By Joe Patterson

Parkwood Springs was a part of Sheffield which was situated on a hillside at Neepsend. Access was only obtained by passing under a narrow railway bridge archway. This bridge supported the railway track of the ‘Great Central Railway’ which passed over it, on its way from Manchester to Marylebone Station, London.

Beyond this bridge lived a railway community who worked at Neepsend Loco Sheds, which was sited on the right hand side of Bardwell Road, about 100 yards up the hill from the overhead railway bridge.

The railway community was built near the loco shed; the employees who worked on the railway lived in close proximity to the shed in three storey houses which were situated in Wallace Road and Pickering Road. The footplate crews lived in many of these houses, which made the ‘call out’ mans job easier when men were required for duty. Some train crews lived on Mount Road, Vale Road and Douglas Road.

Amongst these loco staff, Guards, Shunters, Signalmen, Platelayers, Linesmen and many other railway employees lived here, it was a close knit community.

The ‘Great Central’ Main line and Loco shed sidings, could be gazed upon quite easily from the back doors of the houses in Wallace Road. Main line passenger trains from Marylebone to Manchester, Hull to Liverpool, Harwich to Liverpool, Mail and parcel trains to Swindon and Cleethorpes, each of these trains ran daily in both directions, plus many more. Fast goods trains, coal, mineral and freight trains ran in between the express passenger trains.

When I was married in 1953 I lived at 49, Vale Road. This road was the most attractive road up Parkwood Springs. The road ran from Mount Road down to Douglas Road, it was very steep. It had many big houses; each one had a garden of sorts, which tenants grew vegetables or flowers. The most senior tenants could remember the tree tops forming a canopy with their branches. There were many tall trees remaining when I lived there, but some had to be cut down for safety reasons. The community was supported by 4 shops, a cobblers shop, newspaper shop, 2 chip shops and 2 chapels.

There were 3 public drinking houses. In the winter much hardship was endured by the residents as they tramped up and down the hills after doing any shopping from the city. Fuel was another problem in the old houses, which many were damp and draughty.

The residents had to go to the Neepsend Gas Works to buy gas cokes. Sledges and prams were used to convey sacks of gas coke. If you had neither a sledge, pram or wheel barrow it was necessary to carry it on your shoulder.

The older generation and the disabled had to depend on the younger people to see to their needs when the snow was deep and the pavements were frozen.

In 1943 a new loco shed was built at Darnall. This was the beginning of the end for Parkwood Springs and the railway community. Many railway men transferred along with the depot to the modern loco shed. The engines went there too.

The A.S.L.E.F.union arranged with the management to provide a bus, which started at 10p.m. from Kettlebridge (Darnall) and ran on the half hour to Rutland Road throughout the night. The last trip was 5 a.m. from Kettlebridge to Rutland Road. The Sheffield United Transport provided this service. (It was referred to as the S.U.T.)

As the railway houses became vacant in Wallace Road and Pickering Road, they were boarded up and soon demolished. The area has now been re-developed and made into a ski-village with dry ski runs. People travel to Parkwood Springs from all regions around the country to work out on the ski runs and enjoy themselves.

As the skiers stand on the high summit of the hills, before going down the slopes, I don’t expect they know of the railway community that lived on the lower parts of the slopes or of the ‘Great Central Railway’ with its great pride and traditions. Also the employees that served the company for many years. The ‘G.C.R.’ men set themselves very high standards which were passed on to future employees.

My wife and family have revisited the site where our old house once stood. We were re-housed at Hackenthorpe. (A suburb on the outskirts of Sheffield). We managed to find the exact location of the house we used to live in, even though the sites are now grassed areas. Many shrubs and trees have been planted.

It certainly brought back many memories for my wife, myself and our sons and daughter. Their families now know a bit more about their heritage.