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BRM May 2015

It could be argued that Railtours are better equipped than a normal service train. As mentioned previously, there is usually a diesel loco on the rear which could be used

to push the train clear of the mainline, obviously depending on the location of the failure. Heritage locos, both steam and diesel never leave home without a support crew.

Any minor faults could be rectified by them, again to clear the mainline, or to a point where a more comprehensive examination or repair could be undertaken. A normal

service train that fails en route would be down to the Driver, whilst liaising with Control to try and rectify or isolate the fault in order to get the train moving again. If that

is not possible and the train is a total failure, then assistance would be required. These days the train behind may have different couplers, so woludn`t be able to push the

failure out of the way, leading to massive delays, probably far worse than a Railtour failure.

Fulham FC used regular train services, albeit First Class. They`re probably some of the only people who can afford it. When I saw them they

weregetting off a Virgin service from London Euston at Wigan NW.It was friday afternoon, a local coach company were waiting to take the

team to a hotel. Fulham were playing Bolton Wanderers the following day.

Sleeping on the job, Gillan

Dover Priory is about 868ft between the tunnels. That`s less than twelve feet in OO.

I have just realised , I made an error in my original measurement. I measured from Priory Tunnel to the Folkestone Road bridge.

I should nave measured beyond there to Harbour Tunnel, which is more like 1075ft, which is just over fourteen feet in OO.

There are several locations along the North London line that have bridges at either end. Using Highbury and Islington station as a scenic break at one end

to Highbury Grove bridge at the other, would include Canonbury Junction. From Highbury Grove to Canonbury Station. Mildmay Park station, Dalston Western

Junction. Dalston Eastern and coal yard and Graham Road goods yard, which has the Liverpool St to Cambridge main line passing over at its eastern end. 

D1041 Western Prince appeared at the Workington Open Day 10th September 1983. It was hauled north behind the train loco of the

morning Walton Old Junction to Workington freight on the 8th. I passed it at Winwick Junction, whilst on 7T95 0700 Bickershaw to

Fiddlers Ferry MGR. I think the freight headcode was 7P60 IIRC.

I`ve just read the article in the Doncaster Free Press. The accompanying photo shows the loco ex-works in Railfreight red stripe. However,

it may have been the first one painted in the new triple grey livery, for the relaunch of Railfreight.

Definitely approaching Wigan North Western. Wigan No2 and Westwood power station in the background.

New York groove, Ace Frehley

Country girl, Black Sabbath

Holding out for a hero, Bonnie Tyler

Cum on feel the noize, Slade

Because the night, Patti Smith

Questions and answers, Sham 69

One night in the city, Dio

The official document used by staff when labelling parcels would denote the route by which parcels were to be sent. This could vary depending on

the time of day the parcel was sent, especially when cross country services were involved. Wigan has two stations, North Western and Wallgate. They

are about fifty yards apart on opposite sides of the road. Staff were not allowed to carry parcels across the road from the parcel office at North Western

to Wallgate, insurance issues were mentioned. A parcel to Southport or Manchester had to be routed north to Preston then south To Bolton before

finally heading west to Southport. Customers were advised to take parcels across to Wallgate themselves, some of the official afternoon routes were

overnight, despite it being only eighteen miles by rail. 

If you click on the Flickr image of the class 81 at Beattock, there appears to be a brake van on the rear. That would suggest

the reporting number would be class 7,8 or 9. I suppose if one of the wagons is carrying dangerous goods, then it could

also be a class 6, but there doesn`t seem anything obvious in the train.

"Wigan bank engine" was name used for the station pilot at Wigan North Western. During the 1980s and 90s it was officially Target 91. It worked at

Wigan NW during the evening and at night shunting parcel and newspaper vans. During the day, in the 80s, the loco was used to shunt Wigan Canal

Sidings and Prescott St Sidings as well as GKN at Douglas Bank. Occasionally trips to Springs Branch were made. In the late 80s and early 90s after the

closure of the sidings at Prescott St and GKN, Wigan bank was used to shunt long welded rail trains being repaired at Springs Branch. This also 

involved tripping wagons to and from Wigan Canal Sidings. I`m not sure what year the use  of Wigan bank ended, probably 1991 or 1992.

Yes, Abram Disposal Point was it`s official name. It was referred to as Albert Pit locally. My apologies, I mixed them up,it was forty years ago.

It was operated by the NCB Opencast Executive.

I was a shunter at Bickershaw Exchange sidings for about eighteen months from October 1981. I could probably draw you a diagram of the

sidings,it may not be 100% accurate, but it may help. Some trains ran from the Albert Disposal Point, which was adjacent to the exchange

sidings and was accessed through the sidings. There are a few photos on Flickr of the exchange sidings. I would also suggest looking at the

Wiganworld website. 

The NCB used two GEC diesel 0-6-0 locos. They were named Western King and Western Queen. The ADP  had an 0-4-0 Sentinel.

All the coal trains ran as Trip workings, including the Partington trains. During my time at Bickershaw trains also ran to Padiham CEGB, using

MCVs. The only timetabled services were the Monday only departure to Burton Wagon Repair Depot and the return working, which ran to

Springs Branch. The repaired wagons would then be "tripped" to Bickershaw as required.

Nothing else matters, Metallica

Long gone, UFO

The first class 31, 31180, runs east light engine at the start of the video and returns west at the end hauling three fuel tanks. 31187 is hauling the mixed

bag of coaches. Could it be that train is a loaded test run after 31187 has undergone maintenance at Old Oak Common. The coaches may just be some

redundant stock put together to form a test train, sectorisation would have meant very few spare rakes of coaches would be available for such a train at 

short notice. The paintwork on both 31s looks new, but 31187 appears to have it`s buffer beam painted red oxide, as if recently repaired. 

The fuel tanks hauled by 31180 could be heading to Reading Depot.

All the days, Mammoth