Rationalisation
In the late 1980s and early 1990s the junction was remodelled. The third and fourth running lines north of the junction were removed and the connection to the G.C. in the Mexborough direction was moved to be a single-line ladder junction north of the existing junction, thus removing the complexity of the double-scissors crossing. To enable trains travelling from Sheffield to Doncaster to call at the new Swinton station the previously lifted double-track curve to the Mexborough line from Swinton was replaced and all passenger traffic routed via this, rendering the former GC line from Aldwarke to Mexborough goods-only.
Today the junction is a known bottleneck with many local stopping trains, fast expresses and freight trains all converging on the junction. Prior to its demise, Railtrack had plans to reinstate the third and fourth running lines north of the junction as far as Swinton junction and remodel Swinton station to increase capacity. These plans were not adopted by Railtrack's successor Network Rail in the short term. However the Yorkshire and Humber Route Utilisation Strategy mentions the quadrupling of this section of line as a possible necessity for Control Period 5, i.e. 2014 at the very earliest.
Read more about this topic: Aldwarke Junction