Don Coffey cab ride video discussion

[ainsworth74]

I've not had chance to watch the Saltburn episode but as a local it's on my watchlist and I'm looking forward to getting to it!

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Did it live up to your hopes?

Yes sir! Many thanks. Turning out at Thirsk was a first for me and and at last we have a decent video of the section between Middlesbrough and Saltburn. All we need now is a good video of the route to Boulby! I doubt that's possible.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

I've not had chance to watch the Saltburn episode but as a local it's on my watchlist and I'm looking forward to getting to it!

Why is the railway between Thornaby and Middlesbrough so sinuous with speed-restricting curves? Was the area already built-up before the railway came? And could a more direct and straight route now be constructed across part of Tees Yard? Don's video makes clear that Middlesbrough to Saltburn is in a different league.

 

[ainsworth74]

Why is the railway between Thornaby and Middlesbrough so sinuous with speed-restricting curves? Was the area already built-up before the railway came? And could a more direct and straight route now be constructed across part of Tees Yard? Don's video makes clear that Middlesbrough to Saltburn is in a different league.

It wasn't particularly built up prior to the arrival of the railway, indeed there was nothing there at all as the whole area was basically undeveloped until the arrival of the railway and the industrialisation of Teesside, but that bit of railway has played host to bits of railway for a long time. I believe when the railway was first built between Thornaby (or as would have South Stockton I think) and Middlesbrough by the Stockton & Darlington it took a more direct route. You can sort of see roughly what line it took by going on Google Maps to the A19 and then tracing the northern pair of lines through the yard back towards Thornaby. North of that line were all sorts of marshalling and goods yards which have long been lifted and closed.

I think the current more circuitous route dates from Modernisation Plan in the 1950s when they built the current Tees Yard and Thornaby Traction Maintenance Depot and closed/rationalised the existing yards in the area. I believe they routed the passenger line south via that circuitous route to keep the yard itself clear of passenger traffic which would have been a pain to path through what was expected to be an extremely busy yard and depot complex.

You could now re-route the passenger services via that original through route (a through line does exist, I've done it on rail tours!) but it isn't any quicker (indeed the permitted speed is lower if anything) as the yard is shadow of its former self. The TMD is long gone and a considerable portion of the yard itself is out of use and slowly being lifted. But routeing passenger services via the yard would require some investment in raising line speeds and other infrastructure changes so easier to just keep the existing route.

That being said it has been suggested from time to time that it might be necessary in the future to do this as the former yard is redeveloped. It's quite a valuable and large parcel of land and having it enclosed by railway is hardly ideal so closing and lifting the current passenger lines in favour of revamping the the northern way through the yard is probably going to be required at some stage to aid in redevelopment. But there's no active plans that I'm aware of at present to actually do that though at least part of the yard is listed on DB Cargos website as being available: https://uk.dbcargo.com/rail-uk-en/services/available-property

 

[Railwaysceptic]

It wasn't particularly built up prior to the arrival of the railway, indeed there was nothing there at all as the whole area was basically undeveloped until the arrival of the railway and the industrialisation of Teesside, but that bit of railway has played host to bits of railway for a long time. I believe when the railway was first built between Thornaby (or as would have South Stockton I think) and Middlesbrough by the Stockton & Darlington it took a more direct route. You can sort of see roughly what line it took by going on Google Maps to the A19 and then tracing the northern pair of lines through the yard back towards Thornaby. North of that line were all sorts of marshalling and goods yards which have long been lifted and closed.

I think the current more circuitous route dates from Modernisation Plan in the 1950s when they built the current Tees Yard and Thornaby Traction Maintenance Depot and closed/rationalised the existing yards in the area. I believe they routed the passenger line south via that circuitous route to keep the yard itself clear of passenger traffic which would have been a pain to path through what was expected to be an extremely busy yard and depot complex.

You could now re-route the passenger services via that original through route (a through line does exist, I've done it on rail tours!) but it isn't any quicker (indeed the permitted speed is lower if anything) as the yard is shadow of its former self. The TMD is long gone and a considerable portion of the yard itself is out of use and slowly being lifted. But routeing passenger services via the yard would require some investment in raising line speeds and other infrastructure changes so easier to just keep the existing route.

That being said it has been suggested from time to time that it might be necessary in the future to do this as the former yard is redeveloped. It's quite a valuable and large parcel of land and having it enclosed by railway is hardly ideal so closing and lifting the current passenger lines in favour of revamping the the northern way through the yard is probably going to be required at some stage to aid in redevelopment. But there's no active plans that I'm aware of at present to actually do that though at least part of the yard is listed on DB Cargos website as being available: https://uk.dbcargo.com/rail-uk-en/services/available-property

Thank you very much.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Don Coffey has uploaded a new video of the Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield via Stockport route. This let's us see the work done at Dore in recent months.

 

[Don Coffey]

I'll let you know a date nearer the time........

 

[tfw756rider]

Don Coffey has uploaded a new video of the Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield via Stockport route. This let's us see the work done at Dore in recent months.

It's also in a 195, and although a well-hidden 2022 195 cab ride video from another channel was since found, it's the first Don Coffey video at least, of a cab ride of any 6-speed ZF transmission DMU (I'm not aware of any 172, 196 or 197 ones). Speakers or headphones with accurate sound quality and good bass reproduction required to hear the engine note and gear changes.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

I'll let you know a date nearer the time........

I look forward to this. Thanks in advance. You say May this year so only a couple of weeks at the most.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I look forward to this. Thanks in advance. You say May this year so only a couple of weeks at the most.

I think that's the filming date?

 

[Don Coffey]

It's also in a 195, and although a well-hidden 2022 195 cab ride video from another channel was since found, it's the first Don Coffey video at least, of a cab ride of any 6-speed ZF transmission DMU (I'm not aware of any 172, 196 or 197 ones). Speakers or headphones with accurate sound quality and good bass reproduction required to hear the engine note and gear changes.

Correct. My mate filming had terrible trouble with the ventilation which is completely automatic and blows down the front of the screen onto the camera mic. You can only just make out the gear changing although it is much quieter up front than it is in the saloon.

I look forward to this. Thanks in advance. You say May this year so only a couple of weeks at the most.

Yes, I'm hoping to get it out later this month - I'm editing today!!!

I think that's the filming date?

No, Railwaysceptic is right, I am hoping to get it out later this month. Vinny filmed it in March so it's pretty well up to date. You'll see Dore Curve complete in this one.

 

[Don Coffey]

Further to the above, by coincidence, as we wait at Dore West for a passing EMR service to clear, a 195 on exactly the same service discussed passes on the Up.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

No, Railwaysceptic is right, I am hoping to get it out later this month. Vinny filmed it in March so it's pretty well up to date. You'll see Dore Curve complete in this one.

Excellent news.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Don's latest video was uploaded last night. I'll watch it this evening.