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Yorkshire BLS tour raises £15k for charity

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THE Branch Line Society and West Coast Railways operated the ‘Luca Pezzulo Express’ on July 20, visiting rare freight lines around Yorkshire. 

Highlights included a rare trip over the remnants of the Woodhead Route, running beyond the Network Rail boundary into Liberty Steel’s Stocksbridge Steelworks, near Sheffield, and the former Tinsley Yard. 

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The train also visited the OMYA chemicals facility at Ferriby, near Hull, the former Kellingley Colliery sidings, and Drax power station, where it became the first passenger train to run through ‘C’ track at the unloading facility. 

The former Great Central main line west of Sheffield Victoria is virtually unrecognisable as West Coast Railways’ No. 37667 leads the ‘Luca Pezzulo Express’ through Bridgehouses towards Deepcar and Stocksbridge on July 20. Between the trees, the Royal Victoria Hotel can just be seen, one of the last reminders of the station closed in January 1970. LES NIXON

Power for the train was provided by West Coast’s No. 37667 and Colas Railfreight No. 37521 running top-and-tail with a set of WCRC Mk1s. 

Proceeds from ticket sales and on-train fundraising raised more than £15,000 for Martin House Hospice, which provides care for children with life-shortening conditions.

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