A special Class 20-hauled freight line charter will run in August to mark fifty years of power generation at Drax power station.

The Branch Line Society is organising the trip, and has thanked Locomotive Services Limited for supplying two of its Class 20s, requesting the ‘red stripe’ Railfreight pair.

GB Railfreight (GBRf) will operate the charter train.

The train journey will begin at Derby, from where a GBRf Class 69 locomotive – a heavy rebuild of a Class 56 – will haul the train to Leicester.

The train will reverse at Leicester, where the Class 20 locos will take over. The train will then travel cross-country to Peterborough and Lincoln, and then to Doncaster, visiting Belmont Yard.

The train will then travel to the Monk Bretton branch where it will reverse. From there, it will travel eastwards to Sudforth Lane, where the Class 69 will take over from the Class 20s and haul the train through Knottingley and Milford to York, where the journey ends.

The Branch Line Society, which is running the charter, points out that Class 20s have always been associated with ‘merry-go-round’ coal train operations, making their use for this event particularly appropriate. Drax power station no longer generate energy from burning coal, and instead uses biomass (wood), attracting criticism from environmental campaigners.

Highlights of the trip will include Melton Mowbray UGL, Oakham Up Goods, Werrington Diveunder, Sleaford Avoider, Pyewipe Curve, Beckingham DGL, Dn Lincoln Flyover, Belmont Down Yard, Doncaster Two Way Goods, Monk Bretton Ardagh Glass, Sudforth Lane Down Reception and Milford DPL. The Society expects that the train will proceed beyond the boundary at Monk Bretton and into the terminal.

All profits from this charter train will be given to Martin House Hospice. A raffle will be held, and refreshments will be available from the hand-pulled real ale bar and a buffet car serving a drinks, snacks and light refreshments.

Further events will also take place over the weekend, and the Branch Line Society will publish a separate list of services operating on Sunday 18 August.

Indicative routing and timings:

Derby P4 (PU 08:52) – Leicester (PU 09:27 / RM) – Melton Mowbray UGL – Oakham Up Goods – Peterborough P5 (PU 11:03 / RM) – Werrington Diveunder – Spalding – Sleaford Avoider – Lincoln Through Line – Boultham Jn (RM) – Pyewipe Curve – Beckingham DGL – Dn Lincoln Flyover – Doncaster Down Decoy – Belmont Down Yard – Doncaster Two Way Goods – Gasgoigne Wood Jn – Calder Bridge Jn – Oakenshaw South Jn – Monk Bretton Ardagh Glass (RM) – Crofton East Jn – Knottingley East Jn – Sudforth Lane Down Reception (RM) – Knottingley West Jn – Milford Jn – Milford DPL – York P10 (SD 18:44)

Fares:

• First Class, non-dining, at a guaranteed table for two  £214.00
• First Class, non-dining: £189
• Standard Class: £129
• no discount for Branch Line Society members
• accompanied under-18s: £64.50 reduction in all fares.