15th March 2003

Hertfordshire Rail Tours
The Super Snipe
(Forgotten Tracks series)

Route :
1Z50 : Kings Cross to Wakefield Kirkgate
1Z51 : Wakefield Kirkgate to York
1Z52 : York to Kings Cross

Notes:
(1) 66153 on rear.
(2) 67018 on rear.

Sources : Gary Sherman, PRAR & Scott Spencer

Tour Review
(by PRAR)

Coming off the Roxby branch, near Dawes Lane crossing (photo: Mark Bridel)

A well executed tour with a good fast run back to London. The Humber Snipe was the latest of Hertfordshire's Forgotton Tracks tours with Roxby Gullet and Monkbretton as the two highlights. A late afternoon break in York coupled with a 66/67 TnT completed the deal.

67018 was the main train loco, with 66153 (dud) assisting. The usual stagger up the ECML to Doncaster RMT was uneventful. As usual there was no alighting for photos so these would have to wait. From the RMT we headed out north, crawling through Doncaster station before turning left onto the Wakefield line.

In order to access the Monkbretton branch we diverted right and took the Hare Park connection, from here we ran round the back of Knottingley and turned south onto the branch. Having been relaid for Voyager testing the branch was in tip top condition - well at least as far as the loop at the former Railtrack limit.

Here we stopped, and it took a phone call to ensure that we traversed the rest of the line down to the new Network Rail limit. The line round to the glass works is heavily overgrown, the mk1s taking a pasting from the trees and branches. But we did get right up to the factory gates. Retracing our steps we took the left turn to arrive into Wakefield Kirkgate for a photo stop. As with the previous week's, the photos won't be master shots, but the stop did allow a few late comers to join the tour.

Heading back towards Doncaster we took the opportunity to use one of the avoiding lines, cutting across to Hatfield & Stainforth to join the line to Sunny Scunny. We ran through Scunny to reverse in the yard (mp 24 for those of you who like accurate positioning). Taking the ladder across the main running lines we diverged onto the line up to Roxby & Flixborough.

The branch up to Roxby is currently used by containerised rubbish trains emanating from Manchester. These are unloaded at a concrete pad at the end of the line, the actual dumping being carried out somewhere out of sight. We ran right up to the Network Rail limit (mp 3 and 3 dots) which was just before the pad.

After running back down the branch line, we reversed at the same point as before. A different selection of crossovers were traversed on the way back onto the West bound line. The run to York took in a diversion via Milford presumably to allow us to seamlessly take our place in the queue for a platform at York.

90 minutes at York allowed time for all the usual activities: The Maltings, NRM or chips! 66153 was dropped off and disappeared - presumably back to Doncaster.

The Network Rail timings for the run back were very aggressive for a 100 mph tour. An average of over 90mph was required between York & Tallington, with a few extra minutes slipped in to allow for a free platform at Peterborough. Fortunately our driver was "well up for it" with an impressive run through at Doncaster and Tallington was made with a minute in hand. Finding a platform at Peterborough cost two minutes, but as the Herts' timings diverged from Network Rail's we were 8 minutes early. The run back to KX continued in the same vein (all be it on the slow line for part of the way).

All in all it was an excellent day out. The only let down was dud 66153 but a lot of people required it.

PRAR

Timings (Booked & actual)
(by PRAR, Daniel Bound & John Clifford)

Timings continue in first table.

Key;
a : arrival time
c : crew change
d : departure time
L : loco change
/ : passing time

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