NEW LINE

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 8th Year

Issue

Issue No.

4

Date Released

Dec 1954

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1POLISH VISIT
2. 2DOSCO
3. 3NEW LINE
4. 4MINK

Story

Story No. within this Issue

3 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: Electrification of the Wath-Manchester railway line
NCB Commentary - Near Doncaster the railway sidings at Wath serve over 50 collieries in the area. Here is the starting point of a newly electrified stretch of line running through to Manchester which carries enormous quanitites of coal and mineral traffic.
Sorted out according to their respective destinations, every day over twenty trains leave the "bird-cage" at the western end of Wath yard.
The overhead lines pump their power into the new electric locomotives and the heavy trains gather speed quickly with the open road ahead. Then comes the steep pull up Wentworth Bank. Here there’s a one-in-forty gradient which needed four steam locos, two at the front and two behind, to handle heavy coal trains. See how the rails have been worn on the up-grade by the driving wheels. Electrification doesn’t only save coal, it has made it possible for the engines to do twice the work.
On the other branch of the new line starting at Sheffield Victoria, steam passenger trains change over to electricity for the quick run over the newly electrified line into Manchester. At Barnsley Junction the two branches join up and goods and passengers share the tracks.
Past electrical sub-stations set in lovely scenery, the trains move smoothly on.
At Penistone Station is one of the nerve centres controlling the supply over this section of line and at Dunford Bridge comes one of the greatest engineering achievements of the project. A new Woodhead Tunnel has been built, over three miles long, side by side with the old drivings. No steam train will ever be allowed to pass through this new tunnel, which took 4 1/2 years in the making and is electrically lit throughout its entire length.
Out of the tunnel on the western side of the Pennines the trains pick up speed again for the quick nineteen mile run into Manchester. From Glossop into the City the suburban passenger service has been electrified as well.
As the passenger trains speed on into Manchester, freight trains are broken up by gravity shunting at the Mottram Yard.
Clean, economical and speedy, this new electric line sends coal where it is wanted. The changeover from steam means a more effective use of coal as well as a saving of thousands of tons a year.

Researcher Comments

Commentary recorded 8 November 1954.

Keywords

Railways; Transport; Science and technology; Mining

Locations

Yorkshire; England

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
Film User   Vol.9 No.109, November 1955, p570.
The National Archives COAL 32   /3 Scripts for Mining Review, 1949-1956

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board