BR London Midland Region 1950s -80s

[ArthurK]

CARLISLE 1955-1956.

Having virtually exhausted all my photographs from the other three regions I decided that I had better start on the remaining one. This is going to be a difficult task as the photos are scattered from Carlisle in the North to Euston in the South. But we will make a start at the northern end.

 

After I moved down to Lancashire in 1952 I made frequent visits back to the Northeast. Unfortunately I did not have a camera at that time so my travels went unrecorded. That was pity because at that time it was steam all the way. After my marriage in 1954 the visits were less frequent and by that time the Newcastle-Carlisle trains were Metro-Cammell DMUs (and extremely uncomfoirtable). However steam still reigned on the West Coast Line. I recorded only two of these later trips. The first was in 1955 and the second (I believe) in 1956. A year or so later I had my own wheels so these travels came to an end. There are only about a dozen shots in all and my photography at that time was not the best. But here goes.

 

Carlisle 1955

 

The first three photos are of Duchess No. 46242 "City of Glasgow" starting the last stretch of its journey to Glasgow. I would have expoected this loco to have been shedded at the Northern end but it has a 1B shed code. That's a young Mrs K in the picture.

 

 

 

Crossing into the platform vacated by the Duchess a Rebuilt Royal Scot No. 46112 "Sherwood Forester" arrives from the north.

 

Although I saw all of the Princesses I only ever once got to photograph one. This is 46212 "Duchess of Kent" Standing with a southbound train.

[DaveF]

 

Very nice. I only wish I had been there in the days of real steam!

 

David

 

 

 

[ArthurK]

CARLISLE 1955-1956.

 

Carlisle 1956

 

The second recorded passage through Carlisle was a year later in 1956.

 

A LMS Class 5, Sorry the number is obscured by the train designation board but the shed code is 3D. I am not sure where that was; some of the shed codes changed around 1960

 

LMS Ivatt 2-6-0 2MT No. 46457. Shed code is 12? so it jhasn't come too far.

 

LMS Ivatt 2-6-0 4MT. Not sure what happened with this one. I can only assume that a long exposure has blurred the engine, the background is fine. Sorry I cannot decipher the number or shed.

 

Duchess No. 46246 "City of Manchester" of Crewe shed. It still bears the evidence that it was once streamlined. It still has the flattened smokebox top! Behind is Royal Scot 46133 "The Green Howards"

 

"City of Manchester" pulls away on its journey to the South.

(Corrected following comments from Leander)

[Mijbil54]

Hi Arthur,

Thanks for putting these up as I was only 2 when they were taken I can really get a feel of what Carlisle was like in those days. I did manage a trip behind Duchess of Hamilton on the Settle Carlisle in 1994 so it was a long time coming!

Brian.

[Michael Delamar]

LMS Ivatt 2-6-0 2MT No. 46457. Shed code is 12? so it jhasn't come too far.

 

 

12B according to the loco shed index http://www.steamsheds.co.uk/locolookup.php

 

great photos,my favourite era even though I wasnt around at the time

 

cheers

 

Mike

[Leander]

Great shots although I didn't get to Carlisle until 1962, by which time the overall roof had been cut back.

 

Duchess No. 46246 "City of Manchester" is on an Up train (i.e. southbound) and the Ivatt 4MT is running into the M&C bay, probably with a train off the Cumbrian Coast line.

[ArthurK]

Great shots although I didn't get to Carlisle until 1962, by which time the overall roof had been cut back.

 

Duchess No. 46246 "City of Manchester" is on an Up train (i.e. southbound) and the Ivatt 4MT is running into the M&C bay, probably with a train off the Cumbrian Coast line.

 

 

Sorry about the error. It was a long time ago and my memory is now more than a bit hazy

[pH]

CARLISLE 1955-1956.

Having virtually exhausted all my photographs from the other three regions I decided that I had better start on the remaining one.

 

'... the remaining one." . I count more than that. - there's another just north of the batch you've just posted . Seriously, if the photos are anywhere near as good all of those you've posted on this site so far, they will be worth waiting for.

[Guest Phil]

12B according to the loco shed index http://www.steamshed.../locolookup.php

 

great photos,my favourite era even though I wasnt around at the time

 

cheers

 

Mike

 

Great photos Arthur, particularly as you have now crossed over to the right side of the country - away from all that apple green and funny cab windows !!!!!! (joke)

 

Seriously.

 

Checking my Bescot spreadsheet I found 46457 was transferred from 12B to Bescot on 4 w/e 27/01/62.

Staying at Bescot until 4 w/e 08/08/64 she went tootling off north to 6A.

[buckdancer]

Thanks again Arthur.

3D was Aston in Birmingham.

A wonderful place to us spotters.

I for one never found it easy to bunk.

The nearby Midland shed at Saltley was bigger but easier to sneak around.

The suburb was home to the likes of Ozzie Osbourne of Black Sabbath so you had to be careful wandering around!

And the smells at Saltley would cure any known disease - or give you any known disease more likely.

[RailwayDave]

Thanks for the pics. 'City of Manchester' was the last( I believe) to have its streamlined smokebox replaced.

[ArthurK]

ARNSIDE 1963-1965

 

Moving South from Carlisle I dont have anything until we reach Carnforth. However a line branches off at Carnforth to Barrow in Furness and thence around the coast back to Carlisle. A few miles to the West of Carnforth the Line crosses the estuary of the River Kent as it flows into Morcambe Bay. This is a fine day out from the Lancashire coast at Lytham for the family as well as being a great place for photographs as the trains cross the viaduct. The first shots were taken in October 1963, two more in August 1964 and the last in September 1965.

 

Most if not all the Co-Bos from Metropolitan Vickers ended up at Barrow in Furness. Amongst there other duties they were used on the Barrow to London trains as far as Preston. At Preston the coaches formed part of the London train. I am not sure where the rest of the train was from. The coaches were also detached from the Down Train at Preston when the Metrovics took over. I was lucky enough to photograph a number of these at Arnside. The first shot is of D5704 on a four coach train just ending its crossing of the viaduct.

 

A second Metrovic on similar duties. Note the 12E shed code painted on the front.

 

Class 5 No. 44904 on goods duties. The shed code is 10A the former code for Wigan Springs Branch, though by this time it should have been changed.

 

A second Class 5 No 44937. No doubt someone can tell me what is in those hoppers. Shed code is 12A Carlisle.

 

English Electric Type 4 (sorry number not known) with passenger train of Eight (or is nine) coaches.

 

Light engine Fairburn 2-6-4T No. 42063 Running towards Barrow. Shed code appears to be 10B which was the old code for Preston.

 

Moving on now to August 1964 another Metrovic (or is it the one seen previously) sporting the painted 12E (Barrow) Shed Code.

 

Class 5 again, this time No. 45081 of Carlisle with the same type of train as that pulled by 44937 a year earlier.

 

Returning light to Barrow Class 5 No. 45328. Shed code again appears to be 10A.

[ArthurK]

Lancaster 1963-1965

 

Moving further South after Leaving Arnside we pass through Carnforth. I decided not to include any photographs from there as they are all preservation shots. Things which were around were three preserved Class 5s, The LNWR 2-4-0 "Hardwicke" and both "Flying Scotsman" and "Green Arrow". I took a lot of detail shots of these. If anyone wants more details drop me a PM.

 

Just to the North of Lancaster the WCML runs along the shore of Morcambe Bay. Hest Bank is a good place to witness the traffic. The date of the next four is October 1963.

 

We were not there very long but the first to appear was Class 5 No. 44673 on a fast goods, made up entirely of vans, travelling North.

 

In the opposite direction a second Class 5 45249 also with vans.

 

Heading North Duchess No. 46233 "Duchess of Hamilton" heads an express. No doubt someone can decode the chalked 1X 37 on the smokebox door.

[ArthurK]

Lancaster 1963-1965

 

In Lancaster itself in August 1964. I found LMS design 2MT 46433. Not too sue where I was standing when I took this. No electrifation as yet except for the Morcambe overhead in the left background.

[Michael Delamar]

im always on the lookout for Co-Bo shots as Im building an O gauge one, those shots are brilliant,I like the others, the class 40 and steamers shots too

 

cheers

 

Mike

[Leander]

Arthur, 10A was Carnforth at the time you took these photos. 10B was Blackpool.

 

The Covhops carried soda ash (to/from?) Whitehaven. They ran to and from there to Burn Naze (Fleetwood) and Northwich. I think the traffic was carried for ICI.

 

Nice pics :icon_thumbsup2:

[Leander]

1X37

1=Express Passenger train

X= Inter-regional (e.g. LMR to the ScR)

37= Train number

 

Pete

[Leander]

Arthur

 

The Metrovicks at Arnside were working Class 2 (i.e. Ordinary) Passenger trains. In the 7-9-64 to 13-5-65 WTT for passenger trains between Euxton Jn. and Gretna Jn. and Branches, the Whitehaven-Barrow-Euston train was 1P42 and combined with 1M26 Perth-Euston at Preston.

 

Class 2 Up trains through Arnside included 2P92 7.25 Barrow to Lancaster Castle (arr. 8.44) and 2P92 (SX) 8.30 from Barrow to Lancaster Castle (arr. 9.52). There was another 2P92 4.30 ex Barrow to Lancaster Castle (arr. 5.50). 2L89 was the 5.8pm Workington Main to Lancaster Castle (arr 8.55pm). The train reporting numbers applied to routes rather than specific trains for class 2 workings.

 

All other passenger workings through Arnside were Class 1s such as the Workington-Manchesters which loaded to 7 coaches and were Metrovick hauled (when they didn't break down, catch fire, etc).

 

I can't see any evidence of DMUs working south of Whitehaven on the coast line which suggests that all the passenger workings through Arnside were either steam or diesel hauled. The latter would've been hauled by EE Type 4s or Metrovicks at that time.

 

Fascinating stuff!

[ArthurK]

Lancaster 1963-1965

 

Moving forward to February 1964 I visited Lancaster Green Ayre shed. At that time there was still plenty of steam about. Visibility that day was not too good but the locos were emitting quite a lot of steam which added to the atmospheric effect. I dont propose to go into detail as to the numbers etc. as most of them are lost in time. You will note that I was not alone. A young spotter is carefully noting the numbers of those on shed. I wonder if he still has that list? In the back ground of some shots is Lancaster Castle.

 

On the right is a line up of Ivatt 2-6-2Ts and on the left a couple of Ivatt 2-6-0s (including 46441 now preserved). In the first shot is that the cylinder of a Class 5 or is it an 8F (I favour the latter).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Leander]

1L30

 

4.5pm from Manchester Victoria to Barrow (due 7.0pm). Arrival at Arnside was 6.8, departing at 6.9pm.

 

L=Carlisle Division.

[Leander]

The loco in the first shot is a Black 5 (higher running plate than an 8F).

 

Keep 'em coming please!

[buckdancer]

You're right about the atmosphere Arthur - very nice.

It looks like this is one of those sheds where sideswipes might have been frequent.

[beast66606]

I notice the line to Hincaster Junction (WCML) has closed as a through route between these two photos - note the left hand doll on the signal, the main arm has been replaced with a miniature (= siding) arm - the line having been cut back to Sandside.

 

 

 

Nice pics

[ArthurK]

Arthur, 10A was Carnforth at the time you took these photos. 10B was Blackpool.

 

Nice pics :icon_thumbsup2:

 

 

Sorry if I have got the shed codes wrong. They seemed to change frequently in the sixties and my interpretation depended on which loco shed book I had to hand. In the late fifties 10A was Wigan Springs Branch. In the early sixties it became 8F. At this time Carnforth was 24L. To me Blackpool will always be 24E.

[ArthurK]

PRESTON STATION

 

Next stop Preston. We will start with a few views taken in the station itself.

 

We start back in September 1960 I was en route to the Farnborough Air Show on the London Sleeper. It gave me an opportunity to take a few night shots. These were hand held using a conveniuent solid object to keep the camera steady. LMS 4-6-0 Royal Scot No.46134 "The Border Regiment". Behind on the right is Class 5 No. 45230.