15th July 2000

Hertfordshire Rail Tours
The Twisted Spire

Route :
1N50 : Kings Cross to Chesterfield
1A51 : Chesterfield to Kings Cross

Notes :
(1) 66053 on rear.
(2) 66211 on rear.
(3) About half the train took the option of visiting Barrow Hill Roundhouse (open day). This was achieved by bus which then took passengers to Sheffield station to rejoin the tour.

Sources : Gary Thornton (on train from Peterborough to Chesterfield & Sheffield to Peterborough)
& Kevin Stroud

Tour Review
(by David Clark)

After last weeks 24 hour marathon by Pathfinder (which was reviewed by the allegedly number one reviewer!) it was back on to the railtour circuit with Hertfordshire Tour to Barrow Hill but via the Tinsley, Deepcar and Bolsover branches.

A relatively late departure from Peterborough (09.50) meant a relatively late departure from Scunthorpe picking up at Retford for the drive to Peterborough. Gen had come through and it was evident that the day was full of good locos on passenger turns. 37710 and 37695 on the North Wales Coast, 90022 on the ECML, 47747 on 1E33. The allocated loco on our tour was 86243. Good a required 86. Arrival at Peterborough saw us make our way to the platform to find that the train was already 5 late! This was on top of the schedules which allowed the tour 90 minutes for the 76 miles! While we were there 43095/43106 made their way to London on the Harrogate to Kings Cross train. Absolutely typical! My last two GNER PCs on the same train! However, the following day they were scored on a trip out to York. (The gen came courtesy of Dan Williams!!)

The tour arrived at Peterborough with 86243 at the helm but managed to leave Peterborough 4 down. The 86 picked up speed quickly and 58009, 60046, 60050, 66047, 66056, 66086, 66157 and 66178 were seen on Peterborough. However, no matter how fast we travelled we were still 3 down until we came up to a crossing between Newark and Retford where we were held. At Loversall Carr Jct we came off the main running into Doncaster Decoy. Here the 86 was replaced by two sheds. These being 66053 and 66211.

We departed Doncaster Decoy at 11.31 with 66211 leading and passing 57012 in the Freightliner Terminal, 66055, 093, 171 and 180 on Doncaster Carr yard. Oh, Thomas the Tank Engine was seen at the Europort open day. Hmmmm. We took the Bridge Curve at Doncaster taking the freight lines to Hexthorpe Jct, through Conisbrough and taking the old road at Mexborough to Aldwarke Jct, in to Rotherham Central and taking the lines running parallel with the Sheffield Trams (and I mean the proper ones not the Midland Main Lines ones!

We came off the freight lines at Tinsley South Jct taking the freight lines leading on to a spur in to the area of Tinsley Yard. Well what more can be said? The area at Tinsley was just a vast area of wasteland with very few sidings active. Noted on Tinsley was: 08024, 08033, 08051, 08209, 08219, 08244, 08287, 08335, 08389, 08492, 08507, 08655, 08666, 08729, 08749, 08878, 20003, 20010, 20011, 20026, 20034, 20057, 20059, 20064, 20065, 20092, 20103, 20112, 20130, 20132, 20145, 20159, 20211, 3 1116, 37084, 37096, 37174, 37197, 37228, 40081, 45005, 45006, 45009, 45013, 45014, 45037, 45063, 45105, 45113, 45117, 45128, 45139, 46055, 47319, 47374, 47523, 47565 and 56088. Woops!!! Sorry I got the wrong date! That was 3rd October 1982. So on the 15th July 2000 there was 60077, 08783 and 08510.

With our first haulage on 66053 we set out of Tinsley and headed out towards Woodburn Jct and along the remains of the old GCR up to Stocksbridge and Penistone. I'm afraid there were no 76's for our journey and no remains of electrification to be seen. An interesting journey was had there were many views of Sheffield including that Premier League Ground at Hillsborough (Sorry Nationwide league!). Anyway Hertfordshire had announced that they had been seeking permission to go all the way up to Stocksbridge but there were restrictions on the bridge at Deepcar over the River Don. However, one thing to note was that 43051 was seen at Deepcar!!! So we departed Deepcar and made our way down to Bolsover passing through Sheffield Victoria, Woodburn Jct, Woodhouse Jct in to the old line from Rotherham Masborough to Chester field. At Foxlow Jct we headed towards the land of the black stuff, namely coal. We passed Seymour Coaling Site passing 58047 on the junction on a rake of MBAs. Nice to see 58's at work. Couldn't we have had a loco swap?

The line to Bolsover was not as interesting as the Tinsley and Deepcar branches with the main part of the branch being the coalite industrial complex. With all the required route covered it was time to head out to Chesterfield on more scored track as far as Barrow Hill Nth Jct. We arrived at Chesterfield at 14.37 for the short bus ride to Barrow Hill.

The first loco seen was D9009 (ex 55009 "Alycidon"). The full list being :
03094, 20094, 03066, 45060, 33035, D5300, 83012, 45105, D9009, 85101, 82008, E3003, D6508, 33053, 33057, 33002, 33023, 33029, 08668, 07013, 25067, 20135, 26011, 20056, 37111, 31524, 31107, 08507, 31105, 12082 and 07001

There was also a few Steam engines . Well it was a steam gala after all!!! Noted at Barrow Hill, on the same day as the Tinsley report was 56007, 03129, 08871, 08186, 08141 and 20096.

Back at Sheffield we awaited the tour and so it was time for tea and a quick visit to Burger King. We departed Sheffield and headed out to Retford for the 86 back to Peterborough. At Worksop we saw 58030, 58025, 58043, 58049 and 58050. Not a shed in sight. Lovely!!! On arrival at Retford we took the lines from the low level on to the high level. The 86 came on to the train and we departed at 19.07. The driver must have been in a rush to go home as once we started we never stopped and arrived back in to Peterborough at 19.49 giving an average speed of nearly 90.

After dropping a couple of mates off at Retford, Scunthorpe was graced at 22.00. Oh, on the way home we saw a Virgin balloon. This started all the Virgin excuses like was it awaiting assistance, balloon caped due to lack of wind etc (or how about "the wrong type of air"? - Gary)

VERDICT: After the marathon last week this tour was to be a nice relaxing affair. Indeed apart from the 66's (of which I dislike) the tour was well organised (as Hertfordshire usually are) and covered the track in the brochure. It was good to have an 86 as well.

David Clark

Timings (Booked & Actual)

Timings continue in first table.

Back to "The Railtour Files"