Imagine standing in these woods in north Cornwall on a lovely Spring day, 17 May 1962, and this trundles by. 2-4-0WT No 30586, one of three survivors of a class dating from 1874, on a goods from Wadebridge to Wenford Bridge recorded near Dunmere siding.
A doodlebug hauling a pair of trailers, presumably former horsecars, along a route adjacent to a canal
While searching for older photos, I have to share this lovely 1949 shot of a homebuilt doodlebug on the Philippine railways
No 45397 crosses Bank Top viaduct in Burnley with a Colne-Manchester parcels train, this evocative view so different from the pretty Lakeland branches elsewhere in the book. The latest title in our Railways Remembered series is now available via our website and in shops. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
The towering Grade 2 listed 60ft high Accrington viaduct has a curving line of 19 semi-circular tall brick arches. On 10 May 1968, BR Standard Class 4 No 75019 crosses with a rake of loaded ballast wagons from Cracoe quarry on the Grassington branch crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
The steeply graded line linking Blackburn to Clitheroe and
Hellifield opened in stages between 1848 and 1875. Located some 2¾ miles from Blackburn was Wilpshire for Ribchester station where No 45233 is seen with a train from Hellifield on
18 August 1962. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
The lines from Preston to Blackburn and Burnley are covered in the book. On 18 August 1962 there was the unusual sight of an 8F on passenger duties as No 48608 passes through Blackburn with an excursion to Blackpool. This was one of 23 8Fs built at Eastleigh works in 1943/44.
Preston docks in June 1967, first reached by the railway in 1845. Here Energy, one of Preston Corporation’s fleet of seven W. G. Bagnall 0-6-0T engines delivered between 1942 and 1948, is seen close to the quayside of the Albert Edward Basin. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
Blackpool North was jointly owned by the LNWR and L&Y, a large station with two impressive train sheds and many additional platforms for excursion traffic. Heavy holiday trains were often double-headed like this one for Manchester on 14 August 1965, with ‘Black Fives’ Nos 45296 and 45263.
On Sunday 4 August 1963, rebuilt ‘Royal Scot’ No 46142 The York & Lancaster Regiment is at Kirkham North Junction with an excursion from the Midlands to Blackpool Central.
On 2 July 1966, ‘9F’ No 92218 has come through Preston station and is passing No 5 signal box with a rake of oil tankers. One of the last trio of ‘9Fs’ to emerge from Swindon Works in early 1960 it was withdrawn in May 1968. What a waste, it was probably good for another 30 years in traffic.
n 1908, the MR introduced a pioneering electric service between Lancaster Castle, Morecambe and Heysham using 6.6kV at 25Hz. Re-equipped in the 1950s as a testing ground for higher voltage alternating current at 25kV/50Hz, the line was worked by four sets of ex-LNWR electric units.
Another short-lived diesel class is recorded in the book, one of the 20 Type 2s Co-Bos built by Metropolitan Vickers with Crossley two-stroke engines that entered service in 1958/59 crosses Kent viaduct in the Spring of 1968. All had gone by 1968. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
Some more views from our new Railway Remembered title to start the week. D8522 entered service in June 1963 and on 17 June 1968 is seen passing Ravenglass, the RER can be glimpsed to the right. All the Clayton Type 1 Bo-Bo Class 17 locos were withdrawn by 1971, only one being preserved.
West Cumbria had plentiful coal and iron ore deposits. On 10
November 1967, ‘Black Five’ No 45294 is seen near the site of the closed Rowrah station with a train of iron ore. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
That part of the Cumbrian coast line between Workington and Whitehaven is one of the most picturesque in the UK. In this view of the south end of this section Class 47 No 47491 Horwich Enterprise is at the head of a consignment of rail from the British Steel plant at Workington.
The NBR branch to Silloth transformed it from a tiny isolated coastal settlement to a successful port and holiday resort. No 43027 is at the head of the 11.20am departure to Carlisle on 3 August 1964, a month before passenger services on the line ended. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
On 29 May 1964, No 45093 passes the access to Carlisle's
massive Kingmoor marshalling yard with a mixed freight including cattle trucks carrying livestock. The £4½ million yard with its 123 sidings was completed in 1963 but proved something of a white elephant as it was never fully used.
Carlisle had a network of goods lines allowing freight trains to avoid Citadel station. This is Rome Street Junction, dating from 1877, where the CR and NB lines entering Carlisle from the north joined each other. ‘The loco is Black Five’ No 45232 crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
Former LNER as well as LMS and BR standard classes could be seen around Carlisle. At the erstwhile North British Railway shed, Carlisle Canal, which opened in 1862, on 23 July 1961, was No 62484 Glen Lyon, one of the last two active Class D34 ‘Glens. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
As a major rail centre there are a number of images from around Carlisle in our new Railway Remembered title. On the middle roads at the south end of Citadel station on 2 July 1965 are station pilot Ivatt 2-6-2T No 41217 and an early Derby Lightweight DMU. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
Nos 46434 and 46455 are double heading the 11.10am Carlisle to Keswick alongside the gorge of the River Greta as it approaches Briery Bobbin Mill Halt on 3 June 1963. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
The picturesque line from Penrith to Keswick and Workington is covered in the book. On 17 July 1965, Darlington built Mogul No 46491 brings the 8.20am Workington-Manchester Victoria/Crewe service into Penruddock station. The section west of Keswick lost its passenger services in April 1966.
One of the fine views in the book of the climb to Shap. Here an unidentified Black Five has picked up a banker at Tebay, hauling what looks like a fitted freight which includes a couple of BGs in blue and grey livery, one making up the rear of the train. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
A classic view of former LMS steam on Shap as No 46238 City of Carlisle, in charge of the ‘Mid-Day Scot’, powers through Greenholme on the 1 in 75 grade to the summit on 6 August 1960. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
The arrival of the railway transformed Tebay into an important location with a shed to supply banking locos for the climb to Shap. An English Electric Type 4 diesel runs past Tebay Box No 2 on 31 August 1963. The rusting tracks to the right had formerly led onto the Stainmore route over the Pennines
A powerful study of Britannia Pacific No 70023 Venus taking
on water as it passes northbound over Dillicar troughs heading for the climb up to Shap. This part of the Lune gorge has been transformed for the worst by the building of the M6 motorway in the 1970s. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
Rebuilt ‘Royal Scot’ No 46136 The Border Regiment hauls a
Down fitted goods close to Docker on 7 April 1963. Looking clean and smart, this 4-6-0, built by North British in September 1927, was withdrawn a year after the picture was taken. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
So many locations in this book are almost unrecognisable today. There is so much detail to absorb in this picture as a Down freight heads through Oxenholme on 29 May 1962. Opened in 1846, it became a junction when the line to Kendal and Windermere was opened in 1847; crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
On the approach to Wennington Junction, LMS Fairburn 2-6-4T No 42154 emerges from the 1,200-yard long Melling Tunnel with a train from Carnforth on 9 October 1965. Built at Derby in June 1948, the locomotive remained in service until January 1967. crecy.co.uk/product/rail...
A fine study of Stanier Rebuilt ‘Royal Scot’ 4-6-0 No 46108 Seaforth Highlander powering an express away from Lancaster towards Morecambe South Junction on 23 July 1962. From Railways Remembered Lake District and North Lancashire, now available; crecy.co.uk/product/rail...