05/01/2013 - The High Marnham & Tinsley
UK Railtours - The High Marnham and Tinsley.
The High Marnham Test Track was created in 2009 and is centred at Lodge Lane, Tuxford, in Nottinghamshire. It is home to Network Rail's Rail Innovation & Development Centre (RIDC).
It is created from a section of the former Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway that once linked Chesterfield with Lincoln. It is connected to the rest of the rail network via Shirebrook, on the revived Robin Hood Line, whence it is some seventeen miles to the end of the line at High Marnham. Virtually nothing remains of the former High Marnham Power Station, the cooling towers were finally blown up in July 2012.
We travel via the Syston North Curve, Trent and Pye Bridge Junction where we take the freight-only line to Kirby Lane End Junction. We continue via Shirebrook to veer right, heading east via Clipstone Junctions and all the way along the RIDC line to the end of the line at High Marnham.
The tour continues via Warsop Junction, Shireoaks and the South Yorkshire Joint Line, closed to passengers in 1929 but still busy with coal traffic.
At Doncaster we travel via St Catherine's Junction, Bridge Junction and St James' Junction, thence via Mexborough, Aldwarke Junction, Rotherham Central and Tinsley South Junction into Tinsley Yard.
A reversal enables us to traverse the very recently re-instated curve from Shepcote Lane to Broughton Lane Junction, believed until recently to be closed but now proved to be not.
Our homeward route is then via Sheffield (additional set down at 15.43) and the Erewash Valley Line.
The High Marnham Test Track was created in 2009 and is centred at Lodge Lane, Tuxford, in Nottinghamshire. It is home to Network Rail's Rail Innovation & Development Centre (RIDC).
It is created from a section of the former Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway that once linked Chesterfield with Lincoln. It is connected to the rest of the rail network via Shirebrook, on the revived Robin Hood Line, whence it is some seventeen miles to the end of the line at High Marnham. Virtually nothing remains of the former High Marnham Power Station, the cooling towers were finally blown up in July 2012.
We travel via the Syston North Curve, Trent and Pye Bridge Junction where we take the freight-only line to Kirby Lane End Junction. We continue via Shirebrook to veer right, heading east via Clipstone Junctions and all the way along the RIDC line to the end of the line at High Marnham.
The tour continues via Warsop Junction, Shireoaks and the South Yorkshire Joint Line, closed to passengers in 1929 but still busy with coal traffic.
At Doncaster we travel via St Catherine's Junction, Bridge Junction and St James' Junction, thence via Mexborough, Aldwarke Junction, Rotherham Central and Tinsley South Junction into Tinsley Yard.
A reversal enables us to traverse the very recently re-instated curve from Shepcote Lane to Broughton Lane Junction, believed until recently to be closed but now proved to be not.
Our homeward route is then via Sheffield (additional set down at 15.43) and the Erewash Valley Line.
20/03/2010 - The Cumbrian Crusader II
Spitfire Railtours - Cumbrian Crusader II
Running from Birmingham International to Carlisle, outwards via the Settle and Carlisle route and back via the East Coast mainline from Newcastle.
Spritied runs from some classic traction, two Class 20's over the S&C and then two Class 37's down the East Coast mainline and the York Station avoider.
Throw in a Class 57 and a Class 47 for the train heat as well as couple of Class 66's including one recently acquired for Colas and you have the makings of a great tour.
Running from Birmingham International to Carlisle, outwards via the Settle and Carlisle route and back via the East Coast mainline from Newcastle.
Spritied runs from some classic traction, two Class 20's over the S&C and then two Class 37's down the East Coast mainline and the York Station avoider.
Throw in a Class 57 and a Class 47 for the train heat as well as couple of Class 66's including one recently acquired for Colas and you have the makings of a great tour.