Elizabeth is a recent arrival at Elsecar, having been bought from the Middleton Railway in 2015. The trustees have now confirmed that they have had to hand back the lease to the council, who will explore options over its future viability. The railway in 2021, post-closure The statement read: "Over recent months, thanks to the extensive and positive response to consultation earlier in the year, an inspiring new vision has been. Our Privacy Policy, 2023 Barnsley Chronicle Privacy Policy Cookie Policy All Policies, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS, Sales: 01226 734666 Editorial: 01226 734262, 09/04/21 } else { That's really encouraging. The railway sites include Elsecar, Cortonwood and the railway line between them. For the time being, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, railway events will not be taking place, but our fantastic Elsecar Heritage Centre is still open for business. My memories of it were always as a kit of bits at various locations around the railway. 848 of 1883) which underwent conversion in 1922 and 1924, respectively. 2895 diesel-electric Earl of Strafford, bought from the GCR (Nottingham) on March 14, 1997, currently in the course of receiving its third engine, and Hunslet No. Over the summer, the council will be consulting on next steps and the future of the heritage railway, and its important that local residents in Elsecar have a voice and a role in that process. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. The raison detre of the branch was to serve several collieries and ironworks owned by the Rockingham family, headed by Earl Fitzwilliam, who had his own private station at Elsecar (not to be confused with Elsecar & Hoyland station on the Penistone to Sheffield route, which survives today as part of the main network). We look forward to sharing more about that work and the resulting vision soon.. Did you know with a Digital subscription to Yorkshire Post, you can get access to all of our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. The many other independent shops, studios and Elsecar Antiques Centre are expected to open to the public on 2 December, with many currently offering deliveries and click-and-collect. [1] Closure [ edit] This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, This website and its associated newspaper are members of Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). This means that we need a very close understanding of archaeology and ground conditions to plan for future structures that may be required for that new vision for the heritage railway. Production Editor, Ashley Ball, said: "In an ever changing media world, its important that news is reported correctly and without any hidden agenda. The whole track has been laid, but delays over the Tingle Bridge Lane crossing at Hemingfield have left the remaining mile inoperational. The Elsecar Heritage Railway became the operator in 2006. However, given the wider sites rich past and it now being designated as an ancient monument by conservation body Historic England, more archaeological digs could be required before services resume. By. Production Editor, Ashley Ball, said: "In an ever changing media world, its important that news is reported correctly and without any hidden agenda. On 19 April 2013 the EHR installed the level crossing on Tingle Bridge Lane, financed by a Director's loan, and began extending the line into Cortonwood Colliery, as the next step of the Project. var banners = ['mpu2', 'mpu3', 'mpu4', '']; 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.. Eventually, only Cortonwood colliery was served, with the Cortonwood to Elsecar portion falling out of use, and when Cortonwood was closed during the miners strike of 1984/85, the remaining section to Elsecar Junction was closed and lifted. The HAZ, which is run in partnership with Barnsley Council, will also involve promoting lesser-known archaeological sites, bringing historic buildings back into use as offices and retail units, identifying suitable sites for new housing, and encouraging local residents to become involved in future development plans. for (i = 0; i < 4; i++) { } else { Its a much-loved place and a real asset for the village and its industrial heritage. I hope they do manage to work something out. Hardcore coronation fans already camped outside Buckingham Palace, HMV to reopen original flagship store after four year closure, Mller recall Cadbury desserts because of Listeria contamination, Nurses strike continues: Major disruption for NHS services in England, Additional flight to evacuate Britons from Sudan today, Ryanair cancels 220 flights over May 1 bank holiday due to strikes. At present it is not possible for passengers to alight anywhere on the line apart from the main terminus at Elsecar, and the lack of a passing loop at the Hemingfield end means that unless top-and-tail working is adopted, a train has to be propelled on its return to Elsecar. JavaScript is disabled. var i, sizes; Its our belief that news should be available to everyone regardless of their circumstance. Very friendly bunch in the mess room there. The Earl's parties were conveyed by coach from Wentworth Woodhouse to the station to join these trains which were known, and shown in railway publications as "E.F.W. Restoration began in 1994 as a project of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, and the line reopened as a heritage railway in 1996, operated by the Council. A heritage railway that closed in 2020 could re-open if investment is secured. The railway was operated using a variety of different preserved rolling stock. var banners = ['mpu2', 'mpu3', 'mpu4', '']; Copyright 2023 Barnsley Museums. Ive only been there once to meet up with some engineers who have moved on to new horizons since Elescar closed. This means that we need a very close understanding of archaeology and ground conditions to plan for future structures that may be required for that new vision for the heritage railway. Were working with Elsecar Heritage Railway Trust and undertaking planning to establish a successful way forward for a heritage railway at Elsecar. No. Pitsford worked in the ironstone industry until the late 1960s, being initially preserved at the Fawley Hill Railway before being transferred to the Nene Valley Railway in 1972. The Mardy Monster spent its revenue-earning career alongside one of its sister engines at Maerdy colliery in the Rhondda Valley, and remained in use at this site until withdrawn in 1976. This did not include any rolling stock. The total length of the line was 2 miles 1204 yards. Web design & development by Ledgard Jepson, Barnsley Museums Digital @ The Glass Works, The Caravan Gallery: Wombwell Pride of Place Project, Eldon Street High Street Heritage Action Zone. Elsecar Heritage Railway Trust have faced a number of challenges and in July, the trustees expressed that their best, and only, course of action was to surrender their lease to the railway sites that are owned by Barnsley Council. The railway was a freight-only branch of the Mexborough to Barnsley line that closed in 1984 when the last mine shut. Something went wrong, please try again later. The statement read: Over recent months, thanks to the extensive and positive response to consultation earlier in the year, an inspiring new vision has been coming together for the future of a heritage railway in Elsecar. The forgotten railway discovered on a rare tiled map at Beve had either been newly listed at Grade II or given upgraded protection status by the government. Barnsley Council are currently looking into how to secure this. ", We will not share your information and will use it in accordance with One of the other stock movements from Elsecar will have been Mike's sentinel steam loco Gervais that's been to a contractor at Statford and is because of the imminent expiry of the 10 year boiler ticket. That vision to create a sustainable future for a heritage railway in the village will need significant investment, which is currently being explored. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}532937N 12509W / 53.49374N 1.41927W / 53.49374; -1.41927. One of the Heavy Haulers posted on twitter that they'd moved some other rolling stock away from there this week too. } else { Working alongside the Trust they are reviewing a number of options to ensure the well-loved visitor attraction has a successful and sustainable future. The station was opened by the Midland Railway in July 1897 and was at one time known as Elsecar & Hoyland. Specials". "Were committed to securing the future of the railway for residents and future generations to enjoy. "Over the coming weeks, some rolling stock and equipment will be leaving the Elsecar Heritage Railway site. In November 2013 the EHR received a lottery grant of 50,000 to finance the provision of a Coal Mining Memorial Park at Cortonwood Colliery,[3] a nationally important site, where the 1984/5 Miners Strike began. BARNSLEY Council has stepped in to take control of a historic heritage railway and is working on plans to resume services - but it will remain closed for now. The town and its people have changed dramatically since then but the Chronicle has been a constant. Elsecar Heritage Railway runs along a mile-long stretch of track that once served the ironworks and collieries of the industrial village, which was owned by the Earls of Fitzwilliam of nearby Wentworth Woodhouse. This locomotive went on to have a somewhat chequered career, being sold to Thomas Hill of Rotherham, a concern that had close connections with Sentinel, and which even converted some of the latters locomotives to diesel power, in 1960. The Elsecar branch closed in 1984 following closure of the final colliery on the line. Thanks to the extensive and positive response to consultation earlier in the year, an inspiring new vision has been coming together for the future of a heritage railway in Elsecar. By. } The line was built to serve Earl Fitzwilliam's collieries and ironworks, which he leased out to local ironmasters. I visited the line a few times, but I always thought their operating days were a bit too limted. You are using an out of date browser. We look forward to sharing more about that work and the resulting vision soon.. The heritage centre where the sites located will see parts reopen to the public on Monday. I didn't realise it was also Mike's Sentinel, I assumed it was another private owner removing their stock! Council: future of closed Elsecar Railway ' will be secured' 2020-12-15 - BARNSLEYCouncil has reaffirmedits commitment to securing the future of the closed Elsecar HeritageRailway after its operator surrenderedits lease. The Elsecar Heritage Railway (EHR) is located on the southern part of the former South Yorkshire Railway freight-only branch which ran from Elsecar Junction on its Mexborough to Barnsley Line. Here, it was once again put into working order before moving to the Rutland Railway Museum, Cottesmore (now Rocks By Rail) where, despite experiencing some mechanical difficulties, namely a steam leak associated with one of the mudhole doors, lubrication problems, and a loose left hand piston, several demonstration runs were undertaken before the locomotive was relocated once more, this time to Elsecar. Closed. Because of the length of journey and the suitability of the junction, meeting the main line in that direction, Cleethorpes was a popular destination. Many Elsecar colliers went to work at Cortonwood, just down the canal towpath, where a few months later the Miners Strike of 1984-5 began. Were committed to securing the future of the railway for residents and future generations to enjoy. Earlier this month it was announced that 16 buildings in the village had either been newly listed at Grade II or given upgraded protection status by the government. The locomotive put in 10 years of useful work in this capacity prior to the expiry of its boiler certificate, when it was laid aside for another overhaul, which is currently in progress. } The Woodhead line was a railway line linking Sheffield, Penistone and Manchester in the north of England. That vision to create a sustainable future for a heritage railway in the village will need significant investment, which is currently being explored. The story of the former Elsecar mineral branch might have ended in the 1980s, but for one reason: the Elsecar end of the line features many of the buildings that constituted the Earl's workshops (later becoming the workshops of the NCB Barnsley Area) and the decision was taken by Barnsley Council to develop the area as a tourist attraction, known The station was opened in 1870, after the line passed to the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway and was used by the Earl's . 6807 of 1928 (the conversion was carried out on site by Sentinel fitters). elsecarheritagecentre@barnsley.gov.uk. Questions still remain over certain parts of the track and infrastructure, with the authority claiming it will begin disposing of some rolling stock and equipment not expected to be used in the future. "Earl Fitzwilliam's Private Railway Station" by D.L.Franks. On 16 May 2011 the permanent way materials for the level crossing arrived and a donation scheme was set up to raise the remainder of the money needed. A statement from the Elsecar Heritage Railway Trust said: "Elsecar Heritage Railway Trust has faced a number of challenges in recent times. The station was also host to other trains not connected to the St. Leger race meeting or usage by Earl Fitzwilliam. I never visited the working railway, but when my car was stolen, out of the Wakefield Holiday Inn Hotel car park overnight, it was found almost immediately, minus all wheels and quite a few other essential bits, dumped on the approach road to the museum railway at Elsecar. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. I certainly have no issue with Mike's choice of destination (except that I wish it had been Middleton). continue; The railway's extension, currently under construction, involves the reinstatement of two level crossings, Tingle Bridge Lane and Smithy Lane. Show Barnsley Museum's websites navigation. "The railway will remain closed for the time being while various options are explored. "Although the railway is closed at the moment, hard work has been ongoing behind the scenes to evaluate the condition of the site, its buildings and railway equipment," the council spokesperson added. Interestingly, the lever frame at Elsecar was not a traditional manual frame, but instead an electro-pneumatic power frame installed in 1907 - this used miniature levers controlling switches, which then operated the equipment, making life somewhat easier for the signalman! Read more News and Features in Issue 237 of HR on sale now! But spiralling financial problems, compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, saw the trust surrender the lease back to the council. Barnsley Council owns sites at Elsecar and Cortonwood, along with a track between the two and it was leased to the Elesecar Heritage Railway Trust, a charity which ran it for many years. 7 in 1962), Gervase saw use on the KESR during its early preservation period, aided by the availability of spare parts from another Sentinel locomotive in the lines possession at the time, but it fell out of use in more recent years. Steam and vintage diesel trains ran from Rockingham Station, at the rear of the heritage centre, to Hemingfield Basin, and there were plans to extend the service to Cortonwood and open a new halt at Hemingfield, a further mile away. Earl Fitzwilliam's private railway station is a former private railway station in South Yorkshire, England, situated at the upper end of the Elsecar branch of the South Yorkshire Railway. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. We are also doing seasonal maintenance work to the rest of the track route. A great deal of work has been carried out to establish how a successful and sustainable heritage railway offer can be re-established at Elsecar, reflecting the pride in our railway heritage and what it can mean for our regions visitor economy.. The whole infrastructure was nationalised after the Second World War, with the mines becoming part of the National Coal Board in 1947 and the railway becoming part of British Railways in 1948. Later in its career, it lost its Manning, Wardle double boss wheels in favour of replacements sourced from a scrap Peckett 0-4-0ST during the 1950s. 1472 of 1900 for Merstham Greystone Lime Co, in Surrey, and its relevant re-useable components were incorporated into Sentinel rebuild WNo. Exhibits encouraging visitors to explore the people and places of Barnsley. The Middleton is one of the few sites I've never been to but the number of railways where Mike's engines can run at on a regular basis is quite limited. The EHR had planned to eventually operate the line into Cortonwood, with a new halt at Hemingfield, doubling the length of the line to two miles. The railway is now engaged in refinements to the permanent way, together with the necessary regulatory processes (with the local authority and the Office of Rail and Road) to see the extension opened for public services. Archive enquiries to: Jane Skayman on 01507 529423 [emailprotected]. The Elsecar Heritage Railway became the operator in 2006. We look forward to revealing more details of that vision over the coming weeks and months. Barnsley Council owns sites at Elsecar and Cortonwood, along with a track between the two and it was leased to the Elesecar Heritage Railway Trust, a charity which ran it for many years. I presume all this means that owners of stock based on the railway haven't received assurances that it'll be seeing use any time soon? The railway sites include Elsecar, Cortonwood and the railway line between them. .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}ISSN0141-4488. var banners = ['top-dmpu', 'mpu2', 'mpu3', '']; The Elsecar Heritage Railway operated an out and back tourist train ride on a 1 mile (1.6km) section of the branch using steam and diesel locomotives, previously running between Rockingham station (at the back of the Elsecar Heritage Centre) and Hemingfield Basin. Spiralling financial problems, compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, were blamed for its sudden closure. A council spokesperson said: Barnsley Council want to make sure that theres a future for a heritage railway in Elsecar. They will also look at future volunteering opportunities to support the project. A great deal of work has been carried out to establish how a successful and sustainable heritage railway offer can be re-established at Elsecar, reflecting the pride in our railway heritage and what it can mean for our regions visitor economy. Closed now Visit website Call Email Write a review About Elsecar Heritage Railway is South Yorkshire's only Heritage Railway. So I not only gained knowledge of the place, but am now hesitant to go back there Good luck to them. 9596) until dieselisation at the factory in 1978 resulted in the withdrawal from service of both locomotives and their sale during the succeeding decade. This site requires a Javascript enabled browser. National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. Your support allows us to keep holding decision-makers to account and report on everything that happens in the town, good or bad, fairly. The locomotive Earl Fitzwilliam has already been referred to and this engine was originally supplied by its Bristol-based manufacturer as Pitsford to Pitsford ironstone quarries, in Northamptonshire, as a representative of the mature phase of Avonside industrial locomotive design. Elsecar goods station was a goods facility constructed near the village of Elsecar, near Barnsley, South Yorkshire, at the terminus of the South Yorkshire Railways branch line from Elsecar Junction on its Mexborough to Barnsley line. The railway line, originally built in 1850 to transport coal and iron from Elsecar to Mexborough, was reopened by the council in 1994. While its disappointing that the railway is not currently operating, I welcome Barnsley Councils commitment to ensure that it has a future in Elsecar. The unused portion of the track, including the level crossing - which has been a stumbling block, due to approval being required from a number of parties including the council and Office of Rail and Road - is thought to have cost upwards of 40,000. Now Barnsley Council has confirmed it wants to see the railway operating again and is back working with the trust to try to find a way forwards. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. sizes = [[300, 600], [300, 250]]; Elsecar Heritage Railway operated on a station built to serve the Earls Fitzwilliams ironworks, but the mile-long stretch of track was mothballed in 2020 when a lease was handed back to Barnsley Council by a charity - the Elsecar Heritage Railway (EHR) Trust - which had run it as a visitor attraction since 2006. Thanks to the Elsecar Heritage Action Zone's work, the railway station area and yard site are now a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The passenger rolling stock currently in use on the EHR consists of four BR Mk.1 coaches, while there are several other items of rolling stock, including such diverse items as a Smith & Rodley diesel crane (another Yorkshire product, emanating from Leeds) and a homemade diesel dumper truck of uncertain parentage. 01226 740203 Concrete sleepers have been obtained from Network Rail, having been rendered surplus to requirements by renewal of track between Barnsley and Chapeltown. One of the sites prized assets - the almost 70-year-old Mardy Monster steam locomotive which has hauled carriageloads of families at events held at Elsecar Heritage Centre - was previously sold by the trust, reportedly without the knowledge of board members. As part of this attraction, it was decided to relay a section of the branch in the vicinity and create a new passenger station, complete with platform, canopy and footbridge, which was initially known as Rockingham station. The railway's diesel locomotives are used to operate both passenger and engineering trains. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. We will not share your information and will, Toddlers pacemaker gives family fresh hope, Mum speaks out over shock cancer diagnosis, SEND school undergoes colourful transformation, Charity shop to be opened by ex-rugby star, Barnsley MasterChef contestant through to knockout stage, Birds of prey re-introduction scheme is unsuccessful. The terminus was latterly known as Elsecar goods station, but with the post-Second World War rundown of Britains coal industry and the growth of road freight transport, the importance of the branch steadily declined. The many other independent shops, studios and Elsecar Antiques Centre are expected to open to the public on 2 December, with many currently offering deliveries and click-and-collect. Elsecar Heritage Railway Update 27th November 2020 Elsecar Heritage Railway Trust have faced a number of challenges and in July, the trustees expressed that their best, and only, course of action was to surrender their lease to the railway sites that are owned by Barnsley Council. "The railway is an important part of Barnsleys history and visitor offer. if (banners[i] == '') { We will keep visitors updated on progress as plans are developed.". Currently operating on a one mile section of track, passengers are pulled by a selection of steam and diesel engines, with a variety of coaching stock. This engine was restored to its original BP livery and ran in this condition at Elsecar following an overhaul during the winter of 2005/6, but it is currently out of service undergoing repairs to its transmission components. Website: https://www.elsecarrailway.co.uk/ Opening Hours: Sundays 10am-4.30pm. Earl Fitzwilliam is currently on display on a short stretch of track in the yard at Elsecar until the time and resources can be found to carry out the requisite work to restore it once again to working condition. Cafes are open for takeaways alongside the natural food shop and beer tap. Interesting to hear that there were people on site although these are sad scenes. We've been really lucky that Mike's taken them on as they have important historical connections to the K & ESRs preservation era which is now longer in years than its prenationalisation independent company era. By the time the lease was surrendered, the railway's much loved Mardy Monster steam loco had been sold and the organisation was struggling with other costs to keep the site safe. The remaining steam Sentinel at Elsecar is No. 2020-05-17 Elsecar railway station is a railway . Copyright 2023 Elsecar Heritage Centre. Were committed to securing the future of the railway for residents and future generations to enjoy. The railway is an important part of Barnsleys history and visitor offer. Were working with Elsecar Heritage Railway Trust and undertaking planning to establish a successful way forward for a heritage railway at Elsecar.". The M.S.& L.R. Elsecar Heritage Railway Trust have faced a number of challenges and in July, the trustees expressed that their best, and only, course of action was to surrender their lease to the railway sites that are owned by Barnsley Council. There is, unfortunately, one minor criticism: the number chosen, 7165, was actually carried by one of the Fowler 2F Dock Tanks; surely No.