1. Doncaster to Hull, Humber Ferry & York-06.12.08

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1980 > 21. The York Overnighter-06 & 07.12.80 > 1. Doncaster to Hull, Humber Ferry & York-06.12.08

The drive up to Yorkshire from Wiltshire was a long one but pretty uneventful. We headed for Doncaster and hit the jackpot straight away with some Deltic action. We then continued east via Gilberdyke to Hull and then the Humber ferry. There are two recordings made on the MV Faringford here and here as it sailed in the dark and during a blizzard from new Holland Pier back to Hull. The weather started cold and bright but deteriorated in the late afternoon when it began to snow and then a blizzard ensued that made the drive to York across the Wolds a little tricky!

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Images 1-36 of 36 displayed.

55016, 12.34 Hull-London King's Cross (1A18), Doncaster North Junction Standing on Doncaster's North Bridge Road reveals the ECML heading off to the left with the line from Goole and ultimately Hull joining from the right. 55016 'Gordon Highlander' is seen catching the winter sunshine leading the 1A18 12.34 Hull to King's Cross service. To the right is PW depot that is rail linked, as is the case today but I suspect there will be no wooden level crossing gates leaning against the building now as is seen in this photograph. Keywords: 55016 12.34 Hull-London King's Cross 1A18 Doncaster North Junction Gordon Highlander
55016, 12.34 Hull-London King's Cross (1A18), Doncaster St. James' bridge Having seen 55016 'Gordon Highlander' enter Doncaster station a little earlier Graham and I must have leapt into the Austin 1100 and raced to the south of the station to St. James' bridge to secure a second photograph. With the tower of Doncaster Minster in the background, the station is seen to the top left with just a DMU waiting at a platform. Unfortunately, the low winter sunshine and my ineptitude have meant that the lower nose of the Deltic is in the shade as it weaves away from the station with the 1A18 Hull to King's Cross. Notice the Mk. I Ford Capri complete with a vinyl roof parked in the background next to a green Vauxhall Chevette and some BR Dodge Spacevans (formally Comma vans). Keywords: 55016 12.34 Hull-London King's Cross 1A18 Doncaster St. James' Bridge Gordon Highlander
Gilberdyke Station building The superb station building located on Gilberdyke's down platform is seen catching some afternoon (according to the station clock approaching 15.00) winter sunshine. At this time, there were four tracks on this section of line but this has now been reduced to two. The lovely building has been demolished and the platform abandoned along with the super old footbridge. Up until 1974, it was known as Staddlethorpe station and also had a large yard located to the south side that served the adjacent Staddlethorpe pole yard, where telegraph poles were dipped in creosote; it must have been a malodorous place to live! Keywords: Gilberdyke Station building
Class 124 DMU, 14.12 Leeds-Hull, Gilberdyke station A Class 124 DMU passes at speed through Gilberdyke station working the 14.12 Leeds to Hull service. These were felt by many to be amongst the finest of the first generation DMUs being built almost entirely around a Mk. I coach with powerful engines under, initially at least, every coach, a unique feature at the time. With their curved windscreens, they also looked the part and had a successful career spanning some twenty-four years; yet another Swindon success story! Keywords: Class 124 DMU 14.12 Leeds-Hull Gilberdyke station
55022, 12.05 Kings Cross-Hull (1D02), Gilberdyke station The Napier soundtrack to this photograph was pretty dramatic! 55022 'Royal Scots Grey' could be heard for some distance as it approached Gilberdyke in the afternoon slowing for the junction just beyond the bridge in the background. The driver then flew open the power handle and it roared through the station heading on towards Hull with the 1D02 12.05 ex Kings' Cross. Royal Scots Grey was always recognisable by the strange and somewhat rusty dent on its nose. There is an audio recording of this event on my Youtube channel, see.. https://youtu.be/HaXxiofriXY Keywords: 55022 12.05 Kings Cross-Hull 1D02 Gilberdyke station Royal Scots Grey
55022, 12.05 King's Cross-Hull (1D02), Gilberdyke station I am not a particular fan of 'going-away' shots but I must have been overcome by events on this cold late afternoon at Gilberdyke station! 55022 'Royal Scots Grey' makes a heck of a row as it powers away on towards its destination just seventeen miles away from here. The twin down signal posts are controlled by Oxmardyke crossing box and Gilberdyke signal box. The starters/homes being controlled by the former and the distants by the latter. The black clouds seen gathering in the east were to dump a load of snow on us later in the evening hampering our drive from Hull to York. There is an audio recording of this event on my Youtube channel, see.. https://youtu.be/HaXxiofriXY Keywords: 55022 12.05 King's Cross-Hull 1D02 Gilberdyke station Royal Scots Gray Deltic
Class 123 DMU, 14.43 Hull-Sheffield, Gilberdyke station A four-car Class 123 DMU takes the centre road through Gilberdyke station forming the 14.43 Hull to Sheffield service. These Swindon built Inter-City units predated the Class 124s that were also seen on this route working various trans-Pennine services. They were very similar to the later units but had connecting doors for multiple working. Like the Class 124s, none have survived into preservation largely due to extensive use of asbestos in their construction. However, a number of plans have been made to rebuild a set from existing preserved Mk1 coaches; none of which have yet come to fruition. Keywords: Class 123 DMU 14.43 Hull-Sheffield Gilberdyke station
Class 124 DMU, 14.50 Hull-Leeds, Gilberdyke station I really think that the Class 124 Swindon built DMUs were the most elegant built and despite being twenty years old when this photograph was taken look modern and purposeful. This unidentified set is seen passing Gilberdyke station with the 14.50 Hull to Leeds service with the passengers enjoying a good ride on this unit in relative luxury even if the fabled buffets had been removed by this time. Beyond the array of fine mechanical signalling is Oxmardyke signal box and notice the undulating track emphasised in this telephoto image. Graham can just be seen walking back towards the station having secured his photograph standing on the foot crossing the steps of which can be seen behind him. This foot crossing is still extant today but just traverses two tracks with the railway lined by tall trees; all so different than this wide open scene! Keywords: Class 124 DMU 14.50 Hull-Leeds Gilberdyke station First generation DMU
Gilberdyke Junction signal box (NE, 1903) Another example of a somewhat plain but highly functional North Eastern Railway signal box. This one was located just west of the station named Gilberdyke Junction and dates from 1903. It controlled the busy junction at the convergence of the routes from Doncaster and Selby and, until 1987, was the start of a lengthy section of quadruple track, running east and dead straight, as far as Ferriby. Sadly, the box was closed in 2018 when control of the whole line was transferred to the York Signalling Centre with a huge swathe of mechanical signalling and a number of boxes wiped away. Keywords: Gilberdyke Junction signal box NER North Eastern Railway
Oxmardyke Signal Box (NE, 1901) Separated by only five years (1901 and 1903) Oxmardyke and Gilberdyke signal boxes (seen in the last image) are very different in their designs despite both being NER designed structures. Oxmardyke is a far more ornate and pleasing design with its segmented stone lintel windows to the locking room. From the front, its sense of symmetry is pleasing even with the stovepipe directly to the middle of the roofline. Notice the mop leaning by the side of the door at the top of the steps with the vinyl flooring inside probably shining and polished! Keywords: Oxmardyke Signal Box NER North Eastern Railway
Nameplate, 55022, 16.30 Hull-London KIng's Cross (1A28), Hull station Having seen 55022 earlier in the afternoon passing Gilberdyke station it was still at Hull Paragon station when we arrived at teatime. Using the flash on my Pentax ME Super camera the nameplate is seen on the side of the locomotive. Viewed by many as the doyen of the class, 55022 as D9000 was the first of the production Deltics but actually entered service five days after D9001 (55001 'St. Paddy') in March 1961. The nameplates were revealed in June 1962 during a naming ceremony at Edinburgh Waverley station. There is an audio recording of this event on my Youtube channel, see..... https://youtu.be/KeTVheQqth8 Keywords: Nameplate 55022, 16.30 Hull-London KIng's Cross 1A28 Hull station Deltic
Cab, 55022, 16.30 Hull-London KIng's Cross (1A28), Hull station An illicit cabing allowed this image of 55022 ‘Royal Scots Grey’, to be taken on the 1A28 16.30 Hull to London King’s Cross, taken at Hull station. Two things strike me about this view. Firstly how utterly filthy the cab and its controls are and secondly the basic nature of them. Notice the piece if material riveted to the control desk below the dials designed to keep the driver's legs and knees warm protecting them from an obvious draft point. Finally, notice the writing on the control panel above the nose cone door stating 'To Ray Eakins'. Ray was an official and board member of the Deltic Preservation Society (The DPS) for many years and prior to that an engineer at 'The Plant' (Doncaster). It looked like this control module was heading his way in 1980 for attention! There is an audio recording of this event on my Youtube channel, see..... https://youtu.be/KeTVheQqth8 Keywords: Cab 55022 16.30 Hull-London KIng's Cross 1A28 Hull station Deltic Royal Scots Grey
55022, 16.30 Hull-London KIng's Cross (1A28), Hull station 55022 'Royal Scots Grey' stands at Hull station waiting to leave with the 16.30 to King's Cross. Notice in this photograph the larger square around the footstep above the buffer beam. This was a unique identifier to 55022 and marked the spot where it once had an experimental flashing light fitted. Also notice the oil lamp sitting on the platform ramp at the base of the colour light that appears to be lit given the red light reflected. There is an audio recording of this event on my Youtube channel, see..... https://youtu.be/KeTVheQqth8 Keywords: 55022 16.30 Hull-London KIng's Cross 1A28 Hull station Royal Scots Grey Deltic
55022, 16.30 Hull-London KIng's Cross (1A28), Hull station An everyday scene of the era at Hull station showing the mail being loaded into a BG (Brake Ganwayed) Mk. I coach at the front of the 1A28 16.30 Hull to London King’s Cross. Deltic 55022 ‘Royal Scots Grey’ will lead the train. Gone are the days of bags of mail being loaded and unloaded from trains with them all going by road now. However, there is continued talk of mail returning to rail and with ever-increasing environmental and climate targets to be met this really makes sense! There is an audio recording of this event on my Youtube channel, see..... https://youtu.be/KeTVheQqth8 Keywords: 55022 16.30 Hull-London KIng's Cross 1A28 Hull station
MV Farringford, build plate It looks like the Braso has been out in celebration of our trip on MV Farringford! The build plate is seen above the steps to the hold. MV Farringford was built by William Denny & Bros, Dumbarton at their Leven yard (no. 1402) and was launched on 21.03.1947 entering service the following year on the Isle of Wight crossing between Lymington and Yarmouth. Keywords: MV Farringford build plate
MV Farringford, car deck The car deck of MV Farringford is seen as the vessel awaits to depart from Hull Corporation Pier for New Holland. When ordered by the Southern Railway just after the war for use on the Yarmouth to Lymington route it was designed as a straightforward drive on-drive off ferry capable of carrying thirty-two cars. However, when it was transferred to the Humber route in 1978 it was converted to sideloading with capacity increasing to forty cars. It is seen here waiting at Hull Corporation pier preparing to sail to New Holland Keywords: MV Farringford car deck
MV Farringford, lifeboat MV Farringford, dating from 1947, had two lifeboats both on the port side, one astern and one forward. Taken from the passenger platform this is the astern boat. Keywords: MV Farringford lifeboat BR Sealink
MV Farringford, releasing the rope, Hull Corporation pier With the 17.30 Hull Corporation Pier to New Holland Pier sailing ready to go a member of the staff releases the rope from the pier head at Hull. Staff were BR employees working under the Sealink brand. Keywords: MV Farringford releasing the rope Hull Corporation pier
Enamels & roof work, New Holland Pier station On arrival at a cold, a wild New Holland Pier was like going back to another age! The station, some distance from the shore on the wooden pier, was festooned with blue (British Railways Eastern Region) enamels and items even older than that. The whole atmosphere was enhanced by the darkness and the snow that was now falling quite heavily. Notice the DMU just putting in an appearance to the far left. Keywords: Enamels roof work New Holland Pier station
Enamel, New Holland Pier station An enamel sign at the top of the ramp from the pier down to the loading pontoon on New Holland Pier station. This was one example of much pre-BR signage scattered around the pier and the station. Whilst this sample appears to be a British Railways origin sign the font does not look quite right to me and the non-flanged nature perhaps suggests that it could be of LNER origin? Keywords: Enamel New Holland Pier station
LNER Globe & enamel, New Holland pier In blizzard conditions on New Holland pier, one of the many LNER globe lamps that lined the pier is seen with a huge enamel sign underneath. When I visited the pier last in 2007 the lamps had been removed, I wonder where these elegant pieces of infrastructure ended up; not just sold for scrap I hope? I also managed to photograph another example a few months later at March, see....https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30044135659/x22-lner-globe-lamp-footbridge-march but this was a to slightly different design. Keywords: LNER Globe enamel New Holland pier
Class 114 DMU, 17.57 Cleethorpes-Barton-on-Humber, New Holland Pier station With the snow now settling a Class 114 DMU is seen on New Holland pier jutting some one thousand four hundred feet into the Humber. The DMU has just arrived with the 17.57 from Cleethorpes. Train services were timed to arrive and depart in connection with the ferry sailings to and from Hull. Notice the small and now closed signal cabin to the extreme right. Following the removal of the second track on the pier the box was closed with the line operated as a long siding to and from Oxmarsh signal box. Keywords: Class 114 DMU 17.57 Cleethorpes-Barton-on-Humber New Holland Pier station First-generation DMU
New Holland Pier station A desolate scene on New Holland Pier railway station stuck out in the Humber Estuary and it snowing just to add to the occasion! The station would offer little protection to foot passengers who either walk along the pier to the left under the superb line of LNER globe lamps or whilst waiting for their ferry or train to arrive. Notice the blue battery powered tractor on the platform used for towing various trolleys down the loading ramp to the pontoon to be taken on to MV Farringford. Keywords: New Holland Pier station
LNER paper notice, New Holland Pier A remarkable survivor on New Holland Pier station. An ex LNER paper notice with its modern corporate image version below is seen behind a protective glass screen in a frame that must have been very weather tight given its harsh surroundings! As the LNER ceased to be in 1947 the very youngest this paper notice could be was thirty-three years old when this picture was taken in 1980. Keywords: LNER paper notice New Holland Pier station
MV Farringford, engine On the return ferry crossing, Graham and I were permitted 'access all areas' by the very accommodating crew. This included a trip into the engine room of MV Farringford and quite a noisy place it was too. One of the English Electric Crossley six-cylinder engines is seen. They were unusual in that as in the majority of vessels they were not direct-acting but actually drive electrical motors that then acted on the paddles. This is the same way that the vast majority of diesel locomotes operate. One of the generators can seen at the very bottom right-hand corner of the image. Notice the exposed pushrods acting on the valves at the top of the engine block Keywords: MV Farringford engine
MV Farringford, brass pressure gauges A pair of small vacuum gauges adjacent to the English Electric engines on MV Farringfrod. It looks as though they are attached to a pressurised tank of some kind. A little bit of Braso has been employed on the cowling of the gauges indicating a bit of care and love by the various crew members for the old ship! Keywords: MV Farringford brass pressure gauges
MV Farringford, brass control unit This well-kept device in the engine room of MV Farrigford indicates what the various paddles are doing at any one time. The P and S refer to port and starboard with the M I presume indicate amidship, nautical advice appreciated! This would seem to indicate that the MV Farringford, undertaking the 18.15 sailing from New Holland Pier to Hull Corporation Pier was heading almost straight ahead across the cold Humber at this time. Thomas Reid & Sons (Paisley) Ltd. was a deck machinery manufacturers from 1900 until 2008 when the inevitable closure came according to an article that I discovered in The Scotsman newspaper. Keywords: MV Farringford brass control unit Thomas Reid & Sons
MV Farringford, engine order telegraph, bridge A common site on ships that is familiar to even us non-mariners is the classic brass engine order telegraph (EOT) device. It is a device used by the person manning the bridge to communicate with the engineman down below in the engine room. It is connected electronically to its twin down below decks and rings a bell when an adjustment is made. However, this one is a little different without the usual markings, can anybody nautical please educate me? Keywords: MV Farringford engine order telegraph bridge EOT
MV Farringford, generator control unit Looking more like a set from Frankenstein this is actually the electrical heart of the MV Farringford. This is how the engines were controlled using the large wheel to allow more electrical power to the paddles that propel the vessel at the command of the bridge. The dials above would have shown the various ampages with the semi-circle of light illuminating to illustrate the power to paddles. Notice the row of huge breakers above the shoulder of the white boiler suited member of the crew watching over me as I take my photograph. Keywords: MV Farringford generator control unit
MV Farringford, bridge The rather neat and tidy bridge of MV Farrigford after arrival at Hull's Coprtatipon Pier with the 18.15 sailing from new Holland Pier. The vessel served another six months before being withdrawn following the opening of the Humber bridge. It was destined to head north to serve on the Clyde's Gourock to Dunoon crossing for Western Ferries but this never happened with the ship broken up at Hull's Silcok's Basin in 1984. Keywords: MV Farringford bridge
MV Farringford, engine order telegraph, engine room The engine room's order telegraph is seen, like everything else on the MV Farringford, looking spic and span with its polished brass bezel. A. Robinson and Co. LTD of Liverpool and Glasgow were a manufacturer of all types of deck products for ships and their items today, such this one, that has been recovered from ships attract premium prices in the collectors market. Notice the can of EEZIT oil next to the tools and a tin of Swarfega that looks like it may contain something else? EEZIT still exist today but in the specialist lubricant market and is not the same as the far better-known 3-in-One oil that we are more familiar with. Keywords: A. Robinson and Co. LTD MV Farringford, engine order telegraph engine room
MV Farringford, Hull Corporation Pier Having arrived with the 18.15 sailing from New Holland Pier MV Farringford is seen moored at Hull's Corporation Pier in a blizzard hence the mediocre quality of the photograph. The cars and pedestrians accessed the ferry via the somewhat narrow covered access road seen to the right Keywords: MV Farringford Hull Corporation Pier
Humber Ferry road sign, Hull Corporation Pier With the sign pointing towards the Humber Ferry becoming obscured by snow now falling thick and fast we were in for an interesting drive across the Yorkshire Wolds to York. Indeed, the journey along the A1079 was tricky with a lot of slipping and sliding in the Austin 1100 shorn with its next to useless re-mould tyres. We were relieved to reach Market Weighton finding the glow of a chip shop in Market Place a very welcome sight! Keywords: Humber Ferry road sign Hull Corporation Pier
55017, 17.05 London King's Cross-Hull (1D04), Hull station (Courtesy of GGV) Before taking our leave of Hull we called in at the station as we were passing. To our delight we found 55017 'The Durham Light Infantry' had just arrived with the 1D04 17.05 from King's Cross. For some reason, I did not take a photograph of the locomotive so this one is kindly supplied by Graham. 55017 was one of the Deltics that survived until the end on 31.12.81. Unfortunately, it was not one of the preserved few being broken up at Doncaster two years later in January 1983. Keywords: 55017 17.05 London King's Cross-Hull 1D04 Hull station Deltic The Durham Light Infantry
Nameplate, 55 017, 17.05 London King's Cross-Hull (1D04), Hull station The nameplate attached to the side of 55017 as it stands at Hull Paragon having arrived with the 17.05 service from King's Cross. Unsurprisingly, the locomotive was named with a ceremony at Durham station on 29.10.63. This name was previously carried by LNER 'V2' No. 60964. Almost exactly a month after this photograph was taken 55017 was involved in a serious collision at Finsbury Park that almost made it the fourth member of the class to be withdrawn. However, extensive repairs to its number one end were authorised that saw a team at Doncaster make a new one from scratch. Keywords: Nameplate 55 017 17.05 London King's Cross-Hull 1D04 Hull station Deltic The Durham Light Infantry
47115, 20.00 London King's Cross-Aberdeen, York station With its Spanner Mk. III boiler working well, 47115 is seen at York leading the 1S60 20.00 London King's Cross-Aberdeen. It was always nice to see a Stratford Class 47 as the depot seemed to turn their engines out looking smarter than the rest. In addition, they also personalised their engines with such things as their trademark silver roofs as shown here. Time exposure photographs utilising long shutter speeds, I have in my records that this one was about ten seconds at f8, bring a whole new atmosphere to railway scenes as well as strange effects such as the reflection of something or other, often with a ghostly appearance, like in the bottom right corner. Keywords: 47115 20.00 London King's Cross-Aberdeen York station

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