Woodhead line

Woodhead line
An electric freight train headed by two Class 76s, about to enter Woodhead Tunnel in 1981
Overview
Status	Partially open
Locale	South Yorkshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Lancashire
Termini	Sheffield: Rotherwood Sidings / Wath Manchester: London Road (1845–1960) Piccadilly (1960–70)
Service
Type	Main line
System	National Rail Network
Services	3
Rolling stock	BR class 76, BR class 77, BR class 506
History
Opened	1845
Closed	1970 (passengers) and 1981 (goods)
Technical
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	1,500 V DC Overhead line
Route map (Click to expand)

v t e Manchester–Sheffield–Wath electric railway
Legend
incorporating the Woodhead line
Liverpool–Manchester lines and Manchester–Preston line Manchester Piccadilly   Crewe–Manchester line, Stafford–Manchester line, and Buxton line Ardwick Huddersfield line Ashburys Hope Valley line via Brinnington Gorton Reddish Depot Fallowfield loop Fairfield M60 Stockport–Stalybridge line Guide Bridge Huddersfield line Dewsnap sidings Hope Valley line Flowery Field Newton for Hyde M67 Godley Godley East Godley Junction Hope Valley line Hattersley Broadbottom Etherow viaduct Dinting viaduct Dinting Glossop Hadfield Crowden Woodhead Woodhead Tunnel Dunford Bridge Hepworth Iron and Steel Hazlehead Bridge Penistone Goods Penistone Line to Huddersfield Penistone Barnsley Junction Oxspring viaduct Oxspring tunnel Penistone Line to Barnsley Silkstone tunnel 2 Silkstone tunnel 1 Wentworth Silkstone colliery M1 Swaithe viaduct Hallam Line & Penistone Line Wombwell Main exchange sidings South Yorkshire Railway Wombwell Main Junction Aldham Junction Wombwell Central Elsecar Junction Wath marshalling yard and depot Wath Central Doncaster– Barnsley Exchange line Rumtickle Viaduct Thurgoland Tunnel Wortley Stocksbridge steel works Deepcar Ewden Valley Railway Oughty Bridge Wadsley Bridge Neepsend Sheffield Victoria Sheffield (Midland) Midland Main Line Nunnery Junction Woodburn Junction to Great Central Railway Tinsley Yard Darnall Rotherwood Sidings Sheffield–Lincoln line

The Woodhead line was a railway line linking Sheffield, Penistone and Manchester in the north of England. A key feature of the route is the passage under the high moorlands of the northern Peak District through the Woodhead Tunnels. The line was electrified in 1953 and closed between Hadfield and Penistone in 1981.

The Manchester to Glossop/Hadfield section is still in operation; east of the Pennines, the vicinity of Penistone and the Sheffield to Deepcar section are still open, although the latter is goods-only. The track has been lifted on other sections and much of the trackbed now forms part of the Trans-Pennine Trail and National Cycle Route 62.