The Flickr Plymouthtoedinburgh Image Generatr

Well, what can I say... the TV series 'Thunderbirds' are remembered once more in the title of this charter, Thunderbirds are Go', en-route to Scotland and a long weekend of rail frivolity... Not a good day to be stood around as it turned out as it was fairly glum, cool and damp, but fortunately during the hour, no rain. During this hour, apart from the approaching charter train, there were also 3 freight moves and 3 passenger services, the latter also adding a little extra dimension to the shots, 3 of which are composite..
In the 1st of the 4-part mosaic pictures, telling yet another story, the scene looks over the old Masbrough Station site from the Midland Road bridge at the north end of the station. At upper left, a combination of traffic on the lines, in this 60 minutes, shows the approach from the south, of the weekend charter tour heading for Scotland, along the platform 3 line. This is the 4-day round trip charter, 1Z36, 'Thunderbirds are Go!' heading up from Derby and en-route to Linlithgow with 9 'MarkII, FO Riviera Coaches' in tow - 3340, 3364, 3314, 1657, 3356, 3278 & 9507.
57303/3 was rebuilt from class 47, 47317 to provide more power for West Coast Main Line passenger stock, when owned by Richard Branson's 'Virgin Trains'. They were used, among other things, to operate as a 'fast' rescue locomotive, when required, for Virgin West Coast Passenger services. As part of this operation, 16 class 57's were named-
* 57301 Scott Tracy
* 57302 Virgil Tracy
* 57303 Alan Tracy
* 57304 Gordon Tracy
* 57305 John Tracy
* 57306 Jeff Tracy
* 57307 Lady Penelope
* 57308 Tin Tin
* 57309 Brains
* 57310 Kyrano
* 57311 Parker
* 57312 The Hood
* 57313 Tracy Island
* 57314 Firefly
* 57315 The Mole
* 57316 FAB 1
from the old TV series by Gerry & Silvia Anderson, 'Thunderbirds are Go!'
Here at upper left it looks to have been approaching a red aspect on Signal S0425 at the north end of platform 3, but as it passed under 'Coronation Bridge', the signal changed to green and the engine revved up to pass straight through the station. It kept to the schedule and arrived in Linlithgow, just 2 minutes late, at 17:41, on the 8 hour run up from Derby, calling at Chesterfield, Swinton (bit of a surprise), York, Darlington, Newcastle, Edinburgh and finally Linlithgow.
Heading south of the fast lines at right, along platform 2 is a Northern Rail class 170, 170477 on the hourly service, this one, 1J43 from Bridlington to Sheffield. On Coronation Bridge, a 'Pallet Network' truck in matching blue livery, heads north and is about to pass 4 'enthusiasts' watching the passage of the charter train.
At upper right, with Signal S0425 having just changed to a green aspect to permit the charter to head on to the Midland Main line ahead, the set speeds up, no hanging about today, and heads of north on the 1Z36, Derby to Linlithgow, 'Thunderbirds are Go!' charter. What looks like a steam loco releasing some of its pent-up steam in the background, is the Templeborough Biomass plant exhausting water vapour from one of its large condensers next to the 'Old Road' around the corner. Fresh graffiti has once more been applied to the station walls and, as the lower right hand shot shows, more of the same on the station approach, on the wall alongside the old Millmoor Football ground off to the left.
at lower left, the set passes through the cutting north of the station with 2 of the 3 north-end signals visible, at far left, and still lit but hidden in the winter vegetation, the faint red aspect on S041 at the end of the old station back, goods, line can =still be seen in operation; the north-end of the line having now been severed from the main line. To its right the Midland Main line signal S0423 is showing red. of course, allowing the charter train to get away to the cross-over onto the main line at MAsbrough North Junction, where the old signalbox used to be, at the foot of the bank on the left just under the bridge. Silver Birch saplings have now taken over the 'central reservation' between the two sets of lines and this spring and summer will almost certainly block the view of the northern end of the 'Old Road' from his spot...
In the 4th, lower right shot, the view now looks south from Coronation Bridge and the 1st of the three freight workings approaches, fortunately for the composition of the shots here, it was running 10 minutes late and was held at the north-end signal, S0425, allowing some other traction to pass by, before moving off. Coming slowly around the corner from the Templeborough Biomass facility, and the old Masbrough Sorting Sidings, GBRf class 66, 66704, 'Colchester Power Signalbox' heads north on the sporadic, 6E42, Cliffe Hill Stud Farm to Doncaster Up Decoy working. It is hauling a rake of full, Network Rail, I.O.A.(E) type, yellow Box Wagons, 20 in all, on a Civil Engineers Train with a load of aggregate material. Booth's scrapyard is delineated by the line of double-stacked green containers with the usual presence of the blue and yellow jibbed cranes, Millmoor Football ground appears to also be in the same state it has always been in since the football club vacated this one in 2006 to, eventually, their new stadium at New York, Rotherham, not the USA!

The 'Thunderbirds are Go!' charter train clientèle, after arriving in the late afternoon of Thursday MArch 7th, are currently having a 3-day 'jolly' in Scotland, running around the place on various workings, before heading back south on Monday. These are the respective services running-
Outbound north (7th March), 'Thunderbirds are Go' charter
1Z36 Derby to Linlithgow
5Z36 Linlithgow to Barrow-in-Furness carriage sidings
Day 1 (8th March).
1Z36 Barrow-in-Furness to Manuel then Manuel to Edinburgh
1Z37 Edinburgh to Forth William
5Z37 ECS Forth William to Fort William carriage sidings
Day 2 (9th March).
1Z38 Fort William via Crianlarich to Oban
1Z39 Oban via Crianlarich to to Fort William
Day 3 (10th March).
1Z40 Fort William via Mallaig & Fort William to Wemsyss Bay
1Z41 Wemsyss Bay via Glasgow Central to Shields Rd. Junction
1Z42 Shields Rd. Junction via Glasgow Queen St. to Barrow-in-Furness G.F.
1Z43 Barrow-in-Furness G.F. via Manuel to Barrow-in-Furness
Return south (11th March) 'International Rescue' charter
1Z44 Linlithgow to Derby.
PHEW!!

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A follow-up picture, to accompany these 2 mosaics of the Masbrough Station area, has been up-loaded to my Image Archive #2 site, the picture being taken on Friday, 25th January, 2013, a cold, snowy day. The shot is taken south of the station and over-looks the Masbrough South Junction area where once resided its large North Midland Signalbox. In this area the North Midland line crosses over first, the Holmes Curve and then the South Yorkshire Navigation on a large bridge which also took the Masbrough South Curve, and its bridge, over from Holmes Junction to join the line here, just north of the box. The picture has been re-processed and enhanced since that time, just over 11 years ago, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/imarch2/53587642393/

After departure of the charter train and the late-ish arrival of the aggregates train which had been running 10 minutes earlier further south, was now about to be held at the signal, S0425, the train seen here in the upper left of of the 2nd set of mosaic pictures, slowing to a halt for the signal ahead. This is GBRf class 66, 66704, 'Colchester Power Signalbox' heading north on the sporadic, 6E42, Cliffe Hill Stud Farm to Doncaster Up Decoy working. It is hauling a rake of full, Network Rail, I.O.A.(E) type, yellow Box Wagons, 20 in all, on a Civil Engineers Train with a load of aggregate material. As may be seen from this, and the other shots, not much has changed here at the old station site, except the repeated incursion of new graffiti tagging, which various flat, blank walls seem to encourage; and the less welcome, sides of freight wagons.. The 'Prince of Wales' pub still appears to be going though its outward state wouldn't suggest that all the rooms were being occupied for much of the time.. On the station Buddleia appears to rule the roost as far as prolific vegetation is concerned, its a shame as I find it rather pleasant to see but, it does get _everywhere_ if not controlled, just like Birch tree saplings... The goods line at the back of the station has now been left to rot away, after a clearance not so long ago, it's now once more covered in weeds and looks unlikely to be ever used again, the earlier prospect looked good, shame really.
At upper right, with the prospect of a light engine move arriving before the Stud Farm aggregates got away, the view-point changed to the east side of the station and, running 19 minutes early, just happened to be in this area, with the GBRf, 66704, still here and another freight, the third, the Dewsbury Cement, right behind the light engine. Rattling along the platform 4, old up goods line, is another GBRf, this time its 66725, 'Sunderland' on the 9 hour long distance move, 0O01, from Doncaster Up Decoy to Eastleigh East Yard; you'd think 'they' would have the odd spare light engine available at Eastleigh! Whilst this was going on, well, just about, another passenger service rattles through as well on the main line north over on the left. This happens to be the return service, 1W43, from the one seen earlier which was heading south to Sheffield from Bridlington, now its en-route back, this time to Scarborough, with the same Northern DMU, 170477, in charge; drat that Buddleia..
Its 11:05 and with the Stud Farm GBRf, 66704, still held at the signal _and_ GBRF 66725, moving along the up goods line, time for the 3rd of the 3 composite pictures, as a Freightliner heads along the up fast line towards Sheffield. Just to think, this wouldn't have been all that interesting a shot in 'the olden days' when freight and passenger traffic were passing through here like this all the time, but with the closeness of services on this day, it seemed appropriate to make a picture of how it once used to look, albeit with modern traction. Class 66 Freightliner, 66613, is on the regular 6M89, 'Freightliner Heavy Haul', Dewsbury Blue Circle to Hope Earles Sidings working with a rake of no less than 34 empty PCA Cement Tanks, off for a refill at the Castleton Cement works. Just needed a steam hauled charter to go through on the down fast line on platform 1 over on the far left, and that would have been something!!!!
In the final picture, now looking south over the site of the old Masbrough Station South signalbox area where the lines, unlike the past,ow go their separate ways, goods on the 'Old Road' to the left and passenger traction in the main to the right onwards through Meadowhall to Sheffield. ON this occasion, fortuitously, its freight on both sets of lines. The Dewsbury empty cement with Freightliner 66613 on the right heading passed the 'Rad Bull' public house, long since closed, and on the left and slowly moving towards the camera now, the GBRf has finally got away to the north, the signal at the north end S0425, having changed to a green after the Dewsbury had cleared the section to the north.
So quite a 60 minutes this turned out to be, after the two freights had gone, all went quiet once more, the next working, 4L11, to Felixstowe from the Masbrough N&W Container terminal to the south around the curve where the Biomass is still emitting a lot of steam in the cold air, not due for about 45 minutes...

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A follow-up picture, to accompany these 2 mosaics of the Masbrough Station area, has been up-loaded to my Image Archive #2 site, the picture being taken on Friday, 25th January, 2013, a cold, snowy day. The shot is taken south of the station and over-looks the Masbrough South Junction area where once resided its large North Midland Signalbox. In this area the North Midland line crosses over first, the Holmes Curve and then the South Yorkshire Navigation on a large bridge which also took the Masbrough South Curve, and its bridge, over from Holmes Junction to join the line here, just north of the box. The picture has been re-processed and enhanced since that time, just over 11 years ago, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/imarch2/53587642393/

* A 50Mby MP4 phone Video which is 1m 6s long.
* NB: As this is shorter than the fixed 3 minute viewing in the Flickr interface, the Video can be watched here... or downloaded as usual.

Today's outing for the East Yorkshire R.H.T.T. had been modified, as mentioned earlier, due to engineering work over-running in the Nafferton area, between Bridlington and Driffield on the N.E.R. line. By the time the set left here, it looks like the engineering work was complete, as the following table of the 5 workings shows-
D.R.S. 37419 ex-D6991 'Carl Haviland 1954-2012' & 37407 ex-D6605 'Blackpool Tower', The East Yorkshire R.H.T.T. modifications for Monday 23rd October, 2023-
3J51 York Thrall Europa(10:01) to Scarborough(Cancelled)(11:10)
3J52 Scarborough(12:10) via York to Brightside Up/Down East Slow(14:23)
3J53 Brightside Up/Down East Slow(14:34) to Barlby Loops(15:41)
3J54 Barlby Loops(16:02) via Bridlington(rev) to Hull(19:56)
3J55 Hull(20:33) via Selby & Doncaster to York Thrall Europa(22:35)

With 30 seconds to spare, then duff battery exchange for camera and the set was slowly heading this way and back once more to the old station site at Brightside! Fortunately, the early afternoon traffic from the north of Sheffield along through Hillsborough and the Wicker, was light and like a fast passenger train, I was motoring under all-green lights. Very fortunate indeed, as on arrival at the site, the pair of 37s were already pulling away from a brief station stop at Meadowhall, just 900m away to the north-east, but then proceeded to travel slowly along the down fast line, heading for the turn-out onto the Brightside Up/Down East Slow line in the Attercliffe Sidings in the distance. I have to thank Gavin.B for the phone alert at around 13:40 indicating an unusual foray south, of the East Yorkshire R.H.T.T. set, coming along for a reversal into the Brightside Sidings, very unusual indeed. This turned out to be a pair of the several class 37s which run on the East Yorks diagram from York, via Scarborough, Bridlington, Hull and Selby, clearing the North Eastern metals of leaf gunk during the Autumn season. Last year I had an extended period, 4 months, on the east coast and didn't return until early November, so was able to photograph this working in many of the places through which it ran during the month from around the beginning of October until 2nd November. All this material, and earlier shots of the E.Yorks R.H.T.T. can be found here-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/albums/72157713050743272
The two locos featured here, 37407, ex-D6605, 'Blackpool Tower' & 37419, ex-D6991, 'Carl Haviland 1954-2012' can be seen on the E.Yorks workings last year, along with 37401, 37402, this one 37407, 37422/266, 37218, this one 37419 & 37425, so a bit of a 'cornucopia' of class 37s all running along North Eastern metals for just over 2 months...
Having arrived at the footbridge and fumbled out with the camera, it turned out the battery was flat, I seem to recall it was on its last gasp the last time I went out, but had forgotten to change it, fortunately, of course, there's a fully charged spare, but the two 37s were now entering the station site and it was just seconds before the 1st shot was taken at 14:20.. after that it was a bit of as rush as the set passed by and headed for the reversal in the sidings along the line. Leading is D.R.S. class 37, 37407, ex-D6605, 'Blackpool Tower' with 'Scotty Dog Emblem' & B.R. 'Large Intercity Logo' with 37419, ex-D6991, 'Carl Haviland 1954-2012' in 'B.R. Intercity Livery' on one of the 5 workings for today, 3J52, from Scarborough back along to York then south to here, and onto the Brightside Up/Down East Slow line in the Attercliffe Sidings.

It was quite a half hour, shame there weren't any other workings through here at this time though, as it turned out, there was a class 37 run from High Marnham Powergen, via Worksop and through Sheffield to Derby RTC at 12:54, the 3Z11 working. As the following video will illustrate, the set came back in full cleaning throttle, hissing and steaming as it went along with the usual class 37 'warble' and 37419, ex-D6991, 'Carl Haviland 1954-2012', is now leading. The set looks as mucky as the local class 66s on this part of the diagram, but the 37s look much better of course, it is now heading back north on the 3J53 working from Brightside to the Barlby Loops near Selby. Although the diagram had the set passing back through Rotherham Central as it did on the inbound journey, with seemingly no issues from the recent closure due to flooding at the station, and elsewhere, once again, it did not go that way but ran on the main line through Masbrough; hard luck for anyone waiting at Rotherham for the return...
In the picture at right, 37407, ex-D6605, 'Blackpool Tower' with 'Scotty Dog Emblem' and the large 'B.R. Large Intercity Logo' on the side, brings up the rear and for the last few months, pictures here are no longer 'contaminated' by the detritus of past 'glories' i.e. the rust bus shelter and the 2 tall, non-working, lamp-standards, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/53055232975/
for the comparison, though even there, some 'cloning' has been applied! On the right of the departing working, the long disused track-bed of the up goods loop which, like the down goods loop on the left, ran behind the station and fast passenger services to pass slower moving goods train.. An example of the down goods loop being used by a passenger DMU on a Sunday morning about 5 weeks ago, can be seen here-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/53203482058/

Today's outing for the East Yorkshire R.H.T.T. had been modified, as mentioned earlier, due to engineering work over-running in the Nafferton area, between Bridlington and Driffield on the N.E.R. line. By the time the set left here, it looks like the engineering work was complete, as the following table of the 5 workings shows-
D.R.S. 37419 ex-D6991 'Carl Haviland 1954-2012' & 37407 ex-D6605 'Blackpool Tower', The East Yorkshire R.H.T.T. modifications for Monday 23rd October, 2023-
3J51 York Thrall Europa(10:01) to Scarborough(Cancelled)(11:10)
3J52 Scarborough(12:10) via York to Brightside Up/Down East Slow(14:23)
3J53 Brightside Up/Down East Slow(14:34) to Barlby Loops(15:41)
3J54 Barlby Loops(16:02) via Bridlington(rev) to Hull(19:56)
3J55 Hull(20:33) via Selby & Doncaster to York Thrall Europa(22:35)

Slowly heading passed the 'Forgemasters' building, looking black and poking out of the remnants of this years 'greenery', the set is heading for the overhead gantry signal, showing red, S0172, on the 1st sidings line. The next line in and the last one, are both showing large amounts of weed growth between the rails, the one on the far left being the access line into the E.M.R., 'European Metal Recyclers' & 'Cemex Cement' works site, across the River Don bridge on Stevenson Road. This area was once the site of the Sheffield District Railway and L.D.E.C.R.'s Goods Station, in 'days of yore' when had had a much more interesting rail infrastructure network in these parts, still its good to have the site still in use and
rail-connected with frequent cement and scrap trains in and out.. Not entirely sure why the R.H.T.T. set are clearing the rails as the normal S.Yorks R.H.T.T. passes along here every day of the week in both directions, at around 04:30 and 70mins early, again at 07:55 and finally for a reversal back to York, at 17:20. The N.R. relay room at left appears to have been re-graffiti'd and now the 'Fista' tag, one of the 1980s graffiti artists, Simon Sutherland, see-
www.independent.co.uk/news/artist-drawn-to-crime-is-jaile...
is no longer visible. Just at the other side of the palisade fence, is the location of the old Sheffield District Line trackbed which carried a double track line over from here, through Tinsley Yard and onto a connection with the North Midland line at Catcliffe. Some of this track-bed is still walkable, heavily over-grown and the last metal bride over the River Don remains, the section beyond Attercliffe Road, which runs alongside the Ikea car park can still be accessed but beyond there it now heads to a dead end, at Shepcote Junction, just outside Tinsley Yard. Its good to see some class 37 traction on a R.H.T.T. working in this area, though a bit abnormal, it was well worth dashing out for .. this is the D.R.S. class 37 set, 37407, ex-D6605, 'Blackpool Tower' with 'Scotty Dog Emblem' & B.R. 'Large Intercity Logo' with 37419, ex-D6991, 'Carl Haviland 1954-2012' in 'B.R. Intercity Livery' at the back seen here, on one of the 5 workings for today, 3J52, from Scarborough back along to York then south to here, and onto the Brightside Up/Down East Slow line in the Attercliffe Sidings. The set started out this morning, as usual from York, on 3J51, but by the time it got to its destination, Scarborough, the rest of the diagram along the East Coast through Bridlington, Beverley, Hull and Selby, had been cancelled. According to the time-table, 3J51, 'This service was cancelled between Scarborough and York Thrall Europa due to overrunning engineering works (I5).' which I was told by a guy at Brightside, were over-0running engineering works at Nafferton on the East Yorks line between Bridlington and Driffield. The set departed York Thrall 11mins late at 10:01 and arrived in Scarborough at 11:10, after which the diagram was cancelled. It then waited an hour on platform 2 at Scarborough, before it set back off to York on a new diagram, 3J52, which took it via Doncaster, at 13:54, 15 mins after I heard of its impending arrival in this area, and on onto the Brightside Up/Down East Slow line here, arriving at 14:23. In the right-hand picture, 37419, now at the front with its head-lamps illuminated, is sat waiting for the off, in about 11mins, whilst to the left, the driver is out having a break, leaning against the signal gantry support, whilst at right, a Northern 'classic' passes, class 150, 150215, heading into Sheffield on the 2Y89, York to Sheffield service. Approaching on the up fast from Sheffield, Cross Country train class 220, 'Voyager', 220004, on the 20 station-stop service, 1S45, from Plymouth(09:26) to Edinburgh(18:13). Once there once these two have cleared out of the way, and an approaching, partially cancelled Northern class 195 service with 195020, 1L61, 'This service was cancelled between Leeds and Sheffield due to late arrival of an inbound service (YI).)', the R.H.T.T. will get underway on the third of today's re-diagrammed workings, this one, 3J53.

Hanging around for 10 minutes in the warm but wet conditions was pleasant enough and with the driver parking the 66 in a convenient spot meant a shot from both side of the train, this one as usual including both the Asian Cuisine restaurant, still in the old station building and in the upper left background the weathered paintwork of the sign announcing 'Midland Railway-Goods & Coal Station'. That area is now occupied by the long defunct car park of the old Millmoor football ground, the place looking as it ever did, complete with its distinctive 4 lamp-standards. This was to be a 6 hour journey from Kineton, via Fenny Compton, Warwick, Dorridge, Tyseley, Washwood Heath, Water Orton, Tamworth, Barton-under-Needwood, Castle Donnington,and Toton then up to here, some great sounding place names there; it arrived an hour early into Doncaster Down Decoy. The driver on the right is wearing hi-vis and did think they may get out to take some photographs.. no such luck though...! As mentioned earlier, vegetation, particularly Buddleia but other stuff as well, the central area between the two running lines is almost full of stuff and the back line at right, once visible has now been inundated and is no longer visible Weedkiller looks to have been sprayed along platform 4 at left whilst the rest looks to be being left to form a small nature reserve! Sitting along the old platform 3 goods line is G.B.R.f. class 66, 66301, paused on the 4E84, Kineton M.O.D.(GBRf) via Fenny Compton, Washwood Heath, Barton-under-Needwood to Doncaster Down Decoy(GBRf) working with a very long rake of empty FYA, Flatbed Wagons, waiting for the off...

Finally, after 66301 from the M.O.D. at Kineton had cleared away, almost an hour early, it was a convenient time to grab a shot of the only other, running, working in this time-slot, the 13:10 Peak Forest, en-route and due in 25 minutes. With a change of station end, now moving from the Midland Road end to Coronation Bridge, with the conditions now wetter than ever, the not-very-expensive plastic bag had to be deployed to protect the camera optics, this being the new lens after the other failed at Woodburn Junction, in late April, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/52850326142/
showing the passage of the class 43 route learner, with 43366 & 43184.
HAving got set up and fortunately on-time, another GBRf class 66, 66709, 'Sorrento', in 'Maritime M.S.C. Livery', apt really considering the conditions! on the 4M03, Doncaster Down Decoy to Peak Forest Cemex(GBRf) working with a rake, around 26, of empty, HYA Cemex Aggregate Wagons, heading to the quarries for a refill. The reader will see what I mean about the Buddleia from this picture and it wont be long until it spreads all along the wall sideways and blocks the taking of decent shots, unless some have long-handled clippers, Ahem!... ON the left, the now totally over-grown back line, the goods line at the back of the station, once cleared all the way along to the bridge, has now been filled once more with rampant verdure, as is always the case here; the remains of the platform on the left will also soon be completely covered with the stuff...

Whilst the driver of 66301 on the left was waiting for a clear signal on S0425, unlikely at this moment as a minute later, a Cross Country Trains service came trundling along, it had been slowed by a local DMU service to Rotherham crossing over at Holmes Junction, so the XC hadn't got back up to speed. This is a class 220, 'Voyager, 220003 on the almost 9 hour service, 1S41 from Plymouth to Edinburgh with 20 station stops en-route. Once this had cleared the forward section, a few minutes later, the track-diagram indicated the north-end signal had changed from a red to green aspect and the engine of 66301 revved up and the set pulled off slowly out of the station. Waiting along the old platform 3 goods line is G.B.R.f. class 66, 66301, paused on the 4E84, Kineton M.O.D.(GBRf) via Fenny Compton, Washwood Heath, Barton-under-Needwood to Doncaster Down Decoy(GBRf) working with a very long rake of empty FYA, Flatbed Wagons, ready for the off after the Cross Country has cleared away to the north...

Rain Rain...come again another day... true for this day and the worse downpours seemed to be 5 mins before both of these workings appeared, one from directly south of here the other from just north of the old Masbrough Station site, or as its now known, 'Buddleia Coppice'! More was expected of this 1st, long distance, working from just south of Fenny Compton, at the M.O.D., Ministry of Defence, facility at Kineton. Coming along very slowly indeed, there was a signal check at Masbrough's north-end signal, S0425, and the set had picked up some time at Toton Centre, on the way north and was now running 48 minutes early, arriving here at 12:27 rather than 13:18. Unfortunately of course, more pressing matters were going on along the Midland MAin line to the right and hurtling north on time, also at 12:27, were TPE class 185s on the 1B74, with 2 sets, 185101 & 185128 on the Liverpool Lime Street to Cleethorpes passenger service. Meanwhile coming to a very slow halt, well clear of the north-end signal, was GbrF class 66, 66301, on the 4E84, Kineton M.O.D.(GBRf) via Fenny Compton, Washwood Heath & Barton-under-Needwood to Doncaster Down Decoy(GBRf). It is hauling a long rake of old FYA, Flatbed Wagons, all, completely devoid of any sign of 'interesting cargo'! The repeatedly graffiti'd station relay building wall, has once more been adorned with colourful graphic artwork; it never stops... The 66 has stopped just about where it paused for around 5-6 mins before heading off north, making photography easy from both sides of the train, thanks to the driver if this was any sort of consideration whatsoever; it was raining again at this point..

* Introduction
As a preliminary to the next in the 'A Window on the Past' series, which is to be based on two? views at Masbrough Station in the mid-to-late 1980s, as attempt was made to obtain 2 contemporary shots along the same lines. The older shots were taken looking north and then south directly along the Sheffield lines to the left of the station, looking from Coronation Bridge. In those days it wasn't uncommon to have freight running through the station along the platform 1 and 2 lines, the passenger lines to and from Sheffield. Also common was for the workings to take or come off the other lines, the 'Old Road' freight lines at Masbrough South Junction, if required, and pass through the station on the passenger lines, if need be rather than along the platform 3 or 4 lines on the right, the continuation of the 'Old Road' as far as the Masbrough North Junction, when the four lines converged. So, on this day, the idea was to try and get two of the, just about, only freights which run along the platform 1 & 2 lines, running south, the 4M03 from Doncaster to Peak Forest and running north from Peak Forest, about an hour later, the 6E51, to Selby(GBRf). As it was, on the 7th March, there was also an interesting working running anyway, from GAscoigne Wood to the Up Sidings at Lydney, in Dean Forest, near the Severn River, hauling a set of empty aviation fuel tanks, in a bright green livery.
So, heading off for that, and another couple of moves around the same time, but all four of these now on the 'Old Road', Barrow Hill lines, to the right of the station, looking north from Coronation Bridge. This meant there was no chance of getting corresponding photographs, to match those of the 1980s, which means another trip over, when I can gauge whether the two moves will run, today, with lots of snow on the ground in the local area, looks like being one of those, but no good for me! And, an hour later, although both workings were activated very early on this morning, neither have run... Phew!
With bright overhead sun in the south, fortunately behind the camera and intermittently cloud covered, the pictures show a rich pallette of colours, helped by the similarly interesting, and colourful traction; all GBRf apart from the oil tanks move. The first, composite, shot shows the view looking north, as per the requirement for the shots in the 'A WIndow on the Past', but now with passenger traction on the Sheffield Lines at left and a long coal train! on the BArrow Hill 'Goods Lines', on the right. The now overgrown and disconnected, at both ends, station goods line at left, is hardly visible, in marked contrast to what it looks like in the 1980s shots to be featured later. Hurtling north along the platform 1 line, is a 'Cross Country Trains' class 220, 'Voyager' on the 1S37 long day's haul, Plymouth to Edinburgh service, with no less than 19 station stops on the 05:25-14:06, 9.5 hour run; 'Cross Country' indeed. Of more interest, over on the platform 4 line, heading south is a long, heavy, 2400 tonne timing load, coal train headed by a class 66 G.B.R.f., this one 66781, was 66016, 'Darius Cheskin', this nameplate once on the 66778 loco, running on the 6M61, Immingham H.I.T. to Ratcliffe Power Station working with a rake of 24 HTA-E full Coal Hoppers. The local Rotherham refuse truck in purple/blue/orange livery, is temporarily parked on the Midland Road bridge in the background, admiring the view..?

As the GBRf class 66, 66787 slowly approaches Masbrough's north-end signal, S0425 at red, on the 'Old Road', two more traction types have chance to get to their destinations whilst the GBRf waits for a clear path. The two Network Rail guys are now about to head off to their van in the car park, and that looks to be that for the moment, lunchtime maybe. At upper right, heading north along the platform 1 line, is T.P.E. class 185, 185139 on the hourly Manchester Piccadilly to Cleethorpes service, this one 1B72; the service to and from Manchester Airport now appears to have vanished and I understand that passengers now have to change at Manchester to catch a local connecting service to the airport; much more convenient I am sure. Below the north-bound TPE is another of the more recently introduced traction types, this a blue/grey Northern unit class 170, it heading in the opposite direction, south along the platform 2 line towards Sheffield on the Scarborough to Sheffield service, 1J44 with 170456 in charge. As there is little more happening in the next hour or so and having obtained some idea about the views for the forthcoming Masbrough piece, time to head off, some shopping beckons!

This, more interesting looking set, had been held at Swinton Station further north pending the passage of the previous coal train, which came along the Swinton back line on platform 3, and overtook this one by just a few minutes, it was 5 minutes down as it passed through the old station here. Operated by 'Loram', see-
loram.com/
and is running on the 6Z42, and this is what made it interesting for me, see later, Gascoigne Wood Sidings to Lydney Up Goods Loop within the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, right next to 'Severn River'. It is hauling a set of 11, V.T.G. Jet-A, TTA-type Tank Wagons, suitable for carrying Aviation Fuel, but here empty, the timing load being 715 tonnes. At the head, is class 37, 37418, ex-D6971, with name 'An Comunn Gaidhealach' and with a 'B.R. Highland Rail logo' on the rear cab door and prominent a 'B.R. Double-Arrow InterCity Logo' on the side; all looking splendid and a very welcome sight here at this old station site.
Some information about the class 37's, 57 year long history-
Number: 37418
Class: 37/4
Depot: W - Withdrawn from Service
Pool: WNSO - EWS - Locomotives Sold Awaiting Delivery
Livery: EW - English, Welsh & Scottish Railway - Maroon with Central Gold Band Large Number & Logo
Builder: English Electric Vulcan Foundry
Built: 18/03/1965
Works Number: E3531/D960
37418 Named: 10/10/1986 Unamed: 01/03/1991, 'An Comunn Gaidhealach'
37418 Named: 31/03/1991 Unamed: 10/03/1993, 'Pectinidae'
37418 Named: 11/03/1992 Unamed: 10/04/1992, 'Gordon Grigg'
37418 Named: 11/04/1992 Unamed: 31/07/1993, 'Pectinidae'
37418 Named: 22/04/1994 Unamed: 31/10/2005, 'East Lancashire Railway'
Withdrawn: 31/12/2007
Disposal Date: 28/02/2009
Disposal Details: Preserved, East Lancs Railway
37418 Renumbered: from 37271 on 15/11/1985
37271 Notes
This number has been used on 2 different locos
37271 Notes
(1) : D6971 to 37271 then 37271 to 37418
37271 Notes
(2) : D6603 to 37303 then 37303 to 37271 (Current)
37271 Renumbered, from D6971 on 31/12/1973

'The original name, now seen once again on the side of the loco, 'An Comunn Gaidhealach', was applied at Edinburgh Waverley on 10 October 1986 to mark A.C.G. and ScotRail jointly promoting gaelic culture in Scotland. In addition to its number also appearing in large format on the side, between the marker lights at the front on the black panel, there's an old style ScotRail Blue totem and the cab side is embellished with a Highland Rail logo...'

The station walls have been cleaned numerous times over the years, but each time the graffiti artists just get back and do it all again..

* Canal Interest. (here)
The reason for my interest in this train is that the destination, Lydney in the Forest of Dean, is where the author/engineer L.T.C. Rolt went after the famous 'Inland Waterways Exhibition' took place on Tottenham Court Road, London in late 1947, its intention to attract new members to the fledgling I.W.A., 'Inland Waterways Association'. Both he and his wife, Angela, then went to their winter-time base at Tooley's Boatyard, still in existence, in Banbury, from 14th November 1947 until the 10th April, the following year. They made their way west in no particular hurry, staying 3 weeks in Braunston undertaking repairs in the boatyard of Frank Nurser. A fortnight in Tardebigge followed and 3 weeks in Worcester and so it was high summer before they finally made their way towards Tewkesbury and the Mythe Meadow, opposite Healing's Mill. I would like to include a quote here, from what they felt like on arriving in Tewkesbury, en-route for Sharpness on Severn-
'I shall never forget that mooring in Tewkesbury. It was a perfect summer's evening, cloudless and still after a warm day; no noise of traffic reached us and ancient Tewkesbury seemed the quintessence of a quiet and peaceful country town. It radiated a tranquility that was soon to be lost and never known again. On the Mythe Meadow, corncrakes called to each other repeatedly as the sun went down behind the Malverns and a thick mist began to rise over the wide expanse of grass....'
From the 'Landscape Trilogy' by L.T.C. Rolt, 2nd Part, 'Landscape with Canals', p.109. Published in its 3 parts in 1971, 1977 & 1982, the paperback single volume of all three parts, in 2005.
In that book, on the page following the above, Rolt explains why 'Severn' is called that and NOT 'River Severn'..
'...Compared with the translucent reaches of the Thames, still as a lake except in times of heavy flood, 'Severn' is a powerful river, a great body of dark water eternally flowing swiftly and silently down to the sea. We speak of 'Father Thames' and think of him as a jolly old soul, whereas 'Severn' is feminine. Those who know this river, speak of 'Severn', never 'the Severn' and usually refer to the river as 'she'. Sabrina may be fair, but if she is indeed feminine then hers is a sombre and subtle Celtic beauty, menacing and not to be slighted...'
Well, there, and, that's why I went out for this train. I have researched this area in Dean Forest, which Rolt and Angela passed through in those far off years, taking the train over from Sharpness, over the old, now demolished railway bridge, changing for Lydney and then taking the Dean Forest Railway to Cinderford and walking the forest track back to Lydney; its a very worthwhile read...

The working on the left, 0O01, odd combination that, as well as the previous on, 6Z42, did not appear in 'Open Rail' on the RailCam website, so there were no details of either of these workings on the track diagram even though the number appeared, but, they did appear in R.T.T. Not sure why this happens as surely the source for the date is the same. Fifteen minutes after the empty oils vanished off to the south, this light engine rattled through, again a GBRf, this time 66704, 'Colchester Power Signalbox' out of Doncaster Up Decoy and heading to Eastleigh East Yard, another longish day, over 9 hours, setting out at 10:03 arriving Eastleigh at 19:23. Now a change of end in the Station and a half-hour wait, to get another view for the impending second shot in the 'A Window on the Past', again from the same vantage point as that shot was taken, see later, looking directly over the approaching loco. This time its the regular lunchtime liner train, and again GBRF of course, this one 66787, slowing to a halt, as its a bit early here, but saving me some waiting-about time, this is the 4L11, Masbrough Newell & Wright Depot, the old Masbrough Steel Terminal/Freightliner Depot, to Felixstowe North(GBRf). The Sun came back out just at the wrong time, so some heavy gradient filtering required, particularly as this shot is a merged pair both with bright sky overhead skies.. The Network Rail guys are ambling about the place on the left and still not sure what they are doing whilst over on the right, another Cross Country Trains service, 1S39, this one following the other one seen earlier, about an hour ago so is the same diagram, with no less than 19 station stops on the 06:26-15:05, 9.5 hour run, with power-car 221134. As mentioned earlier, there is no sign of the two afternoon freight moves along the passenger line over at right, on which the Voyager is running and, on this very snowy Thursday, 9th MArch, afternoon, they haven't run today either... gonna have to wait to get the two contemporary shots for the Masbrough, 'A Window on the Past' piece...

And, away into the curve, with Network Rail personnel out-and-about, two of them can be seen on the left of the 37418, and close to where the two under-bridges are located, the 1st is the stub of line which used to be the line into Rotherham's Westgate Station, now cut short to end in the scrapyard at Booths. The second bridge, just beyond the 1st, goes over what used to be the Masbrough South Curve connection between Holmes Junction and Masbrough South Junction, just around the corner. It too having long gone and the line re-aligned from Holmes Junction is now the Holmes Chord connecting Holmes Junction with the G.C.R.'s line into Rotherham at New York Stadium allowing passenger traffic into the long moved, 1987, Rotherham Central Station. The Templeborough Biomass is emitting a load of steam from the process it uses to generate energy from plant material, 1MW I believe as Loram operated 37418, ex-D6971, 'An Comunn Gaidhealach', with 'B.R. Double-Arrow InterCity Logo" hauls a rake of 11, V.T.G. TTA Jet-A Tank Wagons on the 6Z42, Gascoigne Wood Sidings to Lydney Up Goods Loop in Gloucestershire. Having started out from Gascoigne Wood at 09:42, the journey will take around 8 hours, the set arriving in Lydney at 17:05. Just over an hour later, at 18:10, the loco 37418, exited the Up Goods Loop and set off back north-west on the 0Z43, now a light-engine move from Lydney Up Goods Loop returning to Derby R.T.C.(Serco) for 20:17, just two hours later. The old site of R.U.F.C. at Millmoor is over on the left, still looking the same as ever, nothing having happened at all there since the team quit the grounds in around 2006! Booths scrapyard is as busy as ever an, over on the far right of the wagons, within the small coppice sprouting once more, an old telegraph pole with light fitting at the top, and one of the old buildings, concrete, which has survived down the years from when this was the site of the large Midland, Masborough Station South Box area.

* Prelude

What the station looked like in 2004, during a refit of the station building to create a new Asian Cuisine Restaurant, 'The Orient Express' ..
The upper 3 pictures were taken from platform 4, the old south-bound freight line to Derby and beyond, the rear door of the building at that time being wide open for the camera! The lower 3 shots show the 2004 view over the station site with the 'Midland Railway - Goods & Coal Depot' sign on the bridge side clearly visible, as it still is though to a lesser extent after nearly 20 years have elapsed since these were taken. Twenty years ago the traction liveries for the passenger stock was also somewhat different, with at lower centre, a Northern Rail DMU heading south in the old green/blue livery of that company. Whilst at lower right, a then still extant Virgin Trains passes through heading north in distinctive grey/red livery, with yellow warning panel. The red-brick station building at the north end of the platform which are here seen in a clean, un-sprayed state, in the years which followed, were multiply graffiti'd and cleaned, only to be afflicted again..
This jaunt to photograph the station whilst under renovation, though sadly not shots were taken inside!, was the first time I had set foot back in the building since around 1960, so around 45 years earlier!

And to the real deal.. Unmissable and, the 1st time trackside since returning to the S.Yorks area, from our 3.5-month decamp to the East Coast, whilst awaiting completion for out our next house, a largish down-sizing escapade which all-in, was quite a stressful event... moving on. Today its back to Masbrough for the passage of a very well turned out class 40, ex-D345, and still with that number, though it's also, 40145 and it looked and sounded great. Having missed a couple of steam charters in the last week or so, 'The Xmas White Rose' on the 29th and 'The York Yuletide Express' on the 26th, I was determined not to let this one get away and am certainly glad it didn't. This is the 'Pathfinder Railtours', 'North Eastern Christmas Markets' charter with class 40, 40145, ex-D345, at the front in 'Bottle Green Livery' and with 'West Coast Railways Company', class 57, 57012, on the 1Z40 Swindon to Newcastle day out!.. though having arrived in Newcastle at 13:50, around a half hour late, it set off back on the 1Z41 working, back to Swindon at 16:10, 2 hours later, arriving in Swindon at 22:50; quite a day...

More information can be found here at the class 40 preservation trust--
www.cfps.co.uk/about/40145-2
and
www.elrdiesel.info/fleet-40145.php

Some additional information-
Built: 1961 English Electric
EE VF 3091/D641
Traction Type: Diesel-Electric
Equipment: English Electric
Power Unit: EE 16SVT MkII
Power Output: 2,000 HP
Max Speed: 90 MPH
Train Brakes: Air and Vacuum
Train Heating: Steam Boiler (Isolated)
Livery: BR Green, Small Warning Panels
Weight: 133 Tons
Length: 69' 6"
Height: 12' 10"
Width: 9' 0"

The driver appears to have got out and used the signal-pose telephone on York's S0425 signal just next to the Midland Road bridge...

With no station stop time-tabled here, but with the signal ahead, S0425 set at red, this may have prompted the driver to get out and find out what was happening, as the schedule was a little 'tight'. Having arrived at 11:55, and with passage of a TPE service on the main passenger line south towards Sheffield, this one, a class 68, 68020, 'Reliance' with a D.V.T., 'Driving Van Trailer' #12814, leading, this was an 'Empty Coaching Stock' move, 5B73, from Cleethorpes to Manchester Piccadilly, once that had passed, at 11:59, the charter got under way to the north. With a mixed rake of W.C.R.C. 'Brown & Cream' Mark 1 B.R. one 'Blood and Custard' and an ex-British Rail 'Riviera Mk2a' at the back, the rear traction comes into view, this a W.C.R.C. class 57, 57012. A fine set of loco's and coaches on a 'Markets' charter though with only 5 minutes in Oxford, 3 in Banbury, Leamington, Dorridge, Tyseley, 6 in Tamworth, 55 minutes in Derby, 9 in York & 2 minutes in Durham, not much in the way of shopping could have been undertaken except in Newcastle and then only for 2 hours... This is the 'Pathfinder Railtours', 'North Eastern Christmas Markets' with class 40, 4014, but with D345 still on the cab side, at the front in 'Bottle Green Livery' and with 'West Coast Railways Company', class 57, 57012, seen here, on the 1Z40 Swindon to Newcastle charter tour. The return, 1Z41, left Newcastle 2 hours after arriving..

The next working, an E.C.S., should have come through shortly after departure of the 'Markets Charter', it departing a few minutes before mid-day, but it was running about 20 minutes late, so it meant hanging about in quite cold conditions, with nothing else on offer until then.. This is another of the occasional E.C.S. move from Gascoigne Wood, a loco having been sent up earlier to haul this lot south towards the Derby area. In this first shot, a D.B. Schenker class 66, 66194, still in old EWS maroon and gold livery, can be seen hauling a rake of 6, 'Riviera Mk2a Carriages', in blue and cream southwards along the old platform 4, freight line, through Masbrough Station. A lot of the graffiti on the station window boards has been 'browned-out' again but the material on the local relay room at the end near Midland Road bridge, persists; it seems to be a never-ending repainting job at this location. This is the 5Z45, Knottingley Sidings to Burton-on-Trent Wetmore Sidings Empty Coaching Stock move and, over on the main passenger lines at left, heading north on the platform 1 line is T.P.E. class 185, 185124, on the 1B72, Manchester Piccadilly to Cleethorpes service; these services have become rather unreliable in recent weeks, some even terminating at Meadowhall on the return workings.. New platform edge flagstones look set to be laid and over on the far left, the old station freight only, 'back-line', looks as overgrown as it ever did, not potential use having been made of it... as speculated a year or two ago.

Finally, in stark lighting conditions looking south at mid-day, in the left picture, between the freight lines on the left and the passenger lines on the right, just a glimpse of a 'Cross Country Trains' class 221, 'Voyager' can be seen, the traction being 221139, on the 1S39, Plymouth to Edinburgh 9.5 hour cross-country, 21 stations, stopping service. The birch-tree woodland appears to be encroaching once more, cleared in 2006 and again in 2016, it looks like it won't be long before the 2 pairs of lines are separated by woodland once more. On the freight lines at left, the rear coaches are passing the site of what was the large North Midland semaphore signalbox, between passenger and freight lines and with cross-overs to and from both; a much more rich and interesting scene prevailed in those days before the 1980s, now, no more. A plume of steam rises from the new Templeborough Biomass works at centre background and the still extant, and still unused, old Millmoor Football ground is a t far left. This is the 'D.B. Schenker Cargo' class 66, 66194, in old EWS livery, hauling a set of 'Riviera Mk2a Carriages' southwards to the Burton-on-Trent Wetmore Sidings, from Knottingley Sidings on the 5Z45, Empty Coaching Stock working. Winter colours prevail on the right, set-off by the low overhead, weak sunlight and with passage of the E.C.S. time to curtail my 1st day back at the lineside here in South Yorks, for nearly 4 months... Two more sets of pictures to follow from this last week, the S. Yorks R.H.T.T. at Woodburn Junction on Tuesday and on Thursday, the York Thrall, round-the-world, R.H.T.T. with a couple of class 37s, heading for a reversal at Stocksbridge Works... just one at the end of the season, as per usual now.