Sheffield station

Sheffield National Rail Supertram (Sheffield)

Sheffield station from Sheaf Square
Location
Place Sheffield
Local authority City of Sheffield
Coordinates 53°22′41″N 1°27′43″W / 53.378°N 1.462°W / 53.378; -1.462Coordinates: 53°22′41″N 1°27′43″W / 53.378°N 1.462°W / 53.378; -1.462
Grid reference SK358869
Operations
Station code SHF
Managed by East Midlands Trains
Owned by Network Rail
Number of platforms 9
DfT category B
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections
from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage*
2010/11 Increase 8.052 million
2011/12 Increase 8.424 million
2012/13 Increase 8.615 million
2013/14 Increase 8.618 million
2014/15 Increase 9.113 million
Passenger Transport Executive
PTE Travel South Yorkshire
Zone Sheffield
History
1870 Opened
1905 Extension
1956 Rooftop removed
1973 Power signal box built
2006 Major redevelopment completed
National Rail – UK railway stations
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Sheffield from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.
UK Railways portal

Sheffield station, formerly Pond Street[1] and later Sheffield Midland, is a combined railway station and tram stop in Sheffield, England, and the busiest station in South Yorkshire.[2] Adjacent is Sheffield station/Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield Supertram stop. In 2010–11, the station was the 35th-busiest in the UK, and the 11th-busiest outside London.[3]

History

1870 - 1960

The stone façade of Sheffield station, added in 1905. The famous Park Hill flats are in the background.

The station was opened in 1870 by the Midland Railway and was the fifth and last station to be built in Sheffield city centre. It was designed by the architect Charles Trubshaw.

The station was built on the 'New Line', which ran between Grimesthorpe Junction, on the former Sheffield and Rotherham Railway, and Tapton Junction, just north of Chesterfield. This line replaced the Midland Railway's previous route, the 'old road', to London, which ran from Sheffield Wicker via Rotherham.

The new line and station were built despite some controversy and opposition locally. The Duke of Norfolk, who owned land in the area, insisted that the southern approach be in a tunnel and the land known as The Farm landscaped to prevent the line being seen. Some years later the tunnel was opened out into a cutting. Sheffield Corporation was so concerned about the eastern side of the city being cut off from the city centre that it insisted that public access be preserved across the railway site.

The interior stonework and iron roof on the station concourse

The station and Pond Street Goods Depot opened on a damp and cold day without any celebrations. There were originally different passenger entrances for each class. The original station buildings have been preserved and are between island platforms 2 to 5.

The station was given two extra platforms and a new frontage in 1905 at a cost of £215,000. The enlargements consisted of creating an island platform out of the old platform 1 and building a new platform 1 and a new entrance.

Offices were built at the north end of the 300 feet (91 m) long carriageway rooftop. A large parcels office was built to the south of the main buildings. Two footbridges connected the platforms, the one to the north for passengers, the one to the south for station staff and parcels. The tracks were covered by two overall roofs. The older and larger spanned platforms 5 and 6, and an identical structure can still be viewed today at Bath Green Park railway station; the other platforms 1 and 2. Wartime damage put the roofs beyond economic repair, and so they were removed in the autumn of 1956 and replaced by low-level awnings.

1960 - 2002

The 1960s saw the introduction of the Class 45 and Class 46 diesel-electric engines, known as Peaks.[4] Sheaf House was built in 1965[5] adjacent to the station to house British Rail's Sheffield Division headquarters. As part of the reconstruction of the area as the "Gateway to Sheffield", it was demolished in early 2006. In 1970 Sheffield's other main station, Sheffield Victoria, was closed and its remaining services, from Penistone, were diverted until 1981 via a cumbersome reversal. The Pullman service between Sheffield Victoria and London King's Cross, including the morning and evening 'Master Cutler' now ran onto the East Coast Main Line via Retford from Sheffield Midland instead. This was the third route used by the train of that name; originally it had run to London Marylebone. In 1972 the station was resignalled and its track layout remodelled. In 1984 British Rail introduced the High Speed Train to Sheffield on the Midland Main Line. The cross-country services had seen the introduction of the HSTs in 1982. On 21 December 1991, the station was flooded by the River Sheaf, which flows under it. A log that was part of the debris commemorates the event on platform 5. In 1991 construction of the new Supertram network began and by late 1994 Sheffield Midland was connected to the network, after the opening of the line between Fitzalan Square in the city centre and Spring Lane, to the east of the station.[6]

2002 - present

CrossCountry and East Midlands Trains.
The station concourse, post- redevelopment.

In 2002, Midland Mainline, as the main TOC of the station, instigated a major regeneration of Sheffield station. Prior to this, a taxi rank was located inside what is now the main concourse and the new entrance hall. The stone façade of the station was sandblasted and its archways filled with unobstructed windows to improve views both from inside and out.[7] Other changes included the improvement of platform surfaces and the addition of a pedestrian bridge connecting the station concourse with the Sheffield Supertram stop at the far side of the station.[8]

To coincide with the regeneration of the station, Sheaf Square was rebuilt as part of a project designed to create the ‘Gateway to Sheffield’. The station and the square form part of a ‘gold route’ that leads passengers through the square past the 262.5 feet (80.0 m) 'Cutting Edge' water feature, up Howard Street and into the Heart of the City.[9] This 'Gateway to Sheffield' won the Project of the Year Award in the 2006 National Rail Awards.[10]

On 11 November 2007, East Midlands Trains, an amalgamation of Midland Mainline and part of Central Trains, took over the management of the station.

In December 2009, following the restoration of the station, a new pub, the 'Sheffield Tap', opened next to platform 1B.[11] The room, located within the main station building, had been used as a store room for 35 years but was used for much longer as a bar and restaurant, catering for First Class passengers since 1904.[12] The bar is noteworthy for its restored early 20th century interior and its selection of quality cask ales and beers from around the world.[11] Since opening the bar has won the National Railway Heritage Award and the Cask Ale pub of the year award.[13]

In October 2010 East Midland Trains initiated £10 million worth of improvements to its stations. Sheffield received renovated waiting rooms, toilet facilities and upgraded security systems amongst its improvements.[14] A new first class lounge on platform 5, part of these improvements, opened on 18 January 2011.[15] The lounge was opened by the Master Cutler Professor Bill Speirs who was joined by 50 top business leaders from Sheffield and the surrounding area.[16]

Station footbridge controversy

The bridge at the centre of the controversy

In 2008, East Midlands Trains revealed its intention to restrict access to parts of the station by installing ticket barriers to try to prevent passengers from travelling without a ticket. This proposal met with widespread opposition from residents and Council members because the footbridge would be closed off to non-ticket holders, severing a popular thoroughfare from the Norfolk Park residential area and the Supertram stop on one side, to the station travel centre, the bus station interchange, the city centre and the city centre campus of Sheffield Hallam University on the other. On 6 May 2009, East Midlands Trains implemented its proposal, using temporary barriers and ticket inspectors to bar access to the footbridge to non-ticket holders, and local residents and Supertram passengers were forced to use longer routes around the station.[17]

In November 2009, East Midlands Trains were refused planning permission for the barriers by the council,[18] but in February 2010 announced it would apply again.[19] Transport Secretary Lord Adonis announced in April 2010 that barriers would not be installed until a second bridge was built to maintain a thoroughfare for non-ticket holders.[20]

From September 2010, East Midlands Trains have used uniformed staff to prevent local residents using the footbridge.[21] At the same time, Sheffield City Council explored the possibility of turning the bridge into a public right-of-way to resolve the matter. In late 2010, it was reported that the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, MP for Sheffield Hallam, might intervene to resolve the impasse.[22]

In March 2012, Transport Minister Justine Greening offered £3 million to build a new footbridge to resolve the problem.[23]

Future

Ian Yeowart, former Managing Director of Grand Central, put forward in 2009 a bid for new open access Alliance Rail services operating on the East Coast Main Line.[24] As part of the scheme, four services a day would operate between Sheffield and London King’s Cross via Alfreton, Nottingham and Grantham, meaning Sheffield would be connected to the capital by both the Midland Main Line and the East Coast Main Line routes once again. Yeowart has proposed the resurrection of the name GNER for the service, which has been unused since the last franchise of that name ended in 2007. However, in 2010 these proposed Sheffield to London Kings Cross services via the East Coast Main Line were rejected. In the 2010 Rail Utilisation Strategy, it quoted that the Midland Main Line north of Bedford will be electrified in 2020.[25] The line is currently one of the few major main lines (along with the Great Western Main Line that is not electrified west of Hayes and Harlington) and the plan found that the project would provide significantly enhanced services and significant financial savings.[25] Network Rail is planning and undertaking infrastructure improvements and a reduction of eight minutes in journey times between Sheffield and London St Pancras is planned.[25]

CrossCountry, aspiring to improve their overall network and services, aims to increase services between Sheffield and Leeds. East Midlands Trains also plans to make service improvements to its services between Liverpool and Norwich via Sheffield with two-car Class 158 trains doubling in capacity to four cars.[26] Coupled with newly acquired Class 156 trains, this will lead to an extra 1500 seats being available each day on this service.[26] Northern, responsible for operating most local services in the Sheffield area, announced in August 2011 that extra services between Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly will begin in December that year. The Hope Valley Line, which will see an extra service in each direction in the peak evening period, is a key commuter route and currently has a two-hour gap in its evening schedule, which will be filled by the new services.[27]

Station facilities

The main station entrance, facing Sheaf Square, is the location of the main concourse and most of the station's facilities. The ticket office, ticket machines, information desk and a number of retail units are located there, and public toilets and facilities such as cash machines and a left luggage facility.[28] There are further shops and facilities on the island platforms and in the Supertram entrance hall at the far side of the station. There are waiting rooms on the island platforms and the East Midlands Trains first class lounge is within the station buildings, by platform 5.

There is a 678-space car park situated next to the main station building (Q Park) and there is a reserved parking area for blue badge holders in the main station building.[28] There is also a taxi rank outside the station building, next to the disabled car park. Bicycle storage is provided on platforms 1a and 3a. The whole station, including platforms, concourse and Supertram stop, is accessible to disabled passengers.

Station layout

A panoramic view of the station. The Supertram stop is on the left and the city centre and Sheaf Street on the right.
The station from the east. In the foreground are the Supertram stop and the station entrance hall. In the distance is the city centre.

The station is divided into four parts: the main building/concourse and platforms 1a/1b; the first island with platforms 2a-5b; the second island with platforms 6a-8b; and the adjoining Supertram stop. All sections are connected by a large footbridge.

Sheffield station is designed to accommodate both through and terminating trains. Platforms 2c, 3, 4 and 7 can be used by terminating trains only. The station has 9 platforms, numbered 1 to 8 and 2C. Platforms 1, 3 and 4 are divided into a and b sections to allow a brief stabling of terminating services before they are scheduled to depart. The station has four through roads which are used for through running or more commonly for stabling stock. Between platforms 5 and 6 these are known as "1-Up" and "2-Up" (they are on the "Up" or London-bound side of the station) whilst between platforms 1 and 2 are the "through road" with a direct path through the station or by a central crossover to the north end of platform 1 (1b), and "down station siding".

Prior to the 1972 multiple-aspect signalling (MAS) scheme, the southern half of the current platform 8 was called platform 9. Trains from the north from platform 9 could avoid trains stood at platform 8 via an additional through road.

The platforms are generally used as follows:

Supertram stop

Sheffield station/Sheffield Hallam University
Supertram station
Coordinates 53°22′40″N 1°27′40.6″W / 53.37778°N 1.461278°W / 53.37778; -1.461278
Owned by SYPTE (Travel South Yorkshire)
Line(s) Blue Line
Purple Line
Platforms 5 (2 in regular use)
Tracks 2
Construction
Structure type Elevated
Disabled access Yes
History
Opened 1994

Sheffield station/Sheffield Hallam University stop on the Supertram has direct interchange with Sheffield station. Built on top of a walled embankment on the station's eastern side, Sheffield station/Sheffield Hallam University also serves the City Campus of Sheffield Hallam University and the Park Hill estate.

Services

Trains per hour:

East Midlands Trains

CrossCountry

TransPennine Express

Northern

Preceding station   National Rail   Following station
CrossCountry
East Midlands Trains
Limited Service
Limited Service
East Midlands Trains
Limited Service
Limited Service
TransPennine Express
South TransPennine
Limited Services
TerminusNorthern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Nottingham-Leeds
  Future services  
Manchester Victoria   TBA
High Speed 3		   Terminus
Sheffield Supertram
Granville Road/
The Sheffield College
towards Herdings Park or Halfway		   Blue Line   Fitzalan Square/
Ponds Forge
towards Cathedral or Malin Bridge
  Purple Line  

References and notes

  1. ↑ Batty (Batty, Stephen (1989). Rail Centres: Sheffield. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Ltd. p. 10. ISBN 0-7110-1366-7.) refers to the station as Pond Street. However, Fox (Fox, Peter (1990). The Midland Line in Sheffield. Sheffield: Platform 5. p. 8. ISBN 1-872524-16-8.) notes that, although the name Pond Street appears on some Midland Railway maps, the station has never been known locally by this name, and was never referred to as such in timetables.
  2. ↑ http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529| Office of Rail Regulation – 2008/2009 station patronage statistics. Retrieved 2010-01-02
  3. ↑ http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529
  4. ↑ Montague, Keith (1978). The Power of the Peaks. Oxford: Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 0-902888-99-4.
  5. ↑ Railway Magazine, August 1965, p.483
  6. ↑ http://www.thetrams.co.uk/supertram/history.php History of the Sheffield Supertram. TheTrams.co.uk. Accessed 3 August 2011
  7. ↑ "Brighter station entrance planned". BBC News. 24 February 2004. Retrieved 19 November 2008.
  8. ↑ "£11m facelift for city station". BBC News. 21 November 2002. Retrieved 19 November 2008.
  9. ↑ http://www.environment-investment.com/conference2006/downloads/session_5/Simon_Ogden.pdf| Sheffield City Council - Sheffield's 'Gold Route'. Retrieved 2011-01-03
  10. ↑ http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/out--about/city-centre/public-spaces/sheaf-square
  11. 1 2 http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Sheffield39s-newest-bar-has-arrived.5894972.jp| The Sheffield Star. 'Sheffield's newest bar has arrived at platform 1B' 2010-12-09. Retrieved 2011-01-02
  12. ↑ Yorkshire Post, 'All change as railway buffet thoroughly refreshed', 2009-12-03, Accessed 2011-02-06
  13. ↑ http://www.sheffieldtap.com/latest-news| The Sheffield Tap. Latest News. 2010-12-15. Retrieved 2011-01-03
  14. ↑ "Rail station gets first class refit". Sheffield Telegraph (Johnston Publishing Ltd.). 14 October 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  15. ↑ http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/AboutUs/News/Pages/_NewFirstClassLoungeopensat.aspx| East Midland Trains: New First Class Lounge opens at Sheffield station 2011-01-18
  16. ↑ http://www.cutlers-hallamshire.org.uk/html/the-company-today/news-and-press-releases-updated-2812011/| Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire - The Company Today - News and Press releases, updated 28.1.2011
  17. ↑ "Hundreds turned away as station bridge shut". Sheffield Telegraph. 6 May 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
  18. ↑ "Rail ticket barrier plan rejected". BBC News. 23 November 2009. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
  19. ↑ "Critics signal new fight over station barriers". Sheffield Telegraph. 18 February 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
  20. ↑ "Sheffield station ticket barrier plans put on hold". BBC News. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  21. ↑ "Yorkshire Post 'Rail barrier protesters' anger over bridge move.'". 19 September 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
  22. ↑ http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/general/2010/09/14-deputy-pm-may-intervene-in.html| Rail News 2011-09-14 - 'Deputy PM may intervene in Sheffield barriers row'
  23. ↑ "Station bridge breakthrough". Sheffield Telegraph. 1 March 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  24. ↑ "Modern Railways - Yeowart back with fresh open access proposal". Modern Railways. 24 September 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  25. 1 2 3 "Network Rail - Strategic Business Plan" (PDF). Network Rail. March 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
  26. 1 2 http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/AboutUs/News/Pages/_EastMidlandsTrainsconfirmsimprovementsforpassengersusingLiverpooltoNorwichroute_.aspx
  27. ↑ http://www.rail.co/2011/08/01/more-rail-services-on-the-hope-valley-line/ Northern Rail announce new Hope Valley Line services, Rail.co. 1 August 2011
  28. 1 2 http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/shf/details.html National Rail Enquiries page for Sheffield station. Accessed 5 August 2011

External links

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