(Photos 8-11© James Washbourne, photo 13 © John Law)

Railway promoters kept parliament busy in 1836, depositing more than a hundred bills for its consideration and approval. Amongst these was the Sheffield Ashton-under-Lyne & Manchester Railway, led by Lord Wharncliffe, backed by 56 local bigwigs and guided by engineer Charles Vignoles. Over the course of that summer, Vignoles and Joseph Locke independently surveyed routes, coming together in October to reconcile any differences. Their joint plan involved a summit 966 feet above sea level at the eastern end of the three-mile Woodhead Tunnel.

To the south-east of Penistone, the meandering Don Valley demanded another - but much shorter - tunnel. 315 yards long, it accommodated two tracks on a curved alignment close to Huthwaite Hall. Stone was used for both its lining and portals - the latter benefiting from buttresses either side of the entrance and rounded voussoirs reminiscent of Great Northern architecture. No refuges had been provided when the first trains passed through in 1845.

Electrification of the Woodhead route was given the go-ahead in 1936. With clearances in the tunnel being too tight for two tracks-worth of overhead line equiment (OLE), the Sheffield-bound line was slewed onto its centreline whilst a second bore was driven alongside for the other track. Nationalisation of the railways occurred during the construction resulting in both LNER (1947) and BR (1948) datestones being fixed at its south end.

Concrete-lined but with masonry portals, the tunnel features a tighter curve than its neighbour and is slightly longer at around 339 yards. The OLE registration arms were fitted in recesses at the crown and identified by wall-mounted number plates.

Amidst much controversy, the Woodhead route was closed in 1981 but the Deepcar-Barnsley Junction section - which included the tunnel - survived until 16th May 1983. Since then the original tunnel has been backfilled at its southern end and a wall built across the north entrance. However the new bore is now lit to form part of the Trans Pennine Trail.