The South Yorkshire Junction Railway ran the almost 12 miles from Denaby, where it joined the main line of the Great Central Railway, to Wrangbrook on the Hull and Barnsley Railway. It opened on the 1st September 1894 and during the first few years, a passenger service operated, with stations at Denaby, Sprotbrough and Pickburn, the latter serving the estates of Sprotbrough Hall and Brodsworth Hall respectively.
The line finally closed on the 7th August 1967, although a short section near here survived, to serve the limestone quarry until July 1975 and Cadeby colliery, which closed in 1986. Much of the path of the railway has been returned to agriculture or built on, but sections remain, amongst them this lengthy cutting through the limestone bedrock. As with many former railway tracks, the ghost of the path can be followed on satellite images and aerial photographs.
Our first geocache; it shouldn’t be too difficult to spot, once the location has been reached. This is a popular area for dog-walkers; however the cache location is visited less frequently, being more remote. The best access from Sprotbrough is either via the path above the southern side of the cutting itself, or the arcing path which leaves the railway bed at N53 30.143 W1 12.094 and into the woods on the northern side. If you wish to follow the old railway line directly along the bottom of the cutting, waterproof boots are highly recommended….
** Please note that this cache can't be reached directly from the nearest point on the TPT, when searching for the Don Gorge series, you ideally need to start from the area around 'Woodland Ride' and walk along the Southern edge of the old railway line **
If you do head up from the river, PLEASE IGNORE the obvious looking path going up the slope to the field fence and continue for another 30m or so before turning left. This will take you to a point part way along the pathway above the cutting.