Trains Illustrated Motive Power Miscellany LM Central & NE Regions

Other years: 1960 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964

January 1961

As previously noted, the 5.35 pm Manchester – Todmorden is worked on weekdays by a locomotive from North Wales ; on November 16 it produced for the first time a Llandudno junction ‘Royal Scot’ No. 46138. On Sundays the 2.30 pm Normanton - Manchester is normally a Farnley junction duty, the engine returning with the 6.45 pm Manchester – Leeds Central but on October 30 Carlisle Kingmoor ‘Jubilee’ no. 45715 handled the job. On November 11 the early morning Liverpool – Rochdale mail and Redbank – Oldham diagram was worked by standard 4 2-6-0 76043 (14D); No. 76044 passed Rochdale in the Todmorden direction with a ballast train on November 25. With the transfer of No. 49508 from Newton Heath to replace scrapped sister engine No. 49505 at Agecroft, the only Fowler 0-8-0 left at Newton Heath is No. 49618, which still makes occasional forays into Yorkshire – and further – on freight {it was recorded at Doncaster on 4 November]; the four engines of this class at Agecroft find employment on banking duties from Salford Docks [in the original it stated ‘Liverpool’ which was corrected in the next issue].

Through working to Mirfield by Tyneside diesels and V2 or Pacifics appeared to have ceased in November but a Pacific of a different kind was recorded there on November 7 in the shape of ‘Britannia’ No. 70033 (9E), which brought in freight and set-off light for Trafford Park early the next morning. The same night a Port Sunlight – Healey Mills goods produced ‘Patriot’ No. 45549 (8B), which left with the 4.45 am Mirfield – Bushbury freight. The new Dringhouses – Edge Hill Class C freight via the Calder Valley has been producing a remarkable mixture of motive power, ranging from Rugby Class 5 No. 45113 on October 25 through Crab 2-6-0s from various depots and a Stanier 8F (No. 48148 of Newton Heath on November 12) to the more likely York B1. On November 10 standard Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76041 (14D) appeared on a Hull – Manchester freight. Following the withdrawal of eight more L & Y 0-6-0s – five from store at Goole, one from Mirfield, and two from Sowerby Bridge, only six survive in Yorkshire, and of these three only are believed to be active; they are No. 52121 and 52515 at Mirfield and No. 52355 at Sowerby Bridge.

February 1961

The recently introduced 6.30 am Dringhouses – Edge Hill Class C freight produced a J39 0-6-0 in the Calder Valley on more than one occasion in December – for example No. 64718 (9G) on December 1, No. 64839 (56B) on December 20 and 64727 (9G) on December 24. Oddly, in view of the trains classification, W.D. 2-8-0s and Class 4F 0-6-0s have been turned out for it on more than one occasion and it has even been seen with coal traffic in its make-up.

Rochdale had its first sight of a standard Class 2 2-6-2T for over a year on November 22 when No. 84013 brought an early morning parcels off the Oldham line; a month later on December 22 No. 84014 (26C) had charge of the residential train from Southport due into Rochdale at 9.24 am. Noted at Rochdale on a Hull – Manchester Oldham Road special freight on December 14 was standard Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76087 (9F). Carlisle Upperby ‘Patriot’ No. 45524 headed a rake of empties from Manchester Brewery Sidings to the N.E.R. on December 9.

Six B16 4-6-0s, No’s 61411-4/6/47 have been transferred to Mirfield; according to correspondents, they will be restricted to freight work on the eastern side of the Pennines.

Christmas extras from Darlington to Liverpool, and Bradford to Blackpool passed over the Calder Valley main line on December 23 headed respectively by K3 2-6-0s Nos 61846/58. On December 3 O4 2-8-0 No 63606 (36C) worked a Crofton – Mytholmroyd freight and on December 16 K1 2-6-0 (50A) brought empty stock from York to Sowerby Bridge.

March 1961

A collision on the afternoon of January 26 between empty stock, derailed during shunting and a freight train at Diggle on the Manchester – Huddersfield line, blocked three of the four main lines. Some of the Type 4 diesel-hauled Liverpool – Newcastle trains were diverted via Rochdale and the Calder Valley main line, never previously traversed by these diesel locomotives and for which Type 4s have not received clearance. The first reported diversion was of the 3 pm Liverpool – Newcastle behind, it is believed, No, D250 and a correspondent himself saw the 3.16 and 4.47 departures from Newcastle, hauled by D234 and D312, within 15 minutes of each other between Rochdale and Castleton soon after 8 pm; their pace could only be described as gingerly and no doubt a severe speed limited was enforced. Another diverted train was the 8.35 pm Manchester Oldham Road – York Class C freight behind Class 5 No. 45220 (26A).

Newton Heath depot has lately been catholic in its choice of motive power for the 6.10 on Manchester – Southport and the 9 pm back via Bolton. On January 10 this diagram became one of the first duties worked by ‘Britannia’ No. 70014 following its allocation to Newton Heath on loan; earlier in the day it appeared on the 7.51 am Todmorden – Manchester stopping train, which has lately been hauled by Newton Heath ‘Jubilees’ and ‘Britannia’ 70048 quite regularly. An unusual sight on January 25 was Wakefield B1 No. 61015 at the head of the 4.25 pm Rochdale – Southport residential express. Motive power is normally an Agecroft Class 5, which on the previous day works cross-Pennine expresses, returning into Lancashire on the 6.50 am Normanton – Manchester slow.

April 1961

In February, Caprotti Class 5 No 73145 (65B) made several appearances at Rochdale, starting with the 6.50 am Manchester – Normanton slow on February 11; it apparently failed in Yorkshire and was next observed on the Sowerby Bridge duty normally covered by a 2-6-4T, which includes two round trips to Manchester (one of them with the 5.23 pm express from York) on February 14.

On February 17 English Electric Type 4 No. D244 (52A) suffered a compressor fault while it was threading Spen Valley Junction with the 8.45 am Newcastle – Liverpool and came to a halt, blocking all lines. After some delay Class 5 No. 73163 (55G) hauled the train into Huddersfield, where the diesel was removed and the train continued on its way with the Class 5 and the local station pilot, Class 4 2-6-4T No. 42384 (55G), as pilot. D244 was soon repaired and returned eastward light the same day to resume its normal work the following day.

A Stanier 2-6-0, No. 42983 (5B) was one of the two engines on the Saturday 2.15 pm Wakefield – Manchester on February 18; it was paired with ‘Crab’ 2-6-0 No. 42862 (56A).

May 1961

The 10.30 am from Liverpool Exchange, now cut back from Newcastle to York, has lost its buffet car and loads only to four coaches and a parcels van, with an extra coach on Saturdays; however, the Sunday York train still has nine coaches. Power is still usually a Class 6P, although Class 5 45001 (5B) spent three days on the working in the middle of March.

Possibly the first Class L1 2-6-4T to travel the Calder Valley, No 67707 was seen there in mid-March. It was transferred from the scrapyard to the erecting shops at Darlington a little while earlier, and after attention set-out for Gorton. In the course of its westbound journey it headed the 4 am Normanton – Mytholmroyd freight on March 15, two days later ran light through Todmorden and on March 18 was recorded at Newton Heath shed. One of the FA Cup specials from Burnley to Wadsley Bridge, in the Sheffield area on March 4 brought Stanier 2-6-0 No. 42977 (6C) through the Calder Valley; in the reverse direction March K3 2-6-0 No. 61954, headed an excursion from Retford to Burnley for the replay three days later.

June 1961

Blackpool had its first visit from Brush diesels on Easter Sunday, when Sheffield turned out three for North-West coastal duty. No. D5689…went via Woodhead… No. D5682 had charge of an excursion from Sheffield was routed via the Calder Valley main line as far as Rochdale, running thence to Bury, Bolton and Preston, while No. D5685 headed another special from Chesterfield Midland which also passed over the Castleton – Bolton line, where main line diesels have not been seen before. Both the latter two trains returned with their trains via Blackburn, Rose Grove and Copy Pit that evening but D5682 took the Padiham Loop and its sister travelled through Accrington.

The first ‘Britannia’ from a depot other than Netwon Heath to visit Rochdale was No. 70032 (1A) with the 5.35 pm Manchester – Todmorden on April 8; the following Saturday No. 70048 (26A) was in charge and a week later there was the unusual sight of rebuilt ‘Patriot’ No. 45528 (1A). The 7.51 am Todmorden – Manchester has continued to see ‘Britannias’ from time-to-time, four of Newton Heath’s allocation of five being recorded during on April, whilst on April 24 it had No. 45528….Bank Hall was forced to entrust its two fastest Leeds Central express turns to Class 4MT 4-6-0s, nothing larger being available, including the period over Easter when the loadings were increased to eight bogies. Towards the end of April the situation improved but further evidence of the shortage of power at Bank Hall was the unexpected appearance after a break of many months of Class 2P 4-4-0 No. 40684 (last at Bank Hall) on the 12.42 pm Liverpool – Rochdale on Easter Saturday and again on April 7. There are now no more than 13 examples of this class left in service on the LMR.

The outstanding Easter visitor through Rochdale was ‘Jubilee’ 45667 (16A) on the Sunday with a Nottingham – Blackpool special. Once more K3 2-6-0s appeared on excursions from the West Riding to the Lancashire Coast, and Dairycoats, Copley Hill and Low Moor Class B1s were also in evidence.

July 1961

Three … Sheffield diesels, Nos D5685/7/92, were used on Whit Sunday excursions to Blackpool (Nos D5687/92, with No. D5690 travelling out via Rochdale and returning via the East Lancs line) and No. D5682 appeared with a special from Rotterdam in the Sunday, when the outstanding steam arrivals were Hull K3 2-6-0s Nos 61846/99 and 61922 on trains from Bradford, Castleford and Wakefield.

A most unexpected development in May was a regular appearance four and five times a week of Bank Hall’s last 2P 4-4-0 No, 40684, not on the working that formally produced 2Ps, but on the 8.40 am Rochdale – Liverpool semi-fast, then the 3.23 pmliverpool Exchange – Preston and back. A Newton Heath ‘Britannia’ worked into the heart of Yorkshire at the end of May, as No. 70014was observed on the 3.25 am Leeds Central – Manchester Victoria passenger on May 25, the return of the same night’s Manchester Exchange – Leeds newspaper train. On the same morning No. 70048put in an appearance on the 7.51 am Todmorden – Manchester slow after being stopped at Blackpool shed for some time following a failure early in the month. No. 70014 worked a Littleborough – Wembley schoolboy’s international excursion throughout, the load from and to Stockport being 15 coaches, on April 28 and 29.

A most unusual variation on Whit Monday excursion traffic observed at Rochdale was the use of Darnall B1 No. 61033 on a Sheffield Midland – Blackpool excursion; at least two unadvertised reliefs had to be put on from the Sheffield area that day and motive power reserves were strained. Unexpected LMR visitors were ‘Jubilee’ No 45617 (5B) on Whit Monday on a returning Southport – Leeds City South excursion and Class 5 No. 44861 (16A) taking ECS from Rochdale to Blackpool late on Whit Monday evening. No. 61230 (56D) with an Oldham – Blackpool was the first B1 to power a day excursion from the Oldham line.

Beside its usual stint of shunting at Castleton one of the jobs that falls to the lot of Bury’s last L & Y ‘A’ class 0-6-0 is that of hauling electric cars for attention at Reddish, as they are no longer dealt with at Horwich. The reason is said to be that No. 52129 is the only locomotive on Bury’s allocation that can be relied upon to be returned promptly from Gorton after working an unbalanced freight.

Withdrawal of No. 52230 and transfer of No. 52271 to Lees leaves Newton Heath, largest shed on the L & Y system without an L & Y locomotive on its allocation. The Horwich works shunter ‘Wren’ has been withdrawn from service and now stands, renovated, on display in the erecting shop there.

A revision of Calder Valley main line rosters means that Sowerby Bridge no longer has to find a 2-6-4T for the 5.23 pm York – Manchester express from Wakefield. This is now powered by an Agecroft Class , which formally returned to Lancashire on the 6.30 am Normanton – Manchester slow after a day on express trains to and from York. Substituting for it on the 6.30 Normanton – Manchester is the Agecroft ‘Crab’ or B1 which formally had an evening Wakefield – Manchester slow after its outward working on fish from Wyre Dock, Fleetwood; this evening train is now taken over by the Sowerby Bridge engine, which still takes on the 11.5 pm Manchester – Todmorden to get it home the same night.

Another Newton Heath Pacific No. 70015, was seen running light to Sowerby Bridge on May 26 after bringing a freight from the east into Mirfield. On May 17 Mirfield was host to ‘Royal Scot’ No. 46167 (21C), which came on shed after working a Bescot – Healey Mills freight; it set out for home with the 10.25 am Mirfield – Bushbury freight.

Class O1 2-8-0 No. 63856 (52H) worked an Aintree – Hull freight on May 23. On the morning of May 11 Type 4 diesel No. D254 (50A) came off the Cleckheaton branch on to Low Moor with empty stock and left for Leeds via Bowling Junction and Laisterdyke.

August 1961

A Pacific was seen on the Windermere Lakeside branch on June 6, when ‘Clan’ No. 72003 worked through on a special from Southport. Next day No. 72003 was appropriated to work the 2.30 pm Liverpool Exchange – Bradford and Leeds, normally a Southport or Bank Hall Class 5 job; after servicing at Low Moor, the Pacific returned west on the 7.15 pm Bradford – Southport.

The 5.23 pm York – Manchester Victoria, formerly a Sowerby Bridge 4MT tank working from Wakefield is now diagrammed for an Agecroft Class 5; however of June 1 ‘Jubilee’ No. 45572 (82E) was reported, on June 3 No. 44810 (21A), on June 19 No. 45643 (5A) and on June 23 No. 73046 (41C).

Bristol-based ‘Patriot’ No. 45519 travelled to Mirfield with a Holyhead – York cattle train on May 29, and left next day on the 12.5 am Mirfield – Bushbury freight.

The double headed York – Red Bank stock train has produced some interesting pairings lately in place of the pair of 26A Class 5s which have worked it almost invariably during the winter. On June 5 it had B1 No. 61276 (50A) and ‘Jubilee’ No. 45619 (55A), on June 7 No. 61198 (50A) and 44859 (55A), and on June 9 it passed through Rochdale behind unassisted 2-10-0 No. 90027 (51L).

On June 24 a Chesterfield – Blackpool excursion via Copy Pit, Rose Grove and Accrington was powered through out by a brace of Brush diesels No. 5684/8.

The June issue erred in suggesting that a Brightside – Blackpool excursion on Easter Sunday travelled via Woodhead; in fact, the train, headed by Brush diesel No. 5689, was routed via Barnsley Exchange, Crigglestone West, Horbury & Ossett and the Calder Valley main line.

The first of the 238 hp Rolls-Royce engined Birmingham RC&W three car multiple units [Class 110] for the Calder Valley line, cars Nos. E51809/29, E59693, has arrived in the West Riding.

Another WR ‘Britannia’ No. 70018 (88A), travelled light to Doncaster for overhaul in June, pausing at Mirfield and Wakefield sheds on June 20 and 21. An unusual arrival at Mirfield on a Holyhead - Healey Mills cattle train on June 16 was 2-6-4T No. 42227 (33C), which left next day on the 2.35 am Healey Mills – York freight.

September 1961

At the beginning of July Newton Heath acquired four more ‘Jubilees’ 4-6-0s from Leicester and two from Kentish Town. As the depot’s ‘Britannia’ Pacifics are now playing a larger part in the haulage of the Manchester – Glasgow expresses, there have therefore been more ‘Jubilees’ to spare for the expresses between Lancashire and the West Riding via the Calder Valley.

Nevertheless, on July 15 Gorton Class J39 0-6-0 No. 64880, late of Carlisle Canal and still carrying the depot’s inscription on its buffer beam, worked the 3.55 pm SO Leeds Central – Manchester Victoria and was again produced for the following days 8.45 pm Manchester Victoria - Bradford.

There is now a regular LM passenger duty out of Newcastle Central. From July 3 a new Newton Heath diagram was introduced covering Mondays to Fridays, the 12.12 am Manchester – Newcastle news, the 8.15 am Newcastle – Cardiff as far as York and the 2.56 pm ECS from York Clifton to Manchester Red Bank. The normal power is a Newton Heath ‘Jubille’, but on July 14 ‘Patriot’ No. 45514 was used (owing to injector trouble it got no further than Darlington, where it was removed to the local sheds) and on July 5 ‘Royal Scot’ No. 46124 (8A) was employed, to be followed on July 18 and 19 by No. 46117 (55A). No. 46124 did not complete the diagram and after arrival at Newcastle worked a van train through to Luddendenfoot, in the Calder Valley; on July 8 it was used on a Luddendenfoot – Llandudno extra passenger working.

A Halifax correspondent wrote that, whereas hitherto Bank Hall’s three ‘Jubilees’ have been the only engines of their type seen with any frequency on expresses from Lancashire to Bradford, Newton Heath is making increasing use of these engines on Manchester – Bradford trains. A further development, on June 28, was the appearance of Newton Heath ‘Britannia’ Pacific No. 70015 on the 11.30 am Liverpool Exchange – Bradford and 4.13 pm back. One of Saltley’s Class 7P 4-6-0s No. 45540 was an unexpected sight at Halifax at noon on June 27, heading a freight, and as reported, another 7P was seen here on July 8 when 46124 (8A) was used on a Lightcliffe – Llandudno excursion to complete its return from Newcastle to the North West. On the latter date the 8.5 am Wakefield Kirkgate – Blackpool via Heckmondwike Central was worked by unrebuilt ‘Patriot’ No. 45546 (8B), which on two days of the preceding week had been noted on the 8.45 am Bradford – Blackpool, in striking contrast to the Mirfield Stanier 2-8-0s or Ardsley Class K3 2-6-0s to which the train was entrusted on most other days. This summer, in fact, the Ardsley K3s have been fairly frequent performers through Halifax on various workings.

Correspondents suggest that this summer tere was an increase in the use of Stanier 8F 2-8-0s, chiefly from Low Moor, Mirfield, and Royston, as power for excursions originating in the West Riding and bound either for the Lancashire or the North-East coast.

A Class V2 made another abortive effort to traverse the Calder Valley main line throughout on July 24. No. 60895 (50A) was sent to Sowerby Bridge for a special freight working to Garston, but it seems that the LMR refused to allow the stranger past Hebden Bridge. Alternative power was found for the working and No. 60895 remained at Sowerby Bridge until July 26, when it departed light to Normanton.

October 1961

After a period of storage, the last ex-LYR 2-4-2T in BR active service, No. 50850, went back to work as Southport Chapel Street station pilot in late August, when special passenger traffic to the local flower show was heavy.

A March B1 found its way into Lancashire on August 11, when No. 61052 was appropriated for the 7.50 pm FO Wakefield – Liverpool, coming back next day with a Castleton – Scarborough extra. Edge Hill Class 7P No. 45521 had some uncommon tasks in early August. After being recorded in Hellifield on August 5 with a Abington – Manchester party special, it worked the Sunday 2.30 pm Normanton – Manchester Victoria and 6.45 pm back to Leeds Central on August 13, then on August 14 and 16 headed Bradford – Blackpool excursions and on August 19 the summer Saturday Bradford – Llandudno train.

Last month’s account of the recently introduced Newton Heath diagram covering the 12.12 am Manchester – Newcastle newspaper train and the ‘Patriot’ used on July 14; it was No. 45515, and not No. 45514.

Pending their introduction on the Leeds and Bradford – Manchester service via the Calder Valley, the new Birmingham RC&W three-car diesel multiple units have been seen in action on the Richmond branch and in the Scarborough area.

‘Britannia’ Pacific No. 70037 of March appeared on the Calder Valley main line on August 8 at the head of an ECS from Edinburgh to Luddendenfoot; two days later it travelled light engine from Sowerby Bridge to Low Moor, on August 12 it was observed with 2-8-0 No. 48158 double-heading empty stock from Low Moor to Huddersfield and on August 13 it was seen in charge of a Huddersfield – Skegness additional passenger train.

A V2 was again seen in the Calder Valley on August 16 when No. 60939 (50A) headed a parcels special from York to Mytholmroyd, after which it returned light to York. The night York – Manchester parcels which changes locomotives at Mirfield at 2.45 am is now a Type 4 duty throughout; it is headed this far by a York Type 4 which then takes an early morning Healey Mills – York freight, and forward by a n Edge Hill Type 4.

From August 21 a Bradford Hammerton Street diesel multiple-unit was making trips over the Huddersfield, Penistone and Barnsley route to teach Low Moor enginemen the road.

November 1961

A highlight of NER locomotive transfers at the commencement of the winter timetable was the move of five ‘Royal Scot’ 4-6-0s No. 46109/13/7/30/45, redundant through dieselisation, from Holbeck to Low Moor, which previously has disposed of no passenger power higher than Class 5. But according to one correspondent because of restrictions at Wigan and between Low Moor and Leeds the newcomers have been barred from Leeds and Bradford – Liverpool and Bradford – Southport workings, although they have certainly been seen consistently on Low Moor’s Southport duty covering the 7.15 am Bradford – Manchester and 9.12 am Manchester - Southport slows, and the 1.10 pm Southport – Bradford and Leeds express, and on September 16 No. 46130 headed the 2.30 pm from Liverpool Exchange into Leeds Central. However the ‘Royal Scots’ have been available for regular and special Bradford – Blackpool services, as they are not restricted on the East Lancashire line via Copy Pit. Otherwise their employment is chiefly on freight.

Class B16 4-6-0s Nos 61449/61/4/8 were transferred from York to Mirfield. The LMR bars the B16s from its territory [presumably via Standedge?], so that the Mirfield allocation is employed on freights from Healey Mills to York and the north; three of Low Moor’s Class 5 4-6-0s have been moved to Mirfield to allow through freight engine workings to the LMR. All surviving B16/1s have been scrapped.

On September 23 Mirfield was visited by ‘Britannia’ Pacific No 70027 (21D) en route to Copley Hill with the empty stock of a Walsall – Huddersfield football special.

An unusual development on August 27 was the use of a pair of BR/Sulzer Type 2 diesels Nos D5103/7 (52A) as far as Leeds on the 11.50 am Newcastle – Manchester Red Bank ECS; our correspondent’s report suggest that the train was triple-headed into Leeds by B1 No. 61032 (51A).

[There was no report this month filed by R. S. Greenwood, and so no detail of happenings in Rochdale were provided.]

December 1961

English Electric Type 4 No, D221 has been on loan to Newton Heath depot for trials and in the second week of October BR/Slzer Type 4 No. D91 was observed traversing the ex-LYR lines in the neighbourhood of Manchester Victoria on test trains of empty stock.

Two of the ‘Royal Scots’ 4-6-0s recently transferred to Low Moor, Nos 46117/45 moved on to Mirfield at the beginning of October in exchange for Class 5 4-6-0s. The ‘Royal Scots’ have been observed on freight workings between Healey Mills and Edge Hill, Healey Mills and Newport, the 4-20 am York – Crewe Class C and a Congleton – Mirfield parcels train. Among duties on which the Low Moor ‘Royal Scots’ have been noted is the 11.15 pm Huddersfield – Brighouse freight; during October they disappeared from the Leeds and Bradford – Liverpool and Southport services.

A number of the Birmingham RC&W three car diesel multiple units intended for the Calder Valley main line were temporarily allocated to the Botanic Gardens diesel depot in Hull in mid-October. The object of the move was apparently to make good the temporary withdrawal of the depot’s two-car Cravens units, reportedly following the discovery of at least one cracked axle on these sets.