Class 66 Cab Ride DB Schenker 66044 6D27 Knottingley TMD to Hull King George Docks HD

Welcome to another cab ride on board 66044 with 6D27 to Hull with a rake of FCA container flats with British Gypsum boxes.

Today we take in the route from Knottingley TMD in West Yorkshire, to Hull King George Docks where our journey terminates at Hedon Road Sidings.

After departing Knottingley TMD at a steady 3mph (due to the train passing through the wagon workshop), we make our way towards the now demolished Kellingley Colliary where we are routed in to number 1 reception siding at Sudforth Lane where the service is pathed for 15 minutes (Video edited accordingly so you only get to stop for a few seconds!).

Once we leave Sudforth Lane, we head on the Down Goole in the direction of Drax Power station. Along the way we pass Whitley Bridge Junction (where the route deviates towards Eggborough Power Station), the now closed Hensal signal box and under the East Coast Main Line at Heck Ings to Drax Branch Junction where the route also diverges off to Drax Power Station.

From Drax Branch Junction we continue on the Down Goole to Gowdall Junction and then on to the single line. Here we see a variety of level crossings that you wouldn't normally see being installed on a modern railway. These are AOCL (Automatic Open Level Crossing [locally monitored] ) and ABCL (Automatic Barrier Level Crossing [locally monitored] ). The flashing white light signifies that the crossing is safe for the passage of trains, but the driver must observe the crossing until the front of the train is clear.
Part way down the single line, we stop at Rawcliffe Station to allow the train detection system to lower the ABCL before we sound the warning horn and continue.

At the end of the single line is Potters Grange Junction and Goole Signal box, level crossing and station. We continue past here to the stunning Goole Swing Bridge.

Once clear of Goole Swing Bridge we make our way past Saltmarshe signal box and station towards Gilberdyke Junction where we are held momentarily for the passage of a York bound passenger train. This is the start of the traditional semaphore signalling and it is soon to vanish to make way for modern colour light signalling.

Now we can pick up speed towards Hull and we cruise along at a steady 60mph as we pass Oxmardyke, Broomfleet, Cave, Crabley Creek, Brough, Melton Lane and Welton Lane signal boxes.
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A few miles further down we pass North Ferriby station and the impressive Humber Bridge comes in to view (interesting fact - The distance between the top of the pillars is 4" further apart than the bottom of the pillars due to the curvature of the earth) as we start to follow the Humber Estuary down towards Hessle Junction and we begin to run parallel to the A63.

After passing Hessle Junction, we start to bring our speed down to 30mph for Hessle Road Junction where we can see the route is set for us due to the flashing yellow signals on approach.

As we pass over Dairycotes bridge, the junction signal comes in to view and the train is allowed to coast over the junction at 30mph and naturally reduce our speed using the gradient to 10mph for Spring bank North Junction.

Here the line is single track all the way to Bridges Junction where the Hull Docks ABP railway territory starts. We bring the train to a stand at the inlet signal and then receive the position lights to continue on to the docks railway at 10mph.

Passing over the A63 and swinging round the left, we come to a stand outside the security gates PIC cabin and collect the docks radio equipment. After getting permission to proceed, we continue our journey towards Hedon Road Sidings where our journey ends.

Thank you for watching. This cab ride was filmed with all the required permissions in 2014 and is of historical relevance due to the changing landscape of the railway and signalling systems on this line of route.

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