Walkden Colliery lines

[Michael Delamar]

When it dropped in I wonder if they told BR "one of your minerals is missing".

can imagine the guy responsible walking away with hands in pockets whistling

[PGH]

Superb Geoff! What a lovely locomotive. I've always been a little surprised that there's never been a kit for one.

Arthur

 

 

Chowbent did a 7mm kit for the NSR 0-6-2Ts some time ago, as NSR or LMS locos. In NCB days the smokebox fronts were substantially different with their replacement Hunslet boilers. I had the ambition to build models of a pair of these and measured No.2 while it was at the Chatterley Whitfield Colliery Museum. I even had etched plates made for SIR ROBERT and “LMS Built” works plates for that loco and No.2, but decided that they wouldn’t really be suitable for my 3ft radius curves !

 

In Geoff’s photos of the 3/8/1964 tour of the system, No.2 was only 2 days ex works, having been rebuilt on the chassis of SIR ROBERT and carrying the 1913 works plates off KING GEORGE VI. In fact considering that during its life at Walkden Yard it had new tanks, bunker and boiler, there couldn’t have been much left of the original 1923 built loco.

 

I didn’t participate in the 3/8/1964 tour, but managed a cab ride, albeit rather short, on No.2 about six weeks later. At that time you could park off the A580 East Lancashire Road where it crossed over the NCB line south of Sandhole Colliery, at a location now under the M61/62/63 interchange. After climbing over the fence and walking up the yard I found a clean No.2 and a filthy KING GEORGE VI in steam near the loco shed – by then not used for stabling locos. The colliery had closed in 1962 and was being dismantled but the washing plant was still in use, treating coal from other collieries much of it brought in via BR at Sandersons Sidings.

There was no sign of the crews, presumably having a meal break, and after taking several photos I began to retrace my steps to the A580. I was soon caught up by No.2 and invited up into the cab, which I recall as being fairly crowded. For a relatively large loco there wasn’t a great deal of room in the cab as the side tanks extended back to the cab entrance. In addition to the crew there was at least one other passenger, maybe two, and a bike ! I dropped off at the A580 overbridge and No.2 disappeared under the bridge into the sidings on the other side. Shortly after KING GEORGE VI followed and the pair then reappeared double heading a long train towards Ashtons Field. A fine sight, which my then rather limited photographic skills failed to do justice.

 

No.2 didn't have a particularly long working life after that date as according to Industrial Railway Society records it had been withdrawn by August 1965.

[PGH]

The 16 ton mineral wagon in the Boothstown Canal Basin caused me some head scratching. I was sure I had read about it somewhere, but where ? Then the penny dropped – its at the Astley Green Colliery Museum. The link below is to the Vintage Carriage Trust’s record of preserved wagons, and has a photo and brief details but unfortunately not the interesting story behind its preservation.

 

http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=4945

 

The NCB had many ex BR 16 ton steel wagons, which were painted dark blue, so it may have been a NCB rather than a BR wagon. The question remains as to how it actually got in the basin. If it went through the tip it would have caused considerable damage. In 1914 the tip was wrecked by runaway wagons and had to be completely rebuilt. My guess is it came off the curve leading into the tip from the full sidings, went over the wall to the west of the tip, hit the canal bank upside down, bending the top of one side on the edge of the bank then completed the somersault landing right way up in the basin.

[Arthur]

Sounds very plausible PGH, that mineral would have won Olympic Gold for a dive like that...

I got to know the Bridgewater Collieries system in three separate phases. As mentioned previously, the first visit was by chance and must have been in 1964 as No. 2 was already in North Staffs livery. We made a couple of return visits and explored the section around Sandersons Sidings, from the Worsley canal tip to the Roe Green Landsale Yard.

In 1966 I had a mate who lived where you must have parked PGH, just off the East Lancs, opposite the Burtons Menswear factory, Stanton Drive I think. The line ran just behind his house and I explored the section from Roe Green to just beyond Sandhole Colliery.

Then, in December 1969, a few of us visited Astley Green, by then the only working colliery. On subsequent visits we walked the line from the Moss, through Walkden, up to Linneyshaw.

Here’s a few grainy photos taken late 1969/early 1970. Taken with an aging Brownie 127, they’ll get nil points for technical merit but hopefully a point or two for interest.

That first visit was December 19^th 1969, as we walked from Boothsbank towards Astley the snow started, by the time we arrived at Astley Yard there was a blizzard.

 

Somewhere here a giesel equipped Austerity moves wagons about,....honest.

 

 

In early 1970 Respite takes some,.. err..., respite from its duties in Astley Yard.

 

 

Again early 1970, Warrior banks a train northwards through Moseley Common Colliery. Closed in 1968, the buildings were all still standing.

 

The Yorkshire Engine Co, Janus in an apple green livery. Usually confined to Ashtons Field, we were walking one day southwards into Moseley Common yard and were surprised when it appeared, travelling north, towards Walkden. This photo, looking north, shows it departing. Lower left can be seen part of a cable worked incline which hauled wagons up to some equipment at Moseley Common, quite what I don’t recall.

 

Edited to correct loco name, see posting below.

[Arthur]

PGH, you were there on the 20th!, small world. Thanks for the correction re. Warrior, I've changed the original posting and made a note under 'edit'. I've had it identified as Stanley on the back of print for the last 40 years! Must check the rest....

Great photo and good to see more of the cable worked incline. We had a good look around the deserted Moseley Common buildings in early 1970, probably a Saturday afternoon. We were expecting someone to turn up and eject us but nobody did. I remember a switch back mine car circuit, just north west of the preparation plant, and also spending a bit of time wandering about in that plant itself. It hadn't had a long working life and was in very good condition.

[Arthur]

I've had it identified as Stanley on the back of print for the last 40 years! Must check the rest....

 

Seems I'm getting dumber not smarter, I was right 40 years ago. I checked the original print and had it correctly identified as Warrior on the back and made the error yesterday when posting .

 

Anyway, I'll post just three more photos from early 1970,

 

Firstly, anyone curious about the real Stanleys rear end;

 

Here Stanley heads out onto the Moss with a coal train. I'm standing on the north bank of the Bridgewater canal and the Stanley is about to pass over the bridge and head south.

 

Can't get this one wrong (can I?), Harry, the only non giesel fitted loco working at the time.

 

Coaling at Astley Green

[Arthur]

Excellent PGH, I'd written notes on some. but not all, of my prints. The 'Coaling at Astley' one is blank and I'd long presumed that the loco in it must have been Respite, simply because the photos I had of Warrior and Stanley show undamaged bunkers and I had no suitable photo of Respite to compare it to. Clearly it was Stanley.

Fortunately I did date the photo of Stanley about to cross the canal (above) as 14th March 1970. So a fairly tight window, the bunker was damaged between 14th March and your own visit in April.

 

Your own photo of Stanley, where was that taken?, is it the entrance to Astley Yard?

[Intrepid]

Hello all - What an absolutely fascinating thread! In fact, quite an emotional experience for me, reading it (and seeing the pictures) as this stirs up many childhood memories that no-one else I know has ever been able to share! When I was about 8 years old (circa 1967) I started to go and stay at my Grandmothers flat at Tynesbank in Walkden of a Saturday. The gardens of the flats (still there!) backed onto the railway, just as the line came out from under the bridge over the A6. Many's the time I've sat and watched those little Austerity's going up and down that steep Ashton Field incline on the pictures here!

 

I lived in Farnworth, but in the late 60's, my dad used to take me to Hill Top at Walkden (the area he originally came from) and we would walk along the Black Leach line, and then head over Kearsley Moss to make our way home again. The yellow bridge you've mentioned can still be walked over (far as I know) but not accessible to cars. The only ' addition ' I can think of to the excellent map drawn on this thread is that there was a line to the old Stonehill Colliery ...... this started at a junction just where the line to the Kearsley sidings goes under Manchester Rd (at the bridge next to the White Horse pub). This branch line closed long before I was born though, that's for sure .... LOL

 

I vividly remember the Kearsley sidings too, with the small electric trains taking coal wagons through a tunnel, underneath the main Bolton - Manchester main line, to the power station below at Ringley. Unfortunately, I was born too late to experience the ' Age of Steam ' on main line railways, so these little memories of the NCB locos are treasured ones! Now, in my mid-50's, I've suddenly developed (revived) an interest in model trains (something that I've not experienced since my early teens!) ..and although my ' era ' revolves around diesel engines, I've still got a special place for those hard working industrial Austerity locos. I seem to remember most (if not all) of these NCB locos had names - some I've seen mentioned in this thread (and remember) - with others springing to mind like ' Wizard ' and ' Witch ' (or maybe I've been watching too much ' Harry Potter ' ? LOL). However ... questions I've always wanted to know the answers to, include;

 

Is there a definitive list of the Walkden NCB Austerities? How many were there ....and did they all have names (and what were they)? Was there supposed to be a ' standard ' livery for these locos? (I'm sure some were black, and some were maroon, but I'm a bit hazy on this ....). Grateful for any info that anyone here can provide!

 

When I eventually get myself a proper layout, I want to have an industrial branch line off my main line, and a couple of Austerities working it. Would be nice to customise a couple of ' regular ' J94's into something resembling the ones that worked from Walkden Yard! As I said ...... Fascinating subject, thanks again ..... I'm very envious of you guys who ' lived ' the experience of a working industrial steam railway on our very doorstep :-)

[Arthur]

Hi Intrepid,

 

Firstly, here's a link to some photos of the Kearsley electrics;

 

http://www.flickr.co...dle/7978035570/

 

The standard colour for Manchester Collieries locos was black lined in red. The standard for NCB Northe Western Division locos was maroon lined in yellow as the colour photo from PGH above. Most, though not, I believe all, austerities on the system were in this maroon livery. In late 69 through to closure the locomotives working were Harry, Respite, Stanley and Warrior. Parked up in Walkden workshops was Repulse;

 

 

I never saw it in use on my visits.

 

According to Geoff Hayes' book, the other austerities which saw use on the system at various times were;

 

Fred, James, WHR, Revenge, Warspite, Wasp, Witch and Wizard.

 

Other than the Yorkshire Engine Co. Janus featured earlier, the only other diesel used was another Yorkshire, a 200hp loco, tried out at Roe Green Landsale yard. The rather affluent local residents complained about the smoke and dirt and this seemed to offer a solution. The loco men found it a bit gutless compared to an austerity and it didn't last.

[PGH]

The only ' addition ' I can think of to the excellent map drawn on this thread is that there was a line to the old Stonehill Colliery ...... this started at a junction just where the line to the Kearsley sidings goes under Manchester Rd (at the bridge next to the White Horse pub). This branch line closed long before I was born though, that's for sure .... LOL

 

I seem to remember most (if not all) of these NCB locos had names - some I've seen mentioned in this thread (and remember) - with others springing to mind like ' Wizard ' and ' Witch ' (or maybe I've been watching too much ' Harry Potter ' ? LOL). However ... questions I've always wanted to know the answers to, include;

 

Is there a definitive list of the Walkden NCB Austerities? How many were there ....and did they all have names (and what were they)? Was there supposed to be a ' standard ' livery for these locos? (I'm sure some were black, and some were maroon, but I'm a bit hazy on this ....). Grateful for any info that anyone here can provide!

 

When I eventually get myself a proper layout, I want to have an industrial branch line off my main line, and a couple of Austerities working it. Would be nice to customise a couple of ' regular ' J94's into something resembling the ones that worked from Walkden Yard! As I said ...... Fascinating subject, thanks again ..... I'm very envious of you guys who ' lived ' the experience of a working industrial steam railway on our very doorstep :-)

 

 

Stonehill Colliery was served by an L&Y branch off the same company’s Kearsley Branch to Linnyshaw Moss Sidings. The colliery was closed by 1888 when the colliery plant was advertised for sale. Apparently it was the only source of traffic for the L&Y branch which was closed soon after, although its still shown on the 1893 25” OS Map. It had no connection with the Walkden System.

 

The Industrial Railway Society publication “Industrial Locomotives of Lancashire - Part A The National Coal Board” (still available price £7.50) lists all the NCB Lancashire Austerities. There were indeed locos named WITCH and WIZARD, and in fact nearly all NCB locos in Lancashire did carry names.

 

After Nationalisation locos outshopped by Walkden were initially painted in the pre-nationalisation Manchester Collieries livery of black lined red, but soon after the lining was changed to yellow. When the ex North Stafford Railway 0-6-2T PRINCESS returned from exhibition at Stoke repainted by Crewe Works into North Stafford livery a similar red was adopted by Walkden with yellow lining.

 

Finally, please note – the NCB locos were the ‘regular’ Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0STs, the J94s were the ones customised by BR !

[PGH]

In addition to the locos listed by Arthur, the Austerity 0-6-0ST locos known to have worked on Walkden Railways also included: CHARLES, ALLEN (the latter normally based at Astley Green), and for brief periods HUMPHREY, RENOWN and WEASEL. Other locos were repaired at Walkden Workshops and would have been tried out on the railway before despatch to other collieries.

 

To put these locos/names into context, brief details of their acquisition is as follows (loco names in brackets are not recorded as working on Walkden Railways although they were delivered to and repaired at Walkden Workshops):

 

First to arrive at Walkden in 1944 were ALLEN and CHARLES built by Hudswell Clarke for the War Department but surplus to their requirements at that time. Initially they were on hire and not purchased by Manchester Collieries until 1946.

 

The first loco actually purchased was STANLEY direct from Hunslet in 1945. At that time Austerity locos were still being built almost exclusively for the War Department, and Manchester Collieries were only the second private firm to receive a new loco.

 

Next were (GORDON), HUMPHREY and FRED built by Robert Stephenson Hawthorns and purchased by Manchester Collieries in 1946 from the War Department at Longmoor, where they had been stored from new. W.H.R. and JAMES were similar RSH locos purchased by the NCB from the War Department in 1947, both having been previously shipped over to France.

 

All the above locos were named after colliery officials (initials in the case of W.H.R.) and carried brass nameplates except for GORDON, HUMPHREY and FRED, which had the names, painted on the saddle tank.

 

In 1950 five new locos arrived from Hunslet named after warships beginning with ‘R’ – (RODNEY), RESPITE, RENOWN, REPULSE and REVENGE.

Then in 1952-57 more new Hunslet locos were delivered with names beginning with ‘W’ – WARSPITE, WASP, WARRIOR, WITCH, WIZARD and WEASEL. All these locos had brass nameplates.

 

The final loco was transferred from the NCB Opencast Executive in 1965 and named HARRY after a colliery official with the name painted on the saddle tank. After repair at Walkden Workshops it spent a short period working at Gin Pit before arriving on the Walkden Railways in 1966.

 

Various modifications were carried out to these locos at Walkden Workshops principally because of the smoke problem, which should be noted by any aspiring modellers. As noted earlier in this topic loaded trains had a steep climb northwards through Walkden town centre and under pressure from the local authority the NCB adopted various methods to reduce or disguise (!) the emission of smoke. The modifications were detailed in an article in the Industrial Railway Society’s RECORD magazine No.196 entitled “Modifications to NCB Steam Locomotives” by three authors including yours truly, which listed which locos received what and when. Further information was included in RECORD No.203, which was devoted entirely to Austerity 0-6-0ST locomotives.

 

The most obvious modifications were the extended bunkers and Giesl ejectors, less obvious were the underfeed stokers, chimney steam rings and secondary air inlets on the smokebox front. The extended bunkers accommodated two compartments for coal and coke, the idea being to fire alternately with each fuel, and this required extended rear buffers and drawgear. In practise it was not a success, the use of coke was discontinued and when the extended bunker was filled with coal the locos became ‘tail heavy’ so they all reverted back to normal bunkers with the exception of WARSPITE, which had been fitted with a diesel engine in the bunker driving an underfeed stoker. Several locos were fitted with Giesl ejectors usually combined with a Hunslet steam powered underfeed stoker. Evidence that a loco was stoker fitted can be seen in Arthur’s rear view of WARROR banking a train past Mosley Common in 1970. Behind the coupling chain can just be made out a narrow steel plate fixed below the rear buffer beam. This was to prevent the coupling chain swinging forward and damaging the stoker pipework between the frames. If you could view the loco side on in silhouette this pipework would be visible below the rear of the frames. The non Giesl equipped locos were fitted with chimney steam rings and secondary air inlets, the latter consisting of three small openings in the smokebox front on each side of the door through which air was piped via the boiler tubes into the firebox. The steam rings comprised a perforated circular pipe round the chimney rim connected to a steam valve in the cab by a pipe along the top of the saddle tank. When steam was applied it formed a steam ‘curtain’ round the chimney, thereby hiding and helping to disperse the smoke produced when the loco was working hard.

 

As is the case for modelling any locomotive, the best advice is to base it on a photograph of a particular loco at the date you require.

[Intrepid]

Many thanks Arthur and PGH,for your very comprehensive and interesting replies!

 

As to a model loco, I assume that the only working model available, that's anything like, will be the J94's as turned out by Hornby and Dapol? Shouldn't be too bad though, with a bit of modification ..a suitable ' paint job ', and some brass nameplates made up (where I'll get OO gauge custom brass nameplates from, heaven knows .... but surely it must be possible!!).

 

Digressing a little .... I'd always thought that the 3 saddle tank locos at Agecroft Power Station were Austerity's (having only ever seen' em from a distance, and at speed!) but apparently, they were (are) of 0-4-0 construction rather than the 0-6-0 of the Walkden Hunslets. Hey ..I'm learnin' sommat about this 'steam thingy ' all the time! LOL :-D

 

Thanks again

[Arthur]

Agecroft, another place we frequented in 1970. On late Saturday mornings the loco shed was deserted and we had the run of the place, footplates included. There was a bin at the back of the shed full of pulverised coal dust which they used in instead of sand in the sand boxes. I... er...'liberated' some for use as ground cover etc. It was too finely crushed for use in tenders and wagons.

 

It was Hornby who released the Walkden liveried 'Harry'. Though I've got one I cannot recall myself just how accurate it was in terms of the real Harry (step configurations etc). I'm away for a few days but when I get back I'll dig it out and have a look.

[bigd]

Here are a few shots of the Agecroft engines, taken at the last open day.

 

Agecroft no1 by Andy Sharpe, on Flickr

 

Agecroft no2 by Andy Sharpe, on Flickr

 

Agecroft no3 by Andy Sharpe, on Flickr

 

 

I managed to get my loco plates from http://www.ambisengineering.co.uk/ . They do Repulse Warrior and Warspite, among others.

[Intrepid]

Agecroft, another place we frequented in 1970. On late Saturday mornings the loco shed was deserted and we had the run of the place, footplates included. There was a bin at the back of the shed full of pulverised coal dust which they used in instead of sand in the sand boxes. I... er...'liberated' some for use as ground cover etc. It was too finely crushed for use in tenders and wagons.

 

It was Hornby who released the Walkden liveried 'Harry'. Though I've got one I cannot recall myself just how accurate it was in terms of the real Harry (step configurations etc). I'm away for a few days but when I get back I'll dig it out and have a look.

 

After a little delving on the Net, I've managed to find this;

 

http://www.oliviastrains.com/pages/1921/NCB

 

 

Plus, video footage of the Hornby ' Harry ' running on track

 

[Coalboard]

Hi

Writing a book on Walkden Yard and Central Railways locos, not a heavyweight but readable to a wide audience, plenty room for photos, over 100 so far. If anyone wants their (good or interesting) photos included you will be acknowledged with the photo. I'm 80% through the book now, aiming to print next Spring, email jpg images up to 5mb max to me at pitheadbaths@aol.com.

If anyone worked there or has interesting tales to tell they may also find their way into the book!

If anyone has modelled aspects of the system send me pics and the story behind the modelling, no reason why they shouldn't go in as well.

[Respite]

Stanley at Moseley Common.jpg
Again early 1970, Warrior banks a train northwards through Moseley Common Colliery. Closed in 1968, the buildings were all still standing.

 

This train could actually not be banked by Stanley but pulled by it. Loaded trains went back down the hill through Mossley Common yard if the orders were for coal to go out the Chat Moss way. The driver is facing the rear of the loco and the first wagon has its brake pinned down. Trains consisiting of over fourty wagons with a loco each end were handled in this way. The handling of them and all the traffic from Astley Green is recounted in an article by Steve Leyland in the Industrial Railway Record based on his extensive notes and first hand experience from 1968 -1970. It even includes a log of a banked trip from Astley Green to Ashtons Field.

 

It is worth adding that the loco crews at Walkden were very good at their work. Harry Simmons who was a surface foreman at Astley Green for a while said he never had a moments bother with them. Steve Leyland's (sensational) audio recordings of the Walkden locos are available on a CD called 'The J94s of the NCB' which was on sale from the 73156 society sales stand at the recent gala on the East Lancs Railway.

 

[Coalboard]

Members might find the following of interest, or be bored to death! 

 

The official Walkden Yard loco history records I copied from retired ex Walkden Yard manager Joe Cunliffe around 1990 ( d.1993 ) which I'm referring to in my book on Walkden Yard and locos states in classic longhand that loco 0-6-2T KENNETH ( arriving at Walkden as NSR 1922 / 221, later LMSR 2264 ) was an exception to the others; ( SIR ROBERT, PRINCESS, KING GEORGE VI and QUEEN ELIZABETH ) being built by the Midland Railway Company in 1922 at Derby.

 

So the story of 5 NSR's coming to Walkden it seems isn't quite correct. The truth is that 3 NSR ( later SIR ROBERT,  KING GEORGE VI and QUEEN ELIZABETH ), 1 LMS ( later PRINCESS ) and 1 Midland Railway Co loco ( later KENNETH ) came to Walkden.

 

It seems all previous authors before me didn't have access to these documents.

 

The debate continues!

[Edwin_m]

I was wondering if this underbridge ever spanned one of the colliery lines.  It's on the LYR west of Mort Lane and doesn't span much else except a footpath.  According to the map upthread this is the southern edge of Wharton Hall Colliery and the layout of colliery lines just to the north matches what is visible on the aerial photo, but nothing is shown crossing beneath the main line. 

[PGH]

I was wondering if this underbridge ever spanned one of the colliery lines.  It's on the LYR west of Mort Lane and doesn't span much else except a footpath.  According to the map upthread this is the southern edge of Wharton Hall Colliery and the layout of colliery lines just to the north matches what is visible on the aerial photo, but nothing is shown crossing beneath the main line. 

 

 

Yes it did, it was on the Peel Hall and New Lester Colliery Railway, which was not connected to the Walkden System.  Peel Hall Colliery was connected to the LNWR Little Hulton Branch just before that branch connected to the Walkden Railway.  The site of Peel Hall Colliery is lost under the housing development north of the underbridge.  From Peel Hall Colliery a line ran south to connect with the L&Y, the site of the curved connection can be made out in the trees just to the left of the underbridge.  A line continued south passing under the L&Y to New Lester Colliery which was situated in the industrial areas on each side of the road.  Peel Hall Colliery closed in 1931 and New Lester about 1944.  Latterly the line was worked by three Hunslet 0-6-0Ts similar to the Manchester Ship Canal locos.

 

Part of the system was revived from the L&Y connection part way to Peel Hall to serve an opencast disposal point, and operated by Sir Alfred McAlpine from the late 1940s to the early 1960s.

 

If you follow the L&Y line left of the underbridge, the Walkden Railway connection to the L&Y was further west near the footbridge and the site of Wharton Hall Colliery in the disturbed area on the north side of the main line. 

[mibmib]

slightly off topic but im trying to find the exact route of the underground tunnel to worsley delph. it runs kust west of the east lacs at walkden road junction-there is a large metal arch shaped pipe running over the old line just here at railway wood-wonder if this could be it? just seems a bit narrow even for the boats they had back then.

cheers in advance!

al

[mibmib]

The underground canal runs almost directly below the A580/A575 junction, see map below; then runs parallel to and on the west side of the A575 as far as the LNWR Manchester to Bolton line; then to Ellesmere Pit (on east side of colliery railway at Walkden Yard); then parallel to and on the east side of the colliery line to Ashtons Field, where the underground inclined plane was situated lifting the canal to a higher level.

 

Underground Canal.jpg

 

It doesn't run in any metal pipe visible on the surface, its underground "like it says on the tin"  (Sorry, couldn't resist that !)  

mystery solved! thanks very much-wonder if there is any grids or inspection chambers still about on route...believe it has not been visited in many years-strange how it never gets blocked or collapse, fantastic to say the least :-)

[PGH]

mystery solved! thanks very much-wonder if there is any grids or inspection chambers still about on route...believe it has not been visited in many years-strange how it never gets blocked or collapse, fantastic to say the least :-)

 

 

If you are interested in the history of the underground canal a good account was published locally by Glen Atkinson entitled "The Canal Duke's Collieries Worsley 1760-1900" and should be available secondhand at a modest price or in local libraries.

 

There is also some useful information here: http://www.aditnow.co.uk/community/viewtopic.aspx?t=1447  on the condition of the canal in recent years

[mibmib]

If you are interested in the history of the underground canal a good account was published locally by Glen Atkinson entitled "The Canal Duke's Collieries Worsley 1760-1900" and should be available secondhand at a modest price or in local libraries.

 

There is also some useful information here: http://www.aditnow.co.uk/community/viewtopic.aspx?t=1447  on the condition of the canal in recent years

yes read all that over and over, are the read dots the shaft or vent/inspection entrances?

[colonelsensible]

Hi, I wondered if these might be of interest? 

 

1) 47378 at Sandersons Sidings on railtour 2Z10, 16/3/63:

 

2) 47378 at Astley Green on railtour duty (possibly same date)

 

3) 47378 & NCB Bridgewater on same railtour.

 

I have further shots of 47378 on 2Z10 at Patricroft station and on the "Black Harry" line at Monton, if anyone is interested.