Longsight circa 1972 with rare traction.-

[w124bob]

A fascinating clip and stills taken from what is known as the excursion platform (for Bellevue zoo) including a class 17, an ex colleague from Guide Bridge remembers it spending a couple of days in the area with a test train so I'm assuming it's 8521.

Watch part 2 for more, including a very nice parcels train.

Edited February 12, 2018 by w124bob

[stovepipe]

8512 was the first RTC Clayton I think; 8521 was dead load/static generator only. The RCTS have tracked 8512's whereabouts here.

https://www.rcts.org.uk/features/diesels/loco.htm?id=diesels/D8512

 

It spent several periods in the Manchester area between 1970 & 1972, but appears to have been moved to Glasgow by Aug 1972, which probably means the one in the video is 8598. It certainly was in the Manchester area in autumn 1972.

https://www.rcts.org.uk/features/diesels/loco.htm?id=diesels/D8598

[caradoc]

I went to Manchester (with a friend, both of us aged 12, on a 75p special fare from Oxford !) in August 1972, and we saw 8598 on a test train at Wilmslow; I believe the Styal line was used for such trains due to its relative lack of traffic. We also visited Reddish Depot that day. Thanks for the film and pictures which bring back wonderful memories, w124bob. 

[PenrithBeacon]

I spent a good deal of my childhood on that excursion platform at least until Longsight Station closed in 1959. Then I transferred my allegiance to 9B. Thanks for the video.

[w124bob]

Many of my ex colleagues were from the depot, it's surprising how little the view of the shed has changed. The wash plant was renewed and never used, the red brick shed wall rebuild is still visable and the excursion platform still exists although a lot less used. Even that concrete footbridge over the south end at the depot still stands. Pass by during the day now and it's liveless with barely anything on shed moving. In all fareness Alstrom do more work on Pendos at LO than Willesdon with all bogie refurbs done there.

[woodenhead]

Depots are primarily active at night now I guess as the trains are all out in use during the day

[bennyboy]

I believe that it was used to run test trains down the Styal loop line to test a crude version of in cab signalling. Here's a picture of it at Longsight.

 

8598_21.8.72 by runtheredline, on Flickr

 

8598 on Manchester Piccadilly - circa 1975 by Arnie Furniss, on Flickr

 

Clayton 8598 Wilmslow 14th July 1975 by Richard Clayton, on Flickr

Edited February 13, 2018 by bennyboy

[caradoc]

We were excited enough to be visiting Manchester as it was (an exotic far flung land to boys from Oxford in those days) and pre-internet, or having enough money to buy railway magazines or join the RCTS, you can imagine how amazed we were to cop a Clayton at Wilmslow !

[w124bob]

I've spent many a late turn queuing to get onto LO, much quicker now with a Voyager either going round the back for a wash or straight onto their dedicated fuel roads. I suspect things might slow down when TPE loco hauled stock goes on there. My record was Lime st to Oxford rd in 40 mins light engine then 2hours from there to climbing of the 31, and they were supposed to be desparate for the loco.

[big jim]

I never knew the ‘excursion platform’ was for belle vue zoo, sat in there for many an hour with llandudno turn backs when mayfield loop was full

 

Not been onto longsight for a while, probably about due a refresh, we only tend to use X shed to stable the IM trains

[montyburns56]

I've just bought an EFE Clayton 8512 mainly because I'd seen these pictures of at Longsight and I was going to start a thread about why it was stabled here, but this thread has answered my question so...