The Flickr Northmidlandrailway Image Generatr

Finally arriving through here from the Severn Valley Railway, see-
svr.co.uk/
for details of one of the best long-time Heritage Railways in the country, and last weekend's 4-day Spring Diesel Gala proved this point admirably. What a splash of colour there has been in this area in the last hour or so, the 2 class 37s at on the Woodhouse Station Reception line, the 2 red DBC class 66s, a Freightliner a class 57 and now the 2nd of the Freightliner moves with the 2nd of the G.B.R.f moves arriving here at approximately the same time... On the up line passing south through the old station site is 66418, named 'Patriot - In Memory of the Fallen Railway Employees', and is hauling a long container train from the Leeds Freightliner Terminal to the Southampton MArine Container Terminal on the regular 4099 working. Passing the other way and heading north is brightly coloured G.B.R.f class 69, looking good in 'Mustard-Yellow' livery, 69014, 'E.M.D. Longport' and ex-56104, on the light engine return move, 0E14, from the Kidderminster, Severn Valley Railway to Doncaster Roberts Road Shed. The loco is excellently turned out and did very well on passenger stock moves between Kidderminster, S.V.R. to and from Hampton Loade, Bridgnorth Station of course being unreachable due to the bridge collapse just south of Bridgnorth, earlier this year, see-
svr.co.uk/news/severn-valley-railway-makes-steady-progres...
This looks to be costing an awful lot of money, maybe more than half a million pounds but they have good support from their own resources, their insurers, who thankfully are honouring the claim, private individuals and other concerns, and by the time the work is complete, it will have taken the best part of this year. Their Heritage services have been running as usual on the 12mile section from Kidderminster, with the loco for the trains 'running-round', or being top-and-tailed, at Hampton Loade Station, about 4.5miles south of Bridgnorth. The S.V.R. are 60 years old this year and will be taking part in the widespread events occuring for the 'Railway 200' celebrations, marking 200 years of railways in the UK, see-
railway200.co.uk/search-for-activities-and-events/
So, with all this behind it, it was good to go out and take a picture of one of the locos involved in the 'Spring Diesel Gala' on the S.V.R. and, its my first shot of a class 69...
Here, at Woodhouse Mill, I am glad to see the Treeton Down Goods Loop on the left is still in place! and looks to be well used, its to be hoped that this isn't removed anytime soon in any push to a more 'rationalised' railway infrastructure, unlike the cross-over junction between the up & down main lines and goods loop, which were being removed in February, 2017, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/31974713024/
showing two 'Deltics' approaching from the south, D9002, 55002, 'The Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry' along with D9009 55009 'Alycidon' which went south on the 0Z55, from the N.R.M., but returned at a more amenable time of 15:15. They have just passed the partially deconstructed up to down main line cross-over and it wasn't too long before the down the goods cross-over was removed as well, 6 months later as it turned out, by August of that year in fact.

After the 57 had left the area there were another four moves before the DBC light engine turned up, shown for convenience in the last picture. Here we see two 'proper' trains passing at about the same time, around 12:15. Heading south is a Civil Engineers train, another almost daily working, 6M73, with Freightliner class 66, 66572, heading to Toton North Yard from Doncaster Up Decoy with the track-bed of the old goods line running along side the train. Woodhouse Mill used to have passenger service and the two goods lines flanked the main lines at either side of the station, see-
www.flickr.tightfitz.com/_MG_9371+WM-1950.jpg
which shows a comparison between the lunchtime Freightliner, 66522, passing south on the then, 4O55, Leeds F.L.T. to Southampton M.C.T. Whilst underneath a view of the old station site in around 1950 with all the glories that were extant in the railway system at that time.. a wonder to behold
In the right-hand shot, an unusual working for this day, and making it also well-worth being here to see it. HAuling a long rake of what look like very old BYA Wagons is another DBC class 66, this one 66012, on the 6E94, Corby B.S.C. to Tees New Yard empty wagons move and what a long rake it was, 24 in all which stretched from the bridge here all the way north to the curve in the line behind the Freightliner rake of rail carriers. A pleasure to watch this slowly, relatively, pass by as the wagons kept coming under the bridge...

Well this turned out nice again! Only tentative planning had me consider that the proverbial 'two birds with one stone' could be had, if everything behaved itself, timing-wise, and the correct spot was picked. So for two lots, 1 and 6, of interesting moves to be captured and with only the slightest possibility that the first would come anywhere near the camera, there would be a good chance of a win in the Woodhouse area. As this 1st trio of pictures show, the 2 class 37s not only appeared in the distance, slowing at the old Woodhouse Junction signalbox location a good distance from the now restricted carriageway Furnace Lane bridge at Woodhouse Station, but they actually ambled along the 'Reception Line' and came right into the Station.. WIN. I had sort of naively waived them on from the Junction, hoping they would at least come up the RL a reasonable way before the driver changed ends and then departed back to Derby, but no, they come into the back of the station and the driver and second man got out and had a little wonder round. At left the set has just come across Woodhouse Junction from the direction of Worksop and is now coming along the Reception LIne, not reversing near the old box site and with clear intention of coming up to the station; my hand waving to 'come up' obviously worked! This is a very unusual working these days, not much comes up to the station anymore, any reversals taking place at the far end of the Reception line and in fact today, these two didn't use, or had any need, to use the 'Run Round Loop' to the right of the two locos, the line now rusting away slowly. In the centre shot, the pair are seen within the 'green-wood', much of the station site is now covered in it, with leading class 37, 37418, ex-D6971, 'An Comunn Gaidhealach', and behind, 37508, ex-37606, on the rounds from Derby R.T.C.(Serco) via Woodhouse Jn. Sidings and back to Derby RTC(Serco), a 5 hour hour round-trip jaunt via Beeston, Mansfield, Worksop and here and back the same way. Its only the 2nd time I have seen 37606 in 13 years, the last time, 2011, it was at Beighton Junction, just down the line from here and the loco was in D.R.S. blue livery crossing the River Rother with 37612 at the back.
The name on the 'Loram Rail' liveried loco, 'An Comunn Gaidhealach', 'The Gaelic Association', is a Scottish organisation that supports and promotes the Scottish Gaelic language and Scottish Gaelic culture and history at local, national and international levels.
At right, the set has come to a stand at the top of the Reception Line, partly parked across the Reception to Run-Round Loop junction and the state of its rail-head can be seen, the Reception Line being only slightly 'shinier'. The turn around timing was only 20 minutes and having arrived, as I did, on time at 11:28, they had until 11:59 to 'do their stuff', whatever that was before setting off back to Derby the same way. I left before they did as the next interesting move was at Woodhouse Mill and was set to pass through on the Midland Line at about 11:50, this last picture here being taken at 11:40, I hot-foot it the short distance over to the other line and it wasn't too long before the class 57 passed through.. well worth the gamble here though!

At left in these two shots, this working ran on Sunday to Wednesday this week with a different loco on the Tues & Wed, 57310 rather than today and Sunday which is the one shown at left. Here the E.C.S. is being hauled up and down the line by a G.B.R.f. class 57, 57303, once named, and may still be, 'Alan Tracy', then 'Pride of Carlisle' and finally 'Thunderbirds are Go', on the 5Z51, Derby to Doncaster Down Decoy with a set of Eastern Railways Empty Coaching Stock. There were 4 moves on this day, timings for here-
5Z50 Doncaster to Derby at around 09:20
5Z51 Derby to Doncaster at around 11:50, this one
5Z55 Doncaster to Chaddesden Sidings, near Derby, at around 14:32
5Z53 Derby to Doncaster to Derby at around 17:50
And, as mentioned above, the working hasn't run at all today, Thursday, 24th May. In this shot on Monday, it is seen heading north, shortly after the 2 class 37s had set off back from Woodhouse Station and passed over the Rother Valley Viaduct, the line can just be made out in the trees behind the E.C.S., at the foot of the large pylon. The old works building at the right has finally lost all its slates, see this DRS working with 66432, passing in September, 2018, with a local officials poking their head through one of the holes in the slate roof!-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/30014996687/

In the right-hand shot, about 30 minutes after the 57 had gone, the usual lunchtime light engine(s) move, 0F54, from Doncaster came by with, sadly today, only a single, but brightly colour red DBC loco. 66177 is on the LE return, Doncaster Belmont Down Yard to Toton T.M.D., 'Traction Maintenance Department' and is seen passing the Woodhouse Mill Sewage Works at left, and what a smell there was that day, muck spreading/drying was in progress. The hill in the background above the loco hides the now 4000-house Waverley Estate beyond, at the north end of the old Orgreave site; it too has now changed out of all recognition and really, isn't worth visiting anymore...

A lot of interesting loco traction was around at that time, the album for Woodhouse Mill in 2018 is worth a look-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/albums/72157636383147513/

And, after taking just under a minute clearing the station, there was a 20 minute wait for the next two trains, this time regular freight moves from the north, first up, at left, the now once again regular move, 4099 from the Leeds Freightliner Terminal with, today, class 66, 66420, Leeds F.L.T. to Southampton Marine Container Terminal and hauling yet another long and full container train all adding some colourful contrast to the old station, graffiti'd once again, station brickwork. I think those 4 metal posts and their small counterparts may well be the posts of the signal that used to stand at this end of the station where a line of 4 magnificent semaphores with bracket signals, used to stand, directing trains either along the main line left to Sheffield or a crossing move over to the 'Old Road' and this worked on both sets of lines; must have a look to see if this is correct... In the right shot 10mins later, another lunchtime regular, a long 'rails carrier' train, this one with Freightliner class 66, 66565 on the 6M73, Doncaster Up Decoy to Toton North Yard. An out-of-gauge train also runs with this type of consist but heads much further south to Eastleigh, near Southampton on the south coast, this is 6X01, which runs through here about an hour earlier, but on this day was cancelled. The metal posts mentioned above are also visible in this shot though the far left one is out-of-shot...

Just 3 minutes behind the liner train, once it had cleared the station site. the sky-blue 'Midland Pullman' set came slowly up from the signal heading to what was, by then. a yellow on the north end signal, S0425, which meant the train was set to pass straight through the old station site without stopping. It ran to time throughout the day, setting out in Paignton on the south-west coast in in Devon, very close to Torquay (of Basil & 'Fawlty Towers' fame) and on the line to Plymouth, Devon and Penzance in Cornwall. This is the L.S.L.'s, 'Locomotive Services Ltd' 'Midland Pullman' with class 43 H.S.T., 'High Speed Train', 43049, 'Neville Hill', leading a set of B.R. Mark III coaches. The coaches are now in 'Midland Pullman' blue-livery, and 43058, 'Loch Eil' is at the back on the long(ish) day's charter, 1Z32, the 'Yorkshire Coast Pullman' from Paignton to Scarborough. Matching sky-blue livery can also be seen on the old red-brick wall, a long-time relic of the past when to goods depot was just here, the blue-design/tag on the wall being c/o a graffiti artist and in this instance a sort of 'nod' of appreciation to the traction passing!

The leading class 43, 43049 has now tripped the AWS ramp at the north-end of the station and the single yellow, no double yellow aspect here, has now been set to red, as the train picks up speed and heads towards the main line at Masbrough North Junction, once the location of yet another signalbox over on the left side at the foot of the steep bank in the cutting.
Although the coach numbers were published on 'RailCam' I found a couple of errors in the numbers/order, this is what was photographed as it passed through with the published information in parentheses-
leading 43049('Neville Hill')
followed by-
41169 + 40801 + 41183 + 41162 + 41176 + 41182(not 40802) + 41149(not 41182) + 44078
and bringing up the rear, seen here at the south end of the station
43058('Loch Eil').
This is the L.S.L.s, 'Locomotive Services Ltd' day charter, 1Z32, 'Yorkshire Coast Pullman', from Paignton, Devon, departing at 06:05 to Scarborough, East Yorkshire, arriving at 13:47 almost eight hours. It then set off back at 16:30, having spent just 2h 40mins at the East coast resort, finally arriving back in Paignton, 16mins early at 00:05, very early Friday morning... quite a long jaunt for just 3 hours on the East Coast!

A complete surprise next whilst waiting for the 'Yorkshire Coast Pullman' to come into the area from the south, it not being far off at this stage. in fact it was being held at the signal, S0411, next along the line and right behind the container train. Now, the fairly frequent light engines movement from the Doncaster area was just around the corner at Aldwarke and, not expecting much, didn't really think about the shot as it started to approach. 'Gliding' along the old platform 4, goods line, a veritable armada of different liveried locos appeared in blue-red-blue-red-blue formation and consisting of 1 GBRf loco at the front followed by alternately red-blue-red-blue D.B. Shenker class 66 locos in convoy heading south. This is the regular lunchtime return of traction, 0F54, from Doncaster Belmont Down Yard and heading to Toton T.M.D. with, in order, GBRf class 60, 60056, 'Great Gable. then D.B.S. class 66s, 66114 66xxx(unknown), followed by 66134, & 66162, 'Maritime Intermodal Five', what a sight and the shot not composed in the best possible way, though the liner train had something to do with that! Standing at the Masbrough north end signal, S0425, waiting for the off, is GBRf class 66, 66712, now named 'Peterborough Power Signalbox' on the daily 4L11, Masbrough Newell & Wright Terminal to Felixstowe North(GBRf) with a very long and full set of containers.

Its been a year and time to revisit the still extant site of the old North Midland's site at Masbrough and, apart from the vegetation, not much has changed in the 10 months or so since my last visit, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/53839266885/
In addition there wasn't actually many folk here to see the 'Pullman', 2 photographers and an 'on-looker'.. bit odd but I guess this set is well documented these days, I have only captured shots one time before and, as it happens, it was here, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/51396241297/
from August, 2021. In under an hour here, there were 3 freight, 1 charter working and of course the plethora of passenger traction with the usual DMU and Cross-Country services. In this first picture, passing rapidly along the MIdland Main line heading south to Sheffield is a Cross Country train class 222, 'Voyager', 220007 on the 1V54, 20 station-stop, Edinburgh to Plymouth service. The Masbrough Station South Junction 'forest' where the large North Midland signalbox used to reside, it hardly seems credible that what once used to reside at this important junction, has been replaced, repeatedly over the years, by a persistent silver birch tree wood! Crawling slowly up from the Masbrough Container Terminal, heading for a station stop at the north end at Signal S0425, is GBRf class 66, 66712, now named 'Peterborough Power Signalbox' on the daily 4L11, Masbrough Newell & Wright Terminal to Felixstowe North(GBRf) with a very long and full set of containers. The GBRf loco looking, as is usual, in well turned out form... and the old Millmoor Football ground could be said to be in the same well-looked after state over to the left..

A statue of George Stephenson stands outside Chesterfield Railway Station, in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

It is located not far from Tapton House where he lived in the latter part of his life. It is one of many depictions of the man often referred to as 'father' of the railways. The sculpture’s unveiling marked the completion of refurbishment work at the Station.

George Stephenson completed his first locomotive in 1814 and went on to demonstrate the viability of steam powered rail transport. Railways, locomotives, and their construction occupied the greater part of his working life and he may also be credited with establishing the railway standard gauge.

During his last decade, he was involved in the construction of the North Midland Railway between Derby and Leeds and lived at Tapton House. The Grade II* listed Georgian building (constructed 1782-94) is now part of Chesterfield College and lies about 1km to the north east of the station. Stephenson himself is not far away — his tomb is inside Holy Trinity Church.

In 2004, the bronze of Stephenson was commissioned from leading Suffolk portrait sculptor Stephen Hicklin, as part of Chesterfield’s Percent for Art initiative. The funding for the sculpture came from a partnership of Chesterfield Borough Council, Chesterfield Civic Society, Derbyshire County Council, Midland Mainline, Taylor Woodrow and Network Rail.

The monument depicts a tail-coated Stephenson balancing on one side of a tilted wheel, steadied by a large divider calliper in his right hand. The wheel includes two inscriptions — on the central boss is "VISION & INVENTION & DISCOVERY" and on the outer rim, "GEORGE STEPHENSON 1781-1848. LOCOMOTION, THE CONQUEST OVER SPACE AND TIME". In Stephenson's upraised left hand is a model of the locomotive Locomotion No.1, constructed for the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1824-5.

Information Source:
www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp...

Cross Country Trains Class 221 Super Voyager DMU 221130 and Class 220 Voyager DMU 220030 burst out of the northern portal of the 856 yard long Milford Tunnel working 1S43 09.22 Exeter St Davids to Edinburgh.
Completed in 1840 the tunnels distinctive northern portal is a Saxon-inspired arch, surrounded by seven huge concentric semi-circular rings of stone. The southern portal in contrast is relatively plain in line with the original design by the North Midland Railway. Both portals are grade II listed, being part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.

Chesterfield Railway Station in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

The first line into Chesterfield was the North Midland Railway from Derby to Leeds in 1840. The original station was built in a Jacobean style similar to the one at Ambergate but it was replaced in 1870 by a new one further south in the current location, when the Midland Railway built the "New Road" to Sheffield. This new station of 1870 was designed by the company architect John Holloway Sanders.

In 1893 the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, later to become the Great Central Railway, crossed under the North Midland line at Horns Bridge, to a station two hundred yards west of this station. In 1897, the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway arrived, crossing both North Midland and Great Central lines at Horns Bridge with a viaduct seven hundred feet long, leading to a station at West Bars, near the Market Place.

The line into Market Place station closed to passengers in 1951 due to problems in Bolsover Tunnel, the station remained open for goods traffic until March 1957, when it was closed completely. The station building was demolished in 1972. The Great Central station closed in March 1963 and was demolished in 1973 to make way for the town's inner relief road.

The Midland station was demolished and rebuilt in 1963. Most of the buildings from 1963 were demolished in the late 1990s, shortly after privatisation. Most of the buildings on site now date from then.

Information Source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesterfield_railway_station

Chesterfield Railway Station in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

The first line into Chesterfield was the North Midland Railway from Derby to Leeds in 1840. The original station was built in a Jacobean style similar to the one at Ambergate but it was replaced in 1870 by a new one further south in the current location, when the Midland Railway built the "New Road" to Sheffield. This new station of 1870 was designed by the company architect John Holloway Sanders.

In 1893 the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, later to become the Great Central Railway, crossed under the North Midland line at Horns Bridge, to a station two hundred yards west of this station. In 1897, the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway arrived, crossing both North Midland and Great Central lines at Horns Bridge with a viaduct seven hundred feet long, leading to a station at West Bars, near the Market Place.

The line into Market Place station closed to passengers in 1951 due to problems in Bolsover Tunnel, the station remained open for goods traffic until March 1957, when it was closed completely. The station building was demolished in 1972. The Great Central station closed in March 1963 and was demolished in 1973 to make way for the town's inner relief road.

The Midland station was demolished and rebuilt in 1963. Most of the buildings from 1963 were demolished in the late 1990s, shortly after privatisation. Most of the buildings on site now date from then.

Information Source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesterfield_railway_station

With 3 moves occuring at around the same time and all with different train operators, GBRf, Freightliner & Network Rail, and having not been out for days(Covid!), seemed appropriate to take advantage of feeling well to see a few trains, especially as one of them was the re-liveried 'Video Inspection Unit'. HAving arrived in plenty of time for the 1st and last moves, GBRf had also arrived in plenty of time as well, with their unit having passed through Treeton, south of here, 28 minutes early, it had obviously made its way up here and parked itself just under Midland Road bridge; thus making any reasonable photograph impossible. So, in these pictures it appears after passage of the Freightliner, this having priority at the junction, meant the GBRf had to wait for class 70, 70001, to pass by, before it was allowed out onto the MIdland Main line north to Doncaster. In the pictures here, and last photographed 3 months ago with 70020, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/53631658601/
was, heading south again, the 1st in in its class, 70001, running on the regular, 4095, Leeds F.L.T. to the Southampton Marine Container Terminal. In the upper left picture it is passing through yet another, burgeoning forest of Silver Birch trees, the Midland Main lines all but obliterated from view, though in this and the lower picture of the GBRf, Masbrough's 'back, goods line' Signal S0423, is just visible and lit red; it also has a signal post telephone available! In the upper right picture, the Freightliner is speeding south along the platform 4, goods, line and to its right at the back, hiding under the Midland Road bridge arch, class 66 GBRf, 66790 'Louise', waiting its time on the 0Z68, Knighton Junction(Leicester) to Doncaster Down Decoy light engine move. It came down from Doncaster this morning, at 08:45, though 29 mins late, on the 0Z67 to Knighton Junction(Leicester) arriving at 10:59. It then and 10 minutes later, at 11:09, 13 mins early!, it set off back to Doncaster on this move, arriving at 14:08; driver route learning possibly? After the Freightliner cleared Masbrough North Junction, it running 6 mins late here, the GBRf got underway and departed 10 minutes early at 13:36, venturing forth negotiating 'The Way Through the Woods', passing the redundant S0423 signal on the left on the main lines, now only just visible; something will have to be done soon I think.. And, in addition, Buddleia is absolutely rife growing out of the old blue brickwork along both Midland Road bridge walls, it can just be seen poking into this last picture at left and right.. this being the only gap!

And, its 10 minutes later, this unit was glimpsed further south on the Wingfield RailCam and immediately piqued my interest as I hadn't seen this unit in this livery before, its old livery being the Red/Orange & Blue colours of East Midland Railways. These 2nd two pictures show the unit entering Masbrough Station and having been delayed an hour before starting out, it had now made up time and, without pausing, went straight through the station. Whilst it was slowly approaching, on the Midland Main line south, a 2-set Cross Country Voyager went through 2 minutes earlier on the 10-hour namesake, Edinburgh to Penzance, 27 station-stop!!, service, this one 1V58. Ambling along the platform 3 'goods' line, heading north, now in Network Rail 'Sky Blue' all over livery with 'Inspection Train' on the side and 'VIU 1' on the yellow front panel, class 153, 153311 'at the front'. This is the 2Q10, Derby R.T.C., via all over back to York Parcels Sidings this evening with the following passes on the 8 hour video inspection-
Derby R.T.C.(09:56 though 59 mins late)->Sheffield->Derby->Toton->Chesterfield->Treeton(had picked up the time by here)->Masbrough->Milford->Darlington->Newcastle->Durham and terminated at York Parcels Sidings(18:18, 8 mins early). Wonder what the video footage revealed, if anything? must make for a fascinating 8 hour show! Nice blue on the 153 unit as well, very .. 'striking'.
More information on this Network Rail 'departmental' can be seen here-
www.departmentals.com/departmental/153311

After the coal train departed around the corner by the side of the Biomass plant, now 18 minutes late, the Empty Coaching Stock move from Knottingley didn't set out straight away but was 16 minutes late, maintaining the time difference between the 2 workings. So, at the top of the hour, with a red D.B.S. class 66 in charge, a set of mixed livery coaches heads south once again along the platform 4 'goods' line through the Masbrough Station site. This is 66107 with a rake of 5 coaches-
* M9525: BR InterCity Mk2E Brake Open Standard Coach
* M35469: BR Mk 1 Brake Corridor Second built 1963. Chocolate & Cream
* 3336: Anglia MkII livery, the type of which Network Rail have used, repainted in canary yellow, in their 'Test Train' sets as the 'Radio Survey Coach'
M6054: BR Mk 2f Tourist Second Open built 1973. BR Rail Blue and Pearl Grey
E6158: BR Mk 2f Tourist Second Open Riviera Trains.
Makes a fine show passing through the station with, for comparison, a more modern version of coaches used on Cross Country services, this time its class 220, 'Voyager', 220033, on the 20-station stop, almost 9 hour, 1V52, Edinburgh to Plymouth service. I have been informed that these 5 coaches have been converted and toilets installed, and this is the last of the bunch so Knottingley is now clear of E.C.S. stock, so in this instance, this _was_ the last day for this type of move... (thanks to Marcus for the 'gen'). Passing south with a smart red D.B.S. at the front, 66107, this is the 5Z45, Knottingley T.M.D. to Burton-on-Trent, Wetmore Sidings, E.C.S. move all looking rather splendid in the lighting conditions present and a small band of 'enthusiasts' to chat too... Cooked breakfast was awaiting however, so, that's the lot..

A chance finding by viewing various Flickr sites and finding the last regular coal working in the UK is about to come to an end, this last week looked like it was the end but since last Thursday it now appears there is to be one or two more before the _actual_ final day on Friday June 28th. It also looks as if there will be a commemoration of this event, 'The Last Coal to Power Station' move, there still being coal moves from Immingham via Scunthorpe to Earles Sidings, providing coal deliveries to the Castleton Cement Works; one, 6M83, ran on Monday 10th June, hauled by a DBS loco with 1600 tonnes of coal. As usual now for my picture material, an attempt is made to try and portray a short, or sometimes long, story relating to what is happening in the scene and these two sets of 3-part mosaics are no exception; the 'Window on the Past' series follows this tennet more extensively. On this day, Thursday, June 13, 1 week away from the longest day!, two interesting traction working were passing through the area within 15mins or so of each other, both taking the 'Old Road' south, the first to Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station and the second, to Burton-on-Trent, Wetmore Sidings; places which in themselves, spark interest.
At upper left passing along the platform 4 'goods' line, and today running about 20 mins late, at first putting it closer to the next arrival, but that turned out to be late too, is class 66, GBRf, 66781(was 66016), 'Darius Cheskin' running on the 6M61, Immingham H.I.T. to Ratcliffe Power Station with a rake of 24, full, HTA-E Coal Hoppers. The coal the UK requires, and that's not much anymore, now comes from abroad and passes through a handling terminal in Hull, the 'Humber (coal etc)Import Terminal'. The last coal train I photographed turned out to be ... this one over a year ago on March 7th, also here at Masbrough, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/52736355583/
with the same GBRf loco and a full coal train. A notable one almost 2 years before that, on 10th August, 2021 was a move along the S.Y.J.R. at Anston Wood, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/51374188004/
and part of the narrative from that time, '... G.B.R.f 66784 is on the continuing, for 1 more day, 6B70, Immingham H.I.T. to West Burton Power Station with a rake of full, 23 HTA Bogie Coal Hopper Wagons for stock-piling at West Burton...'. The plant ended generation on 31 March 2023. But better news followed, '...After it was first listed as a candidate in June 2021, on 3 October 2022, the site was announced as the planned location for the first nuclear fusion power plant to be built under the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) programme...'
It had been indicated that this was the last week coal-to-power station would run, the last move on the day following looked to have been cancelled, but ended up setting off over two hours late and in fact wasn't the last run, one has run today, June 17th. The actual end of this working is slated to be 28th June when a special service will run, with headboard, announcing the last coal train running in the UK, see-
www.itv.com/news/central/2024-06-04/i-bleed-ratcliffe-wha...
and-
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-68912006
It has to be mentioned however that a coal train does currently run in this area, relatively frequently and that is the, once a week, 6M83, operated by DBS on a Monday, taking about the same quantity of coal seen here, to Earles Sidings on the Hope Valley line, for onward transport to the Castleton Cement Works. This coal train sets off from Immingham at 05:09 on 6D39 with a load of 2200 tonnes and arrives in Scunthorpe T.C. at 06:55, though on this week's run it was 27 minutes late. From Scunthorpe, after unloading some of the coal there, it sets off once more, now with 1600 tonnes on the 6M63 at 06:48, though this week it was delayed by 52 minutes and arrived in the Hope Valley at 10:03, just 9 minutes late, the 45 minute wait in the Brightside Sidings, having not taken place; it is not likely this move will cease anytime soon...
To the left of the approaching coal train along the down passenger platform 2 line, is a T.P.E. unit, class 185, 185144 on the hourly Cleethorpes to Liverpool Lime St. service, this one, 1B71.
I the lower picture, 'Old' meets 'New' as a long rake of coal wagons passes the 1Mega-Watt Templeborough Biomass Power Station generating electricity for the local area, there is a further, similar, power station further along the Lower Don Valley near Tinsley Viaduct, at Blackburn Meadows, this one generating 30Mega-Watts of power..

* Masbrough
Seen passing south through the station on the Midland Main Line to Sheffield, at upper left, the one working I had noticed before arriving, it was shown to be having 2 locos on the move which, I had assumed, would be on the front, but no, it was 'top-and-tailed'. At the front GBRf 66740, 'Sarah' and with 66751, 'Inspiration Delivered - Hitachi Rail Europe' at the back on the 4M03, Doncaster Down Decoy to Peak Forest Cemex(GBRf) working with a rake of 19 Touax HYA Bogie Cement hoppers. The light engine which was waiting at signal S0425, still stands waiting, on its way north to Doncaster on the 0E69, Loughborough Brush to Doncaster Down Decoy working with class 57, 57305, ex-47822, and it is now waiting for clearance north due to an approaching Freightliner...
At upper right, now looking south-west towards Sheffield, the rear of the Cement train, with GBRf 66751, 'Inspiration Delivered - Hitachi Rail Europe', comes into view at the back of a rake of 19 Touax HYA Bogie Cement hoppers. The leading loco 66740, 'Sarah' has disappeared around the corner towards Holmes Junction. The 'Red Bull' public house, once 'The Tivoli Inn', is still extant, and looking the same as it ever has, since closure almost 10 years ago now, in 2015.
At lower left and right, with GBRf 57305 still standing at the north bound signal, the now once more, daily liner service from Leeds passes it by on the south-bound freight line along platform 4. GBRf 57305 will return through here in around 2 hours, hauling two bright green Barrier Translator Coaches, 975978 & 97574-
'Perpetiel', see-
www.departmentals.com/photo/975978name
and 'Paschar'-
www.departmentals.com/photo/975974name
Today, there's a Freightliner class 70 hauling the line train, also quite common now, on the 4O95, Leeds F.L.T. to the Southampton Marine Container Terminal, arriving just 9 mins later tonight at 21:00.
As the GBRf working, 0E69, with 57305 had been running around 40 mins early on departure from Loughborough, it had to wait time here for its allotted path and ended up leaving around 10mins after the Freightliner had passed south and no less than 8 scheduled passenger services passed through on the mainline to and from Sheffield, by then, 57305 was running just 10mins early...

* Masbrough
Had thought that after seeing what was to be seen at Tinsley, that would be that, but no, turned out that there were no less than 6 moves of interest at Masbrough Station, between around 13:00 and 15:30, though the next to last, 5M69 and the last, 5Z45, I didn't hang about for. These were respectively, the return from Doncaster of 57305, to be seen here, with 2 Barrier Translation Coaches, 975978 & 97574
'Perpetiel', see-
www.departmentals.com/photo/975978name
and 'Paschar'-
www.departmentals.com/photo/975974name
Following that just a few minutes later!, the blue Pulman HST set with 43049 and 43055, so bit of a catch there if prepared to hang around over 2 hours!
Here, in the upper left picture, a quite late running container trainer from the Newell & Wright Container depot at the old Masbrough Freight Depot; this facility was mentioned earlier in the pictures taken at Tinsley, regarding the HGV traffic outside the depot on Sheffield Road. In the is set, there are more than 20 container slowly heading for the north-end signal, S0425, at the old Masbrough Station. I guess it being 62 minutes late, has resulted in it missing its 'slot' through the lunchtime traffic at the station and on north, the passenger services being rather frequent from mid-day; it picked up some time and arrived in Felixstowe only 29mins late. This is the regular container service from N&W running usually just before mid-day, the 4L11 working with class 66, 66762 providing the power and passing the old 'BloodAxe' graffiti on the concrete wall, once the side of the the Masbrough Goods shed; the ex-Millmoor Football ground appears to persist!
At upper right, the signal still at red and will persist for some time as main-line services come and go and only just got away before the next light engine working arrived on the scene. The station walls have been repeatedly graffiti'd all the way along to this end and then painted over by Network Rail.. The driver had just got back in the cab from a trip over to the signal-post phone, though I missed this happening, there is a shot of him getting in the cab and shortly after, the train pulled away.
At lower left, just a few minutes behind the departing container train, a light engine which had been waiting at the signal around the corner, on its way north to Doncaster on the 0E69, Loughborough Brush to Doncaster Down Decoy working with class 57, 57305, ex-47822, being the motive power. This is the loco mentioned above which will return back through here in around 2 hours, hauling two bright green Barrier Translator Coaches, as detailed above.
At lower right, 57305 has come to a halt at S0425, and passing by, the one working I had noticed as it was shown to be having 2 locos on the move which, I had assumed, would be on the front, but no, it was 'top-and-tailed'. Leading the way through the station on the main line to Sheffield along the platform 2 line is GBRf class 66, 66740, 'Sarah' and with 66751, 'Inspiration Delivered - Hitachi Rail Europe' at the back on the 4M03, Doncaster Down Decoy to Peak Forest Cemex(GBRf) working with a rake of 19 Touax HYA Bogie Cement hoppers.

(Re-edit of a picture from January, 2013)
This is a posting which was uploaded at the beginning of 2013, a long distance view over from the Moorgate area of Rotherham to the Ickles area where the North Midland line crosses the River Don, the South Yorkshire NAvigation and, since 1987, the Holmes Chord. The Holmes Chord connects the North Midland line at Holmes Junction, with the GCR's line running between Woodburn, through Rotherham and on to Mexborough. The original picture was, as this is is, a composite of two closely time-spaced shots of two freight workings passing along the lines in the area, through a cold, snowy landscape at 10:09 on the Friday, 25th January. The original picture wasn't processed that much, apart from merging the two shots which happened less than one minute apart, and with some compensation for the lighting. that was about all. The present rendition had had a bit more 'T.L.C.' applied and I have 'gently' enhanced a few features to make them stand out a bit more in the misty, grey conditions; notably the two train moves. So, here again is that picture, which I have just compared with the original posted in January 2013, and as well as noticing, and removing, a 'compositing' error regarding the appearance of the Freightliner tanks, I have also enhanced a few features and extended the view to include more details of the scene, at the right-hand side. Of most interest will be what looks like a redundant set of London Underground South-East stock in Booths scrapyard at centre right with an EWS class 37, 37417 or 37427, at the far end on another line. A video of the state-of-play within the scrapyard, photographed as a series of stills taken on Saturday 1st of December, 2012, just before this picture was taken, a few weeks later, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/8251929143/
To the left of that EWS 37 is 'Booth's signalbox', not an original but one which has been bought from an outfit that makes this sort of thing for resale to anyone who has the money! The gap in the line of red containers next to the Midland line, where the yellow jib of a crane can be seen, is the tunnel under the North Midland, which carries the line over to Holmes Junction to give access to the Yard; this is of course the last remaining stub of the Sheffield & Rotherham Railway's branch line from the Midland's Wicker to Westgate Station, once Rotherham's most central station...

Here's the original text with noted from today...
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'Was in 2 minds as to whether to go out for a GC freight as it was showing variable on the time-table and its cold! So I assumed it probably wouldn't run, but of course, it did and on time. Taken in this telephoto shot and travelling along the Holmes Chord from Holmes Junction is the 6E45, Hope (Earles Siding) to Drax AES working and is seen heading into Rotherham with a rake of Cement tanks in this shot.
(I am now not sure that this was correct as the wagons in the haul with a 60 on the front look more likely to be oil tanks, TEA in fact, looking at this variety on-line with the EWS logo on the side, they match).
What made it worse, within about 10 seconds of the Freightliner passing along the Holmes Chord, a red DB Schenker went south on the Old Road and crossed the path of the Freightliner (number unreadable) on the Ickles Cut bridge. As I wanted the snaking rake of tanks underneath the red DBS, I did a composite here but the time difference is a matter of seconds, in fact the earlier shots of the Freightliner show the DBS coming along from Masbrough, something I didn't notice until the last moment! I think the DB Schenker class 60, number unreadable, is on the 6F70, Clitheroe Castle Cement to Leicester Power Box working; the tanks have EWS on the side.
(Again, I think this is wrong as well, as TEA Oil Tanks wouldn't be coming from Clitheroe Castle Cement, so I must have incorrectly interpreted the timetable at that time, these are the days before Freightlocate and Real Time Trains, so sometimes it was hard to tell what working was what.. In addition the only two locos I can find on the Wikipedia site for this class of loco, with 4 word names in the format, short-long, long-short shown on the black nameplate, on the side of the loco are-
60045 'The Permanent Way Institution'
60040 'The Territorial Army Centenary'. Probably this one taken at Melton Ross, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/daohaiku/19472162519/
Though there could well have been other contenders I am unaware of at that time, 11 years ago).
The weather conditions, now cold and windy, speak for themselves and hopefully this is the last of it before Temps. warm up to (just) double figures over the weekend... The 'Two Towers', the metallic structures at the RHM site, at lower right, the Flour Mill demolished during the course of 2012, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/imarch2/50285677041/
a 44 minute video which at this time, early 2013, shows the structures still present on the site but which has, by now, all been cleared..
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Note: For the observant. The seeming difference in height in the line of TEA tanks, being hauled by the class 60, between the 6th and 7th tank, behind where the green containers are stacked up in Booths in two rows, is actually real and not a fault in the picture..