April 2022

47501 'Craftsman' at rest on the blocks at Whitby after arriving from Battersby with Stateman's 1Z43 0514 ex- Wolverhampton. 47853 was out of sight on the rear having earlier worked the train forward from York - where the pair had been split after the run over the Pennines (02/04/2022)

47402 runs round at Rawtenstall after arriving with 2G51 0915 from Bury (03/04/2022)

Another view of 47402 in the early morning sunshine at Rawtenstall during what was advertised as it's final running day at the East Lancashire Railway ahead of a move to a new home in Derbyshire (03/04/2022)

A few minutes later the former 'Gateshead' awaits departure with 2J54 1010 Rawtenstall - Heywood. I wasn't overly happy with the shadows at this point but was reasonably confident the lunchtime view would turn out better. Typically however the sun disappeared into the clouds as we arrived and reappeared right on cue as the train left the platform (03/04/2022)

With half a tank to use up at the start of the weekend, the crews had been keen to put on a bit of a show. Sadly however the result of a day and a half of some very enthusiastic driving was the tell-tale signs of fuel starvation and by mid afternoon the loco was clearly struggling. 47402 is seen here running round at Ramsbottom where the 1430 Heywood - Rawtenstall had just been terminated (03/04/2022)

The End? Almost 29 year after arriving at the ELR, 47402 is apparently bound for Peak Rail and days such as this one will soon be a distant memory. 47402 is pictured on arrival back into Bury with 33109 and 2H69 1650 ex-Heywood in tow (03/04/2022)

37175 brings up the rear of 1Q67 1633 test train from Doncaster CHS to Wigan North Western as it passes Midland Road in Hunslet. 37612 was leading the formation (07/04/2022)

66142 'Maritime Intermodal Three' passes Whitley Bridge station with the 6H65 1209 Immingham - Drax loaded biomass (09/04/2022)

Just under half an hour later 66080 passes Whitley Bridge Junction from the opposite direction with the 4A63 1450 empties from Drax Power Station to Milford Sidings (09/04/2022)

With EWS-liveried 66155 in tow, DB Cargo's 60015 passes Burn with the 6D05 1250 Lackenby - Scunthorpe steel empties (09/04/2022)

660587 'As One We Can' follows shortly behind with the 6Y30 1443 engineering haulage train from a worksite at Copley Hill West Junction back to Doncaster Up Decoy Yard (09/04/2022)

A few miles south along the A19, 66142 is seen passing Whitley Bridge Junction with the 4A65 1640 Drax - Milford biomass empties. The tracks disappearing into the undergrowth above the first wagon served the now derelict Eggborough Power Station site (09/04/2022)

Colas Rail Freight's 70812 joins the ECML from the Scunthorpe direction at Joan Croft Junction with the 6Z51 1643 Immingham - Carlisle Yard (09/04/2022)

Racing up the ECML in spectacular fashion, GWR 4-6-0 no. 7029 'Clun Castle' approaches Joan Croft Junction with Vintage Trains' 1Z72 1714 return charter from York to Tyseley Warwick Road (09/04/2022)

47773 brings up the rear of 1Z72 1714 York - Tyseley Warwick Road as 'Clun Castle' negotiates the pointwork of Joan Croft Junction (09/04/2022)

BT4F flagship 47105 runs round at Broadway after arriving with the 1115 from Cheltenham Race Course on its first full running day of the year at the GWSR (10/04/2022)

An hour or so later 47105 basks in the hazy Spring sunshine at Cheltenham Race Course before departing with the 1415 to Broadway (10/04/2022)

66735 reverses its empty train into the headshunt alongside Freightliner's Midland Road site having earlier discharged its load of stone from Peak Forest in the nearby Stourton Cemex terminal (11/04/2022)

The shot I'd actually come for was the departing train and with the sun now just that little bit higher a few minutes later, 'Peterborough United' eases 4D78 0817 Stourton - Doncaster Down Decoy out onto the main line (11/04/2022)

Running as a VSTP 4D40 0731 Doncaster Down Decoy - Hunslet Tilcon, 66714 'Cromer Lifeboat' leads a single hopper and class-mate 66718 into the cutting at Beza Street in Hunslet (11/04/2022)

The rear end view of 66718 as 4D40 passes through what was once the site of Hunslet station (11/04/2022)

57316 'Alnwick Castle' negotiates the Up & Down Slow to the east of Ilkeston station whilst en route to Peterborough with 5Z70 0110 Carnforth - Grantham empty stock move for a 'Northern Belle' charter (13/04/2022)

66503 'Railway Magazine' speeds across Trowell Junction with the 6G65 0919 cement tanks from Earles Sidings to Walsall Freight Terminal (13/04/2022)

66601 'The Hope Valley' passes Trowell from the opposite direction shortly afterwards at the head of 6H80 1028 Ratcliffe - Tunstead (13/04/2022)