Colas Start Weardale Coal Route Learning

[wensley]

47749 began a stint of 3 days route learning between York and Bishop Auckland (as well as Scunthorpe) in readiness for the new Weardale coal traffic from the dale to Scunthorpe Steel Works. The working runs as 0Z47 and runs York-Bishop Auckland-Scunthorpe-York with an additional York-Scunthorpe-York on a afternoon/evening.

47749 heads North a few minutes early and in the sun:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60516955@N08/5785637183/in/photostream/
Here the Colas "Duff" returns at a slightly different location:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60516955@N08/5786192648/in/photostream/
91101 heads North:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60516955@N08/5786191360/in/photostream/
180105 re-appears:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60516955@N08/5786189204/in/photostream

 

[Christopher125]

The Weardale website is talking about Coal to Port Talbot - is this an error? It did seem like an awful long way....

 

[wensley]

The Weardale website is talking about Coal to Port Talbot - is this an error? It did seem like an awful long way....

As far as I was aware the traffic was into Scunthorpe. However, Port Talbot is not totally implausible and would actually make more sense based on the timings and the single train per day. That will remain to be seen. However, the route learning to date has only encompassed the Bishop to Scunthorpe routing with more trips run to Scunthorpe than Bishop. The latter may be due to the drivers signing the Northern ECML from York and just being required to lean the BIA Branch wheras the Scunthorpe route could all be new track?!