Tug Fest in the Peak District II....Mostly

Early in the morning and 60015 creeps up to the down home signal protecting Great Rocks Junction whilst running round its train seen in the background.

The loco takes the cross over to gain access to the sidings clear of the main line.

The loco slowly runs into the sidings beside the main line. These sidings are controlled by small armed shunting semaphore signals.

The driver has changed ends and the signalman has pulled off the required shunting signal and the type 5 loco heads back to collect its train, 6H21 0803 Hindlow Quarry to Tunstead Quarry empty BLI hoppers.

The shunter is waiting at the end of the rake for the loco to return and buffer up so he can couple the train. The signals do not regulate this line but the main line to the right.

Now the train heads back the way it came earlier, before I arrived.

The early morning sun lights the scene to perfection as 60015 brings its 17 empty JGA hoppers down the Up and Down Through Siding. The gradient is a falling1 in 90 and the driver brings the train to a stand at the signal.

60061 approaches light having taken its train into the quarry complex a short while previously, missed by me :-( Now the loco returns to the stabling point at Peak Forest.

Tugs 60015 and 60061 pass in wonderful morning sunshine. A treat for myself and the other four photographers present.

A small gallery is visible on the right of the over bridge as 60061 passes Great Rocks Junction signalbox which is most definitely NOT of a Midland Railway design.

The train doesn't enter the Tunstead complex by the signalbox but continues down the former Up road now just a spur into Tunstead Sidings a short distance to the south.

Inbound to Manchester Airport.

50 minutes after it went in, 60015 reappears running light back to Peak Forest. The lower shunting arm is off and it indicates the second road from the left.

That second road is the main line as opposed to the loop visible on the left. If the loco was signaled into the loop then the top arm would have been off.

Of all the class 60's I had seen over the previous two weeks, this was the only cop. 60500, renumbered from 60016 when RAIL magazine reached its 500th edition.

The driver brings his train down the 1 in 90 gradient under control as he faces a signal which is against him.

It approaches with 6H43 0747 Pendleton to Tunstead empty lime hoppers. The train is not passing a signal at danger as the lower of two shunting signals is off, these are visible between the loco and the signal post.

The train takes the crossover to enter the sidings to the right of the main line. A loco turntable was located in the grass area to the right of shot, the pit is still there.

Crossing the bridge to record 60500 as it takes its train of 25 empty JEA hoppers into the quarry complex at the entrance at Great Rocks Junction.

Up at Peak Forest and 60061 sits on the loco inspection point, possibly taking on fuel but there is no storage tank.

In the sidings behind the signal box are 60015 and 60063 between duties.

Class 66 locomotives were starting to make their presence felt at Peak Forest especially as at the time of photography, there were only about 25 class 60's in traffic. 66078 stands shut down at the head of 6H59 MWFO 1410 Peak Forest to Dowlow empty bogie boxes.

60500 has left its hoppers at Tunstead and come up to Peak Forest for stabling. It pauses beside 60061 before going to join 60015 and 60063 already parked up.

The driver of 60500 has changed ends and now takes his loco into the up side yard. The loco takes the turnout and passes the shunting ground signal in the "off" position giving permission to pass over the turnout either straight ahead or into the yard.

The RMC yard shunter is former class 08, 08588 now painted in overall black with wasp stripes.

I was having a lie down on the bench that overlooks the yard when I was disturbed by the arrival of 60045 with 6M11 ThFO 0830 Washwood Heath to Peak Forest empty RMC hoppers.

The train slowly passes in front of the refurbished former Midland Railway Peak Forest signalbox.

A general view from the path above the sidings at Peak Forest looking south down to Great Rocks. 60045 slowly moves down to allow the rear of the train to clear the points to give access into the RMC quarry sidings.

About one fifth of the active class 60 fleet are visible in this shot, we have 60045, 60061, 60500, 60015 and 60063.

The sidings at Peak Forest are very long and 60045's train is being swallowed up as it passes 66078 shut down at the head of its train 6H59 MWFO 1410 Peak Forest to Dowlow empty bogie boxes.

60045 has come to a stand well within the loading area. Meanwhile on the main line is 60094 arriving with 6M17 ThX 1018 Leeds to Peak Forest empty RMC hoppers.

60094 passes a quiet 66078.

The sidings at Peak Forest are full so some room has to be found. The yard driver has stopped and decamped from 60045 to go and start up 66078. The General Motors 12N-710G3B-EC 3,200hp power plant coughs into life and then clagged for several minutes!

60094 claggs away with 60500 ready to go back south and 60061 hard against the buffer stop on the L.I.P. 60045 is in the loop to the left with 60015 and 60063 behind the 'box.

60094 pushes its train into the RMC sidings whilst 60500 has the road away from Peak Forest over the crossover at the signalbox and down to Great Rocks.

60094 slowly reverses its train into the sidings at the RMC quarry.

A move to beyond Great Rocks Junction to where the former Midland Main Line runs as two separate roads. 60500 now leads a rake of loaded former National Power JHA hoppers bound for Bredbury, 6H96 1500 off Tunstead Quarry.

Just after 60500 and its train had cleared Great Rocks Junction, just visible in the background, then 60094 appeared running light down towards Tunstead Quarry.

Now with its train in tow, 60094 emerges from the 161 yard long Great Rocks tunnel.

A dry stone wall rings the portal like a halo as 60094 slowly make its way up the hard 1 in 90 pull. The train working is 6F06 1525 Tunstead to Oakleigh loaded lime hoppers.

The brightness of the early morning has gone as 60094 lifts its loaded JEA hoppers past the vast white dust covered buildings of Tunstead Quarry. Even the stones of the wall in the bottom left are coated with white dust.

Back at Great Rocks proper and another downhill arrival gingerly approaches. 60075 is in charge of 6M82 TX 1245 Walsall to Tunstead 24 empty JGA bogie cement tanks.

The joggle in the far left road was where a pillar supporting a three arch brick overbridge stood and has been demolished since my previous visit two years ago. The lower of the two ground signals is off and authorises the driver to proceed into the quarry complex.

60075 takes the crossover off the the down mainline.

60075 takes its train into the quarry complex.

Two of the active quarry shunters have come up to join a third which has been sitting here all day. I am guessing they have come up for fuel.

20 minutes after taking the cement tanks in, 60075 reappears from the quarry and runs back to the stabling point up at Peak Forest.

The type 5 speeds up the 1 in 90 gradient towards the stabling point out of sight to the right.