Le Tour Yorkshire

Cycling is a sport about which I know nothing… Actually all sports fall into that category if I'm honest but even I hadn't failed to notice that the Tour de France was coming to Yorkshire this weekend.

As the roads will be crammed with folk wearing lycra Northern Rail have put in place additional train services and a special 'Le Yorkshire' ticket for the weekend.

They've also adorned a number of DMUs with 'Gearing up for the Tour' logos as seen here at Sheffield on Class 144 DMSL 55829 (144006) forming the 09.06 service to Leeds on 2 July.

'Gearing up for the Tour' logo, Class 144 DMSL 55829 (144006), 2/7/14

I can't help but wonder what visitors to the area will make of Northern's fleet of ageing Class 142s, 144s and 150s though, especially if the predicted two million spectators all want to travel by train!

And (almost) 85 miles later…

I actually was on my way to Holyhead when I took the photo used in my last post and was pleasantly surprised to find my second ’Industrial Action’ item a short distance from Holyhead station.

Anglesey Aluminium began to produce Aluminium at its smelter near Holyhead in 1971 and at its height was one of the largest employers on Anglesey with over 500 staff. Also employed was this Hunslet Engine Co Ltd 0-4-0DH (diesel engine, hydraulic transmission) locomotive built in 1971 as works no.7183.

Hunslet Engine Co. Ltd. 0-4-0DH (works no.7183 of 1970) at Anglesey Aluminium's Penrhos Works at Holyhead, 25/6/14

The plant closed down in 2009 following the end of an energy deal with the nearby Wylfa nuclear power station and is mothballed pending the possible opening of a biomass power plant on site.

Assuming that the loco is also mothballed I'm surprised that a spot for it couldn't be found under cover, somewhere away from the coastal weather.

I managed the above shot (through a mucky Class 158 window) by setting the camera's focus on infinity and cranking the ISO up to 800 to allow a fast enough shutter speed to counter the movement of the train. The image is also cropped quite severely from the original thanks to the wide(ish) lens used.