Part 1 (January - March)

New Year, new lockdown... Much like the early part of 2020, today's exercise opportunity featured a 2-mile walk down the hill to Stourton, a quick photo and then the same in reverse. Fortunately 66749 was pretty much spot on time as it headed through the cutting with 5Z80 1423 Neville Hill - Gascoigne Wood conveying another set of former EMR HST trailers for storage (05/01/2020)

What these days passes for comparatively heavy snowfall greets 66956 + 66572 as the duo near the end of their journey with 4E23 0550 Felixstowe North - Leeds FLT intermodal. The train - which had been delayed at Doncaster for almost an hour - is passing the site of the former Rothwell Colliery (14/01/2021)

The following morning 66739 'The Bluebell Railway' passes Rothwell Country Park at the head of an additional 6L61 0831 Rylstone - Scunthorpe. Unfortunately the train had departed almost two hours late as a result of weather related disruption the previous day, and although I'd walked most of the way down here under clear blue skies, a fog was just beginning to fill the bottom of the valley (15/01/2021)

This next image illustrates just how quickly conditions deteriorated: 66549 + 66594 pass the same spot less than an hour later with 4O95 1218 Leeds FLT Southampton Maritime (15/01/2021)

Times must be hard when I'm pointing the camera at light locos that are as grey as the prevailing weather conditions! DC Rail Freight liveried 60046 'William Wilberforce' passes through Hunslet en route to Carlisle on an additional 0Z60 0918 road learning trip from Chaddesden Sidings , which at least got me out of the house for some much needed exercise (23/01/2021)

Another day, another light loco move! 59206 provides a welcome splash of colour on 0V59 1237 Midland Road - Merehead Quarry as it begins the long journey back to Somerset after an overnight visit to the wheel lathe. In the foreground is 66534 which had arrived at Stourton the previous evening with an additional 4Z60 1451 from Tees Dock (24/01/2021)

I certainly wasn't expecting any sunshine when I set off from home, and I hadn't actually come down here for this train but given the Oxwellmains-bound cement empties I was intending to photograph took a VSTP diversion via Micklefield I'll gladly take this as an alternative! 66515 nears the end of its journey to Stourton FLT with the 4E23 0550 intermodal from Felixstowe North as it rumbles past the former colliery site that's now Rothwell Country Park. Shame there weren't a few more boxes immediately behind the loco (29/01/2021)

Colas Rail Freight liveried 67023 'Stella' cruises north through East Ardsley with the 1Q17 1030 Derby RTC - Heaton test train. Sister 67027 was predictably on the rear (31/01/2021)

With the temperature just a few degrees above zero on a beautiful Winter morning, 62005 accelerates towards Hunslet Station Junction after a half-hour pathing stop in Holbeck. Running initially as 5Z62 0837 Carnforth Steamtown - York NRM, the K1 was ultimately destined for Grosmont later that evening (01/02/2021)

Just a few minutes into its journey from Stourton, 66415 attacks the climb up towards Woodlesford with what looks like a heavily-laden 4O95 1217 Leeds FLT - Southampton Maritime intermodal service. The train is passing the former colliery site that's now home to Rothwell Country Park (11/02/2021)

An hour and a rather brisk 4-mile stroll later, 66121 eases the 6E97 1044 Newbiggin - Tees Dock gypsum empties along the AD line towards Balm Road in Hunslet. The snow-covered line to to the left is the former connection onto the Middleton Railway (11/02/2021)

Almost catching me out with a 3 1/2 hour early departure as I was making my way back home, 66556 approaches Pepper Road with 6Y33 1715 Holbeck Loco Sidings - Doncaster Up Decoy. The train was conveying a load of spoil from the former MPD site, where I believe additional stabling sidings for Northern are under construction. Sister loco 66515 is just visible at the rear of the consist (11/02/2021)

A busy scene at Stourton as I was pondering whether to hang on for another half hour in the cold with the clouds just beginning to make inroads into what had been largely clear blue skies all day: 70020 + 66614 amble past the Freightliner Terminal with a VSTP 6D11 1430 Doncaster West Yard - Hunslet Yard as 66536 looks on. Completing the picture on the far right is 66560, which had just arrived on 4E23 0550 from Felixstowe North (11/02/2020)

Rounding off a busy couple of hours, 66752 speeds towards Pepper Road in Hunslet with the 6M38 1125 Arcow - Bredbury loaded stone train. Although I was out for a little bit longer than intended, there have been plenty of days over the last month when I've not even left the house and it would have been rude not to make the most of the wonderful winter light (11/02/2020)

66786 sweeps past the site of the former Hunslet station with the 6M37 1125 Arcow - Pendleton (17/02/2021)

Following closely behind was 66154 , which is about to cross over onto the AD line at Hunslet Station Junction with the 6D80 1425 Neville Hill - Lindsey Oil Refinery. This was the first time in a month that what was once a weekly delivery of fuel has taken place, and in tow is the longest rake of empties I've seen for quite a while on this working (17/02/2021)

Strangers in town: Freightliner's 90014 'Over the Rainbow' and 90009 await movement back to Crewe following a visit to the wheel lathe at Midland Road for tyre turning. I think the last time I saw either of these locos they'd have been at work on the GE Main Line for Greater Anglia, and with the afternoon sun beating down on them I couldn't resist a quick snap through the fence with my phone (17/02/2021)

In a very well timed window of sunlight, 70813 rounds the curve towards Balm Rd in Hunslet with the 6S29 1338 Hunslet East - Oxwellmains cement empties (18/02/2021)

Fifteen minutes later this was the scene at the same location, with rain having just started to fall: 66786 gets its loaded stone train under way again after waiting time in Holbeck with the 6M38 1125 Arcow - Bredbury (18/02/2021)

66738 'Huddersfield Town' approaches Hunslet Sation Junction with 6M38 1125 Arcow - Bredbury (25/02/2021)

Freightliner's 66614 makes its way back to Midland Road after shunting Hunslet Yard (25/02/2021)

5Z68 1015 Crewe Basford Hall - Leeds Balm Road speeds past its ultimate destination of Freightliner's maintenance facility with 68029 unfortunately at the rear of the train. To be honest when I'd glanced fleetingly at 'RTT' earlier that morning I'd assumed this would be one of the regular light loco moves between the two locations and it had only dawned on me that it wasn't when I noticed the headcode on the on-line signalling diagrams as I'd been walking up Midland Road a few minutes earlier (26/02/2021)

66101 trundles towards Balm Road in Hunslet with the 6E97 1044 Newbiggin - Tees Dock gypsum empties. I've had my eye on this shot for a while now: the shadows have been slowly retreating as the Winter sun creeps higher into the sky whilst still remaining low enough to illuminate the loco (26/02/2021)

Having been up to Engine Shed Junction in Holbeck to reverse and cross onto the Up Midland to access the depot, 68029 'Courageous' passes Balm Road for the second time as it nears the end of its journey with 5Z68 1015 from Crewe Basford Hall (26/02/2021)