[silverwolf]

Well today, as per usual on a Wednesday, I took a trip to Copmanthorpe with my Grandad. As the clocks went forward at the weekend, resulting in an extra hour of light, it meant I would see the Jarrow Tankers at 1840ish, which used to be, and still is hauled by a 60.

But as if the 22c temperature wasn't enough, the freight was pouring through! The average for a Wednesday is around 15 (un-repeated) freight locos, from 0930 to 1800. Today... Between 0910 and 1840, we spotted, 32 locos! Including a 31, 37, two 47s, and a 60! Talk about a blast from the past...

It was like the Summer of 2006 all over again!

Note: I'm not holding my breath for the same next week. I maintain that this week was purely a ''busy day''.

[4SRKT]

Do you ever go down to that road that crosses both railway lines just south of Colton Junction (the road from the A64 to Appleton Roebuck)? You see everything there that you get at Cop but the long distance views of approaching trains are second to none.

[silverwolf]

I haven't actually. We once went to Colton Junction but the problem there is that you're above the line and the if you try taking photos, all you get is Catenary wires! Copmanthorpe is pretty good but as the Up Fast is seperated from the other lines, you get stantion posts in the way! Earfitt Lane crossing was superb until the metal fencing went in.

[4SRKT]

On that road south of Colton there is a great section between the two lines, with a layby you can park in (there is an engineers' access road leading down from the embankment. You are higher than the lines, but not above them. Given the lack of panoramic viewpoints in the Vale of York, this is as good as it gets! There are always a few onlookers/photters there, and its popularity speaks for itself.

[142094]

Easiest way to get to it is from Copmanthorpe. There is also a decent boozer which does meals in Colton itself.

[96tommy]

My Review of Colton Junction and Copmanthorpe:

Colton Junction is especially good in the summer months if you want photos as when it is dry you can walk down the embankment on the ECML side to get quite a decent shot of the southbound ECML freights. Northbound it is good too but you need to give yourself plenty of time as they come at short notice. You can also get good shots in both directions on the Leeds lines.

On the average day you can expect to see HST's, 91's, Voyagers, 180's, 158's, 142's, 66's, 60's, 185's and occasionally 150's and 153's.

As said, the pub in Colton (The Sun Inn) serves food and just over a mile away you have local shops in Copmanthorpe and a Fish and Chip shop (Tritons) and a Mc Donalds at Bilbrough Top next to the A64.

I would say the best time is 17:30 - 19:15 as in that time you can see at least a Freightliner 66 on intermodal, DB Schenker 60 on oil tanks, DRS 66 on intermodal aswell as several coals and light engine movements.

I believe Copmanthorpe is better in the Winter season as there are plenty of locations in the village where you can sit in the car and quickly jump out to get a photos but with Colton Junction, you have to get out of the car and walk across to either bridge if you want that 'perfect' shot.

Overall, both are great locations and are some of only a few places where all five main FOC's can be seen in a day (DRS, Colas, DB Schenker, GBRf, Freightliner)

Some photos:

Copmanthorpe






Colton Junction





Hope you find this helpful!

Tommy
http://tommysrailwayphotos.smugmug.com/

[silverwolf]

Thank you for that in depth study... I've been going to Copmanthorpe for years now and over the last two weeks it has got busier. The average between 0930 and 1730 was 15 locos but last week we saw (between 0915 and 1845) 32 locos, with this week seeing 25. As you say there is plenty of variety in terms of FOCs. The GBRF, Freightliner HH and EWS coal traffic varies, but there is a booked ''short'' FL container at around 1030/1100, Colas Coal at 1330, Short FL Containers at 1630, EWS Steel at 1710, Long FL Containers at 1800, DRS Containers at 1820, and EWS Tankers at 1840. Recently we've has XC HST at 1815 (probably substituting for the 221 that was damaged due to the fatality a few weeks ago). Last week we saw 2 FL engine moves, 2 DRS 47s, a BARS 31 and a DRS 37. We tend to leave after the tanks as we don't think there is much more to see since the Postals were no longer 47/67/90 hauled. I'd upload some images myself but I'm using a phone atm. We were wondering if Copmanthorpe is seeing 20+ engines each week, how much busier Doncaster might be, or not as the case may be. Not having a car myself, and fuel being an expense for my Grandad, we now stick to the local area so the busier the better really.

[theblackwatch]

Originally Posted by 4SRKT

On that road south of Colton there is a great section between the two lines, with a layby you can park in (there is an engineers' access road leading down from the embankment. You are higher than the lines, but not above them. Given the lack of panoramic viewpoints in the Vale of York, this is as good as it gets! There are always a few onlookers/photters there, and its popularity speaks for itself.

I popped through there last week for the prototype HST move (as it's under 20 minutes from work, quite handy) and there were around 30 cars there for that and Tornado which was due to pass 30 minutes later.

To answer Silverwolf - Doncaster is certainly normally busier but not as photogenic as Copmanthorpe or Colton.

[silverwolf]

Originally Posted by theblackwatch

I popped through there last week for the prototype HST move (as it's under 20 minutes from work, quite handy) and there were around 30 cars there for that and Tornado which was due to pass 30 minutes later.

To answer Silverwolf - Doncaster is certainly normally busier but not as photogenic as Copmanthorpe or Colton.

Prototype HST move? As in the one from the NRM? Is there anywhere on the net to find out such movements? I use uksteam.info for steam tours and movements but have yet to find something for diesels