Loadhaul 56055 heads an MGR coal working at Gascoigne Wood on February 11, 2002.

Having worked out of Knottingley, I had to include this picture taken at Gascoigne Wood; I have spent so many hours here. On February 11, 2002, Doncaster-built 56055 shows off its Loadhaul black and orange colours to good effect, heading an MGR (merry-go-round) coal working, bound for Drax Power Station.

Gascoigne Wood drift mine distribution point was linked to satellite mines at Wistow, Riccall, Whitemoor, Stillingfleet and North Selby, forming the Selby Super Pit, with coal production starting in 1983 and peaking at 12 million tons per year, with most sent to the nearby Aire Valley power stations. Coal was raised by conveyor belts into the loading hoppers above the tracks, which can be seen in the background of this picture, for loading into trains.

On arrival with a train of empties, the locomotive would run round the train before setting back under the bunker, part-loading on the move and stopping at the appropriate location, where the driver would then change cabs, before moving forward onto an outbound line to complete loading and weighing, when permission to depart would be authorised as long as it was within the weight limits allowed.

Everything in this scene is now long gone following the closure of the Selby Super Pit in 2004. The loading bunkers, conveyors, and control room no longer exist. The sidings have since been used to unload gypsum trains for Sherburn British Gypsum works and, more recently, utilised for withdrawn and stored stock from a number of passenger and freight companies awaiting disposal.

Both 56055 and the Loadhaul colours it carried are also now long gone, as are the MGR wagons and their associated loads of coal.

This photograph demonstrates that we really shouldn’t take things for granted. This is one of the reasons why I try to photograph all aspects of Britain’s railway scene – as nothing lasts forever!