12. South Yorkshire in the snow-28.02.18

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2018 > 12. South Yorkshire in the snow-28.02.18

A trip to remember! The country was gripped by the 'Beast from the East', but despite this and the weather forecast, Andy and I decided to head north to Yorkshire. Him to 'cop' some stations and me some signal boxes. We went in my trusty Combo van shod with some excellent winter tyres and, boy we needed them!

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Images 1-30 of 30 displayed.

144018, NT 10.36 Sheffield-Huddersfield (2B42, 2L), Chapeltown station
144018 arrives at Chapletown station forming the 10.36 Sheffield to Huddersfield. After some overnight snowfall it was beginning to snow again, as can be seen from the front of the Pacer. Northern Rail made a good fist of it on this tricky day with most trains arriving on-time, this one was only two minutes into Huddersfield.
Keywords: 144018 2B42 Chapeltown station

144016, NT 10.13 Huddersfield-Sheffield (2B39, 9L), Elescar station
It was really beginning to snow by now here at Elescar and the wind was whipping it around. 144016 runs non-stop through the station working the Northern Rail 2B39 10.10 Huddersfield to Sheffield working.
Keywords: 144016 2B39 Elescar station

158850, NT 10.40 Leeds-Sheffield (1L81, 2L), Elescar station
In virtual blizzard conditions now 158850 races through Elescar station working Northern Trains' 10.40 Leeds to Sheffield. Northern Rail was pretty resilient on what was a tricky day to operate trains as this service only arrived two minutes late into Sheffield.
Keywords: 158850 1L81 Elescar station

142028, NT 10.33 Leeds-Sheffield (2L27, 6L), Wombwell station
Northern Rail Pacer 142028 leaves Wombwell station working the 2L67 10.33 Leeds to Sheffield. Despite the appalling weather conditions, there were a fair few passengers getting about using the trains that were infinitely more reliable than the moaning minions seem to want us to believe.
Keywords: 142028 2L27 Wombwell station

158910, NT 11.06 Sheffield-Leeds (2L26, 20L), Barnsley station
A snow-bound Barnsley station sees 158910 arrive working the 11.06 Sheffield to Leeds working. The roads were very quiet (thankfully) with not many people venturing out but the railways were doing a good business.
Keywords: 158910 2L26 Barnsley station

Barnsley signal box (Railtrack, 1998)
Not much more than a Portakabin on a brick base but at least it's in the style of a traditional signal box I suppose! Barnsley 'signal' box was built by Railtrack in 1998 to replace the former Jumble Lane box that was diagonally opposite directly behind where I'm standing.
Keywords: Barnsley signal box Railtrack, 1998

144016, NT 11.36 Sheffield-Huddersfield (2B44, 36L), Barnsley station
Northern Rail Pacer 144016 draws into Barnsley station with the 11.36 Sheffield to Huddersfield. It has just crossed over the Jumble Lane level crossing. A signal box with the same name once existed at the platform end just behind the middle carriage of the Pacer. This box was demolished in spring 2005 having been out of use for some years.
Keywords: 144016 2B44 Barnsley station

142028, NT 12.06 Sheffield-Leeds (2L30, RT), Darton station
With snow now thick on the ground, 142028 draws into Darton station with the 12.06 Sheffield to Leeds 2L30 working. Despite the conditions, this woking managed to arrive right-time at its destination; well done Northern Trains! After we left Darton station we went in search of Woolley Coal Sidings signal box. Despite aerial surveillance using Google Earth and extensive studying of OS maps we could not find it. The snow blocking roads made things a little tricky but at least we tried....can anybody help?
Keywords: 142028 2L30 Darton station

Normanton station
Taken from the newly installed footbridge, the view shows the remains of the once very grand Normanton Station. It was opened by the North Midland Railway in 1840. It grew to become a very important and grand station that boasted a Station Hotel once used by Queen Victoria. Post Beeching, many of the lines that came together near Normanton closed and its importance wained. With the further industrial decline of the '80s the station building fell into complete disrepair and the whole site ended up in a shocking state. Thankfully, some investment has taken place, passenger numbers and services are on the up and it's going through a mini-renaissance; it's still a bit of a desolate spot though!
Keywords: Normanton station

Castleford Gates signal box-closed (NE, 1870)
The derelict and sad looking Castleford Gates signal box photographed in the snow. This 1870 North Eastern Railway box was closed in September 1997 and replaced by a Railtrack monstrosity diagonally opposite over the A655 level crossing. One of the reasons for closure was because the McKenzie and Holland frame was completely worn out apart from the fact that all the semaphores were being abolished! I managed a bit of a tight photograph of the box from a passing train when it was still in use back in 1980, see....... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/29385164404/x12-castleford-gates-signal-box-ne
Keywords: Castleford Gates signal box NE 1870

Castleford signal box (Railtrack, 1997)
When the 1870 North Eastern Railway signal box was closed in 1997 Railtrack deemed that this structure to be a worthy replacement. I'll leave you to decide?
Keywords: Castleford signal box Railtrack 1997

Castleford level crossing
Old and new at Castleford level crossing. The 1870 North Eastern Railway structure remains standing to the right with its 1997 replacement to the left. One wonders if in one hundred and fifty years time the Portakabin structure will still be standing?
Keywords: Castleford level crossing

Castleford Station signal box, closed (NE, 1882)
When the hideous new Castleford signal box was opened at the site of the A655 level crossing by Railtrack in 1997, several boxes in the area were closed. Castleford Station signal box, seen here in a blizzard, was one of them. Like the Gates signal box it was a North Eastern Railway structure dating from 1882 and is subject to a preservation order. There have been moves to restore it and put it to a new use but nothing has come to fruition. The main problem appears to be that it's on the old up platform that is out of use and no longer connected to the rest of the station since the footbridge was removed.
Keywords: Castleford Station signal box NE 1882

144017, NT 13.06 Sheffield-Leeds (2L34, 2L), Castleford station
The crew of 144017 working Northern Rail's 13.06 Sheffield to Leeds change ends at Castleford station ready to retrace their steps back to Whitwood Junction and then head north to Leeds. Again, despite the appalling conditions, this train only arrived two minutes late at its destination
Keywords: 144017 2L34 Castleford station

Cutsyke signal box (BR, 1975)
Constructed by British Rail in 1975, Cutsyke signal box is going to win no prizes in the design stakes. It controls the crossing over the busy A369 road just south of Castleford town. The gates are of the electrical wheel boom type that, at the time of writing, there are just three remaining on the network. Despite the weather conditions, they appear to have worked well.
Keywords: Cutsyke signal box

$Cutsyke signal box (BR, 1975) Another view of the A639 road where it crosses the Castleford to Pontefract line. The crossing gates look a little like wicket fences in this picture but they are in fact of the rare electrical wheel boom type. When they close, small wheeled motors power them across the road to the closed position. Cutsyke box was built by BR in 1975. Keywords: Cutsyke signal box$

150112, NT 14.00 Leeds-Knottingley (2F19, RT), Cutsyke level crossing
A welcome break from the snow finds 150112 easing around the sharp curve at Cutsyke level crossing as it forms the 14.00 Leeds to Knottingley working. The line speed over the crossing is 25mph according to the most recent risk assessment data. There has been very little misuse of the crossing, probably down to the fact that rather than having raising and lowering barriers it has wheeled gates that I should imagine are more difficult to 'dodge'.
Keywords: 150112 2F19 Cutsyke level crossing

Gates closing, Cutsyke level crossing
The electrical wheel boom level crossing gates crossing are in action at Cutsyke closing off the A639 to road traffic. Already there is a fair queue building up on the A639, a busy road to the south of Castleford. Notice that the signal box sign says Cutsyke Junction. There has been no junction here since February 1981 when the Castleford western chord was closed to all traffic, it had been freight-only since 1968. There was also a second station in Castleford situated on this chord called Castleford Cutsyke located on Akerton Road.
Keywords: Cutsyke level crossing

Details, wheeled level crossing, Cutsyke level crossing
The defunct Unipart Rail looks like they installed and maintained the motors and mechanics of the level crossing gates at Cutsyke. Look at the engineering that has gone in to this little motor such as the little prop-shaft complete with tiny U/Js. It's such simple technology that appears to work well in all conditions, even in the extreme cold that the 'Beast From the East' can throw at it!
Keywords: wheeled level crossing Cutsyke level crossing

144023, NT 14.14 Knottingley-Leeds (2F20, 4L), Cutsyke level crossing
With he snow beginning to come down again, 144023 crosses Cutsyke level crossing at the 25mph speed limit as it's about to take the sharp right hand curve just after it and on up to Castleford station. This Pacer dates from the mid 1980s and is very much nearing the end of the literal line as this picture was taken in 2018.
Keywords: 144023 2F20 Cutsyke level crossing

$142051, NT 14.31 Wakefield Kirkgate-Knottingley (2F75, 2L), Pontefract Tanshelf station With the sky beginning to brighten up a bit the light has improved here at Pontefract Tanshelf station. 142051 is just leaving working the 14.31 Wakefield Kirkgate to Knottingley service. For a town with a relatively modest population of about 30 000 people Pontefract is blessed with three stations! Tanshelf was re-opened in 1992 following the return of a passenger service to the Wakefield to Pontefract route. Unfortunately, it one of a few station that has seen an overall decline in patronage over recent years. Only in 2017 did the usage figure rise slightly. Keywords: 14205 12F7 Pontefract Tanshelf station$

$Prince of Wales Colliery Signal Box (L&Y, 1912) An interesting survivor just north of Pontefract is the Prince of Wales Colliery signal box. Constructed by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1912 it controlled the level crossing and entry/exit into the big colliery of the same name. The lines that went into the mine complex can still be seen to the left of the picture. This drift coal mine finally closed in 2002 and the site is now occupied by an extensive housing estate that was still under construction at the time of our visit. Keywords: Prince of Wales Colliery Signal Box L&Y, 1912$

$144023, NT 15.00 Leeds-Knottingley (2F21, RT), Pontefract Monkhill station Leaving one of Pontefract's three stations, 144023 is seen working the 15.00 Leeds to Knottingley 2F21 working. Looks can be deceiving, despite the sun being out it was a bitterly cold late afternoon at Pontefract Monkhill with the temperature being way below freezing and a strong and bitter wind blowing. Keywords: 144023 2F21 Pontefract Monkhill station$

150112, NT 15. 56 Knottingley-Knottingley ECS (5F24), Knottingley station
150112 runs out of a very cold Knottingley station having arrived from Leeds. It makes the short journey to Knottingley East Junction where it crosses over and waits before returning again to work its next train back to Leeds. This small movement is the 5F24 15.56 Knottingley to Knottingley ECS.
Keywords: 150112, NT (5F24) Knottingley station

180102, GC 14.33 Bradford Interchange-London-Kings Cross (1A67, 18L), Knottingley station
Grand Central's 14.33 Bradford Interchange to London King's Cross (1A67) working formed of 180102 by-passes Knottingley station taking the 'back road' and then heads south to join the ECML at Shaftholme Junction just north of Doncaster. 180102 was a First Great Western unit for many years before moving north for a new life with Grand Central.
Keywords: 180102 1A67 Knottingley station

66751, 12.00 Drax-Tyne Coal Yard (4N61), Knottingley station
As the afternoon shadows lengthen 66751 'Inspiration Delivered Hitachi Rail Europe' proceeds through Knottingley station with the late running 12.00 Drax to Tyne Coal Yard empty Biomass working. 66063 can be seen stabled in the background waiting for permission to make its light engine move to Milford Sidings.
Keywords: 66751 4N61 Knottingley station

66063, 14.50 Knottingley TMD-Milford Sidings LE, Knottingley station
66053 comes light engine through Knottingley station. It has just left Knottingley TMD and is heading for Milford Sidings ready to take up its next turn of duty.
Keywords: 66063 Knottingley station

150112, NT 15.56 Knottingley-Knottingley ECS (5F24), Knottingley station
Having had a brief layover near to Knottingley MPD, 150112 glides into Knottingley station as the 5F24 ECS. It will then pick up the few passengers present, mainly made up of school children, and work back towards Leeds.
Keywords: 150112 5F24 Knottingley station

Hensall signal box (L&Y, 1875)
My second visit to Hensall station and another chance to photograph the closed signal box. This Lancashire and Yorkshire signal box is Grade II listed according to Historic England. It describes it as being in 'Swiss Cottage style' and relatively unaltered. At least this designation will ensure its survival for the foreseeable future.
Keywords: Hensall signal box L&Y

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