IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Twentywell Lane, SHEFFIELD, S17 4QA

At 6.21. By 9.00 it was raining!

Taken from above north portal of Bradway Tunnel where the Midland Mainline from the south emerges into Sheffield and South Yorkshire

With 13.41 ID 639H from Tunstead Sidings to Brentford Town Days Freightliner Heavy Haul. The tail of the train is just exiting short Dore Tunnel that connects the Hope Valley and Midland Mainlines. Loaded with limestone aggregate from the quarries near Buxton there's less of the Peak District left after every load.

Below Poynton Wood and Bradway Bank to the right, and Twentywell Lane to the left. In days gone by there was a signal box about here. This was taken from above a small tunnel covering the tightly curving single track linking to the Hope Valley line towards Manchester. It was previously a double track. Freight trains use this line to and from the Lafarge Cement works at Hope. The double track is the mainline used by East Midlands Trains between Sheffield and London St Pancras. It is also used by Crosscountry Trains running from as far south as Penzance and Reading up to Edinburgh and Glasgow. Northern Trains pass here between Nottingham and Leeds. East Midlands Trains also operate from Liverpool to Norwich. A trainspotters heaven in days gone by. At the time this picture was taken contractors were ruthlessly removing almost all vegetation from the hillsides due to fears of trees falling on the line! It revealed much that had been hidden for generations - this was only the start.

Twentywell Lane now runs to the right of this picture. Originally, before the railway cutting was dug up to Bradway Tunnel, it followed the line shown here. The course of the old road was revealed after all vegetation was removed from the rocky sides to reduce the risk to trains running below. The sides of the cutting are now covered by a strong wire mesh netting.

Twentywell Lane at opposite side of cutting. Trees have grown profusely on the steep sides of the valley. Network Rail contractors were advancing into the woods with excavators and abseiling equipment to declare war on the vegetation. A finished section is visible in the distance. Needless to say, it's controversial with local residents. Sadly, such healthy vegetation overhanging a mainline railway isn't too healthy for train safety, so it has to go.