What I love most about Don Coffey's videos is their utter professionalism. He enthuses us with his detailed commentary as well as historical aspects whenever they apply.
Another great video Don. Love the captions with local information. The Chesterfield Spire was originally strait but a virgin was married in the Church and the spire twisted in surprise.
What I find interesting about what the Victorians building the railways is the amount of labour digging and building those viaducts by hand some are wonderful and stunning pieces of workmanship.
Many thanks for yet another great journey. Due to ill-health, I am pretty much "confined to barracks" here in Scotland. Your super videos and informative narratives allow me to enjoy countryside that I would otherwise never see. Much appreciated.
You know Stewart, these videos take a lot of time and effort to make but comments like this make it all worthwhile. I’m so glad you get some benefit from them my friend.
Interested to see this route from the drivers view. I travel this a few times from Leeds to Sheffield. I'd be interested to know what the various bells and thumps are in the cab
The bells are confirming green signals, they buzzer confirms yellow, red or speed restrictions. The rapid bleep comes after a minute of no driver inputs and demands an acknowledgement from the driver to avoid an automatic brake application. It is called the “vigilance device”.
That was really enjoyable. I followed it on google earth, and it's amazing how many bits of old railway have been lost... whether it's a track that used to go off to a colliery, or a steel terminal.
Loads of memories! I used to live just north of Wakefield Westgate in the mid-fifties, in one of those semis on the left at 10:33 (Cliff Park Avenue). There were no trees in those days (I suspect the frequent fires on the embankment kept them down) and we had a clear view of the track. All sorts went past, from A4s to scruffy goods engines and shunters, from Pullman cars to goods wagons. We could hear shunting going on (at Wrenthorpe?) at night, a train load of loose coupled wagons coming to a halt made a heck of a racket! My favourite train was the clockwork Hornby O-Gauge in the front room. :)
My older brother had the train set but he wouldn’t let me touch it. Now I’ve got a 1:1 scale set and he’s rather envious of it!!! Your account reminds me a lot of the activity around the four routes in New Mills where I grew up. The clank, clank, clank of buffers through the still night air.
Hi Don, just caught up with your lasted, watched this on the iPad with headphones on, the roar of those engines is something else, shame in real life will be lost for ever at some stage, brilliant production as ever! 🤓Eddie
Hi, What a brilliant cab ride that was, thank you so much. The Midland Main Line is my local line, but further south from Leicester to Market Harborough. There is some wonderful architecture along the line, so thank you for pointing out those tunnels along the way. I remember the HST's coming into service and thinking how horrid that they ousted our Class 45's from the line, but they really grew on us spotters. Now they themselves are history too. What did the railway men who drove them think about them over the years? Thanks so much and all the best Dave.
Thanks Dave. Yes, these videos will be a legacy one day and record a snapshot in time. I remember those Class 45 express’s thundering across the viaduct at New Mills where I grew up. I suppose it’s progress.
Excellent video as always. Just one point, Kenneth Grange didn't design the HST, he only designed the cab front. Credit should go to the late Terry Miller and his team who designed the actual machine, which was only ever to be a stop gap until the APT was brought into service
Another beauty Don. And wax lyrical about railway architecture as much as you want - I love those snippets you put in! And about the weight the HST has to pull, I remember a now long gone railwayman friend who used to say - “passengers are 15 bums to a ton”!!😁
I can’t help it Andrew. On the Huddersfield stoppers, we stop alongside an enormous stone retaining wall at Marsden and every time I gaze out at some of the gigantic hand cut stones and think “how the f”..........
Was this a EMR Leeds to St Pancras service? I didn't know HSTs ran between Leeds and Derby. Big fan of your vids. I know some railway enthusiasts here in Brazil and I showed them one of your vids and now they are as hooked as I am! The only problem is their English isn't good, so I need to translate the captions for them!
Great video Don. Sheffield is my birthplace,I live in the Isle of Man now but will be relocating to Thirsk in a few weeks.Most of my spotting days in early 50s were on the ECML at Doncaster,Retford and Peterborough plus Sheffield Midland and Victoria of course.Looking forward to doing a bit of train watching at Thirsk.
We have to wear company issued sunglasses that meet British Standard 1836 and have no greater than a No 2 neutral density. They are the only ones guaranteed not to change the colour of signals.
Up to Sheffield now. Loved every second of it thusfar! Especially the higher speed parts, the amazing acceleration sounds, your insights and appreciation of all the beautiful bits of architecture and in particular the amazing entree of small viaducts, bridges and tunnels to Sheffield's station! It's almost like a smaller Lime Street entrance, untill the station that is. Thanks again for this amazing footage Don! Looking forward to the rest of this journey; later this evening or first thing tomorrow! 🥳
@@doncoffey5820 It was amazing! I think that last part from Sheffield onward was even better! Thankyou for this amazing experience. Loved that you slowed down(/stopped) at some of the great archictectural railway wonders your beautiful railways still possess (+ the amazing croocked spire at Chesterfield!). Wish we had those amazing stretches of diesel traction only-intercity railways over here. The overhead wiring portals just take some of the charm of it away. (oh and b.t.w.; 59:34 I wish it was, haha. 😁 the only machine even more impressive than this magnificent beast!)
Second favorite video going to Holyhead #1. Thanks Don for putting all the info in the video. Like that much. in U.S.A.. You do more than you know Don you take cripples out for a Journey . Thanks Again. May God Bless.
Very well done DON another OSCAR winning video full of news and information and tails of the past railway scene and not forgetting architecture, an all together wonderful video. Shows your colleagues will help you out in being able to produce these great videos. Pleas carry on making more. Best regards Phil
Thanks as always Phil. The helpers generally get to see the comments but I do tell them too! Another video coming soon with lots of help from DB Cargo and driver Lee Yarker.
Don - many thanks to all involved. This video clearly shows the complexity of the west side of Leeds station, a sharp contrast to the east side. Copley Hill was a major steam depot in the early 60s. As usual your commentary says what is relevant, and had me smiling: Wakefield "Kurgate"!! Best wishes to all involved.
To ones persons view 125s have capabilities but this video shows safety is of paramount in terms of speed. I have travelled many times on these from Leeds to Sheffield in about 40 mins the fact on top of that 100mph tops at this stretch with stretches under overall 75mph. These sort of trains from diesel point of view will be safely missed and won't be the same again
At 10:30 are the sidings where a 16 year old boy died while playing on the top of the wagons with his mates (two of whom where taken to hospital)in 2015. No matter the height and strength of the fencing coupled with warning signs, they still manage to get through.
@@doncoffey5820 Yes, at the time after the inquest I couldn't believe it either. There are enough warning signs from the fence, to the wagons, on the wagons and on the overhead poles and yet somehow network rail are at fault. One thing that has happened is due to cuts, BTP and the local Police have had to curtail school visits to talk about not playing on or near railways. Love the videos, keep up the good work.
9:08 Could that Old Man "EMU" run the pants off a kangaroo? LOL (Reference: 1970 Country & Western novelty song, written & recorded by John Williamson, his debut hit in Australia)
@@doncoffey5820 Here's a link to the song: ua-cam.com/video/6b9T0GKFa3M/v-deo.html The single, "Old Man Emu"/"Gum Tree", was first issued on Ron Tudor's Fable label as FB-008 in May of 1970(will mark 50 years since the record was first issued.... YIKES!). The record was not issued in Britain as it would not have meant anything to British audiences even though quite a few of Ron Tudor's Fable releases did make their way onto British charts via the Polydor label(example: Polydor 2058-010 - "Pushbike Song"/"Who Loves Ya"[instrumental] which was issued in Stereo, but we Aussies only got a mono mix(dang it!).
During my enforced lockdown furlough I have gained much enjoyment from re-watching his videos and thinking about the many hours of hard work that goes into producing each one.
I love watching these journeys, takes to parts I doubt I'll get to see. Thanks again Don & pass on thanks to your supporting team, they do a great job 🚄🚄🚄
Thanks Don, as brilliant as ever. I didn't have too much problem with the sun - I had my laptop 'hooked up' to a wall mounted TV with the screen tilted forwards and that seemed to help. I liked your comment about the 'visual impact' of electrification. There was uproar in the Thames Valley when some local residents realised what GWR electrification was 'going to do' to a bridge over the Thames. I am not sure how it was resolved.
Don, I take your point about the aesthetic benefits from the absence of electric "furniture ". But without it, and this seems to be the ongoing state of the Midland Main Line, north of Market Harborough, we (I speak as a resident of Nottingham) seem stuck with a service of polluting diesel trains for the foreseeable future. And coming into Sheffield Midland, the station looks to be a relic from the past, with little activity going on, apart from the service you were on and a couple of DMUs, well past their sell by date, loitering without apparent intent. As always with your videos, you gave us lots of interesting and informative commentary, which I enjoyed. But, from this snapshot, it does seem as if the development of the Northern Powerhouse and the Midlands Engine has got an awful long way to go!
Yes, if it wasn't for the health and softy risk and the fact that third-rail can't supply as much power, it would be a much better, less ugly solution than OHLE.
There was uproar about the OLE affecting many GWML structures, including Maidenhead, Gatehampton and Moulsford viaducts. There were some design changes but nothing major. With luck, no other railway in Britain will be 'graced' with the same OTT OLE structures!
WOW ! GLAD TO HERE AGAIN , WATCHING THIS BEAUTIFUL VIDEO WITH PRECIOUS INFORMATIONS . NOW I HOPE TO WATCH THIS RIDE AGAIN , NEXT ON SPRING OR SUMMER . THANKS SO MUCH
Excellent film of a really historic railway line. Electrification (at least between Sheffield and Derby, for Sheffield-London services) is now proposed again, in the Integrated Plan Plan published on 18 November 2021. The remarkable quality of the original Stephenson North Midland line emerges well from the film. The currrently-used form of OHLE and the requirements for excessive electrical clearance (the rigid application of the Electricity at Work Act) will make this electrification difficult, costly and damaging. The presence of several listed structures, notably the Stephenson tunnels, is a further factor - which we can see well thanks to the film freezing - and the remarkable retaining walls and arches through Belper are a further constraint. The solution should be a special form of catenary mast and arm, and use of the clearances allowed until the 2000s. One solution would be to require the work to use the successful Mk3b masts and catenary used to electrify the WCML (Weaver Junction to Glasgow) in 1970-74. Between Preston and Motherwell, the WCML runs through attractive landscape in Westmorland, Cumberland, Dumfriessshire and the upper Clyde Valley. That was an aesthetically-acceptable electrification, fifty years ago. The GW Main Line electrification of the last decade is not.
There are some interesting videos on UA-cam from the Institute of Permanent Way Engineers (PWI) that go into such options Marc, very informative if you get chance. The common way is to drop the bed and put a slab or non ballast bed in. It’s why these projects are so expensive. Luckily, Network Rail tend to be sympathetic to these historical structures.
Richard Hannay would have made this journey in reverse getting to the wilds of Galloway from London in The Thirty Nine Steps (the book not the awful film adaptations). It was part of the main line from St Pancras to St Enoch in Glasgow. Great video.
It does but we turn out at a lower speed. Flashing yellows don’t always indicate a high speed junction, only that the route is set and signalled to proceed.
Love these vids. Not just the geographical knowledge but the historical as well. Just to think that Grant Shapps believes he could replace these highly skilled drivers overnight with agency workers gives me the shudders! I am building a train sim layout of Leeds from the 1950's. The old steam trains, A1,2,3,4s, the V1, V2's had to virtually jet propel themselves out of Central station on maximum forward cut off and regulator slammed open just to make it up to Beeston! Don, correct me if I am wrong, but our train here goes out through Whitehall junction over the old goods station bridge, then onto the Manchester line, then steps up onto the higher Doncaster line? Hope I have got that right? Keep posting your great vids, best wishes!
Nice one Don, HSTs on East Midlands now sadly history. The old route from Leeds to Sheffield was the Midland route via Normanton and Cudworth, or 'Cudeth' as I believe it is pronounced!
What a great trip Don love those tunnels including Bradway and Milford some time we will go to whiteball another of Brunels great tunnels indeed thanks .
The very ornate castle-like tunnel portal that you pointed out reminds me of the entrance to Bramhope tunnel on the Leeds-Harrogate line. In a nearby churchyard there is a miniature version of that tunnel portal, as a memorial to the navvies who were killed during the construction of the line and/or the tunnel. Anthony Burton mentions it in one of the episodes of his 1980 series The Past at Work ua-cam.com/video/j-spUJVGedE/v-deo.html
Thanks for another excellent video and all the work it involves in producing this, could you tell me how to make a charitable donation please ? On a different theme had my first journey Saturday on the new TPE 802’s absolutely brilliant !
That’s really nice Bob but there is no mechanism other than watching the advert at the beginning to make a donation. Google pay me and I donate every penny to charity. You can of course donate to a suitable charity like The Railway Children online. The 802s are super aren’t they.
Our Ancestors who built the railways the Tunnels the Viaducts were Genius, Breathtaking skills and vision to Craft such Architecture, Simply Amazing. Loved this Video.
Your best video yet ..IMO Hi Don .. I was at Darlington Railway station yesterday .. I was on a class 802 TPE between Durham and Darlington ... I was chatting to a member of the staff on board the TPE train on my journey (Sorry I never caught his name) ... I asked him "Have you ever met Don Coffey" ... He said .... Yes I watch all his video's for route learning which I am doing at the moment ... UNREAL ... I said.. We both commented on how "Class" these video's are.. This is without a doubt the best railway channel on youtube Don... Please keep up the good work... The train was the 05 Feb 13.18pm Durham to Liverpool Lime Street .. Calling at 13. 36 Darlington 14. 05 York 14. 30 Leeds 14. 48 Huddersfield 15. 24 Manchester Victoria 15. 41 Newton-le-Willows 16.00 Liverpool Lime Street
That’s good Arsene. I don’t know who it was but a lot of crew watch them. Glad you liked the 802 ride. I might be signing those later this year but I will definitely be travelling to Newcastle with Aron soon and we’ll get that on UA-cam.
Don, Of those three tunnels, Milford has to have the most 'stepped' entrance I've seen. Are the southern portals copies of the Northern? It is hadr to believe that Ambergate was once a major station with original Blue Pullmans dashing through at what was then very high speeds. You had trouble with the sun when shooting this video; I had trouble with the sun when I was trrying to watch it! As always, thank you for the production.
Love this one as it ends on my home territory in Derby so I know the route from Sheffield quite well. One of the things that always fascinates me is the evidence of former lines that have been lifted at the side of the existing, and I wonder what they were originally, sidings. loops, or another purpose. I suppose its evidence of former, busier days.
Yes, the lineside of virtually every railway was littered with sidings and branches but keep in mind that in the 19th and early 20th century, there was no other viable means of transport so everything clustered around the railway.
Great video with a fascinating history. Sheffield is actually in South Yorkshire despite the end or starting point of the Midland mainline route all the way down to London St Pancras. Swinton, a town in Yorkshire is also the name of a famous insurance company. Been on the Midland mainline twice before but not since 2009, eleven years ago so I would imagine a lot has changed and yes, the word electrification. Would not surprise me if this once so called 'Cinderella' line gets the go ahead from Bedford northwards.
Yes, I did make reference to the fact that we were on the MML proper after leaving Sheffield. Swinton is also in Manchester so I don’t know where the insurance name came from, maybe Edward Swinton!!! Glad you enjoyed it, I’ll be filming part of that route again soon in the Manchester to Cleethorpes run or vice versa.
Another great video Don. Clay Cross Tunnel entrance is very similar to Clayton Tunnel entrance on the Brighton Line, its only the Driver and passers by who can see the beautiful architecture.
Absolutely brilliant - Many thanks Don from NZ - been here 55 years now, Loved the bridges etc into Sheffield. Can we see the speedo now and again.. Cheers.
Great video thanks, Don. Changed a lot since you could see it from the front seats of a DMU! Leeds to Sheffield - 35 miles in 50 minutes on a class one train with only one stop - No better than a 'Peak with load 10' in the seventies. Still waiting the investment that has been promised for decades! 1:18:35 - is that what is left of the 'experimental solid concrete' track bed on the left? Impressed with the new approach to Derby!
I’m not sure about the trackbed although looking at Google it could well be. I can remember those peaks rushing over the viaduct in New Mills where I grew up. We used to watch for “namers”.
That sun actually added to the video IMO; beautiful tint to the entire landscape with the winter sun. Thank you so much, Don, for showing landscapes I can only dream about seeing right now.
Great video as always, Don, many thanks for uploading it. Just a minor point, the line through Westgate was Great Northern Railway, not Midland as stated in the caption when we are onboard the class 66.
Thanks as always for another fascinating video. Only one regret for me - if only Leeds to the site of Wath Road Jn were still over the North Midland line!
I heard that Northern is going to be nationalized due to poor services on 1st March. If you drive Northern trains, will it change something for you? Other, another route marked on my map of train journeys...
I don’t but it wouldn’t for anyone who does really. It’s a bit of spin to be honest as Northern are through the worst and it would have got better anyway.
Surprised they don't fit self tint or polarized windscreens like they now do in aviation. I suppose they will eventually. Great video again Don, many thanks.
They are actually very fussy about train windscreen tints and coatings. Anything that might alter colour under any lighting condition is banned. Drivers sunglasses are only allowed if supplied by the company.
Superb video Don. Thank you. The portals to Clay Cross Tunnel are very similar to the haunted Clayton Tunnel on the London Brighton line as you enter the downs going south towards Brighton. Cheers, Bob
Another fine video, Don, and another trip down Memory Lane. I notice that the loops at Moorthorpe have their exit signals well back from the converging points and no trap points, so I would have thought that they qualify as passenger loops. On the other hand, the up loop just south of Ambergate station has catch points, so I wonder why it's called a passenger loop... maybe the exit signal has a full length (183m, 200yd) overlap inside the loop. I've beaten up and down this line many times, for example when I used to get my fifty pound, one-week "all line rover" ticket and go off riding the rails for a solid 24/7 during the school holidays in the first half of the 1970s. A Class 45 "with eight on" took over two hours for this run in those days and a first-generation DMU seemed to take all morning from Sheffield to anywhere else! You mention the heavy coal and steel traffic that used the line south of Chesterfield. In the Trent and Derby resignalling schemes of 1967 - 1969, the line from Tapton Jct via Toton to Trent Jct was 4-track all the way through, plus many loops and small yards, having "fast" and "goods" lines. Apart from the controlled signals protecting the colliery and works sidings, automatic block signals were, as now, worked on the "track circuit block" principle on all four roads. But the special trick was that the "goods" lines additionally had automatic call-on aspects - two small diagonally-arranged white lights just below the main red aspect which itself (by convention and to prevent its obliteration by build up of snow on any signal hood below it - design features that are forgotten with modern LED signals!) was always at the bottom of the multi-aspect signal head. By means of this signalling, when a section was occupied and the signal in rear thus at red, the automatic call-on would light up to allow the following train to enter the section "at reduced speed, being prepared to stop short of any obstruction" and in effect draw up to the rear of the train ahead. The traffic thus crawled along, train after train, and found its way into the huge sorting yard at Toton, a place which lent its name to the position-light hump-shunting signals often mistakenly called "totem" signals. This perhaps conveys an impression of just how dense the traffic was in those days and sadly I note that during this journey of somewhat less than 90 minutes, we haven't seen a single moving freight train. During my formation training at Westinghouse in 1975 - 76, I worked for a while as office gofer (you, lad, gofer this, gofer that) on the Sheffield resignalling scheme, but that big power box seems now to have been replaced by something bigger still. The line from Sheffield station to Dore was 4-track all the way up the hill, plus factory sidings, but much of that land now seems to be occupied by other property. I went out with the gang that staked out the colour-light signals on the line between Methley Jct. and Holbeck, a route that used to be used by Midland Main Line expresses but is less direct than the current one via Wakefield - on the re-signalling plan, the 4-aspect signal spacings and braking distances were shown as being calculated for 115 mph, but I don't believe that the line speed was ever raised to this. I then went on to design the circuits for the TCB signalling and for the interface with the mechanical box at Methley Jct. There was still a colliery siding on the up side just north of Methley Jct included in the plans - Savile Colliery, if my memory serves me right. The line from Derby Jct northwards to Milton was quadrupled by the LMS railway using government unemployment relief. Of course, up until 1967 a lot of freight and passenger traffic to and from Manchester came this way, making for a very busy line. The lines via Derby Jct (as it is now called), Chaddesden and Spondon allowed Manchester freight trains to and from Toton to bypass the Derby station bottleneck and also for terminating passenger trains from St. Pancras to loop around using the south chord at Derby Jct to return to London without having to uncouple and run the loco round. It is interesting to reflect on how much track simplification has been made possible by the eliminination of loco-hauled passenger trains. In the 1970s, with improved signalling and less traffic, British Rail was able to "de-quadrify" (official terminology!) the layout north of Little Eaton Jct and laid their first section of experimental concrete paved track along the former up slow between there and Duffield. They slewed the remaining up line into this at each end and it carried all the up traffic for many years before being taken out of use, but you stil see it in the video, covered in moss. My parents lived for over 40 years in a house occupying the site of Little Eaton station, with the branch line to the open-cast Denby Colliery passing close by their kitchen window. Class 20's working in multiple and later Class 56 hauled two or three trains a day of coal from Denby to the power station at Willington, just on the other side of Derby. I still have a relic, the original 1893 signal box diagram from Little Eaton Station Crossing box, hanging in my home office.
Well! Crikey Nicholas, that probably qualifies for the longest comment I’ve ever received. Thank you so much for taking this potted and evocative memoir. I’m actually a North West originally and now Eastern man so the areas around Derby are a tad too far south for me to speak with any authority although I do currently sign Methley and am familiar with the location of the Midland Junction at Goose Hill. Regarding the protection on loops, it depends on the scheme but most are protected by TPWS these days where previously they had traps (so many refer to them as catch points so it’s refreshing to hear them referred to correctly). I used to grab a mate and go down Stockport or Manchester in the early 70s so we may be similar ages (63) and I can vaguely remember the much more complex arrangements. My only example of seeing the hump shunting signals is At Gascoigne Wood which I also currently sign. I did find an explanation of them somewhere but have since lost it. I also despair at the lack of freight in some of my journeys. I can literally come from Hull to Manchester on many occasions - a distance of 100 miles and not see any yet the motorways are hammered with trucks. The days of trainload freight long gone. I’ve not heard the term de-quadrification but I do experience some significant examples of it. From Marsden to Huddersfield (Manchester Oxford Road to York video is a good example) the line was de-quadrified and by slewing the track to straighten the curves, they managed to get the lines speed up to 85 but it begs the question of what will happen if they ever quadruple it again. It’s been a pleasure reading your account and once again I really appreciate the time you took.
A couple of minor points. Although the station at Bolron upon Dearne is the original it wasb't opened in 1847 as the line did not open until 1879. Secondly the stations at Goldthorpe and Thurnscoe were opened by South Yorkshire PTE not Metro (which is West Yorkshire)
I don’t know where that date came from - I must have been hallucinating. The Metro bit is an obvious error. Thanks Pete, I’ll add an addendum to the description.
Hi! The caption that describes the line that we join just before Moorthorpe says it is a line joining from Pontefract and Knottingley but this is only half right. The line that joins us (Dearne valley line) does come from Pontefract (Baghill) but not Knottingley. The Dearne valley line goes from York, leaves the ECML and continues through Ulleskelf, leaves the Leeds line, goes through Church Fenton and Sherburn-in-Elmet, then there is a triangular junction to the Hull direction of the Leeds-Hull line before going through Milford junction, going past Ferrybridge power station before the line splits. At this split you can go left to Knottingley, right to Pontefract Monkhill or straight on to Pontefract Baghill and Moorthorpe. There is no direct connection between Knottingley and Pontefract Baghill without going around the Ferrybridge merry-go-round. Also Thurnscoe and Goldthorpe are new stations on the line. They were built to replace Frickley station which was in between these two stations.
Of course you are correct. I guess you could say the town of Knottingely but not the line. I actually sign the line from York through Milford and round to Castleford and will hopefully post that video soon. You might also like to know that we will film the Drax train too but of course those plans are on hold just now. Thanks for the feedback and I will add an addendum to the video description.
Bloody loved the Stephenson tunnels. Wonderful pieces of Victorian architecture and I like how you can see the junction we pulled out of from the Derby to Nottingham and Lincoln video. Is that air releasing noise I keep hearing periodically it's airbrakes?. Great vid as usual don.
@@doncoffey5820 Another wonderful video, but I disagree that our rail system is like a Roller Coaster - the American Railroad is much worse, and makes me think that they took the Datum from the Grand Canyon. . . . . . . . Looking forward to `Gods Wonderful Railway` video - Thank You.
I didn’t really relish untill now much I miss the vp185s on the mml 😩😩😩 not the same anymore sucking head out first class window on departure form Sheffield heading south behind the power car listing to two 2250 horses
No idea, but can tell you what I found less than ideal unless you're being rhetorical. And I didn't dislike but FFS it's feedback to be taken or left. 1. Don't choose a route in to sun, poor contrast washing out scenery just isn't a good video 2. Don't do scrolling subtitles, your attention is diverted to the scrolling word by word until it ends, you have no choice. If you read faster than average it doesn't matter because you'll lose your place if you look up. If it was a sentence at time you can read at your own pace and return to video. When the subtitle changes for next sentence, can be seen in periphery and then you return to read next sentence. As in all movies with subtitles. So, trolling aside, there's some possible reasons for the thumbs down.
Don, the attendants at Wakefield platform (11:37) making sure the manual slam doors are closed for departure, is that a service or a necessity? And what are SLAM doors? Can you elaborate on this please?
On those old HSTs, the doors are not powered so the platform staff go along and slam them closed. Once closed they are automatically locked before the train departs. Take care Jan.
I was surprised at how quiet the VP engines were, compared with the throb and turbo-whistle as heard from a platform when each HST power car is accelerating. Was the driver of this train just unlucky to get stuck behind a stopping train and then have to let the Barnsley train out ahead of him, or is it a common occurrence for express trains on this line not to be able to run at line speed? I suppose it was not unexpected if the timetable had slack designed into it. The reference to passing under the Pontefract to Monk Bretton line takes me back to the 1970s when we lived in Sandal, Wakefield and I'd sometimes cycle up to Common Lane, off Chevet Lane, and watch the Sheffield expresses go through, back in the days when the Woodlesford, Normanton, Walton, Bretton route used to be one of the routes (maybe the main route) between Leeds and Sheffield. I remember going by train from Leeds to Birmingham over that route in 1980: my mates and I were going to stay with someone near Brum, and we have the misfortune to get in a compartment with the mother and toddlers from hell - it seemed a long journey :-(
That mother and family always seem to end up on my train even today! The original Paxman Valenta engines had a real scream that could literally be heard miles away. The VP185 is a development of the Valenta family. The path of our train seemed very laborious but it did actually run very close to time indicating that all those apparent obstructions were allowed for in the pathing plan.
Hi Ken. All warning signals (yellow and red) are accompanied by a buzzer which must be cancelled to avoid a brake application. It’s safe doing 100 in the fog on greens but a wise driver gets hold of the train when the warnings start coming. “There’s bold drivers…..” 😉👍
Very nice, thank you! As to the electrification clutter issue, I can agree to that but I have to say that even with the current state of low emissions diesels, I will take the clutter over the amount of diesel exhaust emitted over a significantly used mainline.
Yes I know what you mean Claire. I’m not a tree hugger but I take the climate emergency really seriously and I don’t think we do enough to combat it. However, the railway is at last moving forward with newer low emission diesels. I recently visited the Mazda factory in Japan and they said that when measured against the environmental cost of producing batteries and the power to charge them, currently we have to continue to develop combustion engines.
@@doncoffey5820 Heritage lines and railtour specials with a couple of claggy 37s hauling 12 creaky Mk1s full of "railfans" and company perks diners, would likely produce more emmissions than modern diesel stock. Also, a single 66 or 70 run can eliminate 30 x 40 tonne diesel belching lorries.
It is Tim. The Valenta is a series of engines. You can read in here; www.paxmanhistory.org.uk/applics1.htm They HSTs remain in service but with a low emission MTU engine.
What I love most about Don Coffey's videos is their utter professionalism. He enthuses us with his detailed commentary as well as historical aspects whenever they apply.
I try to add something different to each one so the watcher builds up railway knowledge with each one.
Another great video Don. Love the captions with local information. The Chesterfield Spire was originally strait but a virgin was married in the Church and the spire twisted in surprise.
Yes, that was one theory but apparently they are now convinced it’s down to boring old lead used in its construction.
@@doncoffey5820 The other theory is that they used unseasoned timber, which warped as it dried out, though I like Richard's explanation.
The engineering on the approach to Sheffield is amazing!
What I find interesting about what the Victorians building the railways is the amount of labour digging and building those viaducts by hand some are wonderful and stunning pieces of workmanship.
I know. I’ve dug ponds and driveways etc in my time and I’m very aware of just how much work went into them. It is astonishing.
Many thanks for yet another great journey. Due to ill-health, I am pretty much "confined to barracks" here in Scotland. Your super videos and informative narratives allow me to enjoy countryside that I would otherwise never see. Much appreciated.
You know Stewart, these videos take a lot of time and effort to make but comments like this make it all worthwhile. I’m so glad you get some benefit from them my friend.
Interested to see this route from the drivers view. I travel this a few times from Leeds to Sheffield.
I'd be interested to know what the various bells and thumps are in the cab
The bells are confirming green signals, they buzzer confirms yellow, red or speed restrictions. The rapid bleep comes after a minute of no driver inputs and demands an acknowledgement from the driver to avoid an automatic brake application. It is called the “vigilance device”.
Really nice bit of train-handling at Meadowhall. Experience shows!
He knows his stuff (but don’t tell him I said it)!
@@doncoffey5820 Mum's the word, then! :-)
That was really enjoyable.
I followed it on google earth, and it's amazing how many bits of old railway have been lost... whether it's a track that used to go off to a colliery, or a steel terminal.
Absolutely. There are hundreds of little branches and sidings gone.
Loads of memories! I used to live just north of Wakefield Westgate in the mid-fifties, in one of those semis on the left at 10:33 (Cliff Park Avenue). There were no trees in those days (I suspect the frequent fires on the embankment kept them down) and we had a clear view of the track. All sorts went past, from A4s to scruffy goods engines and shunters, from Pullman cars to goods wagons. We could hear shunting going on (at Wrenthorpe?) at night, a train load of loose coupled wagons coming to a halt made a heck of a racket! My favourite train was the clockwork Hornby O-Gauge in the front room. :)
My older brother had the train set but he wouldn’t let me touch it. Now I’ve got a 1:1 scale set and he’s rather envious of it!!! Your account reminds me a lot of the activity around the four routes in New Mills where I grew up. The clank, clank, clank of buffers through the still night air.
Can you write the distances and tunnel lenght in metric system for the viewers out of Great Britain? Greetings from Russia.
Yes I will Alexander.
It’s great seeing the routes I travel every week from this unique viewpoint. Thank you.
My pleasure Michael. More soon.
Hi Don, just caught up with your lasted, watched this on the iPad with headphones on, the roar of those engines is something else, shame in real life will be lost for ever at some stage, brilliant production as ever! 🤓Eddie
Fantastic aren’t they Eddie.
That was excellent Do !!!
Just wondering if the drivers can wear "sun glasses " while driving into the sun?
We can Harry but they have to be a British Standard colour and level of tint (neutral grey and No2 tint). Corrected vision must wear clip on glasses.
@@doncoffey5820 Thank you for answering that Don !
Hi, What a brilliant cab ride that was, thank you so much. The Midland Main Line is my local line, but further south from Leicester to Market Harborough. There is some wonderful architecture along the line, so thank you for pointing out those tunnels along the way.
I remember the HST's coming into service and thinking how horrid that they ousted our Class 45's from the line, but they really grew on us spotters. Now they themselves are history too. What did the railway men who drove them think about them over the years? Thanks so much and all the best Dave.
Thanks Dave. Yes, these videos will be a legacy one day and record a snapshot in time. I remember those Class 45 express’s thundering across the viaduct at New Mills where I grew up. I suppose it’s progress.
Excellent video as always. Just one point, Kenneth Grange didn't design the HST, he only designed the cab front. Credit should go to the late Terry Miller and his team who designed the actual machine, which was only ever to be a stop gap until the APT was brought into service
Thanks Nigel and point taken. I’ll add it to an addendum in the video description.
Another beauty Don. And wax lyrical about railway architecture as much as you want - I love those snippets you put in! And about the weight the HST has to pull, I remember a now long gone railwayman friend who used to say - “passengers are 15 bums to a ton”!!😁
I can’t help it Andrew. On the Huddersfield stoppers, we stop alongside an enormous stone retaining wall at Marsden and every time I gaze out at some of the gigantic hand cut stones and think “how the f”..........
اشكرك كثيرا على دعمك لي اتمنى لك التوفيق والنجاح في مسيرتك انشاء الله اخي
Was this a EMR Leeds to St Pancras service? I didn't know HSTs ran between Leeds and Derby. Big fan of your vids. I know some railway enthusiasts here in Brazil and I showed them one of your vids and now they are as hooked as I am! The only problem is their English isn't good, so I need to translate the captions for them!
It’s a weekend only service and thanks for translating for your mates. By them just watching, you are donating to charity.
Great video Don. Sheffield is my birthplace,I live in the Isle of Man now but will be relocating to Thirsk in a few weeks.Most of my spotting days in early 50s were on the ECML at Doncaster,Retford and Peterborough plus Sheffield Midland and Victoria of course.Looking forward to doing a bit of train watching at Thirsk.
You might see Aron and myself going by in one of our 802s. We will be filming the run up to Newcastle later this month or in March.
Really enjoyed this one . Thanks Don !
See what you mean about the "sun" being a pest Don - do you wear shades at all? Excellent ride and information as ever!
We have to wear company issued sunglasses that meet British Standard 1836 and have no greater than a No 2 neutral density. They are the only ones guaranteed not to change the colour of signals.
Hello from Cornwall Pennsylvania. Thank you, Don, for your usual fine video work. Best wishes for a great year! CAS
Hi Charles. Glad you enjoyed it.
1:00:10 An hour to travel 45 miles... British railways need a massive overhaul.
Depends on the route but yes, I take your point. It is an exception rather than a rule though.
Up to Sheffield now. Loved every second of it thusfar! Especially the higher speed parts, the amazing acceleration sounds, your insights and appreciation of all the beautiful bits of architecture and in particular the amazing entree of small viaducts, bridges and tunnels to Sheffield's station! It's almost like a smaller Lime Street entrance, untill the station that is.
Thanks again for this amazing footage Don! Looking forward to the rest of this journey; later this evening or first thing tomorrow! 🥳
Cheers Michel.
@@doncoffey5820 It was amazing! I think that last part from Sheffield onward was even better! Thankyou for this amazing experience. Loved that you slowed down(/stopped) at some of the great archictectural railway wonders your beautiful railways still possess (+ the amazing croocked spire at Chesterfield!). Wish we had those amazing stretches of diesel traction only-intercity railways over here. The overhead wiring portals just take some of the charm of it away.
(oh and b.t.w.; 59:34 I wish it was, haha. 😁 the only machine even more impressive than this magnificent beast!)
48.08 sheffield forgemasters where the iraqi supergun was made
I’ll have more footage that way soon.
A great video if a little washed out colour wise due to the sun being in the wrong place..... 🙃
The sun was again but I didn’t want to miss the opportunity of getting that VP185 soundtrack. Most of EMR’s HSTs have MTU engines now.
You know it's going to be good day when you wake up to a new Don video. Absolutely amazing as always. Cheers Don we really appreciate your efforts.
Thanks Steve, much appreciated.
Another enjoyable and informative journey. Many thanks.
Second favorite video going to Holyhead #1. Thanks Don for putting all the info in the video. Like that much. in U.S.A.. You do more than you know Don you take cripples out for a Journey . Thanks Again. May God Bless.
Very well done DON another OSCAR winning video full of news and information and tails of the past railway scene and not forgetting architecture, an all together wonderful video. Shows your colleagues will help you out in being able to produce these great videos. Pleas carry on making more. Best regards Phil
Thanks as always Phil. The helpers generally get to see the comments but I do tell them too! Another video coming soon with lots of help from DB Cargo and driver Lee Yarker.
@@doncoffey5820 Thanks to the drivers as they also know a hole lot of knowledge of their local areas.
Don - many thanks to all involved. This video clearly shows the complexity of the west side of Leeds station, a sharp contrast to the east side. Copley Hill was a major steam depot in the early 60s. As usual your commentary says what is relevant, and had me smiling: Wakefield "Kurgate"!! Best wishes to all involved.
I come from New Mills so I’m not in a position to question dialect!!!
interesting insight!
Glad you liked it Hushey 👍
Is this a Leeds London service via Sheffield and Derby?
Yes.
To ones persons view 125s have capabilities but this video shows safety is of paramount in terms of speed. I have travelled many times on these from Leeds to Sheffield in about 40 mins the fact on top of that 100mph tops at this stretch with stretches under overall 75mph. These sort of trains from diesel point of view will be safely missed and won't be the same again
Great video I mean you got to love a hst
At 10:30 are the sidings where a 16 year old boy died while playing on the top of the wagons with his mates (two of whom where taken to hospital)in 2015. No matter the height and strength of the fencing coupled with warning signs, they still manage to get through.
Yes if I remember correctly, Network Rail got prosecuted for not taking enough care about keeping trespassers out. It’s a strange world we live in.
@@doncoffey5820 Yes, at the time after the inquest I couldn't believe it either. There are enough warning signs from the fence, to the wagons, on the wagons and on the overhead poles and yet somehow network rail are at fault. One thing that has happened is due to cuts, BTP and the local Police have had to curtail school visits to talk about not playing on or near railways. Love the videos, keep up the good work.
Seems rather slow for a large part of the journey
9:08 Could that Old Man "EMU" run the pants off a kangaroo? LOL (Reference: 1970 Country & Western novelty song, written & recorded by John Williamson, his debut hit in Australia)
Haha! Hello Neil. Don’t know about from a stand, I think that roo would do quite well.
@@doncoffey5820 Here's a link to the song:
ua-cam.com/video/6b9T0GKFa3M/v-deo.html
The single, "Old Man Emu"/"Gum Tree", was first issued on Ron Tudor's Fable label as FB-008 in May of 1970(will mark 50 years since the record was first issued.... YIKES!). The record was not issued in Britain as it would not have meant anything to British audiences even though quite a few of Ron Tudor's Fable releases did make their way onto British charts via the Polydor label(example: Polydor 2058-010 - "Pushbike Song"/"Who Loves Ya"[instrumental] which was issued in Stereo, but we Aussies only got a mono mix(dang it!).
During my enforced lockdown furlough I have gained much enjoyment from re-watching his videos and thinking about the many hours of hard work that goes into producing each one.
Great to hear!
I love watching these journeys, takes to parts I doubt I'll get to see. Thanks again Don & pass on thanks to your supporting team, they do a great job 🚄🚄🚄
Thanks Peter, they will see your comment.
Thanks Don, as brilliant as ever. I didn't have too much problem with the sun - I had my laptop 'hooked up' to a wall mounted TV with the screen tilted forwards and that seemed to help.
I liked your comment about the 'visual impact' of electrification. There was uproar in the Thames Valley when some local residents realised what GWR electrification was 'going to do' to a bridge over the Thames. I am not sure how it was resolved.
Its just me, I like it perfect! I couldn’t miss this VP185 though, they are going soon.
Don, I take your point about the aesthetic benefits from the absence of electric "furniture ". But without it, and this seems to be the ongoing state of the Midland Main Line, north of Market Harborough, we (I speak as a resident of Nottingham) seem stuck with a service of polluting diesel trains for the foreseeable future. And coming into Sheffield Midland, the station looks to be a relic from the past, with little activity going on, apart from the service you were on and a couple of DMUs, well past their sell by date, loitering without apparent intent. As always with your videos, you gave us lots of interesting and informative commentary, which I enjoyed. But, from this snapshot, it does seem as if the development of the Northern Powerhouse and the Midlands Engine has got an awful long way to go!
Yes, if it wasn't for the health and softy risk and the fact that third-rail can't supply as much power, it would be a much better, less ugly solution than OHLE.
There was uproar about the OLE affecting many GWML structures, including Maidenhead, Gatehampton and Moulsford viaducts. There were some design changes but nothing major. With luck, no other railway in Britain will be 'graced' with the same OTT OLE structures!
Plenty of grim infrastructure oop North !....all the walls with shrubs growing out of them....horrible (still great viewing Don)
Yes, it does give that impression at times. As long as nothing drops through my windscreen I’m happy!
@@doncoffey5820 U don't know a semi-retired driver called Arno do you.....does shunting etc, works as and when
I don’t think so, I’m based in the North West.
Easily beat that 158 on acceleration !!
Yes, they really pick up.
i take you are on a EMR hst Leeds to St Pancras service ...
Correct Mark, yes.
If only I was allowed to drive this quick.
You go nice and steady with that thing of yours!!!
WOW ! GLAD TO HERE AGAIN , WATCHING THIS BEAUTIFUL VIDEO WITH PRECIOUS INFORMATIONS . NOW I HOPE TO WATCH THIS RIDE AGAIN , NEXT ON SPRING OR SUMMER . THANKS SO MUCH
Glad you enjoyed it Luzia.
Excellent film of a really historic railway line. Electrification (at least between Sheffield and Derby, for Sheffield-London services) is now proposed again, in the Integrated Plan Plan published on 18 November 2021. The remarkable quality of the original Stephenson North Midland line emerges well from the film. The currrently-used form of OHLE and the requirements for excessive electrical clearance (the rigid application of the Electricity at Work Act) will make this electrification difficult, costly and damaging. The presence of several listed structures, notably the Stephenson tunnels, is a further factor - which we can see well thanks to the film freezing - and the remarkable retaining walls and arches through Belper are a further constraint.
The solution should be a special form of catenary mast and arm, and use of the clearances allowed until the 2000s. One solution would be to require the work to use the successful Mk3b masts and catenary used to electrify the WCML (Weaver Junction to Glasgow) in 1970-74. Between Preston and Motherwell, the WCML runs through attractive landscape in Westmorland, Cumberland, Dumfriessshire and the upper Clyde Valley. That was an aesthetically-acceptable electrification, fifty years ago. The GW Main Line electrification of the last decade is not.
There are some interesting videos on UA-cam from the Institute of Permanent Way Engineers (PWI) that go into such options Marc, very informative if you get chance. The common way is to drop the bed and put a slab or non ballast bed in. It’s why these projects are so expensive. Luckily, Network Rail tend to be sympathetic to these historical structures.
Richard Hannay would have made this journey in reverse getting to the wilds of Galloway from London in The Thirty Nine Steps (the book not the awful film adaptations). It was part of the main line from St Pancras to St Enoch in Glasgow. Great video.
That would have solved the sunlight issues too! Glad you liked it.
Another great ride, Thanks again!
....some signals (controlled) have a 220 yard overlap whereas some automatic Signals don’t
Aha, so there is a train in front oops! Sorry
Aye, that’s it!
Hi. Top vid, but I might have found a small error. The flashing yellows before South Kirkby Junction indicate a HIGH speed junction?
It does but we turn out at a lower speed. Flashing yellows don’t always indicate a high speed junction, only that the route is set and signalled to proceed.
Love these vids. Not just the geographical knowledge but the historical as well. Just to think that Grant Shapps believes he could replace these highly skilled drivers overnight with agency workers gives me the shudders! I am building a train sim layout of Leeds from the 1950's. The old steam trains, A1,2,3,4s, the V1, V2's had to virtually jet propel themselves out of Central station on maximum forward cut off and regulator slammed open just to make it up to Beeston! Don, correct me if I am wrong, but our train here goes out through Whitehall junction over the old goods station bridge, then onto the Manchester line, then steps up onto the higher Doncaster line? Hope I have got that right? Keep posting your great vids, best wishes!
Contact me on messenger Ernesto and I’ll send you a map. Things have changed somewhat since you saw it 👍
Nice one Don, HSTs on East Midlands now sadly history. The old route from Leeds to Sheffield was the Midland route via Normanton and Cudworth, or 'Cudeth' as I believe it is pronounced!
It was EM. You can see where the junction was in the “Keyworker Express” video. Goose Hill I believe.
Great to see the hst's are still going.
What a great trip Don love those tunnels including Bradway and Milford some time we will go to whiteball another of Brunels great tunnels indeed thanks .
Amazing aren’t they Lesley when you consider they were made by hand all those years ago.
The very ornate castle-like tunnel portal that you pointed out reminds me of the entrance to Bramhope tunnel on the Leeds-Harrogate line. In a nearby churchyard there is a miniature version of that tunnel portal, as a memorial to the navvies who were killed during the construction of the line and/or the tunnel. Anthony Burton mentions it in one of the episodes of his 1980 series The Past at Work ua-cam.com/video/j-spUJVGedE/v-deo.html
Thanks for another excellent video and all the work it involves in producing this, could you tell me how to make a charitable donation please ? On a different theme had my first journey Saturday on the new TPE 802’s absolutely brilliant !
That’s really nice Bob but there is no mechanism other than watching the advert at the beginning to make a donation. Google pay me and I donate every penny to charity. You can of course donate to a suitable charity like The Railway Children online. The 802s are super aren’t they.
Our Ancestors who built the railways the Tunnels the Viaducts were Genius, Breathtaking skills and vision to Craft such Architecture, Simply Amazing. Loved this Video.
Yes, they were amazing. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Your best video yet ..IMO
Hi Don ..
I was at Darlington Railway station yesterday .. I was on a class 802 TPE between Durham and Darlington ... I was chatting to a member of the staff on board the TPE train on my journey (Sorry I never caught his name) ... I asked him "Have you ever met Don Coffey" ... He said .... Yes I watch all his video's for route learning which I am doing at the moment ... UNREAL ... I said.. We both commented on how "Class" these video's are..
This is without a doubt the best railway channel on youtube Don... Please keep up the good work...
The train was the 05 Feb 13.18pm Durham to Liverpool Lime Street .. Calling at
13. 36 Darlington
14. 05 York
14. 30 Leeds
14. 48 Huddersfield
15. 24 Manchester Victoria
15. 41 Newton-le-Willows
16.00
Liverpool Lime Street
That’s good Arsene. I don’t know who it was but a lot of crew watch them. Glad you liked the 802 ride. I might be signing those later this year but I will definitely be travelling to Newcastle with Aron soon and we’ll get that on UA-cam.
What a beautiful autumn view with that low sun and that green and brownish landscape. 😊
Danke. Glad you enjoyed it.
Don, Of those three tunnels, Milford has to have the most 'stepped' entrance I've seen. Are the southern portals copies of the Northern? It is hadr to believe that Ambergate was once a major station with original Blue Pullmans dashing through at what was then very high speeds. You had trouble with the sun when shooting this video; I had trouble with the sun when I was trrying to watch it! As always, thank you for the production.
No Robbie, from what I understand, the southern portals are quite plain by comparison. I wonder why???
Love this one as it ends on my home territory in Derby so I know the route from Sheffield quite well. One of the things that always fascinates me is the evidence of former lines that have been lifted at the side of the existing, and I wonder what they were originally, sidings. loops, or another purpose. I suppose its evidence of former, busier days.
Yes, the lineside of virtually every railway was littered with sidings and branches but keep in mind that in the 19th and early 20th century, there was no other viable means of transport so everything clustered around the railway.
Great video with a fascinating history. Sheffield is actually in South Yorkshire despite the end or starting point of the Midland mainline route all the way down to London St Pancras. Swinton, a town in Yorkshire is also the name of a famous insurance company. Been on the Midland mainline twice before but not since 2009, eleven years ago so I would imagine a lot has changed and yes, the word electrification. Would not surprise me if this once so called 'Cinderella' line gets the go ahead from Bedford northwards.
Yes, I did make reference to the fact that we were on the MML proper after leaving Sheffield. Swinton is also in Manchester so I don’t know where the insurance name came from, maybe Edward Swinton!!! Glad you enjoyed it, I’ll be filming part of that route again soon in the Manchester to Cleethorpes run or vice versa.
Great and informative video, thanks. Shame about the low sun though.
Tell me about it. I couldn’t rearrange though because the VP185s were about to be withdrawn.
Another great video Don. Clay Cross Tunnel entrance is very similar to Clayton Tunnel entrance on the Brighton Line, its only the Driver and passers by who can see the beautiful architecture.
I’ll have to Google it.
Absolutely brilliant - Many thanks Don from NZ - been here 55 years now, Loved the bridges etc into Sheffield. Can we see the speedo now and again.. Cheers.
Hi Tony, we do in some videos but the software doesn’t allow it permanently 👍. Have a look at some of the others.
Great video thanks, Don. Changed a lot since you could see it from the front seats of a DMU!
Leeds to Sheffield - 35 miles in 50 minutes on a class one train with only one stop - No better than a 'Peak with load 10' in the seventies. Still waiting the investment that has been promised for decades!
1:18:35 - is that what is left of the 'experimental solid concrete' track bed on the left? Impressed with the new approach to Derby!
I’m not sure about the trackbed although looking at Google it could well be. I can remember those peaks rushing over the viaduct in New Mills where I grew up. We used to watch for “namers”.
Great video. Leeds is my hometown. Moved to Dronfield and travelled this line everyday to get to work in Sheffield.
Right on your patch Scott 👍
loved that video Don. the architecture of the tunnels is amazing. i bet that the largest variety of tunnel architecture in the country on one line
Absolutely Andrew, astonishing aren’t they 👍
Your videos are very entertaining and educational
That sun actually added to the video IMO; beautiful tint to the entire landscape with the winter sun. Thank you so much, Don, for showing landscapes I can only dream about seeing right now.
Thanks Corey, much appreciated.
Great video as always, Don, many thanks for uploading it.
Just a minor point, the line through Westgate was Great Northern Railway, not Midland as stated in the caption when we are onboard the class 66.
I stand corrected.
Excellent as usual 👍
Thanks Ian.
Thanks Don. Always great to watch your rail journeys as I can go around the country without leaving my flat. Please keep up the great work.
Thanks Mick, will do!
Gamers unite
Thanks as always for another fascinating video. Only one regret for me - if only Leeds to the site of Wath Road Jn were still over the North Midland line!
Agreed 100% John.
I heard that Northern is going to be nationalized due to poor services on 1st March. If you drive Northern trains, will it change something for you?
Other, another route marked on my map of train journeys...
I don’t but it wouldn’t for anyone who does really. It’s a bit of spin to be honest as Northern are through the worst and it would have got better anyway.
Surprised they don't fit self tint or polarized windscreens like they now do in aviation. I suppose they will eventually. Great video again Don, many thanks.
They are actually very fussy about train windscreen tints and coatings. Anything that might alter colour under any lighting condition is banned. Drivers sunglasses are only allowed if supplied by the company.
Superb video Don. Thank you. The portals to Clay Cross Tunnel are very similar to the haunted Clayton Tunnel on the London Brighton line as you enter the downs going south towards Brighton. Cheers, Bob
Several people have made this comment. I will look that tunnel up right now! Thanks as always Bob.
Yes spectacular. By the way I don’t believe in ghosts! I’ll sleep in it any night on my own if it can be arranged ;-)
XC or EMR ? Nice journey shame about the low sun
EMR. It was low sun or miss the opportunity so low sun it was.
Very good video!!!!
the sound of that vp185 on full chat is bloody glorious
Super isn’t it Mick.
Another fine video, Don, and another trip down Memory Lane. I notice that the loops at Moorthorpe have their exit signals well back from the converging points and no trap points, so I would have thought that they qualify as passenger loops. On the other hand, the up loop just south of Ambergate station has catch points, so I wonder why it's called a passenger loop... maybe the exit signal has a full length (183m, 200yd) overlap inside the loop. I've beaten up and down this line many times, for example when I used to get my fifty pound, one-week "all line rover" ticket and go off riding the rails for a solid 24/7 during the school holidays in the first half of the 1970s. A Class 45 "with eight on" took over two hours for this run in those days and a first-generation DMU seemed to take all morning from Sheffield to anywhere else!
You mention the heavy coal and steel traffic that used the line south of Chesterfield. In the Trent and Derby resignalling schemes of 1967 - 1969, the line from Tapton Jct via Toton to Trent Jct was 4-track all the way through, plus many loops and small yards, having "fast" and "goods" lines. Apart from the controlled signals protecting the colliery and works sidings, automatic block signals were, as now, worked on the "track circuit block" principle on all four roads. But the special trick was that the "goods" lines additionally had automatic call-on aspects - two small diagonally-arranged white lights just below the main red aspect which itself (by convention and to prevent its obliteration by build up of snow on any signal hood below it - design features that are forgotten with modern LED signals!) was always at the bottom of the multi-aspect signal head. By means of this signalling, when a section was occupied and the signal in rear thus at red, the automatic call-on would light up to allow the following train to enter the section "at reduced speed, being prepared to stop short of any obstruction" and in effect draw up to the rear of the train ahead. The traffic thus crawled along, train after train, and found its way into the huge sorting yard at Toton, a place which lent its name to the position-light hump-shunting signals often mistakenly called "totem" signals. This perhaps conveys an impression of just how dense the traffic was in those days and sadly I note that during this journey of somewhat less than 90 minutes, we haven't seen a single moving freight train.
During my formation training at Westinghouse in 1975 - 76, I worked for a while as office gofer (you, lad, gofer this, gofer that) on the Sheffield resignalling scheme, but that big power box seems now to have been replaced by something bigger still. The line from Sheffield station to Dore was 4-track all the way up the hill, plus factory sidings, but much of that land now seems to be occupied by other property. I went out with the gang that staked out the colour-light signals on the line between Methley Jct. and Holbeck, a route that used to be used by Midland Main Line expresses but is less direct than the current one via Wakefield - on the re-signalling plan, the 4-aspect signal spacings and braking distances were shown as being calculated for 115 mph, but I don't believe that the line speed was ever raised to this. I then went on to design the circuits for the TCB signalling and for the interface with the mechanical box at Methley Jct. There was still a colliery siding on the up side just north of Methley Jct included in the plans - Savile Colliery, if my memory serves me right.
The line from Derby Jct northwards to Milton was quadrupled by the LMS railway using government unemployment relief. Of course, up until 1967 a lot of freight and passenger traffic to and from Manchester came this way, making for a very busy line. The lines via Derby Jct (as it is now called), Chaddesden and Spondon allowed Manchester freight trains to and from Toton to bypass the Derby station bottleneck and also for terminating passenger trains from St. Pancras to loop around using the south chord at Derby Jct to return to London without having to uncouple and run the loco round. It is interesting to reflect on how much track simplification has been made possible by the eliminination of loco-hauled passenger trains. In the 1970s, with improved signalling and less traffic, British Rail was able to "de-quadrify" (official terminology!) the layout north of Little Eaton Jct and laid their first section of experimental concrete paved track along the former up slow between there and Duffield. They slewed the remaining up line into this at each end and it carried all the up traffic for many years before being taken out of use, but you stil see it in the video, covered in moss. My parents lived for over 40 years in a house occupying the site of Little Eaton station, with the branch line to the open-cast Denby Colliery passing close by their kitchen window. Class 20's working in multiple and later Class 56 hauled two or three trains a day of coal from Denby to the power station at Willington, just on the other side of Derby. I still have a relic, the original 1893 signal box diagram from Little Eaton Station Crossing box, hanging in my home office.
Well! Crikey Nicholas, that probably qualifies for the longest comment I’ve ever received. Thank you so much for taking this potted and evocative memoir. I’m actually a North West originally and now Eastern man so the areas around Derby are a tad too far south for me to speak with any authority although I do currently sign Methley and am familiar with the location of the Midland Junction at Goose Hill. Regarding the protection on loops, it depends on the scheme but most are protected by TPWS these days where previously they had traps (so many refer to them as catch points so it’s refreshing to hear them referred to correctly). I used to grab a mate and go down Stockport or Manchester in the early 70s so we may be similar ages (63) and I can vaguely remember the much more complex arrangements. My only example of seeing the hump shunting signals is At Gascoigne Wood which I also currently sign. I did find an explanation of them somewhere but have since lost it. I also despair at the lack of freight in some of my journeys. I can literally come from Hull to Manchester on many occasions - a distance of 100 miles and not see any yet the motorways are hammered with trucks. The days of trainload freight long gone. I’ve not heard the term de-quadrification but I do experience some significant examples of it. From Marsden to Huddersfield (Manchester Oxford Road to York video is a good example) the line was de-quadrified and by slewing the track to straighten the curves, they managed to get the lines speed up to 85 but it begs the question of what will happen if they ever quadruple it again. It’s been a pleasure reading your account and once again I really appreciate the time you took.
Hi Don Why does this film seem rather jerky as opposed to your normal excellent quality?
Its UA-cam Ray. If you watch in a day or two it will finish buffering and behave itself.
.....as you were crawling at meadow hall,,,did the AWS sound twice because you was over it for too long?.........
Yes exactly.
A couple of minor points. Although the station at Bolron upon Dearne is the original it wasb't opened in 1847 as the line did not open until 1879. Secondly the stations at Goldthorpe and Thurnscoe were opened by South Yorkshire PTE not Metro (which is West Yorkshire)
I don’t know where that date came from - I must have been hallucinating. The Metro bit is an obvious error. Thanks Pete, I’ll add an addendum to the description.
Hi! The caption that describes the line that we join just before Moorthorpe says it is a line joining from Pontefract and Knottingley but this is only half right. The line that joins us (Dearne valley line) does come from Pontefract (Baghill) but not Knottingley. The Dearne valley line goes from York, leaves the ECML and continues through Ulleskelf, leaves the Leeds line, goes through Church Fenton and Sherburn-in-Elmet, then there is a triangular junction to the Hull direction of the Leeds-Hull line before going through Milford junction, going past Ferrybridge power station before the line splits. At this split you can go left to Knottingley, right to Pontefract Monkhill or straight on to Pontefract Baghill and Moorthorpe. There is no direct connection between Knottingley and Pontefract Baghill without going around the Ferrybridge merry-go-round. Also Thurnscoe and Goldthorpe are new stations on the line. They were built to replace Frickley station which was in between these two stations.
Of course you are correct. I guess you could say the town of Knottingely but not the line. I actually sign the line from York through Milford and round to Castleford and will hopefully post that video soon. You might also like to know that we will film the Drax train too but of course those plans are on hold just now. Thanks for the feedback and I will add an addendum to the video description.
What a pleasure, thank you. I'm not even a rail enthusiast.
I’m delighted you enjoyed it. Thank you.
Could you film Sheffield to Chesterfield via Darnall next time there's a diversion? :)
I can’t promise it but you never know what might pop up.
Bloody loved the Stephenson tunnels. Wonderful pieces of Victorian architecture and I like how you can see the junction we pulled out of from the Derby to Nottingham and Lincoln video. Is that air releasing noise I keep hearing periodically it's airbrakes?. Great vid as usual don.
Yes, that’s the air passing through the brake valve. A lot of the videos are tying up now. We’ll have covered quite a few by now.
Looking forward to this..
Hi Arsene.
@@doncoffey5820 Another wonderful video, but I disagree that our rail system is like a Roller Coaster - the American Railroad is much worse, and makes me think that they took the Datum from the Grand Canyon. . . . . . . . Looking forward to `Gods Wonderful Railway` video - Thank You.
I didn’t really relish untill now much I miss the vp185s on the mml 😩😩😩 not the same anymore sucking head out first class window on departure form Sheffield heading south behind the power car listing to two 2250 horses
It’s a distinctive sound that we’ll never forget.
I could ask why there are 6 dislikes, but best say nothing! Baffling?? 🤔
Haha, not everybody’s cup of tea and there is a troll with two accounts that dislikes it from both.
No idea, but can tell you what I found less than ideal unless you're being rhetorical. And I didn't dislike but FFS it's feedback to be taken or left.
1. Don't choose a route in to sun, poor contrast washing out scenery just isn't a good video
2. Don't do scrolling subtitles, your attention is diverted to the scrolling word by word until it ends, you have no choice. If you read faster than average it doesn't matter because you'll lose your place if you look up. If it was a sentence at time you can read at your own pace and return to video. When the subtitle changes for next sentence, can be seen in periphery and then you return to read next sentence. As in all movies with subtitles.
So, trolling aside, there's some possible reasons for the thumbs down.
Don, the attendants at Wakefield platform (11:37) making sure the manual slam doors are closed for departure, is that a service or a necessity? And what are SLAM doors? Can you elaborate on this please?
On those old HSTs, the doors are not powered so the platform staff go along and slam them closed. Once closed they are automatically locked before the train departs. Take care Jan.
I was surprised at how quiet the VP engines were, compared with the throb and turbo-whistle as heard from a platform when each HST power car is accelerating.
Was the driver of this train just unlucky to get stuck behind a stopping train and then have to let the Barnsley train out ahead of him, or is it a common occurrence for express trains on this line not to be able to run at line speed? I suppose it was not unexpected if the timetable had slack designed into it.
The reference to passing under the Pontefract to Monk Bretton line takes me back to the 1970s when we lived in Sandal, Wakefield and I'd sometimes cycle up to Common Lane, off Chevet Lane, and watch the Sheffield expresses go through, back in the days when the Woodlesford, Normanton, Walton, Bretton route used to be one of the routes (maybe the main route) between Leeds and Sheffield. I remember going by train from Leeds to Birmingham over that route in 1980: my mates and I were going to stay with someone near Brum, and we have the misfortune to get in a compartment with the mother and toddlers from hell - it seemed a long journey :-(
That mother and family always seem to end up on my train even today! The original Paxman Valenta engines had a real scream that could literally be heard miles away. The VP185 is a development of the Valenta family. The path of our train seemed very laborious but it did actually run very close to time indicating that all those apparent obstructions were allowed for in the pathing plan.
Hi Don! You know how you get a beep confirming a green signal? If it is amber and thick fog, how do you know?
Thanks in advance. :)
Hi Ken. All warning signals (yellow and red) are accompanied by a buzzer which must be cancelled to avoid a brake application. It’s safe doing 100 in the fog on greens but a wise driver gets hold of the train when the warnings start coming. “There’s bold drivers…..” 😉👍
Love the sound of the Diesels working away bit of character instead of the bland electric things .
Yes, agreed.
Very nice, thank you! As to the electrification clutter issue, I can agree to that but I have to say that even with the current state of low emissions diesels, I will take the clutter over the amount of diesel exhaust emitted over a significantly used mainline.
Yes I know what you mean Claire. I’m not a tree hugger but I take the climate emergency really seriously and I don’t think we do enough to combat it. However, the railway is at last moving forward with newer low emission diesels. I recently visited the Mazda factory in Japan and they said that when measured against the environmental cost of producing batteries and the power to charge them, currently we have to continue to develop combustion engines.
@@doncoffey5820 Heritage lines and railtour specials with a couple of claggy 37s hauling 12 creaky Mk1s full of "railfans" and company perks diners, would likely produce more emmissions than modern diesel stock.
Also, a single 66 or 70 run can eliminate 30 x 40 tonne diesel belching lorries.
Are these HSTs still in service although with modified engines? Is PV185 a Paxman Valenta engine?
It is Tim. The Valenta is a series of engines. You can read in here; www.paxmanhistory.org.uk/applics1.htm
They HSTs remain in service but with a low emission MTU engine.
nice drivers eye view