RAILS and WINGS and OTHER THINGS: November 2022

26th NOVEMBER 2022: 6233 DUCHESS OF SUTHERLAND WITH '1Z10 EALING BROADWAY TO YORK'. YORK YULE-TIDE EXPRESS, STOPS AT DONCASTER.

I hadn't seen 6233 since February and today it would be passing through Doncaster Station...oh, and it wasn't raining! It was also 'Strike Day' and so there were very few trains running around the network. Doncaster Station was quiet but still with a few passengers on platforms 3,4 and 8 waiting for those long-overdue trains. The 10:14 from Kings Cross was due at 12:14! The Cleethorpes service from Sheffield was 'doubled-up', running a 6-unit service instead of the usual 3 and wow, it was crowded!

Doncaster Station Christmas Tree.

But for me and the few other 'Enthusiasts' waiting for 'The Duchess of Sutherland', it was bliss. As there wasn't much running on the line, I grabbed a few photos of Stock parked-up and stood around, pacing up and down the platform. 6233 was running late. It was due to pass through Donny at 12:08hrs, nonstop. But due 1Z10 running 18 minutes late, an Edinburgh service scheduled for platform 4 was re-platformed to 8 and came in a few minutes before 6233. Therefore 6233 Duchess of Sutherland was held at platform 4 to enable the Edinburgh service to depart. This gave me ample time to get a bag of photos.

6233 at rest at platform 4.

I asked the Driver to smile for a photo...and he did. Great stuff, thanks Driver!

6233 departs Doncaster.

37668 brings-up the rear.

Other stuff at Donny Rail Station.

158797 150218 331106 parked at Doncaster Rail Station.

158797 parked at Doncaster Rail Station.

150218 parked at Doncaster Rail Station.

331106 parked at Doncaster Rail Station.

Class 185 6-car unit with 1B74 Sheffield to Cleethorpes.

Class 185 coupling unit between the two 3-car units.

Hull Trains 1A93, Class 802302 Parragon 'Jean Bishop (The Bee Lady)' arrives Doncaster.

And stops at platform 3A.

331112 and 67016 at the West Yard, Doncaster Rail Station.

RJC

END.

17th NOVEMBER 2022: 60007 (4498) SIR NIGEL GRESLEY - STEAM DREAMS EXCURSION 'Z61 KINGS CROSS TO YORK' PASSES DONCASTER STATION.

This would be my second sighting of the, 'arguably', 3rd most famous of steam locos, the 60007 (4498) Sir Nigel Gresley. Thankfully the rain had ceased for a while so hope fully I would get some reasonably good photos. As was expected, the station was busy with the usual 'day-trippers' and the numbers were boosted with a hoard of 'train enthusiasts' on platform 4 and 3, waiting expectantly for the great loco!

When the loco was sighted by the sight of its smoke plume beyond Hexthorpe Bridge to the south, I and others were unsure of which platform the loco would travel past. Someone shouted "platform 4!" and a few of us eased amongst the throng to get ready for the action.

60007 wasn't slated to stop, so I expected that it would steam along the 'Down-Fast' line. And sure enough it did so at a reduced speed, even giving a blast on its whistle in acknowledgement of the crowd that had gathered to see it.

60007 Sir Nigel Gresley was a splendid sight steaming along the tracks with a rake of Mk1 coaching stock and I grabbed a reasonable movie of it too!

Azuma Class 801/2, 801213 arrives platform 4.

LNER 91127 arrives, very 1st Operational unit in IC Livery.

331105 and 67016 parked in Doncaster's West Yard.

HTA Wagons in West Yard Doncaster.

GBRf FEAS Trailer 640645.

Class 185101 EMU arrives platform 8 for Cleethorpes.

Class 66074 whizzes along the 'Goods Down' line.

Azuma Class 801.

RJC

END.

8th NOVEMBER 2022 - DONCASTER AIRPORT, NOT QUITE DESERTED!

So, thought I would motor over to Donny Airport to see what aircraft ar still there after the commercial flights had ceased using this airport on the 4th November. The Police still are using the airfield as I've seen the plane arriving and departing on "call-outs". The Coast Guard has been using the airfield too with a Beech Super King 200 coming and going, though not sure if its parked-up at the airfield as I didn't see it. 2Excel Aviation are still using Doncaster, there are a couple of Piper PA-31 Navajo's in and out to UK airfields and the 2 Boeing 727-2S2F(A)(RE)s parked-up. These are what I'm interested in and need to get some photos of one or both flying. And I think there are still a couple of private flying clubs based here.

Today, 10th November, one of the Boeing 727s, registration G-OSRA, took-off for Lasham Airfield in Hampshire. Departed at 09:14hrs and landed at 10:40hrs. But the aircraft didn't fly direct to Lasham. It headed-out 12km or so off shore from Hornsea and circled twice over a small area, flying as low as 200ft! Were they monitoring an oil spill? Who knows? So after that, the aircraft headed south to Hampshire and Lasham Airfield. Will it stay there? Will the other one at Doncaster join it? Or will G-OSRA return to Donny? Who knows...unless I go over there, to the airport, that is, I'll never know as flights by private owner aircraft and businesses like 2Excel and the Police, are not given on internet flight media.

So, this is my log of Doncaster Airport on 8th November 2022: 2xBoeing 727s, that is all that I could see.

Two Boeing 727-2S2F(A)s looking very lonely at 2Excel Aviation terminal building.

The Main Terminal, abandoned! Except for one broken aircraft.

Airfield empty except for various Ariel's, tractor and two other vehicles.

RJC

END.

26th OCTOBER 2022 - 60007 (4498) SIR NIGEL GRESLEY: '5Z61 LIGHT ENGINE MOVEMENT' (GROSMONT NYMR TO CREWE HS) at WAKEFIELD KIRKGATE.

After a Summer-Season at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, 60007 (4498) Sir Nigel Gresley is returning to its home base at Crewe HS. The Loco had returned to mainline running and carrying passengers in April of this year at the NYR, after an overhaul since 2015. I chose to visit Wakefield Kirkgate to view the loco, but I did ponder the idea of going to Thirsk, as a change from York. But in the end, the logistics of getting back from Thirsk to my home base, made me opt for Wakefield Kirkgate.

60007 is probably, the third most famous of UK Steam Locomotives. This video is not one of my better ones. I was stood in the wrong place and definitely on the wrong platform! But I saw it and have a record of 60007 (4498), as the first observation of this grand loco. It gently steamed past platform 2 with its Support Coach towards the east and eventually Crewe HS to be made ready for future excursions.