Another of the Society's successful main line loco hauled Tracker tours ran from Carnforth, with standard class fully booked some weeks before and only a few first class seats spare. The aim was to visit both ABP Hull Docks and Scunthorpe Foreign Ore branch, (unfortunately omitted from our last railtour to North Lincolnshire in October 2013), with some interesting diversions on the way. Engineering work on the Saturday evening precluded the tour returning north beyond Preston, so it was unsurprising that the train was lightly loaded as 47832 departed from Carnforth P2, with more boarding at Lancaster. Here the train was unusually routed via the down P3 and the south end crossover, (now NRU by passenger trains) to regain the Up Main.

Preston was the next pick up, and a few minutes at P7 enabled photographs of the locomotives. A deviation from the planned route on departure had it running via the Up Goods to Skew Bridge rather than the Up Slow, then along the Blackburn line. The anticipated use of Taylor Street Through Siding at Blackburn was declined, due to the state of the track, so we continued along the main line, following a slightly delayed Northern service heading for Colne. After Gannow Jct., with the Colne unit out of the way, time was regained and the tour ran a few minutes early through to Wakefield Kirkgate where there was the final pick up. Then via Knottingley to Haywood Jct., where the train took the Doncaster North Chord. Opened in June 2014, this double track line is designed to increase capacity on the ECML, with freights diverted away from the mainline. It has already proved popular with railtour operators!

Next Hatfield, its much reduced colliery tip no longer 'spoils' the view (or the railway), and Goole. The tour headed for the north bank of the Humber and semaphore signals from Gilberdyke towards Hull although with electrification proposed for the line, their days would seem to be numbered. After leaving the main line at Hessle Road Jct., it ran via Springbank North Jct. and onto the Hull Docks Branch. To access the west side of King George Dock required a double reversal via the Up Line siding, adjacent to Hedon Road sidings then back along the Up Line to Hedon Road bridge. From there it was a short run to the gates at the west end of Quay No3, no further progress being possible. The Docks Police visited us, no doubt intrigued by the presence of a passenger train. After assuring them that nothing untoward was occurring, we were allowed to continue!

Departing from Hull Docks, the tour took the same route as inward all the way to Thorpe Marsh Jct., but using Ferriby Up Slow line, and Goole Up and Down Goods loop for pathing purposes. From Thorpe Marsh we continued to Adwick then Doncaster, using the Two-Way Goods Line No2 to pass the station. Running via the Sheffield Goods Lines leaving Doncaster enabled passengers to get a close look at Electromotive Diesel's Roberts Road depot at Hexthorpe, with a number of brand new GBRf Class 66s visible. A short stop was required before Cadeby to allow a Northern Class 144 for Adwick and a Cleethorpes-bound Transpennine service to pass before the rare crossover into the Up Goods Loop. Due to time constraints a reversal was made here rather than at Thrybergh as originally planned. From Cadeby, the Doncaster avoiding line was taken and past Hatfield & Stainforth for the third time of the day, then on towards Scunthorpe via Gunhouse Loop.

Mobile phones have made accessing information on the move much easier so there was much checking on the progress of the iron ore trains at Santon terminal on the run east. If one of them had run late it may have scuppered the chance of visiting the Foreign Ore Branch. However, whilst waiting time at North Lincoln Jct., an empty ore train could be seen departing the terminal, and with the next arrival being over an hour later, it seemed all would be well.

So it proved, as, after a quick reversal at Santon Jct., the tour proceeded down the branch to the ore train unloading tippler. This was commissioned in 1972 to unload iron ore imported through Immingham, as it had become uneconomical to use the local lower grade ore. To meet the steel output of around 3.2M tonnes annually, the furnaces require over 4M tonnes of ore, about 2,700 trains, each carrying about 1,500 tonnes. The ore is from South America, Scandinavia and Canada. It takes an hour to unload each train, the wagons are fitted with rotary couplers so the train can remain coupled as each wagon is turned over to release the load. It is thought this is the last standard gauge operation in the UK of this once common type. Participants were entertained by a train was being tippled; it's remarkably fast!

From the Foreign Ore terminal the tour continued to Barnetby, and reversed in the Down Reception No1 alongside a Freightliner coal train. As we waited for departure, the next train load of iron ore passed, heading for Scunthorpe. From Barnetby it was back to Preston via the outward route, through Hatfield for the 4th time and back over the Doncaster North Chord, then Knottingley and Wakefield, Unfortunately, Oakenshaw Goods Loop was missed due to a signalling error, but other than this the tour ran as booked to Preston where the Down Goods Lines were taken approaching the station. This enabled a TPE Barrow service to pass. Arrival back in Preston was just a few minutes late to end a most interesting and enjoyable day.

Many people were involved in operating the tour and we would like to thank ABP Hull and Tata Steel for allowing us to visit their infrastructure. Charity donations totalling £2,000 were made in their name by way of a 'thank you'. The Fixtures Secretary would like to personally thank those too numerous to mention who contributed in advance and on the day assisting their Society and likewise the West Coast Railway Company and Gravy Train Catering teams.