Back line DMU move & 'Celeb' H.S.T.s pass through Brightside - 3976+992+998+4001

Really been thinking about going out for this odd DMU move for a few weeks since being informed about its behaviour by one of our group.. its a Sunday only service and it only does one run, ostensibly, I am also informed, for the 'shoppers out east'! It would be good to have this confirmed or not as its just one run of this working, setting out as a coaching stock from Sheffield and heading to Retford, then changing its working code to a class 2 passenger move and coming back via a reversal in Sheffield and heading along the main line to Meadowhall. Once there the passengers, presumably, get off, the DMU changes its working code to a class 5, E.C.S. and it heads south 'wrong line', then via the Brightside Station back line, into Sheffield, and that's that!
So, this first quartet of pictures shows the move as it comes along the main line from Sheffield, the angle of shot means its hard to see if there any any passengers on board, and in fact the return in a few minutes won't have any as its an E.C.S. move. So, here's the gen:-

* 5B85. 08:30. Departs Sheffield platform 2 as an E.C.S., Empty Coaching Stock and takes the Lincoln line east out of the Station heading for Worksop. It continues through Worksop and on approaching the Retford area, takes the Whisker Hill Curve at Thrumpton West Junction making for platform 2 on the E.C.M.L., East Coast Main Line, arriving 09:04.

* 2B85. 09:12. Once on platform 2 at Retford, the driver changes end and the working number changes to 2B85 where, after a few minutes, the train departs at 09:12 heading for Meadowhall via Sheffield.

* 2B85. 09:57. Once on platform 2 at Sheffield, the driver changes end and prepares to head to Meadowhall, platform 4, setting out from Sheffield at 10:01.

* 2B85. 10:01. From platform 2 at Sheffield, the train now departs, on the main line and approaches the site of the old Brightside Station, this is what is shown in the upper left picture where a Northern Rail class 150, 150274, is in charge of this morning's service. In the distance under the Jenkin Road bridge, the 'feather' atop signal S0199, showing a green aspect, is 'on' for the diverging move onto the Blackburn Valley line and platform 4, the north-bound platform, arriving at 10:06. It will be noted that N.R. have been in the area and undertaken quite a bit of 'tidying' up. The two tall blue lamp-post have been removed, they could easily get in the way of the pictures, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/53055232975/
where the posts have been cloned out, nearly. Also, the long derelict bus shelter type waiting accommodation in front of the posts, has been removed and the graffiti'd walls along each side of the steps down from the foot-bridge, have been painted over, in green. This paint has also been applied to the inside of the foot-bridge walls and all the filth and leaf litter and other um-mentionable detritus has also been cleared away...

* 5B85. 10:12. The driver has now changed end once again and the working number has now changed also to 5B85 once more and 6 minutes later, at 10:12, 150274 sets off, 'wrong line' to head along to the line taking it along the back line at the old Brightside Station site. This all happens because once on the correct north-bound, platform, 4, at Meadowhall, there is no access back south onto the correct main line into Sheffield. So, for a short distance it moves 'wrong line' out of the station until it joins the Brightside back line, which is bi-directional. This move is shown in the upper-right picture where 150274 has ambled along the back line, the signal in front of it showing green with its 'feather' on for a crossing movement back onto the main line. Rattling north whilst all this is taking place, amongst others, is a regular T.P.E. class 185 working, this one 1B70, with two units, 185111 and 185114 on the Manchester Piccadilly to Cleethorpes service. In the distance, under the road bridge, to the left of main line signal, S0199, with yellow aspect for the T.P.E., is signal S0197, showing a red aspect, this being for moves along the back line, in the opposite direction to the DMU, and is used for moves _onto_ the Blackburn Valley line, through platform 4 at Meadowhall.

* 5B85. It is now 10:14 and the 150 is about to pass S0188 with 'feather', to signal moves back onto the main line ahead. 'The Railway' public house, painted white stands out well in the morning sun and fortunately there is something to see with the pub in view on this Sunday morning; which makes a change as all the action is usually on the main line away from the direction of the building.

* 5B85. Both the down and up main line cross-overs have been set for the DMU to pass onto the up line into Sheffield, with the remaining lines of the Brightside Sidings in view in front of the DMU and a 15m.p.h. maximum speed shown for the turn-out into them. The rail access to the E.M.R. metal recyclers and the Cemex works, can be seen in the distance on the curve beyond the Postal Soring Office, once the Grimesthorpe Shed area, this whole area once being festooned with sidings and the heavy industrial buildings of the Grimesthorpe area. The DMU, 150274 arrives into Sheffield on platform 6 and, as far as I can tell, that was all there was too it!

Taken on: September 17, 2023

Tags:

Brightside

Northern Rail

158796

2N01

Leeds to Sheffield

158782

2R03

Goole to Sheffield

Class 195

CAF, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A.

Civity

195018

195008

1Y17

Leeds to Nottingham

Class 150

150274

1.5B85

Sheffield(2) to Retford(2)

E.C.S.

2B85

Retford(2) via Sheffield(2) to Meadowhall(4)

2.5B85

Meadowhall(4) to Sheffield(2)

150215

2R59

Sheffield to Doncaster

T.P.E.

Transpennine Trains

Class 185

185112

185127

1B71

Doncaster to Liverpool Lime Street

185111

185114

1B70

Manchester Piccadilly to Cleethorpes

Cross Country Trains

Class 43

H.S.T.

High Speed Train

43366

HST 40 - Celebrating 40 Years of High Speed Train Services On The Cross Country Network.

43303

Celebrities

XC03

1.5Z43

Neville Hill T&R.S.M.D. to Birmingham New Street

Empty Coaching Stock

Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot

Class 220

Voyager

220008

2.5Z43

Birmingham New Street to Laira T&R.S.M.D.

220028

1V50

Leeds to Bristol Temple Meads

Wincobank Junction

Brightside Up/Down East Slow

Brightside Sidings

Sheffield Forgemasters

Signal S0168

Signal S0190

Signal S0188

Signal S0197

Signal S0199

Signal Feather

The Railway Public House

Whisker Hill Curve

Fista Tag

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