Sheffield towards Manchester

The route dates from the dawn of the railway age and was soon busy with coal traffic in particular.

For this purpose, it became an early candidate for electrification, using a system which was to become unusual - it did not extend beyond the two cities.

Most of the route vanished, but the fascinating evidence of its life in scenic joys is very evident herein.

Reviews:

'Paul Shannon has assembled a superb collection of black and white photographs that portray the route from its glory days in Edwardian times through to closure of the central section in 1981.'
(The Railway Magazine, September 2018)

'Its [the line's] glory days are captured here in a 96 page collection of photographs, detailed maps, diagrams and such. Another volume to add to your bookshelves, then, and good on you if they're sturdy enough to house the entire collection.'
(British Railway Modelling, November 2018)

'The long-awaited Middleton Press review of the Woodhead Route, still mourned 37 years after its closure, is a good one because its author demonstrates his deep passion for the Great Central's former Sheffield-Manchester main line, with some his own images, and highly detailed captions.... This book really is an excellent, absorbing read.' (HJ)
(Steam World, Issue 374, August 2018)

'The photographs, both from the pre-and post-electrification eras, are generally interesting and well reproduced, while the captions incorporate a wealth of background details. Of particular interest are the scenes of the new Woodhead tunnel under construction in the late 1940s and early 1950s.' [FT]
(The Railway Observer, September 2018, Vol.88, No.1075)

[Review on both Gainsborough to Sheffield and Sheffield Towards Manchester:] 'The pair cover both the steam and modern eras, with good coverage of the 1500v DC electrification in addition to the usual steam and diesel traction.... Taken as a pair, these two titles cover the former GCR's routes from Brigg & Torksey in the east westwards via Sheffield to Guide Bridge in the Manchester conurbation area.'
(The Journal of The Stephenson Locomotive Society, Sept/Oct 2018, No.914, Vol.94)