The Grand Farewell - A Grand Day Out - 17th December 2017

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One of the special headboards made for the tour.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2017]	Early morning at Newcastle, a fine station, P4 east end awaiting departure.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2017]		On an overcast morning, reversing in Ryhope Grange Siding No.1 with its run-round loop to the right, left was latterly the former Murton/Hawthorn branch.<br>[&copy; Jonathan Kirby 2017]	The HST is at Ryhope Grange (no 'Junction' name here!) on the Down Main looking south about to make the second reversal. The position light has 'U' (not visible) in the tiny theatre indicator ready to run to the Up Main line via the crossover past the bridge. The line off to the right is to Ryhope Grange Sidings, the line coming in bottom left corner if from Sunderland Docks.<br>[&copy; Jonathan Kirby 2017]	'Spotter Spotting' (and not just the spots of rain); from the cab at the north end of Sheffield station waiting to depart for Barrow Hill South Jn.<br>[&copy; Jonathan Kirby 2017]	On the (bidirectional) Staveley Goods Line at Barrow Hill; the Route Conductor speaks to the Signaller to confirm the routing from S238 towards Barrow Hill South Jn.<br>[&copy; Jonathan Kirby 2017]
Barrow Hill South Jn, the route is set for the Barrow Hill Goods.<br>[&copy; Jonathan Kirby 2017]	With headboard and silver buffers, 43423 leads the Grand Farewell railtour from Barrow Hill South Jn to Bradford Interchange.<br>[&copy; Jonathan Kirby 2017]		A Grand Central HST approaches Jigg's Lane foot-crossing at Langford on the ECML with the 06.45 Sunderland to London King's Cross on 4 Apr 2012. After 10 years work the HST sets have now gone off-lease, the final run north was on the evening of Sun 31 Dec 2017.<br>[© Geoff Plumb 2012]	No HST tour would be complete without it … the all important GSM-R headcode.<br>[&copy; Jonathan Kirby 2017]