Although the 1950s saw services at the station reach their peak, this period also marked the beginning of its decline.
In 1953 Barnsley was an early casualty as the line ran almost parallel to the former Midland Railway's Sheffield Midland – Barnsley line, serving mostly the same communities.
By the end of the decade, the expresses to Marylebone were either cut or re-routed to King's Cross (in the case of the Master Cutler).
In the mid-1960s there was a concerted effort to concentrate Victoria's remaining local and express train services at Sheffield (Midland) station.
From 4 October 1965 most services were diverted to Sheffield Midland, adding 2 to 4 minutes to their schedules.
The only trains remaining were Manchester via Woodhead, the Harwich boat train and trains to Bournemouth, York and Swindon.
After September 1966, Victoria was left with just an hourly Manchester service and the daily Liverpool-Harwich "Continental" Boat train service.

In 1965 the second Beeching Report recommended that the Sheffield to Manchester service be consolidated; after much local wrangling British Railways favoured the Hope Valley Line which was slower and not electrified but served more local communities.
In 1967, plans were announced to withdraw passenger services along the Woodhead route.
Following public outcry, an inquiry was launched that took two years to be completed.
Eventually the inquiry backed British Rail's plans and passenger services were withdrawn from the line on 5 January 1970.
The last train to Victoria station, an enthusiasts' special, arrived at 00:44 on 5 January and from that point the station was closed.

The station re-opened very briefly in 1972 for diverted trains while Sheffield (Midland) station was closed for re-signalling.

The Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway was entirely closed east of Hadfield in July 1981; and the tracks through the Woodhead Tunnel were lifted in 1986.
 Passenger trains to and from Huddersfield via Penistone continued to pass through the station without stopping until May 1983, when they were diverted via Barnsley (the Penistone via Wadsley Bridge section then being closed to passenger traffic).
Except for the now single track goods avoiding line, which still exists to serve the steelworks at Stocksbridge, all the track through the station was lifted by 1985 and the station buildings were demolished in 1989 to make way for an extension to the adjacent Victoria Hotel complex.
The slope that once led up to Platform 1 survives as part of a pedestrian path to the car park.
Although the 1950s saw services at the station reach their peak, this period also marked the beginning of its decline. In 1953 Barnsley was an early casualty as the line ran almost parallel to the former Midland Railway's Sheffield Midland – Barnsley line, serving mostly the same communities. By the end of the decade, the expresses to Marylebone were either cut or re-routed to King's Cross (in the case of the Master Cutler). In the mid-1960s there was a concerted effort to concentrate Victoria's remaining local and express train services at Sheffield (Midland) station. From 4 October 1965 most services were diverted to Sheffield Midland, adding 2 to 4 minutes to their schedules. The only trains remaining were Manchester via Woodhead, the Harwich boat train and trains to Bournemouth, York and Swindon. After September 1966, Victoria was left with just an hourly Manchester service and the daily Liverpool-Harwich "Continental" Boat train service.
In 1965 the second Beeching Report recommended that the Sheffield to Manchester service be consolidated; after much local wrangling British Railways favoured the Hope Valley Line which was slower and not electrified but served more local communities. In 1967, plans were announced to withdraw passenger services along the Woodhead route. Following public outcry, an inquiry was launched that took two years to be completed. Eventually the inquiry backed British Rail's plans and passenger services were withdrawn from the line on 5 January 1970. The last train to Victoria station, an enthusiasts' special, arrived at 00:44 on 5 January and from that point the station was closed.
The station re-opened very briefly in 1972 for diverted trains while Sheffield (Midland) station was closed for re-signalling.
The Manchester-Sheffield-Wath electric railway was entirely closed east of Hadfield in July 1981; and the tracks through the Woodhead Tunnel were lifted in 1986.  Passenger trains to and from Huddersfield via Penistone continued to pass through the station without stopping until May 1983, when they were diverted via Barnsley (the Penistone via Wadsley Bridge section then being closed to passenger traffic). Except for the now single track goods avoiding line, which still exists to serve the steelworks at Stocksbridge, all the track through the station was lifted by 1985 and the station buildings were demolished in 1989 to make way for an extension to the adjacent Victoria Hotel complex. The slope that once led up to Platform 1 survives as part of a pedestrian path to the car park.
Sheffield Victoria railway station