Northwich BR Depot in the 1970s & 1980s

[ashwarner15a]

Just about finished scratchbuilding a copy of the ex steam shed at Northwich as she was in the late 70s & 80s before closing.

 

Can anybody confirm the following:-

1. The number of locos expected on shed week days and weekends? i guess class 25, 40 & 47 were the most common with resident 08s.

2. Diagrams that were entrusted to Northwich crews. I presume most diagrams for the ICI complex and the Tunstead diagrams.

3. Local trip workings.

4. Was the breakdown unit allocated to Northwich?

5. Shunter diagrams.

 

Any info and photos would be much appreciated.

 

Many thanks

Ashley

 

[Ian Smeeton]

According to BR Database, it closed in Feb '68, and no locos were allocated there at all.

 

https://www.brdatabase.info/sites.php?page=depots&subpage=main&id=391

 

It may have survived as a stabling point.

 

Even in April '68 there were only 6 x class 40, 3 class 08, and 6 25s along with some withdrawn steam locos.

 

https://shedbashuk.blogspot.com/search?q=Northwich

 

Regards

 

Ian

[84B Oxley]

The only photo I have, taken on October 6th 1984. (I presume this was a Saturday or a Sunday as I would have been at work during the week.) 47353 and 47366 are lurking inside the shed, the 20s are 20032+20031 and 20199+20182.

Hope this is of some use.

 

Jeff

[beast66606]

Here's a couple of my shots

 

Northwich
27/08/1977 (Saturday)
40122 and 25110 on shed at Northwich

 

 

Northwich
27/08/1977 (Saturday)
40091 on shed at Northwich

 

[ashwarner15a]

Thanks gents.

 

Yes. October 6th 1984 was a Saturday. After a bit of research i have also found the following:-

 

After the lengthy reign of class 25s on the Tustead-Oakleigh ICI limestone trains, a substitution of pairs of class 20s was made in 1984 and by 1986 the 20s were ousted out by 37s & 47s.

 

Also for model rail purposes i have found that in 1986 ICI Oakleigh still received the following trains:

Limestone from Tunstead (21 trains a week!))

MGR coal from Trentham Jtn (3 trains a week)

Oil from Lindsey (twice a week) 

Caustic Soda ash to Larbert (twice a week)

and local trips from Warrington Arpley Yard

 

All wagons are available from the main maunfacturers except the Tunstead limestone wagons?

 

However, still not sure what class of loco was diagrammed to what workings......other than the 20s on the Tunsteads.

[pharrc20]

Hi Ashley, you have picked a good location to model... I live oooh about 200 yards or so where the shed used to be although I don't remember the shed myself as wasn't born in Northwich, so only know it from photographs.

 

Looking through what I recall seeing most duties were covered by 25s and 40s and some 47s. Once the pairs of 20s came along to take over the hopper duties the 25s and 40s started to fade away as being withdrawn of course. Eastern Region allocated 37s would often appear on the Monkton to Northwich coke train. I suspect the other coal trains were mostly in the hands of 47s as was outgoing traffic from Oakleigh like the air-braked soda ash PCA tanks.

 

Peaks 45s were very occasionally used on the hoppers to Northwich and in some cases pairs too and I have seen and had published a photo of one such pair. 31s were rare at the time but did make appearances on the hoppers in the later 80s in lieu of the booked 37s. 56s not sure but possible they could have turned up on coal especially if come over the Pennines but as said more likely to be a 47. As for shunting the humble 08 was your chap for those jobs but I would guess by mid to late 80s these turns had gone and shunting done by the train engines.

 

Unfortunately, you have missed out on the Hatton's OO gauge models of the I.C.I. hoppers they are now completely sold out and recent sales on bay of E show that they are quite sought after often going for double or more the original selling price of £24/25 each. If you are N gauge then there is or was a 3d printed model available on Shapeways, likewise if O gauge there have been etched brass models and more recently a new kit model has been produced too.

 

Do you have any photos of your shed and will it be incorporated into a layout?

 

Cheers Paul