30th December 2000

Hertfordshire Rail Tours
The Pennine Weaver (and The York Shopper)

Route :
1N50 : Kings Cross to York
1Z42 : York to York
1A51 : York to Kings Cross

Notes :
(1) plus 47792 dead-in-tow.
(2) 47792 on rear.
(3) 66144 on rear.

Sources : David Clark (joined/left train at York) & Kevin Stroud

Tour Review
(by David Clark)

This was to be one tour that I was not going to do.  Anyway, a telephone call from a friend on Friday morning saw my plans changed.

This tour was from Kings Cross to York, for where people were able to look around the city, drink in the boozers, shop or use the time to have 37350 for haulage, which was thrashing away in the yard!!! (and yes it was thrashing!!!)

The mini tour was from York to Sheffield, across the Hope Valley, to Guide Bridge, across Diggle to Huddersfield and Halifax, and thence to York via Healey Mills, Normanton and Castleford.

A relatively easy drive, saw us in to York with plenty of time to spare.  So we were able to just view the going’s on of York station.  While we were awaiting the tour (which was reported to be 20 minutes late) we sat and watched 43157, 43159 and 43013 smoking away in York station (I thought that was banned when Deltics ruled???)

Anyway at approximately 11.40 I thought I had died and gone to heaven!!!  43159 erupted in to life (and 43094 on the back) and departed York with so much clag it was unreal.  For a minute I was not able to see a thing as we were covered and surrounded by Diesel Fumes!!! (Hellfire!!!)

Anyway, the main charter arrived with 90022 at the helm with 47792 dead in tow.  One woman on the platform was surprised by all these people taking photos of the 90.  I had to explain to her about the train and all the reasons why it was called a “special”.  Then I was asked about spotting, photographing.  Well, a few of my so called “mates” just stood and laughed.

 Anyway 66144 came in from the Doncaster end, and for me it was shed 16 for haulage.  We departed York 25 late, and after the snow showers the countryside was as white as Ariel Automatic!!!

Ian had been given some licorice torpedoes for Christmas, and so it was our responsibility to try and finish them before journeys end!!! Well, we tried, all five of us tried to eat as many as possible.  And we nearly did!!!

An uneventful journey saw us pass through Ferrybridge where 08824 was viewed and headed down to Swinton (South Yorks) and in to Meadowhall and Sheffield where a crew change was had.  Required Northern Spirit DMU’s were seen (for haulage) including 144020 AND 144023.

The best scenery of the day was viewed in the Hope Valley which was absolutely gorgeous.  Can’t beat a bit of snow on a railway line.  Pity about the motive power, but something’s can’t be changed.  We had gained quite a lot of time on the journey due to the slacks in the schedule.  Another Crew change was had in Stockport, for where I received a telephone call from someone on the North Wales Coast saying there was a snow ball fight about to take part at Holyhead!!

We left the main line at Heaton Norris Jct and ventured up the desolate one train a week line to Guide Bridge.  Just before Guide Bridge we were stopped for a pathing stop.  We ended up eating spoiling some of the nice houses views.  The last time I covered the route was on the DPS tour on the return from Holyhead to Crewe.  Such wonderful times!!

We passed through Guide Bridge at 1522 at headed out to Stalybridge and across Diggle.  Huddersfield was passed, and we left the main line at Bradley Jct for the new route to Halifax.  This was the second tour to have covered this bit, after the Calder Revolver in September covered this bit, but from the other way with 56120 in charge.

There was plenty of snow on the Pennine hills as we passed in to West Yorkshire.  I only wish that the Woodhead route was open for a railtour to pass through it in stead of one of these.  Class 76 hauled perhaps??? (or am I living in cuckoo land???)

We climbed on to the top of the hills for the approach to Halifax where the 66 gave us the last GM haulage of the year.  We returned and departed Halifax at 1623 for a downward run to Mirfield, Healey Mills, Normanton.  In Wakefield Europort, it seemed that the entire 333 fleet was sat there!!! We passed through Castleford, but was shaken when a Virgin HST passed through the station on its way to Wakefield.  Anyway, we arrived back in to York at 1710 (oh no we didn’t we arrived at 1730!).

Anyway 66144 came off the train (after stopping for people to take photos!!!).  90022 came back on to the train and got ready for the departure.  Suddenly people started moving towards the platform edge.  The sound of a 47 horn was heard, and then 47783 departed York with a GNER service down to London.  Damn!!!  It would have ended 2000 off in good style.

Well, that railtour ended the year in good style with a pleasant mini tour across the Pennines.  Nothing too difficult, but interesting more the same.  Certainly beat watching The Worlds Strongest Man or Big Brother Uncut!!!

Another drive saw me come back to Scunthorpe to reflect on a year in Railtour circles.  This was actually my first full year in railtours after spending the previous years of my live just doing “normals” tours.  So I think a reflection of the year is necessary.

The year started with the Hertfordshire tour to Wensleydale, and finished with the Hertfordshire Pennine Weaver tour.  In between there were numerous tours including excellent tours down to Southampton Docks (no not Dorset Mariner!!!), Hull Docks, the last pair of 58's to South Wales, The Weaving Weasel, 55019 to Holyhead, 58 / 60 to High Marnham (oh and the shed!), Immingham and Grimsby Docks, Meldon Quarry, where as there were some tours than need not be repeated.  Who can remember the Oil Leake??? Well, I suppose there was the first excellent tour by Hertfordshire down to La Rochelle.  But the tour of the year I think would have to go to either the Hull Docker or the Weaving Weasel, from which (apart from a few blips) was good.

I look forward to another year touring the country! Good luck to Railtrack, EWS, Pathfinder, Hertfordshire, and all the other parties that are necessary to run tours.

David Clark (2001)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from David Clark & Janet Cottrell)

Webmasters note: subsequent to receiving the timings (booked & actual) a tour brochure was received which contained some alternative booked times; these have been included as 'Booked' with those different ones originally supplied being shown as [WTT?] - confirmation is required as to the origin of those originally supplied timings (but thought likely to have been from WTT).

Timings continue in first table.

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