European Railroad Discussion > A Couple of Coastal Trips

TO member '55002' recently posted some excellent photos of the UK's East Coast Main Line in and around coastal Northumberland. Being an island nation, the UK has a relatively large number of these types of locations, where railway meets scenic coastline, so recently I also thought I'd take advantage of some good weather to try and photograph a couple of these locations that I've not had the chance to visit before, before the short days and likely poor weather of winter set in.

The first shots are on the North Yorkshire coast, where a freight-only branch meanders its way south from Teesside/Middlesborough to the village of Boulby, where a potash mine extends out under the North Sea.

1. Early morning and a train of empty hoppers heads for the mine behind a Freightliner-operated GE class 70, as it passes the old fan house at Hunt Cliff.
2. Later in the morning and a class 70 heads north to Teesside with a loaded train for export.
3. Late morning and another class 70 skirts the high cliff tops at Hunt Cliff as it heads towards the mine with empties.

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4 and 5. 70003 continues past the camera as it passes close to the Cliff edge and adjacent to the Cleveland Way coastal path.
6. A northbound train of loaded hoppers passes the old fan house at Hunt Cliff.

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Moving on a week and I'm now several hundred miles away from the previous shots in the North East, this time in the South West county of Devon, close to the seaside town of Teignmouth.

7. An early morning IEP passenger train heads east towards London.
8. One of the few remaining operational HST sets follows close behind with another eastbound passenger train.
9. The train I really wanted to see on this day - a Colas Rail GE class 70 trundles past with the weekly Moorswater to Aberthaw (South Wales) empty cement train.

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10. ​The empty cement train passes a couple of old beached boats that look unlikely to ever take to the water again...

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Very nice, thanks for sharing them.

Gordon

I like that GWR HST set. Good set of photos.

Excellent set.

In shots 4 & 5, is that a prayer wheel or something else in the background.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

RNinRVR Wrote:
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> In shots 4 & 5, is that a prayer wheel or
> something else in the background.

It's a sculpture, a giant iron charm bracelet with charms meant to reflect different aspects of local life. This site is literally right on top of an old ironstone mine.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/20 10:43 by exhaustED.

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Two great sets of photos. I enjoyed a trip along the Bouly branch, on September 21st, and like you got some good weather. It's been a few years since I've got along to Teignmouth and the Dawlish area. chris uk

55002 Wrote:
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> Two great sets of photos. I enjoyed a trip along
> the Bouly branch, on September 21st, and like you
> got some good weather. It's been a few years since
> I've got along to Teignmouth and the Dawlish area.
> chris uk

Thanks Chris. I'd never been up to Boulby but I'll definitely go again, a unique spot. I've got a soft spot for the class 70s and those nice blue hoppers as well!

Very little freight down in Devon these days... lovely area though!

I've been reflecting on the "the old fan house" and wondering if it is intended for retired railfans like me?

King_Coal Wrote:
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> I've been reflecting on the "the old fan house"
> and wondering if it is intended for retired
> railfans like me?

Ha ha, yes you'd think so with a name like that! You'd be more than welcome, but I'd definitely stick to the summer months!
You can wander around it at will - it was basically a rotating 'fan' that drew stale air out of the ironstone mine below.