The Flickr Bessemerway Image Generatr

* Rotherham Central
Lazily watching the progress of this morning's R.H.T.T., taking the route north on the 3S12 working from Sheffield after its very early morning run south from York Thrall Europa at 01:43, through Penistone in the middle of the night and finally arriving in Sheffield, 31 minutes early, at 06:07 on the 3S11 working. Having made that run south, the set, Colas Rail's class 66s once more there having been not one change in traction throughout the last 8 weeks, then waited around on the Up Slow line in Sheffield for an hour and a half before setting off once more, on 3S12, which is where I picked it up. This is usually the last week of operations so thought it prudent to catch it this morning on its run east to Gainsborough, the 3S13, again from Sheffield, at 09:28 with the return back in this area timed at just after 11, Kiveton Park at 11:10 being the objective. It soon became clear once the set was on its way back from the Wakefield area along the Midland line through Moorthorpe, that once it got to the Parkgate area, just beyond Rotherham Central Station, that something was amiss. It drew up at the signal, S0745, just behind a Sheffield Tram/Train unit, EMU class 399, 399203, which was waiting on alongside the Tram/Train platform, No.3 beyond the regular Network Rail platform, No.1. The controlling signal to exit the station to the west, S0747, when I first viewed it had a green aspect meaning the set could depart when ready; it didn't move though and a short while later it returned to a red aspect! Something was afoot. During the next half an hour, during which I had breakfast, assuming the Tram/Train and the waiting RHTT behind it at Signal S0745, would carry on towards Sheffield, the Tram/Train through Meadowhall and on to Sheffield Cathedral and the RHTT straight ahead along the Lower Don Valley line via Woodburn Junction and into Sheffield, nothing happened. It was clear there had been a breakdown so set off at around 10:15 to get in the the area around Rotherham Central, if I could find somewhere to park, which isn't easy there anymore due to the on-going housing development on Forge Island. Fortunately I made it and was greeted with the scene shown in the the accompanying stills photographs and the 3-part video of the Tram/Train being rescued and then, finally, the RHTT passing through, almost two and a half hours late.
After securing a parking space on Main St. which crosses the railway line, it remained only to get to the station, the long way round through the town centre, though later I discovered the pathway alongside the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation is now open again, the bulk of the re-development works now taking place on the old 'Forge Island' site; and what works they are, this will change the whole feel of the centre of Rotherham.. Fortunately, though I had been monitoring the station track diagram on RailCam, the errant EMU, 399205 was still standing alongside platform 3, but now with another unit in front of it, the rescue 'loco' 399203. This had come along from the Nunnery Tram Depot, one assumes, on the standard Network Rail working number for these types of operation, 1Z99, see inset diagram which shows the set now on its way back to the Tram Depot and is at signal W0201, the old Woodburn controlled signal, as 1Z99 and with the RHTT now at signal, S0751, right behind it, having just come into Central Station, see next set of pictures. All appeared to go seamlessly with the rescue unit standing beyond Signal S0747 at the station end, visible in these photographs, with the two units attached, authority to move was give from the York R.O.C. and the set pulled away quietly, back to the tram depot and the RHTT came slowly around the corner from Signal S0745 itself located near the canal in Parkgate..

Finally in summary, 2A18 with 399205 left Cathedral this morning at 08:27 and arrived at the terminus at Parkgate Retail Tram/Train stop at 08:55 with no undue problem. A few minutes later, it then departed Parkgate at 08:59 as the 2A19 service for Sheffield Cathedral, but failed in Rotherham at 09:02 and stood there until rescue at around 11:30, after I arrived at 11:00 to watch the proceedings with the rescue unit, 399203. The Sheffield Tram/Train service started running again with the 2A42 at 12:27 from Sheffield Cathedral.

* Rotherham Central
Once the failed Tram/Train unit had cleared away and with the platform-end signal, S0747, still at red, the thrumming of an approaching 66 could be heard in the distance to the north. With a few people gathering for the next DMU service and what they expected to be the 11:30 Tram/Train service to Sheffield, the much delayed, by around 2.5 hours, RHTT came into view looking as mucky as ever. The season is almost done, which was the main reason I ventured out on this day, the intention was to go east of Sheffield to Kiveton Bridge.. but as described in the last set of pictures, that quickly became academic when the RHTT appeared to be stuck behind a Sheffield-bound Tram/Train, EMU 399205, sat at the west end of Rotherham Central on platform 3. When I arrived a guy who was sat waiting for another service, a DMU which was due in around 15 minutes, all the other DMU services which normally came via Rotherham, got diverted along the main line from Swinton Interchange, he told me the EMU unit had had trouble with the OHL wire as it had been 'snagged', or so he had been told, with a consequent loss of traction current. This must have been rectified as the rescue unit, 399203 hauled this one, 399205, back along the line towards Tinsley, just before the RHTT came into the Station; all Network Rail personnel had left after the EMU was removed from the station. So, this is set of 4 shots showing the progress of the scruffy looking Colas Rail class 66s, 66849, 'Wylam Dilly' with 66847, 'Terry Baker' at the back, even dirtier than the leading loco, on today's RHTT, this the 3S12, Sheffield via Wakefield Kirkgate & Rotherham Central and back to Sheffield again; though it took a long time! The other workings for this day, Tuesday 5th December were-
3S11 York Thrall Europa via Penistone to Sheffield
3S12 Sheffield via Wakefield Kirkgate & Rotherham Central to Sheffield
3S13 Sheffield via Gainsborough Central to Woodburn Junction (Cancelled due to delay at Rotherham Central)
3S14 Woodburn Junction via Sheffield to Masbrough S.S.Jn.
3S15 Masbrough S.S.Jn. via Normanton to York Thrall Europa.
Although it had been raining moderately on arrival, by this time it was clearing up a bit and by mid-day, the sun was out and a portent of yet another cold night to come. In the lower left picture, the set has pulled up in front of the station exit signal S0747 and alongside platform 3, the Tram/Train platform, with the National services platforms, 1 & 2, on the left and right in the distance. On the left of 66849, the 'Electric Center' (not centre?) stands on the site which was the, slightly, elevated station sidings and in those times, the platforms were staggered, the north-bound one on the left was around here, but the south-bound one was a hundred yards or so behind the camera and under the station footbridge; have to say, from this angle with the subject matter shown, this doesn't look like Rotherham Central. Finally 66849 got the 'yellow' to proceed west along the Lower Don Valley line towards Woodburn Junction and into Sheffield, arriving over 2.5 hours late at 12:01. This meant the planned working, 3S13, out to Gainsborough in the east, the one I had intended to photograph at Kiveton, got cancelled, hardly surprising and after 10 minutes the working number changed to 3S14 and the set proceeded on the normal schedule for the rest of the day, arriving back in York, on 3S15, 6 minutes early, at 15:40. Once the 'leaf busters' had cleared the rails and, to some extent, me too as the camera was close to the action on the narrow Tram/Train platform, I had to divest a few folk of the notion they could get another service around 11:30, the Tram/Train service started running again in about an hour, with the 2A42 at 12:27 from Sheffield Cathedral.

The return working, 3S14 from Sheffield to Masbrough
* Templeborough
With not all that much time to spare as a walk along the canal passed the Forge Island site was, slowly, undertaken, to see how the development was getting in, and it _was_ getting on, with lots of civil engineering under way. Its well worth a visit to see how this old 'Forges' and then Supermarket site has changed and the work which has been done to prevent the River Don and the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation from flooding the area being developed; although it _is_ in between the two waterways! From there, a quick decamp further to the west, along a lot of new roadworks in the Centenary Way and Sheffield Road area, arriving in Templeborough to get a shot of the next RHTT working of the day, 3S14, which was by then, just about to leave Sheffield just 10 minutes away. Now its the dirtier of the two Colas class 66s leading, 66847 and having not run on the earlier 3S13 working to Gainsborough, they are now back on time after their 2.5 hour sojourn in the Parkgate area, waiting for a failed Tram/Train unit in Rotherham Central, to be hauled out of the way back to the depot.. With the FEA-B RHTT A Tank Wagons providing the water, for what is now a steam only operation, no Sandite any more, the set hurries along under the OHL wire just east of the Magna Science Adventure Centre in the background on the left; looking as if some aspect of it has had a paint job done.. The very full River Don is just over to left in full spate after the recent show which is now quickly melting, as 66847, 'Terry Baker' is now in charge, with 66849, 'Wylam Dilly' at the back on the short run 3S14, Usually from Woodburn Junction via Sheffield but today from Sheffield only north and back again to Masbrough Station South Junction, for reversal and the final working of the day, 3S15, back to York. Today's workings being-
3S11 York Thrall Europa via Penistone to Sheffield
3S12 Sheffield via Wakefield Kirkgate & Rotherham Central to Sheffield
3S13 Sheffield via Gainsborough Central to Woodburn Junction (Cancelled due to delay at Rotherham Central)
3S14 Woodburn Junction via Sheffield to Masbrough S.S.Jn.
3S15 Masbrough S.S.Jn. via Normanton to York Thrall Europa.
In the right picture, once more attempting to photograph the set in between the OHL posts, how times have changed here, both locos have had their cabsides and front numberplate wiped clean or else it might be difficult to recognise the company operator and livery, just one tank is still mainly blue and in a few days it will be back to base at York for the last run of the season. They have run today, Wednesday 6th December and as the set missed out the eastern leg of the workings, 3S13, yesterday, Tuesday, I suspect they will run again tomorrow, Thursday, on the same diagrams as these, to complete a final clean of the tracks, 'there and back again' to Gainsborough Central.. Will see what happens on Friday, the 8th...

* Rotherham Central
* A 110Mby MP4 phone video in 3 parts, lasting 6m 53secs.
* NB: As this is longer than the fixed 3 minute viewing in the Flickr interface, the Video must be downloaded to the desktop to see the full length.
* Right-click on the down-arrow option, the last of the three options to the lower right of the video frame. Select 'Save-As' and view..
view..

** It has just come to my notice (10/12/23) that the Download option below and to the right of the media _does not_ allow you to download the full version, only the 3 minutes available here. So, I am going to try and 'fix' this for all videos lasting more than 3 minutes, this is the link to obtain the full version shown here-
www.flickr.tightfitz.com/Video/STT_&_RHTT-conv.mp4

Once the failed Tram/Train unit had cleared away and with the platform-end signal, S0747, still at red, the thrumming of an approaching 66 could be heard in the distance to the north. With a few people gathering for the next DMU service and what they expected to be the 11:30 Tram/Train service to Sheffield, the much delayed, by around 2.5 hours, RHTT came into view looking as mucky as ever. The season is almost done, which was the main reason I ventured out on this day, the intention was to go east of Sheffield to Kiveton Bridge.. but as described in the last set of pictures, that quickly became academic when the RHTT appeared to be stuck behind a Sheffield-bound Tram/Train, EMU 399205, sat at the west end of Rotherham Central on platform 3. When I arrived a guy who was sat waiting for another service, a DMU which was due in around 15 minutes, all the other DMU services which normally came via Rotherham, got diverted along the main line from Swinton Interchange, he told me the EMU unit had had trouble with the OHL wire as it had been 'snagged', or so he had been told, with a consequent loss of traction current. This must have been rectified as the rescue unit, 399203 hauled this one, 399205, back along the line towards Tinsley, just before the RHTT came into the Station; all Network Rail personnel had left after the EMU was removed from the station. So, this is set of 4 shots showing the progress of the scruffy looking Colas Rail class 66s, 66849, 'Wylam Dilly' with 66847, 'Terry Baker' at the back, even dirtier than the leading loco, on today's RHTT, this the 3S12, Sheffield via Wakefield Kirkgate & Rotherham Central and back to Sheffield again; though it took a long time! The other workings for this day, Tuesday 5th December were-
3S11 York Thrall Europa via Penistone to Sheffield
3S12 Sheffield via Wakefield Kirkgate & Rotherham Central to Sheffield
3S13 Sheffield via Gainsborough Central to Woodburn Junction (Cancelled due to delay at Rotherham Central)
3S14 Woodburn Junction via Sheffield to Masbrough S.S.Jn.
3S15 Masbrough S.S.Jn. via Normanton to York Thrall Europa.
Although it had been raining moderately on arrival, by this time it was clearing up a bit and by mid-day, the sun was out and a portent of yet another cold night to come. In the lower left picture, the set has pulled up in front of the station exit signal S0747 and alongside platform 3, the Tram/Train platform, with the National services platforms, 1 & 2, on the left and right in the distance. On the left of 66849, the 'Electric Center' (not centre?) stands on the site which was the, slightly, elevated station sidings and in those times, the platforms were staggered, the north-bound one on the left was around here, but the south-bound one was a hundred yards or so behind the camera and under the station footbridge; have to say, from this angle with the subject matter shown, this doesn't look like Rotherham Central. Finally 66849 got the 'yellow' to proceed west along the Lower Don Valley line towards Woodburn Junction and into Sheffield, arriving over 2.5 hours late at 12:01. This meant the planned working, 3S13, out to Gainsborough in the east, the one I had intended to photograph at Kiveton, got cancelled, hardly surprising and after 10 minutes the working number changed to 3S14 and the set proceeded on the normal schedule for the rest of the day, arriving back in York, on 3S15, 6 minutes early, at 15:40. Once the 'leaf busters' had cleared the rails and, to some extent, me too as the camera was close to the action on the narrow Tram/Train platform, I had to divest a few folk of the notion they could get another service around 11:30, the Tram/Train service started running again in about an hour, with the 2A42 at 12:27 from Sheffield Cathedral.

Although much depleted from its industrial heyday, there remains plenty of evidence of heavy industry in the Sheffield and Rotherham area. This is the view from Bessemer Way in Templeborough, with 'Tram Train' Class 399 No. 399203 passing with 2A55, 1440 Parkgate - Sheffield Cathedral on 6th July 2022. On the right is Howmet Aerospace, an American-owned company producing components for jet engines and the like. The chimney stack belongs to Templeborough Power Station. Copyright Photograph John Whitehouse - all rights reserved

A panoramic view of the scene looking east towards Rotherham with Freightliner 66526 now heading towards the 'Old Road', the North Midland, over-bridge in the distance and the spire of the 'Church of All Saints', in the centre of Rotherham, standing prominent in the left background. 66526, 'Driver Steve Dunn(George)', funny name for a guy named 'Steve', is heading away from this area on the 4L85, T.I.T., not 'Trotters Independent Traders, but the Tinsley Intermodal Terminal via Doncaster to Felixstowe North F.L.T. working. 'Howmet Aerospace Ltd' with the 1MW, Templeborough Biomass Works stand at right, on the now, just visible, bank of the River Don. To the far right of the shot, partially seen due to the heat haze, is Canklow Woods atop the gill of which is Boston Castle with what looks like some heavy engineering works going on at the underground reservoir up there, right next to the castle. How things have changed in all of this area in the last 8-10 years...

Taking the two workings a little out of sequence allowed a merge of two shots to be made with on the left, in sequence, Freightliner, 66526, 'Driver Steve Dunn(George)' heading now east then south via Doncaster on the 4L85, Tinsley Intermodal Terminal to Felixstowe North F.L.T. working. Heading west out of sequence towards the Bessemer Way over-bridge is similar container traffic, it seems to be all burgeoning these days, G.B.R.f 66750, named 'Bristol Panel Signal Box' on the later morning 4E53, from Felixstowe North to the Tinsley Yard, GBRf Newell & Wright Terminal, though this is the same one which the Freightliner workings use. At right and by the side of the River Don, itself just out of shot, is the 'Howmet Aerospace Ltd' building, once 'Arconic Forgings & Extrusions' and before that, in 'the olden days', 'Firth-Rixon Ltd.'. Beyond 'Howmet Aerospace', in the right background, the 1MW, Templeborough Biomass Works. Fortunately, in this direction to the east a d behind to the west, Network Rail have made some effort to clear a large amount of lineside vegetation away, all to the better...

A mid-day jaunt out to an area I have not been around for a good long while, the prime intention was to photograph a view from a location which appeared in last/early this year's exhibition, 'The Sheffield Project: Photographs of a Changing City 1981-1991', at the Weston Park Gallery. This was an exhibition of the work from 15 photographers who were present during this period; the exhibition period was extended from the end of 2020 to the end of May, 2021, due to the Covid lock-downs. Some information, about the exhibition is here-
www.museums-sheffield.org.uk/museums/weston-park/exhibiti...
A catalogue of the work is also available. One of Adrian Wynn's shots, at the entrance to the exhibition, posted posthumously, is here-
www.flickr.com/photos/adrianwynn/50527883162/

One of those exhibitors was Matthew Conduit, and he had a shot looking directly west over towards the Tinsley Cooling Towers and the M1 motorway, which was taken from the western end of what is now the Blackburn Meadows Nature reserve, in 1986. This was the first attempt to get a contemporary shot of the same view but on this day, do to pressing matters with the approaching DCR class 56 loco, the attempt had to be cut short. However, a revisit 2 days later without the need to photograph any traction, proved equally fruitless as the area where the 1986 shot was taken is now both over-grown and fenced off... this is Matthew's shot from 1986-
images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bcdfbe54d546e1ccbc...
The bridge is still present, its visible on Google Earth, but all the land from this bridge over the River Don to a second bridge over to the new Blackburn Meadows Biomass Power Station, is now cut off from, easy, public access...

So, on with the traction.. these first shots were rather opportunistic as I just happened to arrive in the area at the right time, nothing had been planned for the Container train moves, but here they are. First off, at left here, slowly coming forward to a halt, is the daily run of a GBRf class 66 container haul, this one, 66750, 'Bristol Panel Signal Box#', on the 4E53, Felixstowe North(GBRf) to Tinsley Yard(GBRf), working and is now almost at its destination. This is just about the clearest view which can be obtained her due to the rather heavy OHL infrastructure, erected for the Sheffield Tram/Train system. Looking the other, directly west, with the Magna Science Adventure Centre in the background, another container working has come out of Tinsley Yard and is heading this way towards Rotherham. This is another class 66, this time Freightliner 66526, 'Driver Steve Dunn(George)', heading the 4L85, Tinsley Intermodal Terminal via Doncaster to Felixstowe North F.L.T working; for a change the two seen passing, 'under the wires', at Templeborough. Any signs of the bits of the old 'Steel, Peach & Tozer Ltd.' latterly, the 'British Steel Corporation', to left and right, are 'shrouded in shrubbery'...

* Subtitle could be.. 'A now hopeless location'

Finally, a relatively quick 'decamp' over to the GCR line from Mexborough, through Rotherham and Templeborough and on to Tinsley. Some trouble was afoot today in Lincolnshire south of Sleaford as the new inaugurated Container service from Felixstowe, was held up, along with other workings, for over 2 hours. So, fortuitously, it just happened to be passing through this area after the steam service with 60163 had come and gone. At this stage, it was running 131 minutes late, it should have passed this point, en-route for the new N&W/GBRf Container terminal at Tinsley, at 12:12 as will be seen from the services which started running, last week, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/51164269698/
and
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/51165952329/
Rushing over to the Templeborough area and with the weather deteriorating once more, today instead of G.B.R.f 66747,, 'MAde in Sheffield, 66722, 'Sir Edward Watkin' comes slowly along the GCR line from Rotherham. on the late 4E53, Felixstowe North(GBRf) to Tinsley Yard(GBRf) working. As the asterisked comment above mentions, this area at this time of the year, is now a no-go to locale; its hopelessly obscured by the heavy OHL stanchions and wires and now, very close to the lineside in both direction, yet another bl****, liners forest of Silver Birch trees.. These two shots are just about the best that can be had though being on the footpath next to the palisade fence may offer a better opportunity for a clutter-free shot. In the left picture on the right, the old Firth-Rixon building appears to be having its roof attended too, this business is now 'Howmet Aerospace - Ickles Operations'. Behind that is the now fully operational Templeborough Biomass facility producing just the tinniest wisp of smoke and at the other side, next to the 'Old Road', plenty of steam out of its condensers. In the right-hand shot, the set is heading towards the last remaining section of the 'Steel, Peach & Tozer Ltd.' latterly, 'B.S.C.', the 'British Steel Corporation' works, the 'Magna Science Adventure Centre'. The small, single-line, railway bridge over the River Don, in the rampant verdure, over on the far left, took mineral wagon workings to and from the steelworks on the left and the main GCR lines here, all now a very long time ago; the bridge ends have been palisaded off but some wag has decided to open up at least one end of fence... not sure why as it goes to and from .. nowhere.

The video which follows this sequence of still will show passage of 60163, taking place in about 24 seconds, and this shot, venturing quickly as possible over Coronation Bridge, shows the receding loco heading towards the Holmes Junction level crossing signal, at green at this time, and with a clear path, straight through to Meadowhall. The Holmes West Sidings area has undergone extensive clearing and it seems greenery is being kept at bay, though the state of the last remaining siding isn't anything to write home about; the railhead of the siding does look remarkably shiny though. Poking out of the Silver Birch forest behind L.N.E.R., 'Peppercorn Class A1' 60163, 'Tornado' is something which would be unrecognisable 30 and more years ago, a microwave telephone tower, partially blocking off the view to something which would have been recognised at that time; the top of the Magna Science Adventure Centre. 60163 is running on the 5Z63, Empty Coaching Stock move from the York, National Railway Museum via Sheffield for a reversal move and then on the Lincoln Line to Beighton Crossing, on to Beighton Junction and then via the 'Old Road', to Barrow Hill.

At long last, 'Steam' is back... though only an E.C.S. move with 60163, 'Tornado' in control. The old place is still very much the same, though there are old flagstones, lying along the old platform 1 line at far left in this 1st picture and there now looks to be what looks like a small container depot beyond.. Container traffic in this are having received a large boost recently with the opening of the joint venture, Newell & Wright, G.B.R.f., D.B.S. & N.R. at what is now termed 'Tinsley Intermodal Terminal', built on the old reception sidings at the south-east end of the Yard; though the one here has nothing to do with them. In this, almost, first composite of the year, the two workings here passed through a few minutes apart with the Transpennine Express service, 1B79 arriving here at 13:55 heading towards Sheffield with the Cleethorpes to Manchester Piccadilly service consisting of a 2-set arrangement, 185xxx & 185150 at the back. Fortunately, still, just to the left of the 185, standing amongst the vegetation, the wooden gate access to the Midland Iron Works, over on the other side of Union Street, still stands though no-one has thought to give it a coat of paint; the Iron Works is now a Bus depot. At right, just after the T.P.E., had left for Meadowhall, and around 10 minutes early, so came in before the steam working, is the regular 'Pig Pens' or 'Hoods' working, 6J94, from the sidings at Hedon Road to the Masbrough Freight Depot just a short distance off to the south; the 'Pig Pens' are known more technically, and in this case, very old, BYA wagons. In charge today was, still, E.W.S. liveried class 66, 66198, a loco seen many times in these parts and amongst those that heave never had a new coat of paint, into the D.B.Schenker colours...

* An 18Mby, 24sec, MP4 phone Video, showing the, rapid, passage of 'Tornado, through the up platform 2 line at Masbrough.
* NB: As this is shorter than 3 mins, the Video can be watched in the Flickr interface...

And, right on time, and much too quick for my liking is W.C.R.C., 'West Coast Railway Company' operated L.N.E.R. 'Peppercorn Class A1', 60163, ex-98863, 'Tornado' running on the 5Z63, Empty Coaching Stock move from the York, National Railway Museum via Sheffield for a reversal move and then through Woodburn Junction on the Lincoln Line to Beighton Crossing, to Beighton Junction and then the 'Old Road' to Barrow Hill. It has a W.C.R.C. support coach in tow, No.21249 and the relatively cool temperatures are providing reasonable conditions for a bit of steam. Splendid pass through, if brief; the blue plate read- 'The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust' and the black plate below, 'A1STEAM.COM. Details about the loco and the work involved in getting it certified for mainline operation are here-
www.a1steam.com/category/news/
and
www.a1steam.com/category/gallery/
the gallery page contains pictures of the support coach, 21249, being refurbished this last year. An A.C.S. Ltd yellow HGV brightens up an otherwise dull background and, a half hour before all this, there was a very heavy downpour of rain. It proved to be a portent of the lightning, thunder and heavy hailstorms which were to beset the area that evening; unbelievable stuff it was and have not seen the like of this, in this part of the world, ever...

And, right on time, and much too quick for my liking is W.C.R.C., 'West Coast Railway Company' operated L.N.E.R. 'Peppercorn Class A1', 60163, ex-98863, 'Tornado' running on the 5Z63, Empty Coaching Stock move from the York, National Railway Museum via Sheffield for a reversal move and then through Woodburn Junction on the Lincoln Line to Beighton Crossing, to Beighton Junction and then the 'Old Road' to Barrow Hill. It has a W.C.R.C. support coach in tow, No.21249 and the relatively cool temperatures are providing reasonable conditions for a bit of steam. Splendid pass through, if brief; the blue plate read- 'The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust' and the black plate below, 'A1STEAM.COM. Details about the loco and the work involved in getting it certified for mainline operation are here-
www.a1steam.com/category/news/
and
www.a1steam.com/category/gallery/
the gallery page contains pictures of the support coach, 21249, being refurbished this last year. An A.C.S. Ltd yellow HGV brightens up an otherwise dull background and, a half hour before all this, there was a very heavy downpour of rain. It proved to be a portent of the lightning, thunder and heavy hailstorms which were to beset the area that evening; unbelievable stuff it was and have not seen the like of this, in this part of the world, ever...
The last time in this area at Masbrough, one of the iconic rail locations but now a bit over-played, was around 7 months ago, also a bit hard to believe, but then we have had 2 Covid-19 lock-downs in force, the last one for 3 months from January and it is now only slowly being eased, at that time last year, another E.C.S. was on he move. On 16th October, 2020, on that occasion, it was a smartly turned out GBRf class 50, 50049, 'Defiance' with 50007/50014, 'Warspite' at the back, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/50505496493/
Today, 'Tornado' will 'motor' along to Meadowhall for a 10 minute station stop and then proceeded on to Sheffield where it sat for almost an hour on the Down Slow line between platforms 1 and 2.

* Bessemer Way

This is the main image of the 3 up-loaded, the other two, as indicated in the 1st images posted here in the new year, are now on my own 'Flickr' site at tightfitz.com, links below. I will continue with this for a while and see how it goes. The two new sites
www.flickr.com/photos/imarch1
and
www.flickr.com/photos/imarch1
are being populated with all the important material deleted earlier this year from the old site-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku
which is now 'full' and new material will be posted here. There are now 636 images uploaded to Image Archive 1 and this should be complete by the end of the week after which the remaining 720 or so will be up-loaded to Image Archive 2.. taking probably around another week. Today, shots from the recent, Valentine's Day, 14th February, move between Tinsley Yard, now denuded of its recent Container Traffic facility, and the long-standing scrapyard at Booths in Masbrough. I had thought that the move would bring out the long rake of wagons which were stored on the line up to the Outokumpu Steelworks whilst the Newhall & Wright Container business was in operation; the wagons being shunted out of the way of the reversing GBRf locos which brought in the containers to the end of the line close to the Sheffield Parkway, see the video here-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/48975816747/
But no, it turned out that the return class 6 working in around an hour would only have 9 wagons in tow and, seen here from Bessemer Way at Templeborough, is the in-bound light engine working, 0D03, Belmont Down Yard via Rotherham Central to Tinsley S.S. with DBS class 60-, 60059, 'Swinden Dalesman' running long to the yard with driver and shunter aboard. As may be seen, it is almost impossible to get a clear shot from here anymore due to the dominating presence of the Sheffield Tram/Train OHL equipment, so this is the clearest which could be obtained. To the right is the ex-Firth-Rixon building, now 'Arconic Forgings & Extrusions' whilst producing some steam in the background, close to the North Midland's 'Old Road' which runs over the Ickles Viaduct, also almost impossible to see now, is the 1MW, "Templeborough Biomass building. Just commencing its weekend increase in water level, is the River Don and by Sunday, it was in full spate causing yet more problems for the Tram/Train which was cancelled along here due to more flooding at Rotherham Central station; it having only just opened again, today, Tuesday 18th Feb. 60059 came along here wit a somewhat odd reversal, having left Doncaster it would seem obvious that the loco would have come via Kilnhurst and Aldwarke and thence turned off to Rotherham Central. But in fact it came along the Main Midland Line through Swinton Station to Aldwarke Junction where it revered to Thrybergh Junction briefly, before reversing back to Aldwarke and taking the turn-out to Rotherham Central to come along here...

Two further shots are available for this location, one showing the a wider view of the approach, 5772-
www.flickr.tightfitz.com/Templeborough/_MG_5772.jpg
and the other, the receding shot towards the Magna Science Adventure Centre, 5777-
www.flickr.tightfitz.com/Templeborough/_MG_5777.jpg

* (c) Parkgate
The Tram/Train is here seen having taken the divergence onto the short section of Tram-only track into the Station Stop ahead which was built close to the back of the shopping area and near one of the rear entrance passageways. The lines are right next to the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation's cut stretching from close to Rotherham Central Station and along north to the lock at Eastwood; seen here in the top right distance. Tram/Train unit, 399202, 'Theo - The Children's Hospital Charity' is here slowing for the Tram stop, not a station of course, so the view really doesn't show much of interest in what would otherwise be just an ordinary low-level platform on one side of the track only; the other side has a palisade protection fence alongside the main running lines. I guess, looking at all this now, this would have been a very welcome transport link in the days when the Parkgate Iron & Steel Co. Ltd. occupied all of the area around here and folk had to get to and from the vast iron and steel facilities; now its all for ... shopping... well, and some enthusiasts! In this difficult composite, a green cabin cruiser approaches the footbridge over the canal and passes by a woman who I had though was sat watching Tram/Train events, but from that position, it wouldn't have been possible to see anything over the other side of the fence. Still she and the boat add some depth of interest to this two-part picture, unfortunately I omitted to get the name of the cruiser, ambling rather slowly south towards the Rotherham area, it having been moored up on the right, until the Tram/Train appeared. 399202 is on the outbound E.C.S. working, 5A46, Sheffield Cathedral via Tinsley north Junction at Tinsley Meadowhall, to Parkgate Retail Shopping Centre..

* (e) Tinsley North Jn.
Finally... phew! The Tram/Train unit has slowly ambled through the Tinsley Meadowhall tram stop and no-one is surprised, I do note as well, that on the illuminated display, there is an ominous message scrolling across the display, above the time, indicating problems may occur on July 22nd; presumably this reads 20-22nd July, as the drivers are largely on strike over that period, during which the 'Tramlines Music Festival', is on at Hillsborough Park. At the top of the board a message also indicates that the next service will be on the 'Yellow Route' to Middlewood so the next tram must be along the track having just left Meadowhall Interchange, as it indeed had, as it rolled up just as I turned and left for the car. Class 63 EMU, 399202 is on the 6th of the return ECS test runs, this one 5A51, Parkgate via Rotherham Central and Tinsley North Junction, the latter just a short distance away down the track behind the camera and it is en-route through Carbrook, Centretainment and Woodburn for a reversal at Sheffield Cathedral, after which it will undertake two more runs out and back. Chap on the left seems interested in either what I am doing or is grimacing at the approaching, possibly late, Supertram service, others are chatting and there appears to be a general lack of interest in the new traction; but I guess to most, it isn't all that interesting 'per se', just the implication of this new development which is interesting, to some of us!

Having been added at Toton , the Tug is seen on the rear of 0540 1Z73 Pathfinders Bristol - Doncaster charter at Bessemer Way approaching Rotherham Central.
The tour is headed by 66177 and has just visited the Deepcar branch , part of the former Woodhead route and whats left of the former Tinsley Yard.

6 6 15

66181 works the 6D03 Tinsley - Immingham Nordic Terminal.

Heading down the old GC route to Sheffield Midland then up the Hope Valley, 6M96 Milford-Tunstead, Bessemer Way, Rotherham, 31.10.12