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Just waiting for Bill and his concrete mixer.

Everyone to Bacup on Easter Saturday, then! I'll never forget Joe Healey giving our local bobby a right earbashing about this at our do last year. Thing is, GMP haven't started charging yet; it's a 'Lancashire' thing!

Wasn't the size of the bearings that made them a bad design. From my memories of when I did my seconds ticket, the point of greatest pressure in a bearing is usually at the bottom of the journal, so don't introduce the oil at that spot; introduce it at the top, and it stands more chance of doing its job.properly. The Midland 4fF bearings had the oil inlet at the bottom of the journal, and so proper lubrication was made more difficult. Also, don't scrape the bearing to leave no gap for the oil to enter and form the 'wedge which lifts the shaft clear of the journal.

I suppose another advantage of more powerful locos is that the longer trains that you could run would mean that you need less trains for the same loads (I'm talking goods here; after all, it's what gave the railways their profits at the time we are talking about). Ergo, you need fewer locos anyway, and track occupancy is reduced as well. This is what went on during the grouping period, IMHO. Didn't the LNER start with around 7,900 locos and finish with 6,900, despite acquiring 1500 during its existence?

The ground conditions also forced a change in design, and as the bridge was built, to certain extent, to a budget, short cuts had to be taken. Another thing to remember is that no-one had ever heard of metal fatigue back in 1876-9; perhaps this was another contributory factor. The 'consultant' whom Bouch consulted was Sir George Airey, the Astronomer Royal, to whom you went in Britain at that time, for information on wind loads. It's mentioned in the accident report that on the continent, where bridge design was already less empirical, a much greater allowance was made for wind loading. The most famous of Bouch's designs was probably Belah Viaduct, on the Stainmore line, which was constucted on exactly the same principles as the Tay Bridge, but to a much more robust design

Personal experience would suggest to me that consultants are an unneccessary buffer between the client and the builder/manufacturer.

In one of the photos of Garstang & Catterall, there is an EE4 with all 3 of its lower headcode discs open; what's going on? I did have a look to see if the top one was open, too, with all its connotations, but it wasn't.

I see now. I don't think I ever used the Badgeney Road crossing, even though it was only about 1/2 mile away from where I lived, as the station and Norwood Road bridge were bigger magnets.

The two subs on the left-hand doll controlled entry to the goods loops at March South? I'm still trying to get my head round the crossing at Badgeney Road - I don't remember it at all. There was Upwell Road Crossing on the St. Ives line, Horsemoor, and Creek Road at March South but deffo can't remember that one

Judging by the name on the wagon nearest the camera, I'd say this was a turbine.

Undoubtedly something petrochemical, a column of some sort. It's lying on its side in this photo.

'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' I'll wager, actually set, IIRC, in Edinburgh. Glaswegians don't do posh private schools quite like those from Ediburgh!

Hunstanton is known as Hunston locally, no; and Fakenham as Feknam?

Whatever happened to 'Four Seasons - The Home of the Blaster'?

I notice he's using a 2lb adjuster in that first photo.

That is one cracking photo!

well the last time Manchester was without wires must be 1931 (MSJ&A Electrification)

Staly Tunnel is on a curve!

Went in about 1997 - sold to the guy who owns, or owned, Bredbury Hall. Someone told me that Chris Little was involved somewhere

Going off topic a moment - Eileen says can you come and collect NIck's computer!

Now a refuse collection station; the trains run to a tip somewhere in North Lincolnshire. Roxby?

Correct; or that's what my brother said at the time; he was abooking lad in a couple of the Stockport LNWR boxes then.

The main part of the Micklehurst loop was lifted in about 1968-9; Peanuts, you probably won't remember the derailment at the points at the west end of the yard at Uppermill! I can well remember the stacks of sawn sleepers in Butterhouse Tunnel, and other places. What time were you out yesterday, as I was in the afternoon photographing the goings-on along the line. If someone could give me a tutorial on posting photos, I'd put them up. There were a couple of surprises.

The new signals were around Mossley and Heyrod, so cannot link with GB and Miles Platting. As I said, I reckon they are to do with the linespeed limit rise. Keith, does the one near Heyrod look bi-directional to you? There is a diagram of the proposed new layout in today's 'Rail' magazine. As SHMD says, lots of points.

Nice avatar there Andy! There haven't been that many new houses built in Greenfield/Uppermill since the loop closed that adjoin it. Even the new houses on Grove Road were mostly there before it closed; we moved into no. 54 new in November 1966. The others back towards the council part had been there for at least two years before that, as the developer was only building them when he had the money. I agree though that a huge amount of money would have to be spent to reopen it. I'm sure I've seen a photo of a train at Heyrod bridge overtaking a goods in a loop going towards Stanedge.