The ‘Humber Super Snipe’ will explore West Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire on Saturday 26 August, hauled by DB Cargo Class 66 locomotives operating top and tail and with Mk 2 coaching stock.

Organised by the Branch Line Society, the tour is the first of two days of loco-hauled touring of the the area, visiting several freight installations and other locations.

Highlights of the tour will include the branches to Woodhouse, Immingham Sorting Sidings, Doncaster Up and Down Decoy, Gascoigne Wood sidings, Hunslet Yard, Dewsbury Railway Street and Sheffield Carriage Wash.

The train will travel on several loops that passenger trains do not often use. The operator expects to use a pilot locomotive at Gascoigne Wood, where the sidings can accommodate trains up to 775m long and which historically enabled the entire output of the Selby ‘superpit’ to be loaded onto trains to be taken to power stations.

The charter is operated by DB Cargo, and with assistance from Freightliner, two Class 70 locomotives will feature between Stourton Freightliner Terminal and Wakefield Kirkgate.

The tour will include:

• a Buffet Car, serving hot and cold drinks, hot food, snacks and light refreshments
• hand-pulled real ales and ciders available to buy
• an opportunity to take photographs and stretch your legs in the late afternoon at Wakefield Kirkgate.
• a charity raffle, with all proceeds donated to Martin House Hospice.

Indicative routing and timings:

Derby P1 (PU 06.02) – Chesterfield P3 (PU 06.30) – Barrow Hill Number 4 Reception – Woodhouse Sidings (RM) – Worksop Up Reception – Retford P4 (PU 07.43) – Gringley Road Loop – Gainsborough Central – Northorpe Loop – Brigg – Wrawby Jn – Barnetby – Immingham Sorting Sidings (RM) – Dn Clee Goods – Barnetby Reception No 2 – Dn Scunthorpe Goods – Kirk Sandall Jn – South Yorkshire Joint Line – St Catherine’s Jn (RM) – Up Decoy (RM) – St Catherine’s Jn (RM) – Down Decoy – Doncaster 2 Way Goods – Shaftholme Jn – Hambleton South Jn – Hambleton West Jn – Milford Jn (RM) – Milford West No 12 Road – Gascoigne Wood Up Sidings (RM) – Castleford – Stourton FLT – Hunslet Yard – Hunslet Station Jn (RM) – Normanton – Turners Lane UGL – Wakefield Kirkgate Through Road – Up Healey Mills Loop – Up L&Y Slow – Dewsbury Railway Street (RM) – Healey Mills (P) line – Line A – Wakefield Kirkgate P1 (SD / break)

Wakefield Kirkgate P2 (PU) – Wakefield Westgate – Prison Siding (RM) – Hemsworth UDPL – Doncaster 2 Way Goods – Hexthorpe Dn Goods – Kilnhurst – Rotherham Central – Woodburn Jn – Sheffield – Carriage Wash (RM) – Sheffield P1 (SD 21.37 / RM) – Up Heeley Loop – Chesterfield P2 (SD 22.36) – Derby P3 (SD 23.04)

Fares:

• First Class, Non-Dining, at a guaranteed table for two: £214.00
• First Class, Non-Dining: £189.00
• Standard Class: £119.00
• Accompanied under 18s: £59.50 reduction in all fares.

For further information and to book visit the Branch Line Society’s website.