Class 158 stabled at Wakefield Kirkgate

[sonic2009]

Is this a usual stabling point for trains? Or is there something wrong with the unit? Unable to identify due to location

Came across it today whilst awaiting a Knottingley service from Wakefield.

 

[JonathanH]

Yes, it is what is known as 'Cobra Sidings', to be visited by the BLS tour, 'The Technical Cobra', on Sunday 12 February. Only recently reopened.

Connected with the restriction of access to Holbeck Depot as a result of upgrade work.

https://thetrupgrade.co.uk/cobra/

COBRA Sidings

This disused rail facility in Wakefield has been given a new lease of life to provide temporary accommodation for trains, as work on the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade progresses.

The COBRA sidings previously handled a wide variety of rail freight – from coal and steel to spring water and household waste – but have been out of use for several years. Now, they will play a vital role stabling Northern’s train fleet overnight when essential Transpennine Route Upgrade work will restrict access in and out of their Holbeck depot in Leeds.

 

[Geeves]

On a related note it looks like quite a bit of trackwork was already done at Holbeck, meaning trains from Leeds station can enter a turnback off the mainline and swap ends out of the way before reversing into Holbeck rather than having to block the mainline. What other things are planned I wonder?

 

[JD2168]

Could the stabling at this location also have been linked to the broken rail on the line between Barnsley & Wakefield this week with it not able to get to Sheffield?

 

[sonic2009]

Could the stabling at this location also have been linked to the broken rail on the line between Barnsley & Wakefield this week with it not able to get to Sheffield?

You can still travel to Sheffield from the Wakefield direction - services were unable to travel Barnsley - Wakefield. I managed to catch a 158 via Meadowhall & Wakefield Westgate (reverse) - Wakefield Kirkgate

 

[D365]

Yes, it is what is known as 'Cobra Sidings', to be visited by the BLS tour, 'The Technical Cobra', on Sunday 12 February. Only recently reopened.

Thanks. I was wondering why BLS had taken an interest in it.

 

[_toommm_]

You can still travel to Sheffield from the Wakefield direction - services were unable to travel Barnsley - Wakefield. I managed to catch a 158 via Meadowhall & Wakefield Westgate (reverse) - Wakefield Kirkgate

There was a train that terminated at Darton, and left two hours later. It obviously didn’t block the line for those two hours, so it may have come up to this siding to get out of the way.

From tracking the train’s booked journeys afterwards, it looks to be a 158, if the platform continuity is correct.

 

[endofthetunnel]

The set in Cobra sidings arrived on 23/12 as 5H97 (158789 if RTT is correct), along with a second unit later that night. There was a move booked to get both back to Holbeck earlier this week now the works are complete but for various reasons only 1 has gone and this one remains for now.