* Rotherham Central
Lazily watching the progress of this morning's R.H.T.T., taking the route north on the 3S12 working from Sheffield after its very early morning run south from York Thrall Europa at 01:43, through Penistone in the middle of the night and finally arriving in Sheffield, 31 minutes early, at 06:07 on the 3S11 working. Having made that run south, the set, Colas Rail's class 66s once more there having been not one change in traction throughout the last 8 weeks, then waited around on the Up Slow line in Sheffield for an hour and a half before setting off once more, on 3S12, which is where I picked it up. This is usually the last week of operations so thought it prudent to catch it this morning on its run east to Gainsborough, the 3S13, again from Sheffield, at 09:28 with the return back in this area timed at just after 11, Kiveton Park at 11:10 being the objective. It soon became clear once the set was on its way back from the Wakefield area along the Midland line through Moorthorpe, that once it got to the Parkgate area, just beyond Rotherham Central Station, that something was amiss. It drew up at the signal, S0745, just behind a Sheffield Tram/Train unit, EMU class 399, 399203, which was waiting on alongside the Tram/Train platform, No.3 beyond the regular Network Rail platform, No.1. The controlling signal to exit the station to the west, S0747, when I first viewed it had a green aspect meaning the set could depart when ready; it didn't move though and a short while later it returned to a red aspect! Something was afoot. During the next half an hour, during which I had breakfast, assuming the Tram/Train and the waiting RHTT behind it at Signal S0745, would carry on towards Sheffield, the Tram/Train through Meadowhall and on to Sheffield Cathedral and the RHTT straight ahead along the Lower Don Valley line via Woodburn Junction and into Sheffield, nothing happened. It was clear there had been a breakdown so set off at around 10:15 to get in the the area around Rotherham Central, if I could find somewhere to park, which isn't easy there anymore due to the on-going housing development on Forge Island. Fortunately I made it and was greeted with the scene shown in the the accompanying stills photographs and the 3-part video of the Tram/Train being rescued and then, finally, the RHTT passing through, almost two and a half hours late.
After securing a parking space on Main St. which crosses the railway line, it remained only to get to the station, the long way round through the town centre, though later I discovered the pathway alongside the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation is now open again, the bulk of the re-development works now taking place on the old 'Forge Island' site; and what works they are, this will change the whole feel of the centre of Rotherham.. Fortunately, though I had been monitoring the station track diagram on RailCam, the errant EMU, 399205 was still standing alongside platform 3, but now with another unit in front of it, the rescue 'loco' 399203. This had come along from the Nunnery Tram Depot, one assumes, on the standard Network Rail working number for these types of operation, 1Z99, see inset diagram which shows the set now on its way back to the Tram Depot and is at signal W0201, the old Woodburn controlled signal, as 1Z99 and with the RHTT now at signal, S0751, right behind it, having just come into Central Station, see next set of pictures. All appeared to go seamlessly with the rescue unit standing beyond Signal S0747 at the station end, visible in these photographs, with the two units attached, authority to move was give from the York R.O.C. and the set pulled away quietly, back to the tram depot and the RHTT came slowly around the corner from Signal S0745 itself located near the canal in Parkgate..
Finally in summary, 2A18 with 399205 left Cathedral this morning at 08:27 and arrived at the terminus at Parkgate Retail Tram/Train stop at 08:55 with no undue problem. A few minutes later, it then departed Parkgate at 08:59 as the 2A19 service for Sheffield Cathedral, but failed in Rotherham at 09:02 and stood there until rescue at around 11:30, after I arrived at 11:00 to watch the proceedings with the rescue unit, 399203. The Sheffield Tram/Train service started running again with the 2A42 at 12:27 from Sheffield Cathedral.