“Steam Days in the South Pennines”

Presenter: Steve Armitage

Entertainment for the July meeting was provided by the well-known and renowned presenter Steve Armitage who delivered a talk to a well-attended meeting that recorded “Steam Days on the South Pennines”.  Using pictures taken by several photographers, in conjunction with some of his own, almost all were taken in the 1950’s – 1960’s.  The starting point for the journey was to be Sheffield where images from both the Midland and Victoria stations were shown where many Midland Railway and LNER locomotives were to be witnessed.

Passenger traffic along the Midland lines chiefly featured Jubilees and Black Fives as they journeyed southwards whilst ex-Great Central motive power was to be seen at Victoria along with the early day Woodhead electrics.  Photographs taken at nearby Barnsley illustrated examples of the prolific coal traffic on old Great Central metals in and around the associated collieries.  Scenes at Cudworth and Royston stations aptly described a wider variety of freight activity travelling along ex-Midland Railway lines between Leeds and Sheffield.

Locomotives seen on shed at Royston, Barnsley and Rotherham Canklow perfectly illustrated the freight engines that were employed in and around the industrial areas of South Yorkshire.

In a southerly direction out of Sheffield and down the Midland lines travelling towards Derby the images were to show main line activities through and around the junction/tunnel at Dore & Totley.  Onwards movement included visits to Barrow Hill, Staveley Steelworks followed by photographs covering Chesterfield (where a Garratt on freight was pictured) and the freight yards north of Derby.

Westerly from Sheffield the lines over the Pennines towards Manchester featured steam day scenes of trains over the pre electrified stations at Woodhead, Penistone and Dunford Bridge.  Not to be dismissed were pictures of the subsequent DC electrics which also now no longer exist.

This fascinating and superbly delivered presentation made for a most delightful evening of entertainment.