Saturday morning dawned dull and cold, and with the severe floods in Derbyshire and South Yorkshire during the week, there were a few cancellations from members unable to reach Barrow Hill for the AGM. Your scribe, in the company of our General Secretary, was taking advantage of a generous taxi offer from the Editor of BLN when we rounded a corner to discover a road dip flooded to a fair depth and so it was a quick 'U' turn, totally confusing his Sat-Nav! However we eventually made Barrow Hill to find the great and the good of the BLS arriving. The superb new café, especially opened for us by the volunteers of the Barrow Hill Engine Shed Society, was doing a roaring trade in various drinks, cobs and full breakfasts!

At Roundhouse Halt was our BLS Riding Vehicle 'Molly' (which is kept at Barrow Hill) with 08879 at the Springwell end and 03066 at the other end. After the 50 participants had boarded and tickets were checked we were off at 09.50, but not in the usual BLS way in that we went away from the buffer stops to the end of the Springwell branch! 'Top & Tail' locos proved its worth as we were soon on our way to the Network Rail boundary signal from where we returned to the end of the Springwell branch and then Roundhouse Halt. Here some happy travellers from the 'haulage fraternity' alighted and we reversed to the level crossing (would we ever get to the other buffer stops?). Additional interest was provided by the arrival of 31128 off the main line for our railtour next day. Carriage Sidings 1 & 2 then followed; a Class 45 loco in No1 Siding blocked our way but the end of line was reached in No2.

Out of No2 Siding it was just onto the single line to reverse then traverse New Sidings 1 & 2 especially laid for the servicing East Midlands Trains (at the time) stock during the summer 2018 Derby blockade.

The AGM was beginning to call so we returned to the end of the Springwell branch (again, only for the fourth time today!) and back to Roundhouse Halt non-stop running past the café ('spotting' other members starting to assemble) to the buffer stops - at last! Returning through the platform, we then reversed into the 'bay' platform road. Next was the Platform Siding for the final reversal of the morning (only the 17th!) to return us to Roundhouse Halt and the conclusion of the morning activities at this interesting railway location. It was surprising how many members were making their first visit.

After the formalities of the AGM and an excellent presentation by Tim Shoveller (see BLN 1341.2903) participants reconvened in 'Molly' departing at 15.05 along the Platform Siding to the single line for a visit to the throat at the entrance to the Deltic Preservation Society Depot and the gate to the Compound Sidings. Clearing the throat, a final visit was made to the Springwell branch end then, for me, the highlight of the day. Proceeding along the Coal & Shed Roads we went into the Roundhouse, across the turntable and out into daylight again to the end of the Garden Road. Here 03066 was uncoupled and 08879 pulled and pushed us back to Roundhouse Halt; 25 reversals since we started that morning! [Try a summer Scunthorpe trip - up to 100 reversals…] Sincere thanks to all at Barrow Hill, especially our well known member Martyn Brailsford, for putting together an excellent tour.