Happy New Year, Readers!
This month’s blog is shorter than usual since I didn’t go on any trainspotting trips in January. But don’t worry, I’ll be back out with my notebook and camera in February for fresh adventures! For now, let me share a December trip I took just before Christmas with my trainspotting friends from PLP.
We did a round trip to Doncaster, Leeds, and Chesterfield—stations I’ve visited before, but we decided to end 2024 with a day of locomotive spotting.
Doncaster
Our trip started with a 9:01 Northern service from Meadowhall to Doncaster. We arrived at platform 8 and immediately saw 66786 ‘Cambridge University Railway Club’ waiting at a danger signal on the up-fast line. It was operating as a light engine that day, without a train in tow. Luckily, we caught it clearing the track moments later.
At Platform 3, our usual vantage point, we spotted other trainspotters but missed recording the number of a DB Class 66 due to an LNER Azuma blocking our view. A tip for fellow trainspotters: sometimes things go wrong, but don’t let it ruin the experience.
Highlights from Doncaster included two Colas Rail Class 56s: 56302 parked in a siding and 56049 passing through with a Network Rail engineering train. Unfortunately, my video of 56049 got corrupted—frustrating, as it’s rare to see a Class 56 hauling freight through Doncaster.
After an hour and a half, we moved on to Leeds.
Leeds
We arrived around noon, grabbed lunch, and headed to Platform 15. Most of the traffic was the usual fare (covered in my May–June 2024 blog), but there was a surprise: BR Class 47, number 47815, crawled through the station while we were on the escalator! I couldn’t grab a photo or video in time, but spotting it unexpectedly made my day. Another tip: even at familiar stations, you can always expect surprises.
After an hour, we continued to Chesterfield.
Chesterfield
At Chesterfield, we settled on Platform 3, where most freight traffic passes. Like Doncaster and Leeds, the passenger traffic was similar to past visits, but we did spot some highlights. Most notably, we saw Freightliner Class 70, number 70008, sporting a fresh new livery. The updated look is clean and modern, suiting the Class 70 well.
After another hour and a half, we made our way back to Meadowhall and then home.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it was a great trip, with plenty of unique sightings across all three stations. Yes, there were setbacks—like missing a number or losing a video—but the positives far outweighed the negatives.
My message for this month: things will go wrong in this hobby, but don’t let disappointments derail your passion. Keep going, enjoy the journey, and never give up!
See you next month,
Matthew 😊