Picture above courtesy of David Stickland.

Woodburn Junction has changed so much over the years its hard to imagine today how it really was.

The original wooden signalbox, pictured above, was opened in 1906 and was replaced with a steel type porta-cabin on the 6th of December 1992, which was subsequently closed and demolished in March 2021 with control now from the ROC (Route Operating Centre) in York. 

The junction was a complex one with lines to Sheffield Midland, Sheffield Victoria, Rotherham, Darnall engine shed, Tinsley yard and Worksop.

Just today however, the lines to Worksop, Sheffield, and Tinsley Yard (on to Rotherham Central) remain.

The lines to Sheffield Victoria are gone, now it is just a single line to Stocksbridge.

The map below shows how the junction was being upgraded to colourlights, but even this was to change again, (right-click & save to PC to zoom-in).

It is said the name of the box was spelt incorrectly as the road which it is situated is called Woodbourn Road, and after signalling designers spelt it wrong it was too late to go back and change the plans so it had to stay!

An old steam passenger train passes the old box on the 11th of October 1958. The overhead lines are clearly visible (for more info on the electrification click here).

Two Class 76 locos pull a three-way special passed the original Woodburn signalbox on the 16th of July 1978.

Picture provided by Chris Booth. 

A very rare fasinating photo of the old panel and block shelf inside the original Woodburn signalbox pictured by Chris Booth.

Taken just before the box was closed and demolished.

Woodburn Junction's former panel pictured by myself in December 2017 which was altered for the new tram-train service (bottom left lines). 

Above: The layout has changed dramatically over the years. The main lines shown to Sheffield Midland Station, and the single line to Deepcar shown on the right, this was once the doubled main line to Sheffield Victoria Station. The whole junction was relayed and slightly remodelled in February/March 2021 with the cross-over being removed and the layout simplified which saw the removal of both sets of switch diamonds. 

Pictured above are the special tokens that were used to keep track on the trains during special football matches to Hillsborough stadium via Wadsley Bridge station. 

Unfortunately the trains no longer use this method of transporting fans, even though at the time it seemed like a good idea.

Thanks once again to Chris Booth for sharing this.

During a walkabout at Woodburn Jn in October 2009 I uncovered a sleeper chair still fixed to the sleeper on the former Down Goods line. The date on the chair is "12 33" meaning December 1933. It also appears that the company stamp is 'LMS' (London Midland & Scottish Railway).

The picture above (stated to be taken c.1983) is Woodburn Jn from Sheffield side. The DMU is on the Up Main to Cleethorpes. The other line to left is the Up Goods, to the right of the train is the Down Main, and to the right of that is the Down Goods. The yard to the right is the Carriage Sidings, now taken over by Sheffield Supertram maintenance depot.

The seperate overhead line gantry (minus the wires) on the far left is for the former line to Victoria Station.

A Lincoln to Sheffield DMU pictured on the 21st of March 1987 showing the up and down mainlines, the former down goods line and also the lifting of the Darnall flyover. Just a small piece of track remains.

The trenches also look like the start of resignalling or remodelling of the junction. 

Picture courtesy of Dave Stones.

A Sheffield to Lincoln DMU on the 2nd of April 1988. 

Picture courtesy of Dave Stones.

2nd of April 1988 and a diverted HST is travelling towards Woodburn from the Tinsley/Rotherham branch before the line was singled.

It still sees occasional diversions today caused by engineering work or signalling/track problems.

Pictured by Dave Stones

 

 

 

 

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