view to use it again probably around early 70's mabe late 60's but everything they sent down came off the rails they were in such poor state so they decided to rip it up

I don't think even when it was in use it got that much traffic once the Barnsley Sheffield main line went and the line to Sheffield was cut back to rockingham when they did the M1 what was that 66?

 

I'd suspect your right once the curve went they probably went straight to wath then electric stuck on and up the branch

 

Brian

[Guest bri.s]

Forgot to say there's a facebook page called" Barnsley railways past and present "

Here's a link well worth a look

https://m.facebook.com/groups/622970141113322?ref=bookmark

 

Brian

[Guest bri.s]

Just been talking to my uncle who knows more than me ,and he said it was slightly later than I said probably mid 70's when the new oaks to wombwell main got took up ,he remembers the only train he saw actually use the line apart from the ones that fell off ,was a class25 on box coal ,he doesn't know how it got down there though as the track at that point (1974 ish ) was in a bad state

 

The only trains that would have probably used it before then were possibly the Royston coal and coke trains mabe the wolley colliery ones aswell but he never saw them use it they all went to wath

 

He also told me that ,in the early 70's there was a project to use the connection for the main passenger route due to swaite viaduct needing repairs so they came up with the idea to connect wombwell main with wombwell on the midland but after trailing things from new oaks to wombwell main with no success and that in the end it would cost more to put a new connection onto the midland than repair swaite viaduct

 

Brian

[John76]

Thanks again Brian. All interesting stuff.

 

I'm beginning to think the exchange sidings were always a bit of a white elephant right from the start. Was there really that much traffic around that trains were stood around at the bottom of the branch waiting to go up to Penistone?

 

Going off on a tangent slightly here but were there any messing facilities for the banking crews that were based here or did they use the signal box? Are there any photo's that show them? 

[Guest bri.s]

Hi john76

 

There was a brick built mess building across from the box next to the bankers siding ,there was various other huts about but for PW I think

I'll PM you a few pictures of the area

 

Brian

[Nigel N]

Unusual view of the sidings........