With the news this week that West Burton power station is set to close in 2022 comes the realisation that it means the end of freight traffic on the line through Retford low level platforms.
The line is the route of the original Great Central line from Grimsby to Sheffield and Manchester which until 1965 crossed the East Coast Main Line on the level. Due to the increasing speed of expresses on the main line, the dive under was built with new low level platforms being created. Improvement work currently being carried out will result in a new covered walkway to these platforms and a new lift for access to platform 3. This is in addition to the previous bus shelter waiting areas being upgraded to waiting rooms.
Coal traffic to the power stations has all but finished now, so I thought I would put together a compilation of the variety of trains that I have seen on the route over the last few years and mourn the fact that loco-hauled trains will soon be very rare on the route.
I have split the video into several sections - Loco-hauled freight, Engineering and Infrastructure Traffic, Rail Tours, and Scheduled Passenger Services.
Enjoy this selection of classes 20, 37, 47, 56, 57, 66, 67, 70, 97, 142, 144, 150/1, 150/2, 153, 158, 195 and tampers and even a Railgrinder.
For more quality railway videos, see my channel at: / @myloveofrailways