Drax to Earles via Rotherham Central

[@trains4one]

Mr Coffey I enjoy your videos and the running commentary as it helps us Yanks know what is going on. I've told folks that there is no dumb question, only dumb answers. So if you could explain Up and Down lines I would appreciate it.

[@doncoffey5820]

Yes of course Steve. It is mentioned in some of the videos but the early rail operators tried to devise a way of determining direction so up is towards London (the capital) or a hypothetical centre line down the centre of the country. It’s not all clear cut but that sums it up. You can ask as many questions as you like and I try to get through them but it sometimes takes a while 👍

[@andydavidson9440]

Just catching some of your videos Don, and they are really informative. I learn lots as I plan my next model layout! The comment and your replies bring even more insight. Great work thank you👍👍👍

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad it was useful Andy 👍

[@tidzaboy]

Another fascinating insight of the current railway, Don. Many thanks for making and sharing. It'll be interesting to get a view of the Hope Valley line when the Loops have been installed 'tween Bamford and Hathersage .... Joe

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad you enjoyed it Joe. I recorded the Cleethorpes to Manchester run last week and you can see the progress at Dore and Bamford. There’s a few to come before that so I guess it will be early New Year when I release it 👍

[@davidbarrett1487]

Thanks again Don, always very informative and interesting, and great through the countryside. Thanks Dave.

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad you enjoyed it Dave 👍

[@SB-km6fp]

I loved the comment "Partridges thinking the owl looks like a Class 70". Made me chuckle. 5:02

[@doncoffey5820]

I don’t think Vinny was happy about the noise but in fact we could have a laugh with it. No complaints so far!

[@adamlee3772]

Thanks for posting this video. I from Rotherham/Sheffield area originally and it was great to see various parts of my old haunts, though I’ve never seen them from the perspective of a locomotive cab.

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad you enjoyed it Adam. There will be more from that area in future videos 😳

[@44662dc]

A really awesome video one of the best. I particularly liked the looping around Rotherham Central I often wandered where the Junctions was for the entrance / exit from the former vast yards at Tinsley were located a shadow of it's former self. I do agree with many others that the Hope Valley line is just spectacular . Love the freights Don hopefully there maybe some more in the future. Many thanks Don.

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad you enjoyed it! I found that Tinsley link interesting to Denis. I’ve walked alongside the depot many times looking what was there - a lot of BR traction awaiting repair! This has just popped up on KZbin which takes it a step further...... kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioSzqGevfbRgbZY

[@jonathanbliss3708]

Loaded those tankers with flyash many times over the years….damn cold up in that rail loading building in winter though ….🥶

[@doncoffey5820]

Nice one Steve. You got the behind the scenes hard job 👍

[@Patrick-ef4pm]

Hi Don, late to the party but another very enjoyable video and very informative. One thing, I may be being dense but you say the clue to the stowaway is in the header. Can you enlighten me? Cheers

[@doncoffey5820]

Yes, there’s a picture of an owl peeping out ;-)

[@johndavidson3842]

The visuals are worth watching on their own but the rolling captions add so much more interest. Very enjoyable.

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad you appreciate them John. I’m telling you what I would be telling you if you were there with me.

[@andyshackleton3291]

So grateful to you Don for making these videos, they are so insightful and I find them very relaxing to watch. Great that money goes to The Samaritans a very worthy charity. Liked your shout out to John Shuttleworths' 'She Lives in Hope'; Johns' comic songs always lift my spirits but they can be too catchy and turn into an earworm!

[@doncoffey5820]

You are very welcome Andy and of course an Austin Ambassador Y reg is a car that I revere!!!

[@Popo111603]

Funny seeing Goole as I live there and you can even see trains going into Drax near Camblesforth

[@doncoffey5820]

Nice one, you can relate to the area 👍

[@duainesimpson274]

Hey don! Another amazing Vid! Loved it when you said! Will try to avoid stopping at station’s! Because passengers will still try find away to board the the train! Even though it’s loco with cargo Lol 😆

[@doncoffey5820]

Exactly Duaine, some can’t resist touching and then they’ll complain that the white powdery stuff is burning their skin!!!!

[@robertcoleman4861]

Thanks Don for another wonderful journey.🍺

[@doncoffey5820]

My pleasure Robert.

[@taffboyslim]

I believe Totley Tunnel (CTRL and HS1 aside) is the second longest tunnel in the UK after the Severn Tunnel? I used to get out on my bike regularly to Edale and always stopped for a breather around Earles sidings. Beautiful part of the world.

[@doncoffey5820]

Yes, I believe so too and agree about the area. More Hope Valley in future videos.

[@transportationuk7656]

Just to note about the Sheffield Supertram. The Siemens Duewag Supertrams can’t go on the Tram Train section between Tinsley and Parkgate due to a lack of Crash Awareness and a lack of train equipment

[@doncoffey5820]

Fair enough, I’m not expert in the subject so appreciate the feedback. I’ll put a correction in the description 👍

[@AdrianBritton]

Another fabulous bit of film making, informative and interesting and some superb colours along the route

[@doncoffey5820]

That was nice footage. Filmed by Vinny who drove it 👍

[@oddities-whatnot]

Super stuff as always. I had the chance to get on a training programme years ago for passenger trains, wanted to get on freight but things didn’t work out as planned.

[@doncoffey5820]

Sorry to hear it. Is it too late to try now? Don’t reply to this, post a new comment.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Another great cab ride.

[@doncoffey5820]

Good to see you 👍

[@lewisculverwellvlogs9789]

Worksop, that is where the Class 465/2s are stored at to make way for the Class 707s from South Western Railway and the Class 37 and Class 57 Locomotives dragged them there without the barrier wagons in 2021

[@doncoffey5820]

Thanks for the info Lewis. I once went to an open day at Worksop when the 60’s were new and star of the show.

[@TheCyberSalvager]

Whenever I see or hear anyone mention owls I immediately think of the Rambling Hiker sketch on The Fast Show!

[@doncoffey5820]

Haha, it that rather fat feathery Sage from the Herbs for me!!!

[@malcolmelliott1876]

Does the delivery 66/70 usually reverse the PCAs back into the arrival loop to make it easier for the choppers to collect and take to Hope, or do they get left in the reception road.?

[@doncoffey5820]

They do Malcolm, yes. Once they are backed into the shunt neck, a hired loco (Usually a class 20) comes down from the works for collection.

[@andrewward5737]

Rotherham also used to have the Rotherham Masborough station which was away from the town centre sadly closed in 1988 hence leaving only central in the town centre.

[@doncoffey5820]

Good info Andrew 👍

[@steveworthington930]

Great stuff as usall Don, any chance of a vid on the S&C? Now that would be special.

[@doncoffey5820]

It was arranged before Covid Steve and now it will take a while for Northern to catch up with training. They’ve been very welcoming but it’s not fair to push them just yet.

[@robertjohnmottershead1165]

Don what a brilliant video thanks for all the work you put in to the video's. The North Wales coast line are now getting some freight working to and from Llandudno junction for slate waste and Penmaenmawr for stone maybe worth a look at

[@doncoffey5820]

It depends on the operator Robert but you never know, keep your fingers crossed. I spoke to someone at Avanti who suggested Crewe to Holyhead so that might be a goer!

[@bernardwright2420]

Brilliant rail trip, that takes me back to my trucking days, when I used to spend nights out at Whitley Bridge truck park, I got used to the nightly trains passing, as I drove a ridge trailer rig, with it running all night, but they made me and others like me park alongside the siding fence. Thanks for this.

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad it brought back memories Bernard. I used to have a Class 1 but I let it go a while ago. I sometimes feel like jumping in one of these new ones to see how the Foden clutch muscles fair 😉

[@eddy2511]

Excellent video, Don as always. Would it be possible to have a TPE Liverpool to Cleethorpes via Sheffield at some point. I think it's the only one missing.

[@doncoffey5820]

Absolutely Edward. I’ve been trying to organise it for some time and the Instructor I’m working with gave me 4 dates last week..... I can’t make any! We’ll get there, bear with me.

[@thetrainshop]

I know spotters aren't a fan, but what do drivers think of the 70s? Over here the AC traction GE's really can't be beat in comfort (so long as the bogies are rebuilt at good intervals) and pulling power.

[@doncoffey5820]

I asked Vinny that question and he likes them. Despite having looks only a mother could like, the interior is a different story and they are comfortable and quite a commanding view sitting in the middle. Apparently, they don’t ride as well as a 66 and the cream is said to be the 60s.

[@keystonedriving8180]

I get the impression that the class 70 cab is somewhat less noisy than that of the class 66. It's probably not a coincidence that the Norwegian train drivers get paid extra for experiencing the 710g behind them in the Di4s. As an aside, my undrstanding is that the Jenbacher diesel in the 70 is a development of their petrol / gas engine which is used at rubbish tips to generate electricity from the gas resulting from rotting vegetable matter.

[@doncoffey5820]

Interesting stuff, thanks 👍

[@nan91jp65]

Been watching these videos of yours for a while now. Enjoyable and educational (especially landmarks along the way). Would love to see a video passing through Grantham or any lines local to that area. Keep it up!

[@doncoffey5820]

I think I’ve got Grantham. I’ll check and it’ll appear soon.

[@paulbennett8893]

Thanks for sharing 👍great video

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad you liked it Paul.

[@martinfaulkner2546]

Just found your channel and thank you for the time you put I and sharing these videos. I assume the single beep is to indicate a signal approaching but what is the fst beep then the click or on some videos fast beep and clunk? Thank you.

[@doncoffey5820]

Hi Martin. Each of the videos tells you a bit more and you would eventually find it but that rapid beep is the vigilance device. The driver keeps a foot on a pedal and after one minute of inactivity, you get that beeping. The pedal must be released and pressed quickly to avoid an automatic brake application. It’s really saying “hey are you still awake”!

[@carlosalves65]

Thank you for your nice vids. I am from Portugal, and i have a doubt: thr distance between the sound signal and the light signal its about 200 meteres ??

[@doncoffey5820]

Yes, I’ve replied in another question. I’ll be visiting Portugal in September- lovely 👍

[@samuelfellows6923]

😄 - referring to a howling window as an owl, I assume that what it was as I could hear the driver opening and closing it

[@doncoffey5820]

Not sure if it was a side window or something near the screen but it tickled me so I thought rather than apologies, we’d have some fun with it!

[@gerrymckenna4878]

Really enjoyed the journey. I still do not understand Network Rail and their policy of letting lineside vegetation and weeds grow unhindered. Example around 1:30 approaching Sheffield. If I didn't know any better I thought we were traversing somewhere in the jungle!

[@doncoffey5820]

It’s very expensive to clear it Gerry and they get into terrible trouble with environmentalists for “decimating a habitat “. For that reason they tend to do it only as required. Watch out for a TransPennine upgrade video where they’ve really gone to town on it.

[@jameswright7284]

Legend tells of the almighty battle to exorcise the phantom owl who is named Steve

[@doncoffey5820]

That’s was his brother Ken 😉👍

[@j.a.g1291]

Great stuff as always, the hope valley line really is picturesque. Despite your other videos, I have only just now realised that signals along the hope valley line are semaphore; are they still operational, and are they controlled from the various signal boxes shown on the route? Along the same lines (pun intended), some of the signals along the hope valley line are missing aws magnets, notably those semaphore signals at grindleford at 2:02:46 It can’t be a dead spot like you mentioned Sheffield is, right?

[@doncoffey5820]

Only semaphore distant signals have magnets (the yellow fishtail ones that can’t stop a train, only caution one). So we’ll observed, it isn’t an AWS gap like Sheffield, it’s a weakness of the old absolute block system.

[@neilforbes416]

34:03 "River Went"? Where did it go? LOL😁😁

[@doncoffey5820]

It was there when I looked 😉

[@Synthematix]

This should have been called the moonraker mission, as its travelling from DRAX

[@doncoffey5820]

It should but it’s a tiny Yorkshire village!!

[@philipmarchant5608]

Did Earles cement used to be in Hull in Wilmington ?

[@doncoffey5820]

No I don’t think so. It was always GT Earle at Hope but they did have depots around the country. By coincidence, I have got footage of a run into the depot at Hull Docks which I’ll show at some stage.

[@glenaetitmus2106]

Thanks Don for the interesting trip 'around the houses'. As for being 'put out of the way' due to line capacity, that all harks back to the severe over-pruning during the mid 70's and 80's, no thought was ever given that traffic might increase..! As from your own experience rationalisation went abit OTT and 'roads' are now being put back to increase operational flexibility. The howling very much reminded me of my days at OOC on class 52's (westerns) thundering down to Tauton, some were so bad we used to stuff strips of newspaper into the window guides in a vane attempt to hear yourself speak..!

[@doncoffey5820]

Yes, it was an unfortunate time for sure but people were turning to cars and the lorry proved to convenient. I wonder if it had just been mothballed, how much would we get back.

[@cmeonthemove]

They may be ugly locos but boy do they sound superb! Thanks for yet another enjoyable journey Don.

[@doncoffey5820]

Haha, yes. Only the looks a mother could love 👍

[@lonewolf4215]

Drax was the name of a bond villan, from moonraker

[@doncoffey5820]

It was indeed.

[@ReedoRailways]

1:40:35 Interesting that the aspect changes well before the theatre board iluminates, I was always under the impression that it must be proved lit before the aspect would clear, same as Feathers/Junction Indicators. Great video

[@doncoffey5820]

Yes, it’s a group standard. It’s actually confirming that the route has just set up but it is important that the driver recognises the route before taking the signal.

[@billmorrison3714]

Being a life long EMD fan my opinion may be biased, but the class 66 is a much nicer looking locomotive than are the class 70’s.

[@doncoffey5820]

Without a doubt Bill, the 70 has a look only its mother could like but they are quite capable things.

[@stephencleaves]

Always enjoy your video's and really appreciate all the work that goes into editing to make them such a pleasure to watch. Sorry If this has been answered before, but I've noticed that there seems to be lots of "spare lengths" of railway lines, placed between the main running rails. Are these left over pieces from track works and are they ever collected and reused ?

[@doncoffey5820]

It does come up from time to time Steve but no matter. It was common it one time to drop spare lengths of rail at strategic locations where the track workers could access them if needed. It’s rare these days because most track is long welded. It gets left all over the place because it cost far more to collect it. If the do a re rail, you’ll see it all broken up into short lengths and at that time, they collect any old rail.

[@neilforbes416]

34:12 Park Lane? Where's Mayfair?😄😄

[@doncoffey5820]

Mr Forbes, as I live and breath. Hope you’re ok 👍

[@Geeves8612]

If you'd have said in the 80s there wouldn't be a single MGR in the entire country (especially around Yorkshire) by the 2020s people would think you were crazy. Times change of course but it's hard not to be little sad it's all gone at least from railway fan pov. Environment is definitely likely to be happier ha.

[@doncoffey5820]

Absolutely Geeves. I remember them in their thousands and a very common sight but then again so were 56 and 58s. They actually caused a lot of track damage and were very prone to the effects of cyclic top which could derail them.

[@merlinonline67]

Did anyone see the big rat at the start of the video? down in the bottom left!

[@doncoffey5820]

He’s a practice rat 🐀 for training the network rail cat 🐈 😉

[@ajidamarjati]

Relaxing ride

[@doncoffey5820]

Yes, thanks

[@applecounty]

By "walking", you mean 'nicked'.

[@doncoffey5820]

I can’t remember what I was referring to???

[@gazzasb1]

All those coal power stations have gone now

[@doncoffey5820]

I know Gazza. It’s a shame as it’s part of our history. Progress I suppose.

[@OKB1133]

The whole of the UK has become "OOU" lol. Industry as it was once known is dead and we rely heavily on China...I mean... imports. That aside, good video.

[@doncoffey5820]

It is true. We have no heavy industry.

[@geertgoethals5464]

sorry but why you keep calling it a yellow sign...its a orange light....red orange and green...not yellow...jeeez

[@doncoffey5820]

Keep calm Geert! On the roads they call it orange or amber but I can assure you the railway call it yellow and new drivers will be firmly corrected for saying otherwise. It is because the early semaphore signals were bright yellow and so was the aspect. The term yellow is carried through so there is no mistake about it being a caution ⚠️ signal 👍

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

I appreciate you need some advert revenue, but do you need quite so many? And so many that go on for 10+ seconds with no option to skip? I would actually be happier with the ads if you were making money for yourself. If it's going to charity: which charity is demanding you have so many ads?

[@doncoffey5820]

The Samaritans for their work with railway suicide. My colleague struck and killed a person last night that might have been avoided with the right help. My colleague has had three suicides now. That can have a long lasting effect on a person. You can always subscribe or watch the premier to avoid adverts. I don’t choose the adverts, Google do.