25/09/10 Northern england area

[cragdrummer]

Hey there, im new to the forums so please bare with me (this is a great site by the way!! )
I live in Cardiff but im going to be in Harrogate from the 19-26 september and as i have a free day on the 25th, i was thinking of taking a trip out to take some photos and I have a few questions. Please forgive me if they are answered elseware on the forums, i did a quick search. I was thinking of either going to york, doncaster, Manchester pic or stock port as these are withing good travelling time by train (stockport just out) that suits me best and the questions I would like to know are:

*Which one could you recommnd for good variety of traction?
*Im particularly interested in shooting freight, particularly 86s/90s/92s which is why i chose Man pic and stockport, are there many movments around on both the ECML and WCML around these stations? Which leads me onto..
* I went to rugby 2 years ago, and spent a saturday there, and only 1 freight passed through the whole time I was there, i then noticed on my return looking at another site (think it was trainspots) that there are virtually no freights on the WCML on weekends, is this true? and as I would be in the area on a saturday, for this reason shoulf i not bother going to the WCML area?
*and finally does the ECML have the same freight restrictions on weekends making a trip out to shoot freights pointless?

Thank you soo much, im really looking forward to my time being off my patch here in "sunny" south wales.

All the best,

Craig

 

[96tommy]

I don't think the ECML have the same freight restrictions on weekends. I went to Doncaster on Saturday 19th June for 8 hours and altogether saw around 16 freight workings. Unfortunately all of these were Class 66s but many were double headers and convoys of upto 5 locomotives. Also on a Saturday at Doncaster you will get the Network Rail NMT New Measurement Train HST and whatever is moving in or out the yard and a Class 67 on Thunderbird duties.

At York you don't get many freight and all freight you do get goes on the avoider lines around the station.

I have never been trainspotting at Manchester Pic or Stockport so don't really know about them

 

[sprinterguy]

The only freight routed through Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport,as far as I know, is Freightliners from Trafford Park, which are routed via Stockport and Wilmslow to Crewe Basford Hall. On a Saturday, I imagine that this traffic will be fairly sparse in comparison to Monday to Friday, but will potentially allow a 92 or a couple of 86s to show up.

For photography and general train watching, I'd say Stockport offers the greater benefit, as Manchester Piccadilly is spread over a fairly wide site, whereas Stockport only has the two island platforms plus the through lines, and offers much the same variety of passenger traffic: Virgin Pendolinos, Crosscountry Voyagers, Northern Pacers, Sprinters and 323s. I think there are ATW 175s that way as well, but I'm not sure. The only passenger stuff you miss in comparison to Piccadilly is Transpennine Express services.

Overall, I'd vote for Doncaster: Even on a Saturday, there's an interesting variety of freight traffic that passes through: Last time I was there, there were Freightliners from Leeds, EWS (Sorry, DB) and Freightliner coal trains, petroleum workings and light engine moves. And of course it all passes through the station, unlike York where most freight is routed via the avoiding lines round the side of the station, although there are exceptions. Doncaster has a greater number of freight trains than the more northerly York.

As an aside, the amount of freight traffic at the northern end of the WCML, specifically at Carlisle, on a Saturday, always seems to be at a reasonable level: There's the added benefit of anglo-scottish coal trains from the S&C to the G&SW for a start compared to other areas of the WCML.

 

[96tommy]

Also at Doncaster on 25th Septemebr is 60019 "Bittern" on THE WHITE ROSE from London Kings X - York

 

[sprinterguy]

Also at Doncaster on 25th Septemebr is 60019 "Bittern" on THE WHITE ROSE from London Kings X - York

Well that's an added bonus for the Doncaster (or York) option

 

[142094]

Doncaster is one of the better stations on the ECML for freight - the vast majority at York go around the avoiding lines so you won't see them well from the station. Failing this, if you have a car with you, you can always drive to Colton Junction (just south of York) which is always a good place.

 

[cragdrummer]

Hey all, many many thanks for your replys, much appreciated! Wow looks like Doncaster it is then and with Bittern passing through aswell, thats sealed the deal lol, along with what will be my 1st trip on the east coast line and hopefully a 91 to top it off!! Are all the freights through Doncaster operated by sheds? On trainspots aswell, it says GBRF also run through, but not sure how old the info is as i cant find any pics or vids to back this up, be nice to them as dont get many down cardiff if any at all (there has been a few recently running pax services to taunton!)
Many thanks again

Craig

 

[Lampshade]

Also at Doncaster on 25th Septemebr is 60019 "Bittern" on THE WHITE ROSE from London Kings X - York

Isn't that on the 26th? :?

EDIT: Sorry, my mistake, had read conflicting sites.

 

[The Snap]

Are all the freights through Doncaster operated by sheds? On trainspots aswell, it says GBRF also run through, but not sure how old the info is as i cant find any pics or vids to back this up, be nice to them as dont get many down cardiff if any at all (there has been a few recently running pax services to taunton!)
Many thanks again

Craig

GBRf do run through Doncaster. Last time I was there for work a couple of months ago, one rolled through on a container train.

And no, not all freight is operated by sheds. Most things, yes, but you sometimes get 60s (although they're getting rarer and rarer nowadays), and there are sometimes 67s hauling things around. There is usually a 67 stabled in the sidings too, and when I was there last, two Cotswold 47s (although I guess they've been moved now...?). Shame Jarvis went bump, as you could have seen a couple of 56/3s too...

HTH mate,

 

[adamp]

Usually quite a few workings at Colton junction, Coal etc..
and the odd railtours too

-Adam/GBRW

 

[87019Chris]

As I am a regular in Doncaster. Saturdays you can get up to 23 locos, just on convoys (5x from Knottingly DBS, 5x Tyne yard DBS, 8x from Immingham DBS, 5x from Leeds Midland Road F'liner), then there is the leeds to felixstowe f'liner that comes through between 11-13:00 plus aload more possibly 3x 66/7 3x 66/0 and 3x F'Liner 66 plus your HST's (GC, EC, NMT maybe) and 1x 67 the t'bird plus the charter mentioned above. So all in all i would say that doncaster is the best place to go as there is a lack of freights at manchester and stockport but york is bad for photography. (the 47's have been moved btw).
Hope this Helps

Chris B

 

[cragdrummer]

Hey all, many thanks again for your help and advice. Iv just got back from yorkshire today. My visit to Doncaster on saturday was abit of a disaster though due to the coach I was travelling on from huddersfield to harrogate having a technical fault and before leaving and traffic which resulted in geting to harrogate an hour late. To top it off, the departure time from harrogate to take us to a rehersal venue in sowerby bridge was bought forward due to the heavy traffic which cut my time down again. As a result I didnt arrive into doncaster until 12:38 and had to be on the 2:58 train back to leeds to get to Harrogate for 4:30!! There was a high light though, seeing 60040 leaving Doncaster works and the silver East Coast 91 set running through!! Overall It looked like a very good place to snap photos so I WILL BE BACK!