By Roy Mallinson

The production of Samuel Fox and Co. had outstripped its current transport situation of horses and carts by the late 1860,s and so Mr. Fox sought to use the very products he was now manufacturing, i.e. goods for railways to alleviate this problem.

The parliamentary act of 1874 allowing the building of a branch line from the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire line at Deepcar station into the works at Stocksbridge. This meant bridgeing the Little Don river at two points, the Deepcar-Wortley road was bridged and a viaduct spanned the River Don close by Exchange sidings. The engineer for the project was Mr. F. Fowler, brother to Sir John Fowler who was in charge of the construction of the Forth Bridge, indeed examination in 1953 confirmed that with stiffening of the viaduct abutment walls the heavier concentrated axle loads imposed by Diesel locomotives would be safely carried.

The railway was opened for traffic in April 1877, this improved transporting finished goods to the main line and also the receipt of essential supplies. Other people than the steelworks began to benefit from the Stocksbridge Railway Co. Gregory's brickworks had a siding at the bottom of the incline from their yard, this was regularly serviced by Stocksbridge Railway. There were private siding beside Smithy Hill at Stocksbridge, this being used to set coal wagons for the districts coal merchants to fill their sacks prior to hawking around the town. Wagons of lime were set which had been ordered by farmers for their fields.

Passengers were also carried in the early days as bus services were infrequent if running at all. There was a small siding at the side of Deepcar station for the "Paddy" to arrive and depart with staff both clerical and manual into the station yard in the Low Yard of S. Fox & Co. School children attending Penistone Grammar school were taken to Deepcar station to catch the Sheffield to Penistone Train and also their return journey. The carrying of passengers ceased in 1931 as bus services to nearby towns became more regular.

The route of the Stocksbridge Railway Company began just North of Deepcar station turning Westerly into the exchange sidings and over the viaduct spanning the River Don at a height of fifty feet. Continuing down a slight incline the Lowoods works were passed on the South side of the line and then it crossed the bridge over the Wortley road. The line carried on passing the Ellen Cliff weighbridge and loop and Gregory,s brickworks sidings just before crossing the iron bridge over the Little Don. The line continued into the low yard of Fox’s works and passed the old station yard. The right of way had to be obtained by telephone before setting off for the top yard, which meant proceeding under Smithy Hill tunnel and into the Dam Bank sidings where originally the load was uncoupled. Later as the works developed and the No 2 melting shop took priority it became necessary to call for a banking engine to take the whole train up the steep hill to the top tip sidings. This meant from Sunday morning 6.00am Until Saturday 12.00 mid-day, 19 Working shifts, There were two trains inward and outward each shift.

The lined extended beyond Deepcar station in a southwesterly direction about a mile and three quarters, towards Sheffield, Which had become the refuse to tip. The line went through the station yard along the West side of the station and down a slope in the region of 1-25, quite severe. Normally this was done by Stocksbridge railway crew once per day, but on some occasions it was undertaken by a day engine, so we all had to be tested by a railway examiner in regard to the rule book and colour blindness. A distance down the slope towards the tip, Fox’s line was crossed by the line form the local brickworks, this was also steeply inclined. One morning, a saddle tank engine built by Hawthorne-Leslie was taking the muck wagons, engine first, down the incline when it met one of the Lowoods engines, after 60 years I cannot remember the right s and wrongs of the incident but the coal bunker of No.16. took the impact, and, until the day it was burnt up for scrap the metal on that bunker looked creased.