flyingsignalman

I always thought it was a LYR 2-4-2t the Wirral Railway bought. The LNWR coal tanks had widened side tanks for working on the Wirral

The closest thing to crazy - Katie Melua

On the Wirral, by 1983 the management were making a serious effort to get train crews and shunters to use Hi-viz vests but the majority were resisting. In the signalbox trying to get one was like trying to get hold of hen's teeth, they were that hard to get. We usually scrounged them off the Per Way as each box should have had one in the Pilotman's SLW envelope. At the time the Hi-viz vests of the Per Way or S & T were hardly Hi Viz as they were normally covered in plate oil, flange grease, etc!

A few more pics from my trip to Sheffield on 25/2/1979. Partington Jn SB Skelton Jn The lines to Warrington run off to the right Last view taken from the connecting line to Deansgate Jn, site of sidings to the right.

Looking at the signal plan I realised it was similar to this diagram of Port Sunlight Sidings in its rationalised state with regard to the main line connections. Port Sunlight Sidings was also an ex LNWR box.

A row of mins at Garston FL terminal on 21/8/1978 (the photo is of the lamp lying on the floor really!)

Taking the train on 25/2/1979 to Sheffield to visit the Beast at university, my train from Liverpool was diverted over the Glazebrook to Skelton Jn line, then down on to the MSJ&A line to Manchester and then over the Woodhead route (how unfortunate!) I took a few photos of the goods lines and here's the first three (I'll have to find the rest!) They were taken just after leaving Glazebrook Jn before going over the bridge and are looking over the Irlam steelworks site.

I have to admit that when "whacking" signal levers back to normal good practice was not uppermost in my mind! That said, Rock Ferry Signalmen managed to snap lever 20 there at least twice! The amount of bounce is caused by the stops that limit the amount the arm can move, the arm returning to danger by gravity when the lever is put back to normal.

It brings back more than a few memories! It used to clear quicker than that though - unless it was at the end of a10 hour shift when my energy was starting to wane....................

A couple more pics of Georges Road Jcn taken on 11/4/1982.

Here's a couple of photos taken on11/4/1982 of Georges Road Jcn after the lever frame had been stolen. (edited to add date)

Unlike the Southport line class 502s, the the 503s were fitted with buckeye couplings and no buffers at the outer end of each 3 car set. Couplings within the 3 car set was using screw link couplings (and buffers were also fitted).

When I first went to Birkenhead North No.1 in late 1980 the service was 10 minute frequency on the New Brighton and West Kirby lines from 6.00am to about 9.30am and from 4.30pm to 7.00pm (24 trains per hour) at other times the frequency was 15 minutes (16 trains per hour). The box opened at 5.15am each morning monday to saturday and the first hour was occupied running empty stock trains; the first two of which were staff trains from North to West Kirby and New Brighton. The Wrexham DMUs had been cut back to Bidston by this date. The box was a grade C.

Hornby used to make a model of the same wagon (and number).

Telephone Line - ELO (just listening to it as I type!)

Some more internal user minerals At Turners Asbestos works, Farnworth & Bold Some at Sutton Manor Colliery, South of St Helens This last wagon had split spokes though it isn't very clear from the photo. All pics taken on 13/2/1982

As far as I remember it was on the wagon.

Always thought these three pics, taken at Masboro Sorting Sidings South on 16/6/1979 looked a bit model like.

A couple more pics. 1st is an internal user at the Turner Asbestos works at Farnworth & Bold on the Widnes to St Helens line taken 13/2/1982. The line to St Helens had been lifted through Farnworth & Bold station by this date though it wouldn't be officially taken out of use until April 1982! 2nd is a 16t min in Porthmadog goods yard, taken 13/7/1978 Finally, and slightly off topic, is this wooden wagon on a low level line at Garston Docks, taken 21/8/1978. Notice the bracket on the end of the wagon - no idea what it was for!

A couple of pics taken at Hooton from the box in about 1980 Taken mainly because of the wooden bodied wagons, but showing also a mineral wagon and an iron ore wagon in PWay use without holes cut in the sides. Incidentally, the siding the wagons are standing on and the one in front of it were constructed from LNWR materials.

Thanks for posting these Dave. Interesting to see what remains after over 60 years of non-railway use.

The layout's looking marvellous; it doesn't seem that long ago I was picking holes in your first trackplan! If I can achieve something half as good, I'll be very happy

In a Model Railway Constructor published in either 1967/68 (I think) there was a layout featured using, the then new, P4 standards. One of the locos was a Hornby Dublo 8F, otherwise unaltered if I remember correctly.