YorksLad12
Established Member
(Please move if in the wrong forum. Ta.)
Meant to post this over the weekend, but: last Friday there was a broken-down train at Meadowhall. The 1718 Northern semi-fast was cancelled at Sheffield, and the 1721 northbound XC service was to be rerouted, adding 15 minutes to our journey time. I thought that meant we'd be taking the 1718's path up through Barnsley, reverse at Kirkgate to Westgate and onwards.
But no! When I looked up I realised we'd passed Nunnery Square and were turning left onto what I always thought was the goods line that was partly taken over by Supertram, 30 years previously. When we reached Tinsley we headed east past Magna (and a tram train unit waiting to take the single line on its way south). Through Rotherham Central to Aldwarke, then as normal to Wakefield and Leeds. Really wish I'd sat on the left-hand side of the train, the view would have been much more interesting!
My question is: I thought that route was freight only, not cleared for passenger traffic - let alone a 4+5 Voyager set. It's a single track west/south of Magna. And finding a driver or route conductor. How rare was this routeing?
Meant to post this over the weekend, but: last Friday there was a broken-down train at Meadowhall. The 1718 Northern semi-fast was cancelled at Sheffield, and the 1721 northbound XC service was to be rerouted, adding 15 minutes to our journey time. I thought that meant we'd be taking the 1718's path up through Barnsley, reverse at Kirkgate to Westgate and onwards.
But no! When I looked up I realised we'd passed Nunnery Square and were turning left onto what I always thought was the goods line that was partly taken over by Supertram, 30 years previously. When we reached Tinsley we headed east past Magna (and a tram train unit waiting to take the single line on its way south). Through Rotherham Central to Aldwarke, then as normal to Wakefield and Leeds. Really wish I'd sat on the left-hand side of the train, the view would have been much more interesting!
My question is: I thought that route was freight only, not cleared for passenger traffic - let alone a 4+5 Voyager set. It's a single track west/south of Magna. And finding a driver or route conductor. How rare was this routeing?
