The electrification of the Manchester-Sheffield-Wath lines, Eastern and London Midland Regions, British Railways

The paper briefly describes the lines of British Railways from Manchester to Sheffield and to Wath, which have recently been electrified on the 1 500 volt overhead d.c. system. After analysing the nature of the traffic, it describes the schemes for electrification since their inception before the 1939-45 War, which stopped the work after design and manufacture had commenced. It then describes the electrification, noting the similarities in design with corresponding features of the Liverpool Street-Shenfield electrification, which had a rather similar history associated with special priority in the post-war period. The B0 + B0 and C0¿C0 locomotives are described in some detail. Particulars are given of the limited operating experience so far obtained, particularly on the line to Wath, on which freight traffic has been electrically hauled since February, 1952. The paper mentions the use of new constructions and discusses the possibility of extending the electrification and the probability that to do so would be relatively less expensive and more rewarding than the present scheme.