15th March 2003

Hertfordshire Rail Tours
The Super Snipe
(Forgotten Tracks series)

Locos Used 66153 & 67018
Stock Used 17023+3150+1679+3114+3127+4925+1832+5037+4916+5023+4986+5482

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

Loco(s) Route
67018 London Kings Cross - (via ECML) - Loversall Carr Jn - Doncaster RMT
67018 (1) Doncaster RMT - Doncaster - Shaftholme Jn - Knottingley South Jn - Knottingley West Jn - Pontefract Monkhill - Crofton East Jn - Oakenshaw South Jn - Monk Bretton
66153 (2) Monk Bretton - Oakenshaw South Jn - Calder Bridge Jn - Wakefield Kirkgate
67018 (1) Wakefield Kirkgate - Calder Bridge Jn - Hare Park Jn - Adwick Jn - Skellow Jn - Applehurst Jn - Hatfield & Stainforth - Scunthorpe Trent Jn
66153 (2) Scunthorpe Trent Jn - Roxby Gullet
67018 (1) Roxby Gullet - Scunthorpe Trent Jn
66153 (2) Scunthorpe Trent Jn - Hatfield & Stainforth - Applehurst Jn - Joan Croft Jn - Temple Hirst Jn - Hambleton West Jn - Gascoigne Wood Jn - Church Fenton - York
67018 York - (via ECML) - London 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)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
London Kings Cross 08.18d 08.23   21.04a 21.05
Bell Isle 08/20 08/25   21/02 21/02
Finsbury Park 08/22 08/25   20/58 21/00
Alexandra Palace 08/24 08/32   20/56 20/58
Potters Bar 08.30a ~ 08.34d 08.41 ~ 08.44   20.45a ~ 20.50d 20.50 ~ 20.51
Welwyn Garden City 08/41 08/49   20/37 20/39
Digswell Jn 08/46 08/50   20/36 20/38
Woolmer Green Jn 08/50 08/52   20/34 20/36
Stevenage 08.54a ~ 08.56d 08.56 ~ 08.58   20.28a ~ 20.31d 20.29 ~ 20.31
Hitchin 09/00 09/05   20/24 20/26
Sandy 09/11 09/14   20/13 20/18
Huntingdon 09/25 09/25   20/04 20/09
Holme LC 09/32 09/32  
Connington South Jn   19/59 20/03
Peterborough 09.40a ~ 09.42d 09.40   19.50a ~ 19.52d 19.51 ~ 19.54
Helpston Jn 09/50 09/55   - -
Tallington Jn 09/55 09/58   19/43 19/42
Stoke Tunnel 10/09 10/13   19/34 19/33
Grantham 10/23 10/17   19/30 19/29
Barkston South Jn 10/26 10/20   19/27 19/26
Newark North Gate 10/32 10/30   19/21 19/20
Retford 10/44 10/44   19/10 19/08
Loversall Carr Jn 10/53 10/55   19/02 19/00

 

Location Booked Actual
Doncaster RMT 10L57a ~ 11L19d 10.59 ~ 11.15
Doncaster Decoy Jn 11/21 11/18
Doncaster 11/26 11/25
Shaftholme Jn 11/29 11/30
Knottingley South Jn 11/42 11/44
Knottingley West Jn 11/44 11/46
Pontefract Monkhill 11/48 11/49
Crofton East Jn 11/56 12/00
Oakenshaw South Jn 11/58 12/05
Royston Jn 12/07 12/13
Monk Bretton 12.17a ~ 12.37d 12.35 ~ 12.39
Royston Jn 12/42 12/56
Oakenshaw South Jn 12/49 13.02a ~ 13.06d
Oakenshaw West Jn 12/53 13/12
Calder Bridge Jn 12/55 13/14
Wakefield Kirkgate 13.00a ~ 13.20d 13.18 ~ 13.29
Calder Bridge Jn 13/23 13/31
Crofton West Jn 13/25 13/33
Hare Park Jn 13/28 13/38
South Kirkby Jn 13/34 13/45
Adwick Jn 13/39 13/50
Skellow Jn 13/41 13/51
Applehurst Jn 13/47 13/56
Hatfield & Stainforth 13/53 14/04
Thorne Jn 13/55 14/06
Scunthorpe 14/12 14/30
Trent Jn 14.15a ~ 14.27d 14.36 ~ 14.46
Roxby Gullet 14.43a ~ 14.55d 15.04 ~ 15.09
Trent Jn 15.20a ~ 15.32d 15.30 ~ 15.32
Scunthorpe 15/35 15/36
Thorne Jn 15/54 16/02
Hatfield & Stainforth 16/00 16/05
Applehurst Jn 16/06 16/15
Joan Croft Jn 16/08 16/17
Temple Hirst Jn 16/17 16/45
Hambleton South Jn 16/21 16/49
Hambleton West Jn 16/22 16/50
Gascoigne Wood Jn 16/24 16/53
Church Fenton 16/31 17/03
Colton Jn 16/38 17/08
York 16L43a ~ 18L34d 17.18 ~ 18.34
Colton Jn 18/40 18/40
Hambleton North Jn 18/45 18/45
Temple Hirst Jn 18/49 18/49
Shaftholme Jn 18/55 18/55
Doncaster 18/59 18/57

Timings continue in first table.

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

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