Modern Railways Motive Power Miscellany LM Central & NE Regions 1964

Other years: 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963

January 1964

The standard Class 9 2-10-0s reported last month as working from Newton Heath have been sent there to counter a motive power shortage in the area. Nos. 92208/33/49 are allocated to Newton Heath while former Lickey banker, No. 92079 has gone to Birkenhead.

Horwich works are overhauling Stanier Class 8F 2-8-0s Nos. 48773/4/5 which are to be restored to traffic following withdrawal earlier in the year by the Scottish Region. These three locomotives were in WD stock and returned to Britain after the Suez crisis, subsequently being taken into BR stock during 1957.

A Metrovick Co-Bo made an appearance on the Calder Valley during November on crew-training turns to Todmorden.

Also withdrawn is a Birmingham RCW three-car diesel multiple unit Nos E51821/37 and 59706. [No reason was given, although a number of sets were destroyed by fire].

All surviving Class B16 4-6-0s at York and Dairycoates are in store.

February 1964

The three 'withdrawn' Stanier 2-8-0s 48773/4/5 recently overhauled at Horwich have now been allocated to Carlisle Kingmoor. Meanwhile Fowler dock tanks Nos 47164/5 are in use as Horwih works shunters and the former L&Y 0-6-0ST No. 11368 is at the works for preservation.

Southport depot seems to be acquiring a collection of the experimental LMS Class 5 4-6-0s for use on workings to Manchester and Rochdale. The engine with Stephenson link motion, No. 44767 and Caprotti-fitted Nos 44742/3/5 have now been joined by Caprotti-fitted No. 44753, double-chimneyed Caprotti Nos 44756/7 and two of the later Caprotto engines 44686/7. [This was due to Shedmaster Alex Macdonald (Mac) believing these locos had superior hill-climbing characteristics and lobbying hard to have them transferred to Southport]. Lees shed, expected to close in January, was responsible for powering a number of Christmas parcels trains from Oldham Clegg Street using borrowed B1 4-6-0s which had worked in from the Mirfield direction. No. 61288 of York was appropriated for about 10 days on workings to Wigan and Morecombe. Numerous other workings were reported in Lancashire were reported in December, particularly locomotives from York and Mirfield depots. Among regular turns was the 22.15 Bolton - Healy Mills Class 5 freight. On December 11 and 12 No.61315 (41D) and 61250 (36A) respectively worked Newton Heath's pilot turn at Brodfield and Heywood, both having hauled the previous evening's Scotswood - Red Bank empty stock. Several LM 'Britannia' Pacifics, newly acquired from the ER, have been at work on the Calder Valley main line on both passenger and freight duties.

March 1964

The opening of the NER's new Healey Mills yard has resulted in the reorganisation of freight services into Lancashire and has been accompanied by a number of freight yard closures and alterations in the county. One freight service affected by disruptions to loco rosters, the 21.30 Bolton - Goole Class 4, which is rostered for a Wakefield Class B1 4-6-0 has frequently been powered by nothing more suitable than a WD 2-8-0 and been derated to Class 5 as a result. A new 2.00 Healey Mills - Edge Hill Class 4 freight which runs via Rochdale and Manchester Exchange has also been in difficulties. On January 18 it was over six hours late with a WD 2-8-0 in charge and on several occasions has passed Rochdale 4hr late.'Britannia' Pacifics have again been noted in the Calder Valley main line. On January 24 No. 70025 headed a Manchester Victoria - Bradford parcels, then did a spell as Bradford pilot and finally returned light to Newton Heath. The closure of Lees depot, expected in January, was postponed; most of its duties will probably be transferred to Newton Heath.

April 1964

On January 7 Class A1 4-6-2 No. 60120 passed Mirfield on a York - Luddendenfoot parcels train.

May 1964

[For the Grand National at Aintree] 'Jubilee' Class 4-6-0 No. 45643 brought in an excursion from Newcastle and 'Patriot' 4-6-0 No. 45522 worked in a special from Cleethorpes which included in its formation two Pullman cards and one of the former 'Coronation' observation cards from the West Highland line.

June 1964

A recently introduced Carlisle - Oldham van train has resulted in frequent appearance of Carlisle locomotives in south-east Lancashire. 'Britannia'Pacific No. 70011 was seen on March 24. Carlisle Kingmoor locomotives also appear as pilots on the Scotswood - Red Bank empty stock working on Saturday as part of a complicated diagram involving the 17.38 (Fridays only). Manchester - Newcastle and the 11.30 Harrogate - Lings Cross as far as Leeds; 'Britannia'Pacific No. 70009 was involved on April 09/10. The train engine (an Aintree locomotive) off the Scotswood - Red Bank ECS, due at Manchester at about 18.00 is booked to work the 19.30 parcels to York, while the pilot engine turns round in an even shorter time to arrive at Rochdale by 19.00 to take over the down Normanton parcels at 20.45.

The closure of Wigan (L&Y) motive power depot has led to an increase in the use of tender locomotives (from Springs Branch) on Rochdale - Bolton lone passenger trains; Class 5 4-6-0s, standard Class 4 4-6-0s and standard Class 2 2-6-0s have been recorded on trains that were formerly the preserve of Class 4 2-6-4Ts. Newton Heath's allocation of Class 9 2-10-0s is being employed on workings to Healey Mills but some of the locomotives are reportedly in poor condition. There has been an improvement in the running of the Bolton - Goole Class 4 freight, and WD 2-8-0s are now rarely used, the normal motive power being Class B1 4-6-0s, 'Crab' 2-6-0s or Class 9 2-10-0s.

The lease of the land on which Bradford Hammerton Street motive power depot stands is reported to expire at the end of the year. Our correspondent adds that if Bradford Corporation decide to develop the site the locomotives at present allocated there will be moved to Low Moor.

An A1 Pacific No. 60150 visited Mirfield on April 1 with the 1.30 York - Wavertree (Liverpool) parcels train. No 60150 came off the train there, turned on the Bradley Wood triangle and proceeded to Healey Mills for its return working. Mirfield shed is expected to have its Class B1 4-6-0s replaced by Stanier Class 5 4-6-0s from Low Moor for duties to and from the LMR a.c. electrified areas. The B1s have small tender doors which prevent the fireman bringing forward coal without climbing into the back of the tender. The Stanier tenders do not suffer from this disadvantage.

July 1964

Only Bury and Rose Grove depots turned out Crab 2-6-0s for Whitsun excursions from East Lancashire to the coast. The number of trains run was less than in previous years but those that ran were often packed to capacity. A 12-coach Doncaster - Blackpool excursion, headed throughout by English Electric Type 3 diesel No. D6748, took a 2-6-4T as pilot between Bolton and Rochdale on the return journey - the first steam/diesel combination recorded on the Central Lancs. line. Most of the Whit Monday excursions travelled via Copy Pit and the East Lancs line in contrast to last year, when most trains went via Central Lancs.

A new class for Springs Branch depot is the Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0, several of which have been working from there. Among their regular duties is the passenger train thatarrives at Rochdale at 8.15, with the return 20.35 to Wigan. Since Lees depot has closed, the 2-6-0s have been virtually eliminated from the Oldham branch pilot turns in favour of 'Jinty' 0-6-0Ts, but the Rochdale and Castleton pilots are still 2-6-0s provided by Bury, which is thought to be the next shed in the area to close.

August 1964

Holiday specials to Blackpool from a variety of starting points in Lancashire and Yorkshire on Saturday June 13 brought out 'Jubilee' 4-6-0s in force. Among those noted passing Preston were 45739 (55A), 45589 ( (55A), and 45565 (56F) on trains from Wakefield, No. 45597 (55A) on a train from Leeds and No. 45674 (2E) on one from Arley Colliery Siding. Although the Sunday excursion traffic from Leeds and Bradford to Blackpool, which started in earnest on June 6, seemed to be largely in the hands of Stanier Class 5s and 'Crab' 2-6-0s, by the end of June a variety of steam types had been noted on these workings, including Class B1 and 'Jubilee' 4-6-0s, while diesel multiple-units and Brush Type 2 diesels were noted on excursions from Sheffield. Class B1 4-6-0s seem to be making more frequent appearances at Rose Grove on Calder Valley freight and parcels turns and one or two have been noted working west of Rose Grove at Accrington.

An unprecedented development in the Central Lines during may and June was the widespread use of Stanier 2-8-0s on parcels workings. Among trains affected were the 20.00 Rochdale - Oldham - Stoke, 19.25 Manchester Victoria - York, the 18.47 Burscough - Normanton from Rochdale and, on at least one occasion, the 20.40 Oldham - Carnforth. The locomotives concerned have usually been based outside the Central Lines and those on the York and Normanton trains have worked up double-headed on the Scotswood - Red Bank ECS. The variety of combinations on the latter train continues and included two 'Crab' 2-6-0s on June 4 and a WD 2-8-0 piloting a 'Crab' 2-6-0 on the following day. Despite its unsuitability the WD 2-8-0 continued on the following leg of the diagram, the Normanton parcels from Rochdale. A 'Britannia' Pacific No. 70045 (6J) paid a rare visit to the Oldham branch on June 20 with a Manchester - Blackpool train which was started specially at Shaw for local holidays.

The advertised Bolton - Goole Class 4 freight had settled down to a period of suitable motive power for a fully-fitted train when the NER suddenly re-rostered it for an LMR loco. As a result, from the beginning of the summer timetable WD 2-8-0s, although officially banned from this type of work, have made frequent appearances on this train and its return working, a Class 4 freight from Healey Mills to Manchester. On May 31 [due to heavy rain] a returning Blackpool - Halifax excursion [via Diggle] apparently was stopped by mud; it retraced its steps with a fresh locomotive and eventually passed through the Calder Valley at about 2.30 on Sunday morning. The Calder Valley line remained open specially to pass about 15 trains diverted from the Diggle route, including the York - Hereford and Swansea - York and all the newspaper trains bound for the NER.

September 1964

BR/Sulzer Type 2 diesels are beginning to appear on turns from Newton Heath, although in the absence of official transfers to this depot, the locomotives are presumably being employed on fill-in jobs while in the Manchester area. Following the use of the D7575 on a Failsworth - Morecombe excursion on a holiday relief on June 20 - the first diesel locomotive on passenger work on the Oldham branch - an unidentified locomotive of the same type had charge of a Failsworth - Blackpool train on July 26. No.D5278 worked the Manchester - Bradford parcels on July 4 and reappeared on a Todmorden - Llandudno via Bolton relief on July 11. Two days earlier No. D5200 was noted on the morning Brewery Sidings - Oldham freight.

A number of ex-Crosti 2-10-0s have been working from Newton Heath both on local turns and on the Carlisle - Oldham van train; the engine employed on the latter train is presumably one of the those recently transferred to Carlisle. Several orthodox member of the class have also been noted on Newton Heath duties but WD 2-8-0s still remain the predominant class on Calder Valley freight trains.

For a week at the beginning of July the diesel multiple-unit turn involving trains between Rochdale, Liverpool and Blackpool reverted to steam operation as a result of dmu failures.

October 1964

[There were no observations or comment relating to the Calder Valley in this issue.]

November 1964

The Blackpool illuminations brought the usual flow of excursions to the Lancashire seaside resort, particularly over the weekends in September. On the night of September 19/20 alone, 37 return specials were booked to depart from Blackpool Central and North stations. Stanier Class 5 4-6-0s worked the majority of the trains but 'Jubilee' and 'Patriot' 4-6-0s and 'Britannia' Pacifics were represented, together with a variety of diesel types. Two Brush Type 4s diesels broke new ground with return specials during the previous weekend when Nos D1516 and D1563 were routed via Manchester Victoria, Rochdale and the Calder Valley main line with trains for Spalding and Cambridge/Ipswich respectively.

The Central Lancs line has now acquired a second regular diesel locomotive turn on the 9.30 Manchester - Blackpool via Castleton Fork parcels which is powered by an EE Type 4. The class was banned from this route until recently.

A correspondent clarifies the present locomotive diagrams covering the 8.26 Newcastle Scotswood - Manchester Red Bank parcels train which actually consists of empty newspaper vans; it is worked by a Gateshead locomotive, usually an EE Type 4 diesel or Class A1 or A3 Pacific, as far as York Dringhouses up reception sidings. After a wait of about two hours the train is taken forward by a 4-6-0, generally a Stanier Class 5 or Class B1. In recent weeks the train has been taken over at York by a 2-8-0 or by a Standard Class 4 4-6-0 and is not normally double headed out of York.

December 1964

The LMR is reported to be parting with its remaining Class WD 2-8-0s; as a first stage no fewer than 33 locomotives of this class were transferred to the ER in September.

Further preserved locomotives have now arrived t Stratford works. By October 24 the collection comprised...L&Y 2-4-2T No. 1008...