© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2011 Sometimes there are better things to do than fighting it out in the supermarkets and shopping centres. I've a feeling that's what the rest of the household would be doing - it didn't sound like fun, and I'd only be in the way, and... ..."We ought to have a day out" suggested my Shrewsbury pal. I didn't need much persuasion, though the weather didn't look too promising. There wouldn't be any light. I can't remember now why we chose the area around Clay Cross - I suspect it was the possibility of one or two Peaks that tempted my friend out in that direction. There were one or two Peaks - and a variety of other motive power, from classes 20, 31, 47, 56 and 58. We tried several locations, firstly just north of Clay Cross junction, where we were fortunate to be able to photograph a 56 on a train of empties from the Avenue Carbonisation plant at Wingerworth, long since closed and demolished. We worked our way southwards, ending up near Alfreton, where we eventually gave up at perhaps 3pm. What light there had been was by then diminishing rapidly - time for home.