The Elsecar Heritage Railway is located on the southern part of the former South Yorkshire Railway freight-only branch which ran from Elsecar Junction on its Mexborough to Barnsley line. The line was built to serve Earl Fitzwilliam's collieries and ironworks, which he leased out to local ironmasters.
The Elsecar Heritage Railway operates trains on a 1 mile (1.6 km) section of the branch with using steam and diesel locomotives currently running between Rockingham station (at the back of the Elsecar Heritage Centre) and Hemingfield Basin.
As of 2012, There are still plans to extend the line to Cortonwood (Plus a new halt will be built at Hemingfield as part of the extension project). The railway is operated using a variety of different preserved rolling stock.
On 16 May 2011, the permanent way materials for the level crossing arrived and a donation scheme had been set up for the remainder of the money needed. Funds raised through this scheme have since been used to purchase barriers and traffic signals for the crossing ready for installation. In August 2012, trial holes were dug to locate services under the road surface ready for the crossing installation to take place.
As of 21 June 2011, the ground has been cleared and levelled ready for ballast and track alterations in anticipation for constructing the station at hemingfield, currently the end of the line.
Read more about Elsecar Heritage Railway: Stations
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