Don Coffey cab ride video discussion

[Railwaysceptic]

I don't know if you're already aware, but there is a fairly old video from Gascoigne Wood which does go right into the grounds at Drax.

Cheers, I think I've missed that, will have a poke.

I re-watched my copy of that video yesterday. Quite apart from showing the railway layout within Drax, it also has other points of interest not available elsewhere. It shows Gascoigne Wood sidings in a state of early decay, the chord from there to Milford, the line from Milford to Knottingly and numerous coal trains! I'd love a Don Coffey video of the route from Milford via Pontefract (Baghill) to Barrow Hill. I wonder if that's possible.

 

[Pigeon]

Yes, that's a route I'd very much like to see too.

 

[Don Coffey]

I re-watched my copy of that video yesterday. Quite apart from showing the railway layout within Drax, it also has other points of interest not available elsewhere. It shows Gascoigne Wood sidings in a state of early decay, the chord from there to Milford, the line from Milford to Knottingly and numerous coal trains! I'd love a Don Coffey video of the route from Milford via Pontefract (Baghill) to Barrow Hill. I wonder if that's possible.

It isn’t impossible, put it that way. It’s just a matter of time and I’d probably put the S&C and the Harrogate line before it. Vinny brought me some brand new footage after collecting 70020 from Loughborough and took it up to Midland Rd which covers at least some of that route - how does that sound?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It isn’t impossible, put it that way. It’s just a matter of time and I’d probably put the S&C and the Harrogate line before it.

The Settle - Carlisle would be one I'd particularly enjoy, especially if it was all the way to and from Leeds.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

It isn’t impossible, put it that way. It’s just a matter of time and I’d probably put the S&C and the Harrogate line before it. Vinny brought me some brand new footage after collecting 70020 from Loughborough and took it up to Midland Rd which covers at least some of that route - how does that sound?View attachment 169475

"not impossible" sounds very good: very encouraging too! Loughborough to Midland Road I'd also welcome, particularly if it goes via Barrow Hill.

 

[Pigeon]

Loughborough to Midland Road I'd also welcome, particularly if it goes via Barrow Hill.

If it goes via Barrow Hill it would be wonderful.

 

[Steven Taylor]

I’ve been trying to get a suitable date for that but so far no luck. It is planned though.

I have just watched the lovely video of the Penistone line which I much enjoyed. When you mentioned you were filming on the 1st of November (from memory) this can be a difficult time to film, but the footage was great, and the rain held off.
I enjoyed the video throughout, but at risk of being pedantic, I did notice a typo on the caption for Penistone Viaduct where it was stated it is 85 metres high when this should read feet.

Also, not a correction but the line from time 29.05 to 30.01 is a new single line which was completed in the mid 1960s because of the new M1 motorway, the old route was to the south of the new formation.

 

[Pigeon]

Indeed - thanks very much for that excellent video. It has a super "branch line" feel to it, and without also having a feel of being clapped out and knackered; the stations are well-maintained and some of the buildings are lovely. Very colourful, too, and the dubious weather if anything enhanced it.

Bit different to how it was when I did the line myself - going the other way, in a rotten old DMU which groaned and trundled, but which did afford some spectacular views (if you like that sort of thing) over the large industrial erections around Barnsley, which still actually mined coal at the time and did other industrial things. It was quite a sight just to see so much of it. Back then everything on the railway was brown, but fortunately it was a sunny day since otherwise it would have been rancid.

I cannot possibly agree with the caption beginning "Let's get one thing cleared up..." - even if it was possible to do that, it would be such a waste

 

[Welly]

Thanks to the video, I learned how to pronounce a Yorkshire place name correctly:

Elsecar

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Thanks to the video, I learned how to pronounce a Yorkshire place name correctly:

Elsecar

So did I!

My thanks to Don Coffey and his contacts at Northern for this video. It showed this route clearly for the first time, at least for me. The layout is better than I had thought and the curves were not nearly as tight. I'd always believed the route was unsuitable for anything faster than a slow meander! I have a bee in my bonnet about giving Huddersfield and Barnsley a direct service to London. That bee is now buzzing more energetically!

 

[Meerkat]

The Penistone Line really needs some work with the chainsaws!
I noticed a surprising number of modern replacement bridges - have their been structural issues on that line?
It does look like the line was singled cheaply, leaving some scope for slewing to increase the measly speed limits. They were probably reasonable for Pacers but with newer trains on the way it must surely be worth a bit of effort to speed things up.

 

[Don Coffey]

The Settle - Carlisle would be one I'd particularly enjoy, especially if it was all the way to and from Leeds.

Yes, it’s all agreed but we are approaching the shortest day and it makes filming a nightmare for timing, poor weather and low sun so rather than risk wasting a trip which takes a lot of organising, I’m inclined to wait a bit. The plan on that day is to film Carlisle to Newcastle on the same day so it involves permission from two different regions and I can’t thank Northern enough for the effort they are going to, to facilitate that.

If it goes via Barrow Hill it would be wonderful.

It does! It is sitting on my computer waiting for me to get time.

 

[Don Coffey]

I can remember starting this channel in 2017 with some sketchy footage using all kinds of cameras before settling on GoPros which still to this day can prove fickle and think nothing of shutting down in seconds notice due to the searing temperatures they reach while processing ones and zeros. We’ve just clicked over 50,000 subscribers, 14.1 million views from over a hundred countries and although latterly we’ve donated over £38,000 to the Samaritans, the channel has donated around £60,000 to numerous charities since start. I’m very lucky that my company, Transpennine Express support it right up to our MD Chris Jackson who has been instrumental in getting contacts at Northern to help out and of course now several TOCs and FOCs have come into the fold. It was really humbling to be awarded Train Driver Of The Year by TPE yesterday. You folks are also part of the success so thanks to you all.

 

[Jimini]

I can remember starting this channel in 2017 with some sketchy footage using all kinds of cameras before settling on GoPros which still to this day can prove fickle and think nothing of shutting down in seconds notice due to the searing temperatures they reach while processing ones and zeros. We’ve just clicked over 50,000 subscribers, 14.1 million views from over a hundred countries and although latterly we’ve donated over £38,000 to the Samaritans, the channel has donated around £60,000 to numerous charities since start. I’m very lucky that my company, Transpennine Express support it right up to our MD Chris Jackson who has been instrumental in getting contacts at Northern to help out and of course now several TOCs and FOCs have come into the fold. It was really humbling to be awarded Train Driver Of The Year by TPE yesterday. You folks are also part of the success so thanks to you all.

Don this is fantastic! Very well done

 

[Don Coffey]

I have just watched the lovely video of the Penistone line which I much enjoyed. When you mentioned you were filming on the 1st of November (from memory) this can be a difficult time to film, but the footage was great, and the rain held off.
I enjoyed the video throughout, but at risk of being pedantic, I did notice a typo on the caption for Penistone Viaduct where it was stated it is 85 metres high when this should read feet.

Also, not a correction but the line from time 29.05 to 30.01 is a new single line which was completed in the mid 1960s because of the new M1 motorway, the old route was to the south of the new formation.

Thanks Steven. I’ll add a correction in the video description re the viaduct. I used to be in Technical Sales in the motor industry and one of my regular calls was to GKN heavy axles in the old forge at Kirkstall. My route took me down through Dodworth (Dod’eth) to join the motorway under that single track steel bridge. Never in a million years (daft saying) did I imagine I would one day film over it or sign and regularly drive the intriguing route under the motorway a little further up at Horbury. I’m 66 now and can’t imagine not doing it but I guess it will have to end one day.

 

[Strat-tastic]

I can remember starting this channel in 2017 with some sketchy footage using all kinds of cameras before settling on GoPros which still to this day can prove fickle and think nothing of shutting down in seconds notice due to the searing temperatures they reach while processing ones and zeros. We’ve just clicked over 50,000 subscribers, 14.1 million views from over a hundred countries and although latterly we’ve donated over £38,000 to the Samaritans, the channel has donated around £60,000 to numerous charities since start. I’m very lucky that my company, Transpennine Express support it right up to our MD Chris Jackson who has been instrumental in getting contacts at Northern to help out and of course now several TOCs and FOCs have come into the fold. It was really humbling to be awarded Train Driver Of The Year by TPE yesterday. You folks are also part of the success so thanks to you all.

Well done! A worthy winner.

 

[Pigeon]

It does! It is sitting on my computer waiting for me to get time.

Dreadful!

 

[Grumpy Git]

Well done Don.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Yes, it’s all agreed but we are approaching the shortest day and it makes filming a nightmare for timing, poor weather and low sun so rather than risk wasting a trip which takes a lot of organising, I’m inclined to wait a bit. The plan on that day is to film Carlisle to Newcastle on the same day so it involves permission from two different regions and I can’t thank Northern enough for the effort they are going to, to facilitate that.

That's excellent news, and yes - I fully agree it's better done in the late spring or early summer when not only is there more daylight but the scenery will also be at its best on both routes; incidentally if you're doing both lines at once then it occurs to me that doing Leeds - Carlisle - Newcastle should keep the sun behind the camera all day. Is that something which is a consideration in as much of the filming as possible or does it usually just happen by good fortune? I note there are very few instances of any of the videos being filmed towards the sun.

 

[Meerkat]

The advantage of winter trips is that the tunnel of trees is less of an issue so the views are bigger.

 

[Don Coffey]

I got together with Martin Zero and Nodrog recently.

 

[Don Coffey]

 

[Railwaysceptic]

The December issue of Modern Railways (Page 76, Column 4) has an item about TransPennine Express running an hourly service from Manchester Piccadilly to York via Wakefield and Castleford. Any chance of a video? To the best of my knowledge the section between Altofts Junction and Whitwood Junction is virgin territory for In-Cab videos.

 

[Don Coffey]

The December issue of Modern Railways (Page 76, Column 4) has an item about TransPennine Express running an hourly service from Manchester Piccadilly to York via Wakefield and Castleford. Any chance of a video? To the best of my knowledge the section between Altofts Junction and Whitwood Junction is virgin territory for In-Cab videos.

It’s done. I’ve got the footage but I just need to edit it.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

It’s done. I’ve got the footage but I just need to edit it.

Thank you. Very good news. I look forward to that intensely and, I suspect, many others will too.

 

[Don Coffey]

Currently working on Carlisle to Glasgow with Michael Collins. I’ll keep you updated.

View attachment IMG_1046.jpeg

 

[Don Coffey]

Got a nice little accolade from TPE recently. This is largely down to your support - thanks.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Got a nice little accolade from TPE recently. This is largely down to your support - thanks.

Congratulations.

 

[dan4291]

Amazing Don, another award, well done!

 

[Don Coffey]

The trailer for the Carlisle to Glasgow video is now live and we will run the premier on Tuesday the 7th at 20:00 to give the guys down under a fighting chance of watching over breakfast. Michael Collins will be at the premier live chat to answer any questions or just say hello. As you know, it isn’t unusual for other drivers to show up which is always a treat!