Airedale freight

Just seen an unusual combination on the Leeds/Hunslet to Skipton/Rylstone late evening working it had the usual class 66 on the front but another on the rear.

That's been happening for a couple of months now,
due to a defective point at Neville Hill, where the
train reverses to access the Hunslet branch.

MARK

Does anyone know why it is taking so long to repair the faulty points?

I am just thinking from an economics point of view. Providing an extra loco for several weeks, must surely outstrip the costs of a points repair by some margin!

I live right by the railway in Bingley and never seen this before. Does the trailing loco usually get detached before the run up to Skipton

I've seen it TnT in Kirkstall Loop I assume it makes the reversal at Skipton easier instead of running round the driver can just change loco and take it down the branch

As mentioned, the points out at Neville Hill mean running up to Micklefield to access Hunslet East. The train starts off on a morning from Rylstone to Hull Dairycoates then returns to Rylstone. Once in the quarry the rear loco returns to Skipton. This is because the Rylstone branch is one train working and so something has to leave the section to allow something back in. Once the loco is stabled at Skipton the Redcar train then goes up the branch to the quarry. The Redcar loco then attaches to the train (formerly the Hull) and once loaded it leaves for Hunslet. Then the loco stabled at Skipton runs up the branch and attaches to the Redcar and when it's loaded it's on its way. After the Hunslet train has been discharged there it returns to Rylstone where it's loaded and ready for the morning Hull. The train remains top n tailed because of time constraints on a night and also ease of operation. Hope this makes sense?!