Step back in time: explore the historic coal train exhibit at South Yorkshire Transport Museum

A TRAIN which carried coal wagons between South Yorkshire and Manchester made its familiar trip to become a Rotherham museum’s newest exhibit.

The 6.5-ton driver’s cab section of a British Railways Class 76 locomotive would have regularly travelled from the Dearne Valley pits through Sheffield and the Woodhead tunnel to the north-west.

It has been transferred from Manchester’s Museum of Science & Industry to the South Yorkshire Transport Museum at Aldwarke and will make its next public appearance at the open day on June 11.

“This is an important piece of history returning to Rotherham,” said SYTM secretary and trustee Martyn Benson.

“It was delivered to us in late March, as shown in the photo, and as it weighed 6.5 tons, it wasn’t a case of just throwing it in a van!

“It is from of one of the unique design of electric locomotives that primarily used to haul coal wagons from the Dearne Valley mines.

“It is, therefore, an important part of the history of transport in South Yorkshire.”

SYTM is creating a display around the exhibit compiling information for visitors about the particular cab plus its class of locomotives.

Visit sytm.co.uk for more details about the museum, including opening times.