What a privilege to travel these tracks put down with hard labour by an army of navvies. We don't know how lucky we are in 2022. Keep up your great work.
These videos keep getting better and better. Victorian railway civil engineering projects never cease to amaze and seeing them from the cab shows how epic they really were given there was no CAD or heavy machinery to assist
Mind boggling isn’t it Geoff. I’ve often been found sat staring at some item of infrastructure and I’m gone…. just trying to work out how they did it and what was involved. It’s part of the allure of the railway to me.
I split it up in 3 sections of about an hour each. During each section I pedalled about 18 miles on my hometrainer enjoying the landscape and your remarks during the ride. Great exercise material for an octogenerian! Great camera, too!
Just as a footnote to my comment.When I was a child in the North East,we lived about 50yards from a Railway embankment. The Trains passed day and night. At the bottom of the street was a Dairy, milk churns banging from about four in the morning. About half a mile away as the crow flies were the Ship Building and Repair yards, Riveters going all night. We slept like tops. I can assure you, laying in bed listening to trains passing was comforting, you knew life was happening around you. Love these videos Don.
Well as you’ve seen I live close to the line and there is a never ending succession of trains passing, I’m amazed Derbyshire is still here. Like you say, it’s like most background noise, you get used to it.
Once again thank you Don. I’ve been with the railways for 24 years, and a driver (locomotive engineer) for 22. This has been in the US and Canada. It’s neat to see how things are done in the UK. I can’t wait for the travel restrictions to ease so that another visit can be made.
What an excellent Video. 👍🏻👍🏻 A lot of Informations about the Route and about what we see at the Moment. Really cool. Thank you for that. Greets from Germany...
Wonderful video and a great archive piece for future generations. Unlike the majority of other 'cab-ride' videos, you expertly point out all of the places of interest (and pause to highlight the items we should be looking for). This is now my number one TH-cam channel, Thank you sir, from a frustrated "wannabee" freight train driver.
Thanks Alan, that’s much appreciated. I structure the videos how I would want to see it and tell you all the things I’d be bombarding you with if you were in the cab with me. Getting the captions just right isn’t easy because I try to time them so when you’ve finished reading you can look up and see what I’m talking about. If when watching it back I think you’ve not had time to look at a feature, I’ll either freeze it or add a Picture in Picture. You obviously appreciate all that which makes it all worthwhile. Many thanks and compliments of the season.
This has to be my all-time favourite freight video, full of interest and excitement. I too, followed the route with my rail atlas. I grew up near Stockport and travelled to school in Macclesfield by steam train back in the 50s. Trainspotting was a hobby then and I took numbers on Stockport station, also being taken to Crewe where I spent time on the platforms. I became keen on hiking and have had many walks in the Peak district and around Buxton, observing some of these stone quarries from a different angle! So I know that particular part of England quite well and it was fascinating to explore the single track freight only lines too. Great scenery from the high vantage point of a loco cab and fine weather all contributed to a brilliant video. The historical detail which you provided along the way was a bonus. Thanks!!
Hi Peter. I think most lads of our era had a fascination with trains and it was harmless too. Your account of your youth seems similar to mine. It is a lovely area with quite a lot of rail activity and to cap it all I managed to get on as a driver. Thanks for your comments 👍
Really enjoyed this . Many times have i passed through Buxton heading to Sheffield and drove under the railway bridges . Never seen a train using them . Amazing to see from the drivers perspective
By now if you’ve followed many of the videos, you’ll know all the fundamentals but now I can start to talk more about what’s going on and why so I’m glad you like it.
WOW!!! I especially loved the Buxton part where we got so see parts of the network that us lesser mortals never get to see. The Great Rocks line was so scenic (I've seen it many a time driving along the A6) and the quarry looked like something out of a Bond Movie. All we needed was a couple of Russian tanks, lol. Well done Mr Coffey and friends.
Hi Jenny. I went to Matlock with my wife and drove via Ashwood Dale. It’s really quite pleasant down with the meandering river. Yes the quarries do look like Bond Movie sets or even Tracey Island. Glad you liked it.
Fantastic, sat in a hotel room on a Wednesday evening with a glass of whisky and a bar of chocolate what a way to relax. I know very little about trains but always found something majestic about freight trains. Thank you. 👍
I was that person Ian. Used to travel round the country with work staying in hotels all over the place but didn’t have such a wonderful resource as TH-cam. Glad you liked the video 👍
Your videos are so interesting, with all the information, too. I watch them while doing my exercise bike, makes a boring task so much more interesting while allowing me to listen to a Spotify playlist. My late dad would have loved these videos.
Snacks at the ready! What a superb cab ride! All I can say is wow! Absolutely terrific! Another tremendous video!! Loved where we were in the quarrys and Peak Forest, it was interesting to see 67005 there and where it was stored, I remember catching it at the bottom of my garden, route learning for the RHTT season it was. Very enjoyable, inspiring, interesting and just wow! I can see how they shunt round Peak Forest now and the Signal Box, thank you! I loved the token machines at Buxton and the points change too! Excellent in every shape or form! What more could you want!? A perfect example of why I recommend your excellent channel! Job well done and top class as well! Great work from you! I also loved the whole journey through Guide Bridge and then down to Stockport, I can see where the freights wait now! I loved the 'Its another Buxton to Manchester Piccadilly trains' I see them every half an hour past my garden! Really majestic this was! Nice to see Crewe and the yards there! Well done! A very enjoyable 3 hours! I love how you can hear the power of the 66, very atmospheric! Look forward to the next cab ride! Really enjoyed, thanks for sharing! Keep up the fantastic work! Take care, stay safe and well, keep up the fantastic, inspiring and enjoyable videos we all appreciate your time and effort into them! Have a great day and all the best!
Are you our Davenport correspondent by any chance 😉. Thanks for all the feedback and I’m glad that you appreciated all the detail. It gives you an insight into what goes on in the background. Watch out for more videos coming soon.
Hi, this part would think I am in my home country The Netherlands if I wouldn't know better. Only the maximum speed signs given in miles would have made me realise this is Great Britain.
Another excellent production! It was one of your videos that caused many memories with travel on the 1722 Manchester Central to Buxton calling at Chapel en le Frith Central and Peak Forest behind Jubilee 45705 Seahorse on two days in August 1965, my first office after training at Romiley as Area Supervisor and later at Crewe for a period of Assistant Area Manager. All wonderful times!
Hi Don, a couple of model railway viewers of yours recommended this one to me as I'm modelling a stretch of this line as it heads out of Buxton down the Wye Valley so found it really useful. Many thanks for sharing. I did a video from the ground level as part of my planning and its great to see it from the drivers perspective. many thanks and all the best, Paul
You have absolutely done your homework and gone the extra mile and a half. Not only do you give us an exclusive front seat view but also photos, side views of interesting locations and tons of extra information. Well done!
Another great video Don. It was good to see the 'Independent Lines' round the back of Crewe Station for the first time in nearly 30 years, and also to see Northwich - Middlewich -Sandbach, which is a route I never worked over. I can vouch for what you say about the frequent weather disparities either side of the Pennines - I distinctly remember leaving Man Vic for York with a class 45 and 8 bogies as a 23 year old 'passed man' on one of my first driving turns. Glorious sunshine on 'our side' of the hill - dense fog from Marsden all the way to York! Certainly tested your route knowledge! Keep up the good work.
Happens quite a lot where either side of Standedge is quite different. Inside the tunnel had its own microclimate too. I feel I should know you if you were 9D. I was at Buxton which was an outbase but to this day I loiter around Vic.
Hi Don, once again thank you so much for your splendid videos, sitting at my computer, I have virtually travelled all around the UK and all this while we are still in lockdown in New South Wales, so although you may not realise it, you're a blessing in disguise, I reckon you have `helped` lots of people who are going through the same experience, many thanks from Australia.
Superb video - played it all in one go and thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. I especially liked the detailed explanations of the route and the driving techniques. Many thanks for creating and sharing this.
Quite fascinating video - so very different from our American and Canadian train system from what I have seen. Our freight trains tend to be much longer, especially out west where I live. Our coal trains can be miles long with a half dozen traction units. So seeing this is very different from our videos. Love it!
Our infrastructure doesn’t allow anything like yours Scott. Freightliner run a few “jumbo trains” which are 40 vehicles or half a mile but that then stretches what they can do with it to avoid fouling up junctions and signal sections.
Hi Don, Great videos. I have many memories of working at Tunstead quarry and Lhoist Hindlow. Your knowledge is excellent. They were still using 37s back then too. Many thanks.
Fascinating, informative and educational. Thanks for providing an enthralling alternative to a Sunday night football match in mid-July! It was amazing to see the variety of scenery, complexity of railway junctions and varieties of speed limits which the train and its driver(s) encountered on the run. Thanks for the production. Mike
I really enjoyed that. I was a tipper driver running out of Dowlow mainly and often wondered where the trains went. I was expecting to watch the first half hour and ended up watching the whole video!
I used to drive Fodens for Crabtree’s out of Tunstead and I’d never seen it either. Sitting you down for three and a quarter hours is the sign of a good film 😉. More coming soon.
What a wild region ! And a surprise: Freightliner is busy also in Germany by carrying Limbstone from Scharzfeld (Part of the town Herzberg am Harz) to Wülfrath (near Düsseldorf), using Class 66 or 67 and about 20 Lorris named EAOS.
The video was well produced and presented , I really enjoyed the scenery and I followed the route with a rail map as well. I look forward to watching more of them.
Thank you so much Don for this splendid video, once again I am continually amazed at the amount of information you manage to input into your videos, I am seeing freight lines I only could have dreamed of when I was trainspotting, it all makes for a thoroughly splendid couple of hours, and also a great thank you for the many hours you put in to produce such great videos.
As a lorry driver who has spent the last 42 years delivering all over the Uk it is very interesting for me to see the railfreight side of goods transport and i recognise so many of these places and bridges etc .Well done for bringing this to us and yes bulk goods should be on the rail wherever possible but I understand its limitations in last mile ( or a bit more delivery) The Goverment wants all diesel locos gone by 2040 really? they gotta spend a few trainloads of cash on infrastructure,my bet is it wont happen.
I came to the railway in 2003 and before that I used to drive a lot and certainly I’ve driven over that elevated section many times. The freight side is mostly geared up for bulk delivery these days and can’t compete with road haulage for local deliveries. As for the end of diesel, well I suppose it has to happen but like you say, there’s too many branch lines the would need a fortune spending on them. Maybe hybrids will have come on by then.
Thank you Don for another brilliant video, you spoil us with these amazing videos can not wait for next one. Keep safe and once again thank you for all the work you do
Watched the whole trip this time and was interested to see our old local station Cheadle Hulme at 2:28:55. On the 28th of May, 1964 when I was almost 3 years old my mother was driving us to the station to pick up my father who had just arrived from Manchester. As we were approaching the railway bridge there was a crashing of bricks and lumber and my mother exclaimed "Oh dear!". One of my oldest memories. I had witnessed the "Lolipop Express" accident in which two children and a teacher on a special excursion were killed. My father helped evacuate the other children. The line speed had been reduced due to bridge construction and the train involved was coming from the left at excessive speed.
NEW SUBSCRIBER. Great video. Thanks for the effort. I live near Fort Worth, Texas. My family emigrated from near Maidstone, Kent in 1870 and settled on a farm on Bristol Road, Genesee County, Michigan. I was drafted off that farm and sent to Vietnam. God speed. Eaglegards...
Enjoyable video, passing my home station, as caver the drainage issues in Dove Holes tunnel are interesting. The tunnel broke into a number of cave passages during its construction, most active water carrying passages which due to the westward falling gradient of the tunnel had their flow taken to the Goyt and then the Irish Sea whereas the original flow emerged mostly at Wormhill Springs beside the Wye. It's postulated that there is probably an extensive streamway cave system in that area waiting to be found.
Thanks Alan, very interesting. That culvert does actually end up back in the Goyt. It emerges at the allotments near Ferodo and heads to the Goyt via Black Brook as I’m sure you know. I had no idea that caves might take the same route but it makes perfect sense.
I love how those old token machines are still in service. They still use them on the Heart of Wales line, or did last time I was there a few years ago, although tied in to central control these days, I believe.
Yes, some of the mid Wales routes are now ETB or electric token block where the driver removes his own token from an electrical box. In places where it’s feasible to track circuit the whole line they can take it up a notch and interlock the signalling with the points (TCB). Monday’s video features two such lines.
Wow! A working token system! There were similar ones before in the Russian Federation, but they have not been used for a very-very long time. Thanks for the sharing. 👍
Thank you so much Don. Superb filming accompanied by loads to interesting information. Glad I packed sandwiches and a soft drink before settling down to watch it 😀😀 Best regards, Bob.
Just found this and gotta say this is the longest vid I've watch ... and well worth it! Thank you! What I noticed especially is that there are no at-grade crossings! Sooooo different than here in the u.s. Good on y'all! In my small town the trains have to blow for about 10-15 crossings. But you get used to it and don't hear it anymore. Also, I see that graffiti is universal. Unfortunately. Again, thanks for this video. I learned a lot and wish my sweetheart was still alive to share this with.
That’s very flattering. There is one crossing that might look familiar in the Derby to Lincoln video. I’m sorry your soulmate isn’t there to watch it with you, I know how I’d feel about that.
I love watching your videos - something so relaxing about these :) I like this one especially as I used to work for a company that did a lot of business with Hillhead Quarry, and I worked the Hillhead Show a couple of times. The railway history around the Buxton area is fascinating. I realise that there may have been cases where lines were simply not paying for themselves in the 1960s, but I still regard what Marples (through his henchman Beeching) did as just an act of sheer vandalism.
I do agree it was a shame but I also think that we, the general public were largely to blame because our interest changed to cars. They should have kept more than they did though, they were too ruthless.
Hi Don, Wonderful to follow the train through such diverse scenery, and nice to see that the driver saluted your home as he passed! Always been a fan of the GM locos since the Class 59s arrived at Merehead.
I'm not even a trainspotter, but I spent my formative years in the UK, and I've since become a bit of an anglophile. I've always loved British Iron -- Nortons, BSA's, Judas Priest, etc, so this just fits the bill. :)
I am old enough to remember when a trip from Huddersfield to Crewe involved changing at Stalybridge and Stockport taking the line through Guide Bridge and Denton. Was double line in those days with an hourly service.
That was excellent Don ! Your Cab Ride video are the best out there!!! They are informative and very interesting and I have learned a lot of how British Railways operate!!! Thank you for sharing this with us Don...:):):)
Another fantastic video, thank you once again for putting this together along with everyone else involved. I'm slowly working my way through all your video's.... It's always nice to see what the rail industry can do when everyone pulls together for such great causes as well.
As a novice trainspotter who only has watched online videos, I love your content. It is inspiring me to learn more about my local roads and maybe even take a look at the local equipment. Plus, the history content is top notch and makes this so much better than the NRK Slow TV content. Well done....
Another great video Don. I was often interested in watching the Buxton end. I remember travelling along the A6, and passing under 4 Railway Bridges, and wondered if they were in Passenger use. Of course it was a Freight only line, and you’ve cracked it. Excellent
Hi, I have a question. These very old rails are 100s of years old in some places, right? How can they still handle such modern heavy trains like this? Are those wooden sleepers? Is it that they were built so well back in the day or do they get constant maintenance? Also as others have said it's AMAZING to see how advanced they were with railroads and makes me proud to be British because we were the first industrialised nation with the earliest industrial railway system and it seems they built it to last. Also: A lot of people in the comments seem to want to flex about the US railway system but they forget that most of those lines are very modern with modern trains and huge industry in mind. Britain pays the price for being the first country to fully industrialise because for example, like our water piping system, most of our infrastructure is very old as it was pioneered before any other country. Considering the US is physically enormous, it makes sense to use extremely long trains to maximise freight throughput and cost. So it's not really comparable and it sort of bothers me that some folk comment just to flex about US railroad system lol.
Hi. Our railway is a mix of old and new. It’s true that some is particularly old but a lot has been upgraded in stages. Fortunately there are still plenty of the existing parts to wonder. It surely is fascinating once you dig in. Regarding the US system, there network was once very extensive but they lost out to road transport just like we did. They are turning some of it round but they are a long way behind us given the scale. I do got some mocking and snipes when I wax lyrical about our freight trains but it’s a scale thing, our infrastructure struggles with big trains.
I used to sign to Denton Junction but I’ve never done that little bit from Guide Bridge either. I’ve got loads more really fascinating freight videos coming soon.
Great video, a brilliant watch from start to finish I really like the information that pops up on the bottom and this journey had so much variation from quiet lines in the Peak District to the busy WCML.
Wonderful & Well-Done Vid. I'd never seen token system done before, as its not practiced--that I know of--here in the US. Wonderful hilly terrain in this vid as well. We call aerosol cans of paint, "spray-paint" cans here and almost every train--even unit coal trains--looks a bit like a "rolling mural" of words & multi-colored artwork (wonder how long those traincars have been sitting in order to be painted-up like that)? Buxton--with spas & medicinal waters--sounds like nearby Hot Springs, Arkansas, which has the same (you may care to do a search of Hot Springs, Arkansas). The famous & infamous have frequented the spahouses of that town from the 1800s through today. Great vids, looking forward to more.
Hello David, thanks as always for your feedback. A lot of our single lines are now track circuited and do away with the tokens but they still exist and of course while a train has got the token, no other does. I haven’t got any patience for the spray paint vandals. It’s not so much the painting, it’s the lack of respect for other people’s property. If you ever get chance to visit our tiny island, I’ll take you to see some sights but our spa water is consistently warm rather than hot and of course we drink it! Next video out on Thursday 22nd. Take care 👍
Hi Don. Thanks very much for this. I've been waiting to see this line since I first discovered the Chapel area 50 years ago. Well worth the wait. I knew Derek Evans, recently passed away, who used to be the signalman at (I think) Chinley North Junction.
Derek and I swapped houses (not the one I’m in now) which was even closer to the line than this. He was signaller at Chinley South which has long since gone.
Watched over a period of 3 nights, this is an outstanding video of a route I know really very little about. Literally stumbled on this by chance! Lots of very interesting structures - bridges, viaducts, the Peak Forest Canal at Marple (according to the map) and a surprising amount of surviving signal boxes. Pity their windows have been replaced by modern UPVC. Looks like I have a lot of others to watch!
Yes you’ve got some catching up to do Paul. Each video has different information so the more you watch the more you’ll learn about the railway , history and architecture. 👍
The "tokens" are exactly the same as our old "Staff" here in NSW, Australia and with the CCT operation nowdays, they have very few operating "Staff Sections" ----- BTW, love your videos Don.
I know Mark, my current job takes me through Guide Bridge quite a lot and it’s depressing to see it. Such a lot is lost, let’s be thankful some is saved I suppose.
Just seen this, so a bit late with the comments. Excellent video, as already said, the comments add to the overall enjoyment without interfering with the viewing. Fascinating journey to follow, entertaining and informative. Will like and subscribe.
Great video. I enjoyed this epic freight trip. Thanks for this insight into driving a UK freight train. I agree about the graffiti on the wagons. It's a shame that there's so much of it these days on rolling stock and walls. It's also in other countries - except, maybe, Japan.
I’ve had somebody trying to convince me it’s art but I refuse to accept it. It’s vandalism in my opinion and it’s criminal on period stonework. Perhaps I’m just old fashioned 😉
I would love to live in one of the houses on the left, as you left Buxton. The panoramic views of the Railway is fabulous! Some people would worry about the noise I presume.
Great video with informative captions. Really enjoyed it. I understand about the ads and have no problems but I was starting to get concerned when I was nine minutes in and on the third ad break!! The prospect of three hours with ads every three minutes wasn’t attractive. However it settled down after that, thankfully. Keep up the good work.
I can’t see the ads now I’ve subscribed to TH-cam Neil but they used to drive me nuts when watching other videos. It’s Google greed but we do get a cut for charity.
Ying ying ying. What a cool job! Do you hope more of our goods are carried by rail freight in the future? Seems like a no brainier compared to loading up lorries
Don Coffey, the class 60 (60 096) used to be owned by Colas, but GBRF bought all of them from Colas - even though most of them are still in Colas livery! Only 002, 021, 026 and 087 have since been repainted into GBRF colours. 60 026 was repainted into the livery of the leasing company, Beacon Rail Leasing.
Not possibly, Robert, definitely!!! Haha, just kidding although I think we are getting about as good as we can get with DIY facilities. I’m quite happy with the format of these later films.
For a viewer from North America, this is worth it just for the use of semaphores and tokens on an operating line! Brilliant!
Glad you enjoyed it 👍😉
What a privilege to travel these tracks put down with hard labour by an army of navvies. We don't know how lucky we are in 2022. Keep up your great work.
Amazing isn’t it Rodney.
My favourite way of relaxing! Thanks again. The social history of the railways is a bonus.
Glad you enjoyed it Barry. More soon.
These videos keep getting better and better. Victorian railway civil engineering projects never cease to amaze and seeing them from the cab shows how epic they really were given there was no CAD or heavy machinery to assist
Mind boggling isn’t it Geoff. I’ve often been found sat staring at some item of infrastructure and I’m gone…. just trying to work out how they did it and what was involved. It’s part of the allure of the railway to me.
I split it up in 3 sections of about an hour each. During each section I pedalled about 18 miles on my hometrainer enjoying the landscape and your remarks during the ride. Great exercise material for an octogenerian! Great camera, too!
Nice one Frits, you’ll be an Olympian by the time you’ve watched them all 😉👍
Just as a footnote to my comment.When I was a child in the North East,we lived about 50yards from a Railway embankment. The Trains passed day and night. At the bottom of the street was a Dairy, milk churns banging from about four in the morning. About half a mile away as the crow flies were the Ship Building and Repair yards, Riveters going all night. We slept like tops. I can assure you, laying in bed listening to trains passing was comforting, you knew life was happening around you.
Love these videos Don.
Well as you’ve seen I live close to the line and there is a never ending succession of trains passing, I’m amazed Derbyshire is still here. Like you say, it’s like most background noise, you get used to it.
Thank you for enabling me to be on the footplate. A great experience and very informative commentary.
Glad you enjoyed it Mark. Most of the captions explain what I would be telling you if you were with us in the cab.
Once again thank you Don. I’ve been with the railways for 24 years, and a driver (locomotive engineer) for 22. This has been in the US and Canada. It’s neat to see how things are done in the UK. I can’t wait for the travel restrictions to ease so that another visit can be made.
Let me know if you come Brian. Might get chance to say hello.
A fabulous video showing parts of the Buxton area that are not seen by many people.
Including me Denis. I signed the line to Manchester but never the freight lines.
What an excellent Video. 👍🏻👍🏻 A lot of Informations about the Route and about what we see at the Moment. Really cool. Thank you for that. Greets from Germany...
Hi. Glad you like the video. I used to work near Limburg and Heidelberg in Germany. Beautiful cities.
Well done! I cannot tell you enough how much I enjoy watching these videos. Thank You!
Glad to oblige Michael.
Really appreciate the time and effort you must put into these videos. They keep me involved for hours.
Many thanks.
Glad to be of service. More soon.
Wonderful video and a great archive piece for future generations. Unlike the majority of other 'cab-ride' videos, you expertly point out all of the places of interest (and pause to highlight the items we should be looking for). This is now my number one TH-cam channel, Thank you sir, from a frustrated "wannabee" freight train driver.
Thanks Alan, that’s much appreciated. I structure the videos how I would want to see it and tell you all the things I’d be bombarding you with if you were in the cab with me. Getting the captions just right isn’t easy because I try to time them so when you’ve finished reading you can look up and see what I’m talking about. If when watching it back I think you’ve not had time to look at a feature, I’ll either freeze it or add a Picture in Picture. You obviously appreciate all that which makes it all worthwhile. Many thanks and compliments of the season.
This has to be my all-time favourite freight video, full of interest and excitement. I too, followed the route with my rail atlas. I grew up near Stockport and travelled to school in Macclesfield by steam train back in the 50s. Trainspotting was a hobby then and I took numbers on Stockport station, also being taken to Crewe where I spent time on the platforms. I became keen on hiking and have had many walks in the Peak district and around Buxton, observing some of these stone quarries from a different angle! So I know that particular part of England quite well and it was fascinating to explore the single track freight only lines too. Great scenery from the high vantage point of a loco cab and fine weather all contributed to a brilliant video. The historical detail which you provided along the way was a bonus. Thanks!!
Hi Peter. I think most lads of our era had a fascination with trains and it was harmless too. Your account of your youth seems similar to mine. It is a lovely area with quite a lot of rail activity and to cap it all I managed to get on as a driver. Thanks for your comments 👍
Really enjoyed this . Many times have i passed through Buxton heading to Sheffield and drove under the railway bridges . Never seen a train using them . Amazing to see from the drivers perspective
Glad you enjoyed it, yes the bridges are a fine sight.
Thank you so much for one of the most interesting & informative videos you have made.
By now if you’ve followed many of the videos, you’ll know all the fundamentals but now I can start to talk more about what’s going on and why so I’m glad you like it.
Another satisfying Saturday evening picture show.
Glad you enjoyed it Donna.
WOW!!! I especially loved the Buxton part where we got so see parts of the network that us lesser mortals never get to see. The Great Rocks line was so scenic (I've seen it many a time driving along the A6) and the quarry looked like something out of a Bond Movie. All we needed was a couple of Russian tanks, lol. Well done Mr Coffey and friends.
Hi Jenny. I went to Matlock with my wife and drove via Ashwood Dale. It’s really quite pleasant down with the meandering river. Yes the quarries do look like Bond Movie sets or even Tracey Island. Glad you liked it.
Fantastic, sat in a hotel room on a Wednesday evening with a glass of whisky and a bar of chocolate what a way to relax. I know very little about trains but always found something majestic about freight trains. Thank you. 👍
I was that person Ian. Used to travel round the country with work staying in hotels all over the place but didn’t have such a wonderful resource as TH-cam. Glad you liked the video 👍
Your videos are so interesting, with all the information, too. I watch them while doing my exercise bike, makes a boring task so much more interesting while allowing me to listen to a Spotify playlist. My late dad would have loved these videos.
I just feel asleep and woke up to these videos overnight.
You fell asleep!! Haha, freight trains are hypnotising!
Thank you Don for one of the best videos I have seen on heavy haulage thanks again
How do you mean “one of” Don? Just kidding, glad you enjoyed it.
Very interesting.. Really liked the chat from the engine towards the end when it was opened up for top speed
Snacks at the ready! What a superb cab ride! All I can say is wow! Absolutely terrific! Another tremendous video!! Loved where we were in the quarrys and Peak Forest, it was interesting to see 67005 there and where it was stored, I remember catching it at the bottom of my garden, route learning for the RHTT season it was. Very enjoyable, inspiring, interesting and just wow! I can see how they shunt round Peak Forest now and the Signal Box, thank you! I loved the token machines at Buxton and the points change too! Excellent in every shape or form! What more could you want!? A perfect example of why I recommend your excellent channel! Job well done and top class as well! Great work from you! I also loved the whole journey through Guide Bridge and then down to Stockport, I can see where the freights wait now! I loved the 'Its another Buxton to Manchester Piccadilly trains' I see them every half an hour past my garden! Really majestic this was! Nice to see Crewe and the yards there! Well done! A very enjoyable 3 hours! I love how you can hear the power of the 66, very atmospheric! Look forward to the next cab ride! Really enjoyed, thanks for sharing! Keep up the fantastic work!
Take care, stay safe and well, keep up the fantastic, inspiring and enjoyable videos we all appreciate your time and effort into them! Have a great day and all the best!
Are you our Davenport correspondent by any chance 😉. Thanks for all the feedback and I’m glad that you appreciated all the detail. It gives you an insight into what goes on in the background. Watch out for more videos coming soon.
Hi, this part would think I am in my home country The Netherlands if I wouldn't know better. Only the maximum speed signs given in miles would have made me realise this is Great Britain.
I spent many days working in Holland and loved it. Thanks Martha.
Another excellent production! It was one of your videos that caused many memories with travel on the 1722 Manchester Central to Buxton calling at Chapel en le Frith Central and Peak Forest behind Jubilee 45705 Seahorse on two days in August 1965, my first office after training at Romiley as Area Supervisor and later at Crewe for a period of Assistant Area Manager. All wonderful times!
It sounds idyllic Martin and it also sounds like you had a successful career.
Hi Don, a couple of model railway viewers of yours recommended this one to me as I'm modelling a stretch of this line as it heads out of Buxton down the Wye Valley so found it really useful. Many thanks for sharing. I did a video from the ground level as part of my planning and its great to see it from the drivers perspective. many thanks and all the best, Paul
Cheers Paul. I was lucky to get this footage from FHH who filmed it for their own purposes.
Another beautiful video.
Glad you liked it 👍
You have absolutely done your homework and gone the extra mile and a half. Not only do you give us an exclusive front seat view but also photos, side views of interesting locations and tons of extra information. Well done!
They’ve evolved to the point where you get the information you’d likely get if you were in the cab with me. Glad you liked it.
Another great video Don. It was good to see the 'Independent Lines' round the back of Crewe Station for the first time in nearly 30 years, and also to see Northwich - Middlewich -Sandbach, which is a route I never worked over. I can vouch for what you say about the frequent weather disparities either side of the Pennines - I distinctly remember leaving Man Vic for York with a class 45 and 8 bogies as a 23 year old 'passed man' on one of my first driving turns. Glorious sunshine on 'our side' of the hill - dense fog from Marsden all the way to York! Certainly tested your route knowledge! Keep up the good work.
Happens quite a lot where either side of Standedge is quite different. Inside the tunnel had its own microclimate too. I feel I should know you if you were 9D. I was at Buxton which was an outbase but to this day I loiter around Vic.
Excellent video - fascinating to see the whole journey from Hindlow to Crewe. Thank you to all involved in making this possible.
I’ll pass it on Barney, thanks.
Hi Don, once again thank you so much for your splendid videos, sitting at my computer, I have virtually travelled all around the UK and all this while we are still in lockdown in New South Wales, so although you may not realise it, you're a blessing in disguise, I reckon you have `helped` lots of people who are going through the same experience, many thanks from Australia.
Thank you Terry. There have been times when I nearly gave up but comments similar to this kept me going too.
Superb video - played it all in one go and thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. I especially liked the detailed explanations of the route and the driving techniques. Many thanks for creating and sharing this.
There’s several more in the series and more to come.
Quite fascinating video - so very different from our American and Canadian train system from what I have seen. Our freight trains tend to be much longer, especially out west where I live. Our coal trains can be miles long with a half dozen traction units. So seeing this is very different from our videos. Love it!
Our infrastructure doesn’t allow anything like yours Scott. Freightliner run a few “jumbo trains” which are 40 vehicles or half a mile but that then stretches what they can do with it to avoid fouling up junctions and signal sections.
Hi Don, Great videos. I have many memories of working at Tunstead quarry and Lhoist Hindlow. Your knowledge is excellent. They were still using 37s back then too. Many thanks.
My pleasure Daz. They are going to start running trains into Lhoist again.
Fascinating, informative and educational. Thanks for providing an enthralling alternative to a Sunday night football match in mid-July! It was amazing to see the variety of scenery, complexity of railway junctions and varieties of speed limits which the train and its driver(s) encountered on the run. Thanks for the production. Mike
Thanks for watching Mike and by doing so you donated to charity.
I really enjoyed that. I was a tipper driver running out of Dowlow mainly and often wondered where the trains went. I was expecting to watch the first half hour and ended up watching the whole video!
I used to drive Fodens for Crabtree’s out of Tunstead and I’d never seen it either. Sitting you down for three and a quarter hours is the sign of a good film 😉. More coming soon.
What a wild region ! And a surprise: Freightliner is busy also in Germany by carrying Limbstone from Scharzfeld (Part of the town Herzberg am Harz) to Wülfrath (near Düsseldorf), using Class 66 or 67 and about 20 Lorris named EAOS.
It sounds like very similar trains Hartmut. Those wagons on the video are Ealnos too 👍
The supplemental comments makes this viewing all the more interesting, thanks for putting in the effort.
Rodney
CANADA
Thanks Rodney, much appreciated. I try to add something different to each video so regular watchers build up a wide knowledge.
The video was well produced and presented , I really enjoyed the scenery and I followed the route with a rail map as well. I look forward to watching more of them.
Thanks Ian. There are more in the library and more to come. All the best.
As ever, another excellent video Don, thank you so much for these films!
Thanks Geoff. New one Tuesday.
th-cam.com/video/EFnzTGuu47U/w-d-xo.html
Wel Ithat I must say is a fantastic and very informative video to watch thank you so much for all involved in making it.
Thanks Robert, much appreciated.
Great footage and truly interesting history lesson thanks. Will be watching more of your videos.
Much appreciated thanks 👍
Thank you so much Don for this splendid video, once again I am continually amazed at the amount of information you manage to input into your videos, I am seeing freight lines I only could have dreamed of when I was trainspotting, it all makes for a thoroughly splendid couple of hours, and also a great thank you for the many hours you put in to produce such great videos.
Thanks Terry, I try to add the information that might come from questions or the narrative you might get if you were with me.
Absolutely fantastic Don. Sat here with tea and bickies in the warmth. Cold as muck here "down under" atm. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Hi Neil. We’re just having a pleasant spell with no rain but no doubt it will soon be back! Take care.
Thanks for the cab ride video totally enjoyed this and your writing caption s are spot on!!😎🚃🚃🚃🚃🇬🇧💯
Thanks Christopher.
As a lorry driver who has spent the last 42 years delivering all over the Uk it is very interesting for me to see the railfreight side of goods transport and i recognise so many of these places and bridges etc .Well done for bringing this to us and yes bulk goods should be on the rail wherever possible but I understand its limitations in last mile ( or a bit more delivery) The Goverment wants all diesel locos gone by 2040 really? they gotta spend a few trainloads of cash on infrastructure,my bet is it wont happen.
I came to the railway in 2003 and before that I used to drive a lot and certainly I’ve driven over that elevated section many times. The freight side is mostly geared up for bulk delivery these days and can’t compete with road haulage for local deliveries. As for the end of diesel, well I suppose it has to happen but like you say, there’s too many branch lines the would need a fortune spending on them. Maybe hybrids will have come on by then.
Thank you Don for another brilliant video, you spoil us with these amazing videos can not wait for next one. Keep safe and once again thank you for all the work you do
Not at all, my pleasure Robert.
Watched the whole trip this time and was interested to see our old local station Cheadle Hulme at 2:28:55. On the 28th of May, 1964 when I was almost 3 years old my mother was driving us to the station to pick up my father who had just arrived from Manchester. As we were approaching the railway bridge there was a crashing of bricks and lumber and my mother exclaimed "Oh dear!". One of my oldest memories. I had witnessed the "Lolipop Express" accident in which two children and a teacher on a special excursion were killed. My father helped evacuate the other children. The line speed had been reduced due to bridge construction and the train involved was coming from the left at excessive speed.
A sad but very interesting story. Thanks for sharing it.
Great video, the locomotive you drive sounds very similar to our EMD SD45-2 ,known as the 'porch' here in the USA ,I absolutely enjoyed the cab ride.
It’s probably based on exactly the same engine Joseph. Our 66’s are built by EMD in the States/Canada.
NEW SUBSCRIBER. Great video. Thanks for the effort. I live near Fort Worth, Texas. My family emigrated from near Maidstone, Kent in 1870 and settled on a farm on Bristol Road, Genesee County, Michigan. I was drafted off that farm and sent to Vietnam. God speed. Eaglegards...
Interesting history, thanks and thanks for subscribing 👍
Another big thank you Don for a superb video. I have always wanted to see what the quarry lines around Buxton are like .
I’d never seen all of it in such detail before Freightliner gave the footage to me.
Enjoyable video, passing my home station, as caver the drainage issues in Dove Holes tunnel are interesting. The tunnel broke into a number of cave passages during its construction, most active water carrying passages which due to the westward falling gradient of the tunnel had their flow taken to the Goyt and then the Irish Sea whereas the original flow emerged mostly at Wormhill Springs beside the Wye. It's postulated that there is probably an extensive streamway cave system in that area waiting to be found.
Thanks Alan, very interesting. That culvert does actually end up back in the Goyt. It emerges at the allotments near Ferodo and heads to the Goyt via Black Brook as I’m sure you know. I had no idea that caves might take the same route but it makes perfect sense.
I love how those old token machines are still in service. They still use them on the Heart of Wales line, or did last time I was there a few years ago, although tied in to central control these days, I believe.
Yes, some of the mid Wales routes are now ETB or electric token block where the driver removes his own token from an electrical box. In places where it’s feasible to track circuit the whole line they can take it up a notch and interlock the signalling with the points (TCB). Monday’s video features two such lines.
Superb, as usual, Don! Thank you for all of these videos.
Thanks Michael 👍
Wow! A working token system! There were similar ones before in the Russian Federation, but they have not been used for a very-very long time. Thanks for the sharing. 👍
Yes, still in use to this day.
Just discovered your channel and subscribed. A big thanks for the information provided throughout the journey. Excellent!
Thank you L.T. Much appreciated.
Thank you so much Don. Superb filming accompanied by loads to interesting information. Glad I packed sandwiches and a soft drink before settling down to watch it 😀😀
Best regards, Bob.
Yes it was an epic, maybe a two nighter Bob 😉
Just found this and gotta say this is the longest vid I've watch ... and well worth it! Thank you!
What I noticed especially is that there are no at-grade crossings! Sooooo different than here in the u.s. Good on y'all! In my small town the trains have to blow for about 10-15 crossings. But you get used to it and don't hear it anymore. Also, I see that graffiti is universal. Unfortunately. Again, thanks for this video. I learned a lot and wish my sweetheart was still alive to share this with.
That’s very flattering. There is one crossing that might look familiar in the Derby to Lincoln video. I’m sorry your soulmate isn’t there to watch it with you, I know how I’d feel about that.
I love watching your videos - something so relaxing about these :)
I like this one especially as I used to work for a company that did a lot of business with Hillhead Quarry, and I worked the Hillhead Show a couple of times.
The railway history around the Buxton area is fascinating.
I realise that there may have been cases where lines were simply not paying for themselves in the 1960s, but I still regard what Marples (through his henchman Beeching) did as just an act of sheer vandalism.
I do agree it was a shame but I also think that we, the general public were largely to blame because our interest changed to cars. They should have kept more than they did though, they were too ruthless.
Hi Don, Wonderful to follow the train through such diverse scenery, and nice to see that the driver saluted your home as he passed! Always been a fan of the GM locos since the Class 59s arrived at Merehead.
Yes, he’s a good mate and gives me a pip when he’s filming. Lots more freight vids to come.
I'm not even a trainspotter, but I spent my formative years in the UK, and I've since become a bit of an anglophile. I've always loved British Iron -- Nortons, BSA's, Judas Priest, etc, so this just fits the bill. :)
Thanks MK. Its actually quite interesting to see what goes on when coupled with the history and the surroundings. Glad you enjoyed it.
I am old enough to remember when a trip from Huddersfield to Crewe involved changing at Stalybridge and Stockport taking the line through Guide Bridge and Denton. Was double line in those days with an hourly service.
I’m old enough too Richard unfortunately!! The good old days eh? 👍
That was excellent Don ! Your Cab Ride video are the best out there!!! They are informative and very interesting and I have learned a lot of how British Railways operate!!! Thank you for sharing this with us Don...:):):)
Nowthen Harry, hope your are good. That’s very kind and I appreciate it. 👍
As a fellow Chapel lad really enjoyed this thank you
Another fantastic video, thank you once again for putting this together along with everyone else involved. I'm slowly working my way through all your video's.... It's always nice to see what the rail industry can do when everyone pulls together for such great causes as well.
They’ve evolved over the years Steve. I try to add different subjects to each one so eventually building up a watchers knowledge.
Don, as always a cracking video very informative and well captioned. A fascinating insight into freight working.
Thanks Tim. More soon.
Absolute fab video Don and a great way to spend a few hours on a rest day!
Thanks Stephen, glad you liked it.
Excellent production as always! Thank to all concerned!
Cheers Steve.
What a great ride, well up to your high standard Don Thankyou.
Thanks Tony, much appreciated 👍
Think you, so much. It was a lovely ride. So helpful you were. Once again thank you very much.
Luis from Pennsylvania U.S.A
My pleasure Luis.
An excellent video. Why are these railway videos so addictive and hypnotic?
Because they’re the best Owen!!! 😉
As a novice trainspotter who only has watched online videos, I love your content. It is inspiring me to learn more about my local roads and maybe even take a look at the local equipment. Plus, the history content is top notch and makes this so much better than the NRK Slow TV content. Well done....
Thanks Corey. I will be doing a lot more freight videos soon.
What an excellent and informative video, thank you very much
Glad you enjoyed it Jem. There are many more in the series is you fancy a flick through them.
I often have them on in the the background just for the sound track whilst I work - nice atmosphere :)
Class 66 in Dolby Surround!
Excellent captions. Don Coffey for king!
Arise Sir Wilson! I’m very flattered by your comment 😉👍
Another great video Don. I was often interested in watching the Buxton end. I remember travelling along the A6, and passing under 4 Railway Bridges, and wondered if they were in Passenger use. Of course it was a Freight only line, and you’ve cracked it. Excellent
Yes I’ve been down that valley loads of times and wished I could see the railway. Lovely down by the river isn’t it.
Hi,
I have a question. These very old rails are 100s of years old in some places, right? How can they still handle such modern heavy trains like this? Are those wooden sleepers? Is it that they were built so well back in the day or do they get constant maintenance? Also as others have said it's AMAZING to see how advanced they were with railroads and makes me proud to be British because we were the first industrialised nation with the earliest industrial railway system and it seems they built it to last.
Also:
A lot of people in the comments seem to want to flex about the US railway system but they forget that most of those lines are very modern with modern trains and huge industry in mind. Britain pays the price for being the first country to fully industrialise because for example, like our water piping system, most of our infrastructure is very old as it was pioneered before any other country.
Considering the US is physically enormous, it makes sense to use extremely long trains to maximise freight throughput and cost. So it's not really comparable and it sort of bothers me that some folk comment just to flex about US railroad system lol.
Hi. Our railway is a mix of old and new. It’s true that some is particularly old but a lot has been upgraded in stages. Fortunately there are still plenty of the existing parts to wonder. It surely is fascinating once you dig in. Regarding the US system, there network was once very extensive but they lost out to road transport just like we did. They are turning some of it round but they are a long way behind us given the scale. I do got some mocking and snipes when I wax lyrical about our freight trains but it’s a scale thing, our infrastructure struggles with big trains.
Fantastic video. Very informative as well.
Much appreciated 👍
Great video. I’ve worked at Denton, Reddish South and Heaton Norris junction, but never travelled the whole line. Thanks.
I used to sign to Denton Junction but I’ve never done that little bit from Guide Bridge either. I’ve got loads more really fascinating freight videos coming soon.
bloody marvellous
Short but sweet Brett👍
Great video, a brilliant watch from start to finish I really like the information that pops up on the bottom and this journey had so much variation from quiet lines in the Peak District to the busy WCML.
Glad you found it informative. 👍
Another great video Don, many thanks.
Much appreciated William 👍
Wonderful & Well-Done Vid. I'd never seen token system done before, as its not practiced--that I know of--here in the US. Wonderful hilly terrain in this vid as well. We call aerosol cans of paint, "spray-paint" cans here and almost every train--even unit coal trains--looks a bit like a "rolling mural" of words & multi-colored artwork (wonder how long those traincars have been sitting in order to be painted-up like that)? Buxton--with spas & medicinal waters--sounds like nearby Hot Springs, Arkansas, which has the same (you may care to do a search of Hot Springs, Arkansas). The famous & infamous have frequented the spahouses of that town from the 1800s through today. Great vids, looking forward to more.
Hello David, thanks as always for your feedback. A lot of our single lines are now track circuited and do away with the tokens but they still exist and of course while a train has got the token, no other does. I haven’t got any patience for the spray paint vandals. It’s not so much the painting, it’s the lack of respect for other people’s property. If you ever get chance to visit our tiny island, I’ll take you to see some sights but our spa water is consistently warm rather than hot and of course we drink it! Next video out on Thursday 22nd. Take care 👍
A very, VERY good video. Thank you for filming, and uploading.
I’m flattered, thanks.
Hi Don. Thanks very much for this. I've been waiting to see this line since I first discovered the Chapel area 50 years ago. Well worth the wait. I knew Derek Evans, recently passed away, who used to be the signalman at (I think) Chinley North Junction.
Derek and I swapped houses (not the one I’m in now) which was even closer to the line than this. He was signaller at Chinley South which has long since gone.
Watched over a period of 3 nights, this is an outstanding video of a route I know really very little about. Literally stumbled on this by chance! Lots of very interesting structures - bridges, viaducts, the Peak Forest Canal at Marple (according to the map) and a surprising amount of surviving signal boxes. Pity their windows have been replaced by modern UPVC. Looks like I have a lot of others to watch!
Yes you’ve got some catching up to do Paul. Each video has different information so the more you watch the more you’ll learn about the railway , history and architecture. 👍
The "tokens" are exactly the same as our old "Staff" here in NSW, Australia and with the CCT operation nowdays, they have very few operating "Staff Sections" ----- BTW, love your videos Don.
Thanks Keiran and thanks for the info.
Another great video - really love what you do 👍🏻
Cheers Chris.
Can't believe the change in Guide Bridge. In the early 80's, we'd head there on a 504 to see what was stabled there and were rarely disappointed!
I know Mark, my current job takes me through Guide Bridge quite a lot and it’s depressing to see it. Such a lot is lost, let’s be thankful some is saved I suppose.
Just seen this, so a bit late with the comments. Excellent video, as already said, the comments add to the overall enjoyment without interfering with the viewing. Fascinating journey to follow, entertaining and informative. Will like and subscribe.
This is currently the highest performing video so not late at all 👍. Thanks for subscribing Chris.
Great video. I enjoyed this epic freight trip. Thanks for this insight into driving a UK freight train.
I agree about the graffiti on the wagons. It's a shame that there's so much of it these days on rolling stock and walls. It's also in other countries - except, maybe, Japan.
I’ve had somebody trying to convince me it’s art but I refuse to accept it. It’s vandalism in my opinion and it’s criminal on period stonework. Perhaps I’m just old fashioned 😉
I would love to live in one of the houses on the left, as you left Buxton. The panoramic views of the Railway is fabulous!
Some people would worry about the noise I presume.
I know Peter, there are some houses that I pass with panoramic views of the railway and I think “if only” 😉
A thing of purpose is a thing of beauty.
It is indeed Owen 👍
Great video with informative captions. Really enjoyed it. I understand about the ads and have no problems but I was starting to get concerned when I was nine minutes in and on the third ad break!! The prospect of three hours with ads every three minutes wasn’t attractive. However it settled down after that, thankfully. Keep up the good work.
I can’t see the ads now I’ve subscribed to TH-cam Neil but they used to drive me nuts when watching other videos. It’s Google greed but we do get a cut for charity.
Ying ying ying. What a cool job! Do you hope more of our goods are carried by rail freight in the future? Seems like a no brainier compared to loading up lorries
Don Coffey, the class 60 (60 096) used to be owned by Colas, but GBRF bought all of them from Colas - even though most of them are still in Colas livery! Only 002, 021, 026 and 087 have since been repainted into GBRF colours. 60 026 was repainted into the livery of the leasing company, Beacon Rail Leasing.
That’s right Joel, my mate at GBRf has just signed them.
Great film. Possibly the best rail film I have seen. Shot of Marple aqueduct superb at 1. 34.
Not possibly, Robert, definitely!!! Haha, just kidding although I think we are getting about as good as we can get with DIY facilities. I’m quite happy with the format of these later films.
That’s my favourite so far. Awesome work Don. Finally got those Manchester independent lines in. Brilliant. 🍻
Interesting aren’t they Derek.
Love the sound of the 66
More coming soon.