Views in Camera
Northern Belle 57 & 47 hauled Railtour at Brightside - 3314/3321
In glum, grey conditions amidst what has turned out to be a late summer splash of warmth, bees, mosquitoes and mist and a harvest moon rising over the Stocksbridge line once again, time for a rather off rail tour. This one setting off from Nottingham. Midland of course, there's now a ghastly 'shopping mall' where Nottingham Victoria used to be, and this tour is on its way to the Lake District, specifically Oxenholme. Coming along the line from the south via Chesterfield, and taking the left hand turn-out at Tapton towards Dronfield and through the Pennine rock via the Bradway Tunnel, one of the reasons Stephenson didn't want to build his North Midland line through Sheffield and took the easier easterly route, through Masbrough instead. Running just about on time, but here having waited a couple of minutes for a Blackburn Valley Northern service to clear the section, but which still slowed it and the following main line service to York; each train slowing for clearance ahead before moving off, it almost looked as if the tour train would stop at Meadowhall, as the DMU service had just gone through, but it didn't; it slowly inched forwards towards Meadowhall and Masbrough and disappeared off into the gloom. This is the 'Northern Belle' tour operated by Belmond Railtours and in charge is DRS (Direct Rail Services) class 57, 57307, a named locomotive, 'Lady Penelope', from the TV series by Gerry Anderson, 'The Thunderbirds'; the 1Z40, Nottingham to Oxenholme Lake District tour and after passing here it appeared to disappear off the timetable, as there were no timings after Copy Pit, just outside Burnley Manchester Road, at around 11:15. It was due to arrive in Oxenholme at 12:47 and then return at 17:00; which the time-table duly showed, so it must actually have arrived there. The DRS livery is in the ' Cable Theft We're Watching You' livery with a small nameplate on the side next to the cab door proclaiming this loco is 'Lady Penelope'. To the right, in similar coloured livery, another form of traction in the form of a Massey-Ferguson tractor, performing their usual task of starting to hold the traffic up! The conditions speak for themselves, though it did improve through the day, and the set is about to enter the now derelict Brightside station.
Northern Belle 57 & 47 hauled Railtour at Brightside - 3314/3321
In glum, grey conditions amidst what has turned out to be a late summer splash of warmth, bees, mosquitoes and mist and a harvest moon rising over the Stocksbridge line once again, time for a rather off rail tour. This one setting off from Nottingham. Midland of course, there's now a ghastly 'shopping mall' where Nottingham Victoria used to be, and this tour is on its way to the Lake District, specifically Oxenholme. Coming along the line from the south via Chesterfield, and taking the left hand turn-out at Tapton towards Dronfield and through the Pennine rock via the Bradway Tunnel, one of the reasons Stephenson didn't want to build his North Midland line through Sheffield and took the easier easterly route, through Masbrough instead. Running just about on time, but here having waited a couple of minutes for a Blackburn Valley Northern service to clear the section, but which still slowed it and the following main line service to York; each train slowing for clearance ahead before moving off, it almost looked as if the tour train would stop at Meadowhall, as the DMU service had just gone through, but it didn't; it slowly inched forwards towards Meadowhall and Masbrough and disappeared off into the gloom. This is the 'Northern Belle' tour operated by Belmond Railtours and in charge is DRS (Direct Rail Services) class 57, 57307, a named locomotive, 'Lady Penelope', from the TV series by Gerry Anderson, 'The Thunderbirds'; the 1Z40, Nottingham to Oxenholme Lake District tour and after passing here it appeared to disappear off the timetable, as there were no timings after Copy Pit, just outside Burnley Manchester Road, at around 11:15. It was due to arrive in Oxenholme at 12:47 and then return at 17:00; which the time-table duly showed, so it must actually have arrived there. The DRS livery is in the ' Cable Theft We're Watching You' livery with a small nameplate on the side next to the cab door proclaiming this loco is 'Lady Penelope'. To the right, in similar coloured livery, another form of traction in the form of a Massey-Ferguson tractor, performing their usual task of starting to hold the traffic up! The conditions speak for themselves, though it did improve through the day, and the set is about to enter the now derelict Brightside station.