Don Coffey cab ride video discussion

[ainsworth74]

I've not had chance to watch the Saltburn episode but as a local it's on my watchlist and I'm looking forward to getting to it!

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Did it live up to your hopes?

Yes sir! Many thanks. Turning out at Thirsk was a first for me and and at last we have a decent video of the section between Middlesbrough and Saltburn. All we need now is a good video of the route to Boulby! I doubt that's possible.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

I've not had chance to watch the Saltburn episode but as a local it's on my watchlist and I'm looking forward to getting to it!

Why is the railway between Thornaby and Middlesbrough so sinuous with speed-restricting curves? Was the area already built-up before the railway came? And could a more direct and straight route now be constructed across part of Tees Yard? Don's video makes clear that Middlesbrough to Saltburn is in a different league.

 

[ainsworth74]

Why is the railway between Thornaby and Middlesbrough so sinuous with speed-restricting curves? Was the area already built-up before the railway came? And could a more direct and straight route now be constructed across part of Tees Yard? Don's video makes clear that Middlesbrough to Saltburn is in a different league.

It wasn't particularly built up prior to the arrival of the railway, indeed there was nothing there at all as the whole area was basically undeveloped until the arrival of the railway and the industrialisation of Teesside, but that bit of railway has played host to bits of railway for a long time. I believe when the railway was first built between Thornaby (or as would have South Stockton I think) and Middlesbrough by the Stockton & Darlington it took a more direct route. You can sort of see roughly what line it took by going on Google Maps to the A19 and then tracing the northern pair of lines through the yard back towards Thornaby. North of that line were all sorts of marshalling and goods yards which have long been lifted and closed.

I think the current more circuitous route dates from Modernisation Plan in the 1950s when they built the current Tees Yard and Thornaby Traction Maintenance Depot and closed/rationalised the existing yards in the area. I believe they routed the passenger line south via that circuitous route to keep the yard itself clear of passenger traffic which would have been a pain to path through what was expected to be an extremely busy yard and depot complex.

You could now re-route the passenger services via that original through route (a through line does exist, I've done it on rail tours!) but it isn't any quicker (indeed the permitted speed is lower if anything) as the yard is shadow of its former self. The TMD is long gone and a considerable portion of the yard itself is out of use and slowly being lifted. But routeing passenger services via the yard would require some investment in raising line speeds and other infrastructure changes so easier to just keep the existing route.

That being said it has been suggested from time to time that it might be necessary in the future to do this as the former yard is redeveloped. It's quite a valuable and large parcel of land and having it enclosed by railway is hardly ideal so closing and lifting the current passenger lines in favour of revamping the the northern way through the yard is probably going to be required at some stage to aid in redevelopment. But there's no active plans that I'm aware of at present to actually do that though at least part of the yard is listed on DB Cargos website as being available: https://uk.dbcargo.com/rail-uk-en/services/available-property

 

[Railwaysceptic]

It wasn't particularly built up prior to the arrival of the railway, indeed there was nothing there at all as the whole area was basically undeveloped until the arrival of the railway and the industrialisation of Teesside, but that bit of railway has played host to bits of railway for a long time. I believe when the railway was first built between Thornaby (or as would have South Stockton I think) and Middlesbrough by the Stockton & Darlington it took a more direct route. You can sort of see roughly what line it took by going on Google Maps to the A19 and then tracing the northern pair of lines through the yard back towards Thornaby. North of that line were all sorts of marshalling and goods yards which have long been lifted and closed.

I think the current more circuitous route dates from Modernisation Plan in the 1950s when they built the current Tees Yard and Thornaby Traction Maintenance Depot and closed/rationalised the existing yards in the area. I believe they routed the passenger line south via that circuitous route to keep the yard itself clear of passenger traffic which would have been a pain to path through what was expected to be an extremely busy yard and depot complex.

You could now re-route the passenger services via that original through route (a through line does exist, I've done it on rail tours!) but it isn't any quicker (indeed the permitted speed is lower if anything) as the yard is shadow of its former self. The TMD is long gone and a considerable portion of the yard itself is out of use and slowly being lifted. But routeing passenger services via the yard would require some investment in raising line speeds and other infrastructure changes so easier to just keep the existing route.

That being said it has been suggested from time to time that it might be necessary in the future to do this as the former yard is redeveloped. It's quite a valuable and large parcel of land and having it enclosed by railway is hardly ideal so closing and lifting the current passenger lines in favour of revamping the the northern way through the yard is probably going to be required at some stage to aid in redevelopment. But there's no active plans that I'm aware of at present to actually do that though at least part of the yard is listed on DB Cargos website as being available: https://uk.dbcargo.com/rail-uk-en/services/available-property

Thank you very much.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Don Coffey has uploaded a new video of the Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield via Stockport route. This lets us see the work done at Dore in recent months.

 

[Don Coffey]

I'll let you know a date nearer the time........

 

[tfw756rider]

Don Coffey has uploaded a new video of the Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield via Stockport route. This let's us see the work done at Dore in recent months.

It's also in a 195, and although a well-hidden 2022 195 cab ride video from another channel was since found, it's the first Don Coffey video at least, of a cab ride of any 6-speed ZF transmission DMU (I'm not aware of any 172, 196 or 197 ones). Speakers or headphones with accurate sound quality and good bass reproduction required to hear the engine note and gear changes.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

I'll let you know a date nearer the time........

I look forward to this. Thanks in advance. You say May this year so only a couple of weeks at the most.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I look forward to this. Thanks in advance. You say May this year so only a couple of weeks at the most.

I think that's the filming date?

 

[Don Coffey]

It's also in a 195, and although a well-hidden 2022 195 cab ride video from another channel was since found, it's the first Don Coffey video at least, of a cab ride of any 6-speed ZF transmission DMU (I'm not aware of any 172, 196 or 197 ones). Speakers or headphones with accurate sound quality and good bass reproduction required to hear the engine note and gear changes.

Correct. My mate filming had terrible trouble with the ventilation which is completely automatic and blows down the front of the screen onto the camera mic. You can only just make out the gear changing although it is much quieter up front than it is in the saloon.

I look forward to this. Thanks in advance. You say May this year so only a couple of weeks at the most.

Yes, I'm hoping to get it out later this month - I'm editing today!!!

I think that's the filming date?

No, Railwaysceptic is right, I am hoping to get it out later this month. Vinny filmed it in March so it's pretty well up to date. You'll see Dore Curve complete in this one.

 

[Don Coffey]

Further to the above, by coincidence, as we wait at Dore West for a passing EMR service to clear, a 195 on exactly the same service discussed passes on the Up.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

No, Railwaysceptic is right, I am hoping to get it out later this month. Vinny filmed it in March so it's pretty well up to date. You'll see Dore Curve complete in this one.

Excellent news.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Don's latest video was uploaded last night. I'll watch it this evening.

 

[Don Coffey]

Tomorrow night......

You’ve met Roger McVay several times now and we’ll be out with him in the next video which is out Tuesday 8th July 2025 at 20:00 UK time. We take 69001 from Tuebrook Sidings down to the docks at Bootle to haul a loaded biomas train back up to Tuebrook. The train comes in empty from Drax and drops down to the docks for loading but the single Class 66 simply can’t get back up the 1:63 gradient without stalling. She’s knocking on the door of 2600 tonnes so we hook up to the rear end and drag her out - hence the name “Drag Engine”. It’s a fascinating stretch of line that once saw 20 passenger trains each way and numerous freight trains. Now it’s freight only although there are aspirations to run passenger trains again. Listen to the sound of this Type 5 loco under the hammer - you might want to dig out the headphones or the whole street will wonder what the heck is happening.

 

[Don Coffey]

Coming Soon.....

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Thanks very much. I'll watch the Bootle tomorrow rather than tonight. I think your video will be the first with decent picture quality for that stretch of track. I can probably guess the route you'll be taking from Tuxford to Doncaster. I look forward to watching that.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

I managed to get Manchester Airport filmed on one of our 397s and we’ve got Piccadilly to Reading pencilled in for July. Steve Hill was the driver to Carlisle. He did commentary driving which goes down well with viewers.

Did the Piccadilly to Reading video ever get done? If it did, I've certainly missed it.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Coming Soon.....

 

[Don Coffey]

Did the Piccadilly to Reading video ever get done? If it did, I've certainly missed it.

Haha, no, my mate got put on another job last minute. He has pledged to get it done before I retire on 6th October. I’ll keep making videos as long as I can get my hands on footage.

 

[Don Coffey]

It’s easier to just paste the video description. Thursday night at 19:30 UK time;

Is this the most famous route in the U.K? Leave a comment! We get to ride in the front of Northern’s 2H86, the daily 10:49 service from Leeds to Carlisle via the world famous Settle & Carlisle route. It seems like the countryside can’t get any better then... “oh my word” we get to Settle. We get to see just how determined the Midland Railway were to compete with the East and West Coast Main Lines by carving a route through the Pennine Hills. For 10 miles we sit on top of England before starting a 20 mile descent down towards Carlisle. Midland Railway Architect John Holloway Sanders created stunning stations, viaducts and numerous other structures and of course we cross the legendary Ribblehead Viaduct. Northern Trains Driver Assessor gives us a detailed and fascinating account as we go along. We get a cameo from Katherine Tuck who tells us about Armathwaite Signal Box which you can visit and to finish things off, K&WVR driver Andy Carter takes us up the Worth Valley into Brontë country on a first generation DMU - you get to hear that sound you heard sat behind the driver all those years ago. Sit back and enjoy this high definition, high fidelity railway video.

 

[Pigeon]

Haha, no, my mate got put on another job last minute. He has pledged to get it done before I retire on 6th October. I'll keep making videos as long as I can get my hands on footage.

I wish you a long and happy retirement, but I can't help wondering how I'm going to cope without the continued flux of videos!

 

[SteveyBee131]

It’s easier to just paste the video description. Thursday night at 19:30 UK time;

Is this the most famous route in the U.K? Leave a comment! We get to ride in the front of Northern’s 2H86, the daily 10:49 service from Leeds to Carlisle via the world famous Settle & Carlisle route. It seems like the countryside can’t get any better then... “oh my word” we get to Settle. We get to see just how determined the Midland Railway were to compete with the East and West Coast Main Lines by carving a route through the Pennine Hills. For 10 miles we sit on top of England before starting a 20 mile descent down towards Carlisle. Midland Railway Architect John Holloway Sanders created stunning stations, viaducts and numerous other structures and of course we cross the legendary Ribblehead Viaduct. Northern Trains Driver Assessor gives us a detailed and fascinating account as we go along. We get a cameo from Katherine Tuck who tells us about Armathwaite Signal Box which you can visit and to finish things off, K&WVR driver Andy Carter takes us up the Worth Valley into Brontë country on a first generation DMU - you get to hear that sound you heard sat behind the driver all those years ago. Sit back and enjoy this high definition, high fidelity railway video.

Awesome! I'm gripped already! Looking forward to it

Haha, no, my mate got put on another job last minute. He has pledged to get it done before I retire on 6th October. I’ll keep making videos as long as I can get my hands on footage.

Very best wishes for your retirement

 

[Railwaysceptic]

Haha, no, my mate got put on another job last minute. He has pledged to get it done before I retire on 6th October. I’ll keep making videos as long as I can get my hands on footage.

Thank you. I'll carry on waiting.

Are you saying that even after you retire, your friends and contacts will still provide you with footage?

By the way, my best wishes for your retirement. My best advice, based on personal experience, is make sure you have an absorbing hobby . . . . . such as creating YouTube videos!

 

[Don Coffey]

As long as I can keep getting footage I’ll keep doing the videos. I’ve got the footage for;

TRU 3 (August 2025)

Dowlow to Ashburys. A new job for Freightliner using a Class 70 as a Class 66 stalls on the curve at Blackwell cottages. It’s no walk in the park for a 70 as the job involves 24 loaded wagons - 2530 tonnes in all. You’ll hear it wrestle that curve at a healthy 8mph.

Crewe to Holyhead on a new Class 805. Driver Team Manager Dave Wright was mic’d up and gives a top notch commentary. Filmed on a cracking day this summer.

Middlesbrough to Newcastle on the Durham Coast Line. Driver Assessor Andy Scott was also mic’d up and gives us a fantastic commentary. Another super day with numerous views of the sea and subterranean Sunderland.

Newcastle to Carlisle. Andy stays with us for this run up the Tyne Valley Line in the general direction of Hadrian’s Wall. We get a good look at Hexham box as we pass under.

Crewe to Walsall. Out with Vinny on a route refresher Class 90.

Not got the footage but I’ve got the invite for that long awaited Reading job on a 220, Northumberland Line, Leeds to York via Harrogate and one or two others I can’t tell you about just yet.

 

[ainsworth74]

Middlesbrough to Newcastle on the Durham Coast Line. Driver Assessor Andy Scott was also mic’d up and gives us a fantastic commentary. Another super day with numerous views of the sea and subterranean Sunderland.

Oooh I'll look forward to that one, another local line to me and I really enjoyed your York - Saltburn video.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Crewe to Holyhead on a new Class 805. Driver Team Manager Dave Wright was mic’d up and gives a top notch commentary.

Middlesbrough to Newcastle on the Durham Coast Line. Driver Assessor Andy Scott was also mic’d up and gives us a fantastic commentary.

When there is a driver commentary, please could it be subtitled? Cloth eared types like me can't make out anything they're saying otherwise, unfortunately...

 

[GRALISTAIR]

As long as I can keep getting footage I’ll keep doing the videos. I’ve got the footage for;

TRU 3 (August 2025)

Dowlow to Ashburys. A new job for Freightliner using a Class 70 as a Class 66 stalls on the curve at Blackwell cottages. It’s no walk in the park for a 70 as the job involves 24 loaded wagons - 2530 tonnes in all. You’ll hear it wrestle that curve at a healthy 8mph.

Crewe to Holyhead on a new Class 805. Driver Team Manager Dave Wright was mic’d up and gives a top notch commentary. Filmed on a cracking day this summer.

Middlesbrough to Newcastle on the Durham Coast Line. Driver Assessor Andy Scott was also mic’d up and gives us a fantastic commentary. Another super day with numerous views of the sea and subterranean Sunderland.

Newcastle to Carlisle. Andy stays with us for this run up the Tyne Valley Line in the general direction of Hadrian’s Wall. We get a good look at Hexham box as we pass under.

Crewe to Walsall. Out with Vinny on a route refresher Class 90.

Not got the footage but I’ve got the invite for that long awaited Reading job on a 220, Northumberland Line, Leeds to York via Harrogate and one or two others I can’t tell you about just yet.

Love your content. Please keep posting.

 

[Don Coffey]

I’ve up

When there is a driver commentary, please could it be subtitled? Cloth eared types like me can't make out anything they're saying otherwise, unfortunately...

I’ve upgraded the mics and I think that might be better. There was a lot of wind noise on the 158 and it picked it up but I think these new DJI Mic2 will be better. The problem with too many captions is you don’t get chance to watch the video so I have to time them all. The 805 cab is very quiet so you won’t struggle hearing Dave.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I’ve up

I’ve upgraded the mics and I think that might be better. There was a lot of wind noise on the 158 and it picked it up but I think these new DJI Mic2 will be better. The problem with too many captions is you don’t get chance to watch the video so I have to time them all. The 805 cab is very quiet so you won’t struggle hearing Dave.

Thank you, though I've never been able to make out much at all on TV or YouTube; I'll have to let you know what I find once those are online.

I do have an implant, and it's very good, but it's still not the same as having normal hearing...