The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society No. 258

inside this issue… £4.00

Heyside update – See pages 4 – 6 Rochdale recollections – See pages 12 – 14 Walkden Signal Box – See pages 20 & 21

2 SECRETARY’S COLUMN o 3 MODELLING MEETING PREVIEW 4 HEYSIDE o 7 TRADE NEWS o 8 HOLCOMBE BROOK & TOTTINGTON 10 ASK ASPINALL o 12 RECOLLECTIONS o 15 MILES PLATTING 16 HEALEY MILLS o 18 LANKY TODAY o 20 WALKDEN SIGNAL BOX 22 WRITE TO REPLY o 23 membership news

JAsummerNUARY 20112014 The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society f SECRETARY’S Modelling Meeting plans announced magazine M artin Nield e: [email protected] This year’s Society spring event will take the form of a Modelling Meeting. No. 258 COLUMN Our Events Officer NIGEL THORNLEY has the details… e ended 2013 with a record 834 track and associated features such as ore than 70 per cent of our making complete wagon bodies as well Editorial Wmembers – and increase of 37 buffer stops, sand drags, water troughs, Mmembers are railway modellers, as detailing parts. Both techniques are Welcome to Magazine 258. In this over 2012 – which is excellent news. Our water columns and tanks, loading gauges, so we thought it was time we organised applicable to 4mm and 7mm as well as edition we continue our recollections Membership Officer Ken Carter has more turntables, fences and railings, level another event with the focus on larger scales. theme with further reminiscences details in his column on page 23, but I crossings, mileposts and trackside signs. reproducing the L&YR in model form. This Alternatively members may wish to from Bill Tonge and Dave Carter. would like to take this opportunity to This will be followed in summer by the will not be a full Symposium, like the ones have a walk through Todmorden to see We also feature two excellent model welcome all our new members and hope second part of Chris Littleworth’s book on we held in 2000 and 2006, but a one-day the recently rebuilt Todmorden Curve. railways – one in 7mm scale and the you enjoy your membership of this great LYR signal boxes in the North West and in event in a convenient central location. In addition Mike Fitton, our Photographic other in 4mm – of L&YR interest and Society. the autumn by LYR Focus 76. The meeting will be held on Saturday 22 Officer, will have the Photographic have a review of the new Bachmann March at The Fielden Centre in Todmorden, Collection on his lap top for anyone Railway modelling Updates from stewards To see all the details that are visible on the 2-4-2T. We look in some detail at where we held our AGM in 2012. The doors wishing to access it. screen, use the Print link next to the map. goods yard cranes and say farewell Ken has recently done an analysis of our Now that we have a number of Society will open at 10am when tea and coffee will There will also be a Bring and Buy stall, Altogether it should be a very enjoyable to another L&YR signal box. The members’ interests which makes interesting Stewards researching particular areas be available. There will displays of L&YR so if you have any surplus kits, books or day and I look forward to seeing many of modern scene is not forgotten with reading. At the time we had 806 members of interest it would be interesting if we models in scales and gauges including other items please bring them along. You you there. news of the Todmorden Curve being of whom 622 (77 per cent) said they were could have regular updates from them. For Gauge 1, Gauge 0, S4, EM, 00, N Gauge and will need to put a price on each item and re-laid and further electrification. railway modellers. Of those, 43 model in example, Bernard Bond, our expert on 2mm Finescale. There will also be sections 10 per cent of the proceeds will go to the 2mm scale (7%), 391 model in 4mm scale the North Lancashire Loop, has written of layouts on display including an 0 Gauge Society. Fielden Centre (63%), 144 model in 7mm scale (23%) and to Magazine with a short list of his recent loco shed diorama from the Preston 0 At 11am there will be a talk by Mike 44 in other gauges (7%). It is interesting finds and a suggestion that other stewards Gauge Group featuring Peter Fitton’s L&YR Radford of Electrifying Trains covering the to see how many members work in the should occasionally update the membership locomotives and something in 4mm scale. research, design and build of the L&YR e: [email protected] different scales and, wearing my other on their research in the same way. If you would like to bring some models, Bury electrics in 0 Gauge, hopefully with hat as Editor of Magazine, I would like to Bernard reports that he has recently please contact the Modelling Co-ordinator finished items on display. At 12.30pm reflect this in our coverage of modelling obtained a BR totem from Great Harwood, Our Purpose for your scale: Sam Kennion for 2mm there will be a buffet lunch available at a activities. We have some very prolific and eight new photographs of steam-hauled scale, Dave Carter for 4mm scale, Peter The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway cost of £10 per head which will include enthusiastic modellers working in 7mm coal trains running to Padiham Power Fitton for 7mm scale and Barry Steventon Society is devoted to the dissemination the cost of tea and coffee. scale who regularly contibute articles, but it Station and a further three of diesel- for Gauge 1. Their contact details are in of information about the Lancashire & In the afternoon there will be a practical would be good to have more material from hauled trains. He has been given a finial the Society Contacts leaflet. Yorkshire Railway throughout its 75 demonstration by Geoff Baddley of the people working in 2mm and 4mm scales. So from a signal on the loop and has been In addition, I will bring my 0 Gauge years of existence and beyond. The assembly of bespoke plastic carriages and if you work in either of those scales please able to establish its location from the 1912 Rolling Road, so that anyone who wishes Society has established an ongoing other vehicles using pre-scribed plastic consider writing an article or sending in OS Map. He also recently met a former to 'exercise' their locomotive may do permanent record of its findings sheets (without warping!) to produce a some photographs of your models. driver who used to work on the loop line so…I’m especially thinking of John Bentley through its publications, which are model at a fraction of the cost of a brass who gave him three more photographs. whose locomotives have working inside Map data ©2012 Google - widely available from the website, kit. In addition, Geoff will also be giving a Directions to the Fielden Centre, NRM project If any other Society Stewards would motion! demonstration of resin casting, used for postcode OL14 7DD exhibition stands and specialist Three members have come forward to like to update us on their progress, please booksellers. It works closely with the assist Mike Fitton, our Photographic contact the Editor. National Railway Museum, Manchester Officer, in our new project to help Incidentally, Dave Westall who wrote Archives and other relevant bodies to catalogue and digitise the official collection our booklet on the North Lancs Loop, has ensure that original artefacts, records of L&YR photos held by the National volunteered to be Society Steward for the 76084 for ELR Steam Gala and other materials are professionally Railway Museum. However it would be Blackburn to Hellifield Ribble Valley line. preserved and made accessible to all. better if more members were able to help. ecently restored BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76084, which was built at If you feel you could spare the time to get Publications Team RHorwich, will be running in Lancashire for the first time in February. It will be Editor involved in this exciting new venture, please The Publications Team produces seven appearing at the East Lancashire Railway’s Steam Gala on Saturday 22 February and Martin Nield contact Mike on [email protected] mainstream publications each year; four Sunday 23 February. 31 Enfield Close editions of Magazine and three journals, As 76084 worked in the North West of England in BR days she is effectively Hilton Derby DE65 5HT Looking ahead as well as supplementary publications coming home. This is not the first time a locomotive numbered 76084 will have run t: 01283 730544 This year is the 175th anniversary of the such as the Contact Leaflet and the on the East Lancashire Railway as No.76079 has paraded as No.76084 on at least two e: [email protected] opening of the Manchester to Littleborough AGM Report and Accounts. This is occasions, but it will be the first time the real No.76084 has appeared in the North Assistant Editor section of The Manchester and Leeds heavy workload for a small team and we of England since the completion of its restoration last year. Don Westerman Railway (which became part of the L&YR) would like to add one or two additional The locomotive is normally based at the North Norfolk Railway. e: [email protected] in 1839. To mark the occasion we will people who have typesetting and layout Managing Editor be having a Lanky Day Out following the experience or who are keen to learn. We Roger Mellor route on Sunday 6 July; full details will be use Adobe Creative Suite software which Layout & Typesetting in Magazine 259. Our AGM and Members’ the Society provides and training and or Don Westerman Day will be held on Saturday 11 October. familiarisation help is available. If you are I.T. Advisor Further details will be announced in due interested in joining this friendly team, Martyn J. Wilkins course. In the spring we will be publishing please contact the Publications Officer Ordsall Chord Publisher LYR Line and Lineside, a detailed look at Roger Mellor at [email protected] The L&YR Society k The Society has lodged an objection to the proposed route of a new railway line in Manchester Founded 1950 as our Secretary MARTIN NIELD explains… Registered Charity No. 1098492 etwork Rail is planning to build a new section of line Chord, which is an important part of the Northern Hub Website Magazines 259 & 260 www.lyrs.org.uk Nin Manchester, known as the Ordsall Chord, which project, and will improve rail connectivity across Manchester. Magazine 259 will be published in April. Magazine 260 will be published in will connect Victoria and Piccadilly stations. Unfortunately However we object to the proposed route of the chord July. Copy and photographs for inclusion in Magazine 260 should be sent to the proposed route of the chord will sever the railway and have lodged our objection with the Department for Front cover: Network Rail is the Editor, Martin Nield, by the end of April. Martin’s contact details are connection to the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) Transport and Network Rail. There are alternative routes rebuilding the badly distorted in the left hand column on this page. The Society would like to commission which includes Liverpool Road station, the terminus of the available and one of our members, Sam Kennion, has come Todmorden Portal of Holme articles from members in order to guarantee the high standard of future Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the first steam-hauled up with his own version which is currently being evaluated. Tunnel on the Copy Pit line publications. Members who would like the advice or support of the passenger railway in the world. It would also remove or There is to be a public local inquiry into the scheme in April between Burnley and Todmorden. editorial team in preparing an article for publication in either Magazine or damage four listed structures. or May at which it is likely that the Society will have to be The line will be closed until 30 LYR Focus on their area of interest should contact the Publications Officer, The Society supports the objective of building the Ordsall represented. We will keep members informed of developments. March 2014. AMCO Rail Roger Mellor, at [email protected] or by phone on 01702 585708.

2 magazine • No. 258 January 2014 3 The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society sections; Cynric did the CAD work, and Opposite page top: Radial tank No.50757 drifts past the warehouses on the a short while later, I was presented with all stations stopping train out of Manchester as it approaches Heyside. three etched brass footbridge kits. Middle: Up main and goods loop signals on the lattice footbridge. The footbridge made up exactly as Bottom left: Lattice footbridge and signals at Werneth on 20 November 1956, intended, fitting the space perfectly, the inspiration for the model. British Railways (LMR) photograph and providing a sound base to mount Bottom right: Close up of the signal painted and weathered. the signals. The signals themselves are made from wood, with etched and cast components from Scale Signal Supply for the fittings. The decking was made of copper-clad strip, stanchions from nickel- coated brass lace pins and the various brackets and smoke shields from brass sheet. The operating wire is 0.4mm nickel silver and the operation is by servos mounted under the baseboard. The gantry This was felt to be the signature piece of the layout with five dolls and nine arms. It is based on the gantry outside Victoria East Junction signal box and illustrations in the Society’s Focus on Signalling (No.3). The legs are made of wood, with brass ‘X’ pieces, while the support for the decking is four strips of brass. The decking itself is made from 84 P4 copper-clad sleepers, while the spandrels were commissioned Heyside signals and locomotives by me from Scale Signal Supply. The dolls Since the article on the 7mm scale layout Heyside in Magazine 251 there have been continuing and hardware were built as before, but it was in the operation of the signals that developments, both on the signalling side and in additions to the locomotive fleet, as its owner most thought had to be given. RICHARD LAMBERT, who also took the layout photographs, explains… One particular issue I needed to resolve he main impetus for this work was was the fact that the operation was via Tthe Aylesbury Railex exhibition pulley wheels, with cranks used only in May 2013, as I wished to present as where the direction was changed at the complete a picture as possible. There very edge of the decking. Wheels as such were two important signal items I had were a non-starter, as I could not see any to build, those on the footbridge and the practical way of making them drive back, gantry, and I particularly wanted to get so I had to come up with something that the saddle tank finished as an iconic L&YR looked like a wheel, but operated as a locomotive. crank. After a bit of experimentation, I came up with a cast wheel (C&L), with The footbridge signals two pieces of brass strip soldered in to The layout initially had a steel plate create a crank. I filed a spigot on these footbridge with just the one signal on it. ‘cranks’ and drilled a locating hole in the With the creation of a goods loop on the wheel to provide long-term strength Up Main, there was need for a second and operational reliability. There is just home (albeit short arm) and if I could enough movement in the cranks to enable build a lattice footbridge, then it could be the signals to work properly. I also had modelled very closely on the footbridge to provide guides for the horizontal runs and signals at Werneth. In an afternoon, Top: The signal gantry. The middle doll signals a route that assumes a as the 0.4mm nickel silver wire had a Cynric Williams and I designed a lattice crossover beyond the bridge. Only one person has expressed confusion so far! tendency to bow when being driven back, footbridge kit – a scale 60 feet, in 10 feet Above: The inspiration for the gantry, that on the left of the picture, at rather than operate the signal arm. In Manchester Victoria East Junction. Tom Wray LYRS Collection 9553 addition, we had to find space for nine Below: The radial tank, weathered but in good running order. servos under the one leg! Aspinall Radial Tank This was built by another member of the Heyside Group, Allen Hammett. A London Road Models kit now with Lanky Models, it was initially built to finescale standards, converted to S7, then back to finescale in time for the Aylesbury exhibition. I bought it off Allen, added pickups to the pony and trailing wheels and weathered it. All wheels are sprung except the driven axle, and there is considerable sideplay on the pony and trailing wheels to allow it to negotiate model curves – it’s not a radial model! Powered by an RG7, it glides over the trackwork, and looks quite at home on Heyside. It’s due for a rebuild at some point to add the inside valve gear, probably at the same time as I build a further (long bunker) example.

4 magazine • No. 258 January 2014 5 The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society Aspinall Saddle Tank This is a much detailed Chowbent kit, still The variations and the choices available from Just Like the Real Thing. The chassis had most of the components BARRY C. LANE reviews the new 4mm scale Bachmann 2-4-2T and explains his part in its development… replaced with those from Laurie Griffin, t was nearly two years ago that Bachmann approached me on the bunker might make a popular product, but economics the ash pan was scratchbuilt, and the Ito assist with the design of a new locomotive for their 4mm forbade yet another variation. Stephenson Link inside valve gear came range. The Aspinall 2-4-2 ‘radial’ tank engine was the project, The example made especially for the NRM is an excellent from Sanspareil. The body was more of a influenced by the National Railway Museum who wanted a model representation of the preserved No.1008. There will be a straightforward kit build, but various extra of L&YR No.1008, as exhibited at York, to include in their own limited run of them at a premium ‘collectors’ price in line with brackets were fabricated around the tank/ ‘Exclusive Range’ of models. Bachmann would produce the LMS previous products in the NRM range. It differs from the standard smokebox and sandbox/footplate areas and and BR versions for the mass market. Bachmann models in having the correct Aspinall period buffers, Archer Surface Details rivet transfers were Scale drawings and many photographs were supplied to the a smokebox door fastened by a dart, Ramsbottom safety valves, used on the tank to add the horizontal studio at Bachmann PLC and twin whistles, a handrail on panelling shown by some members of the the project got off to a good the back of the bunker and an class. There is not much room for the start. All had to be kept accurate representation of the electrical gubbins with inside valve gear, but under wraps at that stage in 1889 livery. the DCC chip is in the bunker, the small case other makers competed. The prototype at the NRM speaker is between the front frames, and Although many producers are should have the hexagonal the capacitor between the rear frames. scratching to identify a new boiler washout plug covers The Maxon motor is vertical in the firebox prototype that has not yet (polished gun metal) and the and the ABC gearbox drives the rear axle. been covered, the L&YR has shallow ‘dished’ smokebox It is Dingham fitted to enable automatic not been well represented in door for the ‘original’ period coupling as we shunt the yard. the ready to run market… just but as it does not, the model Aspinall A Class the Dapol ‘Pug’ being available doesn’t have them either. in 4mm scale. In several ways, No.1008 Another Chowbent kit now with JLTRT; It soon became apparent is inaccurate for the 1889 this one is unfortunately unavailable, that there was a host of condition and I have always felt which is a pity, as it is a lovely kit. The detail variations applied to the class of 330 locomotives. It was that it would only be absolutely accurate if the wooden, slightly specification is much the same as that the ‘original’ design of No.1008 (as exhibited in the museum) tapered chimney was changed for the standard parallel ‘Horwich’ for the saddle tank, except that I used that was wanted and that cut it down to those engines built chimney introduced in 1891 with the side tanks lettered. That is Warren Shephard driving wheel springs at Horwich before October 1898. Later versions with long the way the class spent just about all their Pre-Grouping years. for preference, and the inside valve gear bunker, Belpaire superheated boilers, etc. fell outside the remit. No doubt, most modellers will be quick to apply transfers to the is Joy’s this time, again from Sanspareil. Notwithstanding, another side of the Bachmann team innocently tank sides. The tender is fitted with split-axle pick- put out publicity photos to the trade at the Warley exhibition to M odelling Co-ordinator for 4mm scale, DAVID CARTER up using Slater’s components, with a the effect that the superheated Belpaire engines were the chosen adds his comments on this excellent model… two-pin plug and socket to link to the product to be manufactured! That was never the case. engine. Again both engine and tender For the LMS and BR models to be marketed by Bachmann, the The eagerly awaited package turned up and initial inspection underframes have much added detail, as rivet detail was the ruling factor. Between 1929 and the ‘50s some impressed me. The next job was to check it out alongside has the backhead which is very visible. I acquired rivet heads around the face of the smokebox when renewal the drawing by Tom Derbyshire to compare dimensions and found Barry Lane’s book Lancashire and became necessary. Others had rivets on the sides of the smokebox. it’s pretty good. A table of dimensions is available from me Yorkshire Railway Locomotives most helpful, Some had rivets on both faces! Many had the bunker renewed after ([email protected]) on request. as well as inspirational in working on 1920 with the prominent snap-head rivets on the side but some The body comprises a heavy metal casting forming the these two locomotives. had them on the rear too. We went for the lesser riveted examples footplate, to which the side tanks, bunker, cab and boiler are The future as the others presented more complications. All had the Hoy fitted. The footplate is solid between the frames, although there ‘heavy duty’ buffers by the 1930s and most had the smokebox door are representations of the Joy valve gear and valve rods. The I still have the Crab and a second saddle fastened by ‘dog’ clamps so that choice was simple. Much research detail on the leading sandboxes and operating gear is very good as tank to finish, and with a Barton Wright went into finding prototypes that could give an appropriate running is the rerailing jack, cab and roof details, etc. The L&YR model is 0-6-0 tender loco, and another Radial number for the plain black LMS version and two BR versions with a supplied as built, which is the condition in which it is preserved at tank in my ‘to do’ pile, I shall be busy for common rivet arrangement. We settled for the examples that had the NRM. It has two whistles, communication cord crank, bunker a while yet on the motive power front in the rivets on the face of the smokebox only and ‘pop’ safety valves. hand rail, etc. which were removed in the twentieth century. addition to the development plans on the The LMS model would be No.10695, the pristine BR one No. 50636 So there it is, very good for a proprietary model. Obviously layout itself. and a lightly weathered version would be No.50795. there has to be liberties with the wheels to run on 00 trackwork; I suggested that one in the early LMS livery of crimson with John Dilnot tells me that it will not run through scale 00 point Top: Archetypal L&YR locomotive. large gold numbers on the side tanks and the LMS company crest work as the back-to-back dimension is too tight! Barton Wright saddle tank No.51381 is a bit careworn by the late 1950s, awaiting its shunting duties in the yard. TRADE & EXHIBITION NEWS Upper middle: The chassis and footplate of the saddle tank 4mm scale L&YR Break Vans showing the Stephenson Link valve Dan Pinnock, of D&S Kits, produced 4mm kits for the 4-wheeled 20 ton Diagram 61 gear. and the 6-wheel Diagram 61 revised break vans. These both had the door to the left Lower middle: Another ‘must hand side. The Diagram 61 revised was only built between 1919 and 1922, 150 being have’ locomotive for Heyside, built, at the very end of the L&YR period. the Aspinall ‘A’ Class has a final The 6-wheeled 20 ton Diagram 43 break van was in production from 1901 to clearance test before painting. 1904, 83 being built. This van had three main differences from the D&S kit: Bottom: The Aspinall ‘A’ Class • Footsteps are not full length, but stop by the inside of outer wheel. chassis with Joy inside valve gear. • The door into the cabin was set on the centre line, not to the left hand side. There is a tiny speaker under the • The roof line is horizontal between the end posts, not curved with the roof. front frame spacer. David Burton, one of the Brassmasters team, has produced an etched brass fret to enable modellers to produce the Diagram 43 version. It consists of new cabin Details of exhibitions at which the Society stand will be present plus an up to date list of model kit and component ends, a template to produce the styrene segment to fill in the roof, offset vee suppliers in both 4 and 7mm can be found on our website. Go to www.lyrs.org.uk and follow the links. If you have hangers, brake linkage and lamp irons. Full instructions are also supplied. information or news for the website contact the Assistant Website Editor on [email protected] Our attendance at The frets are available from Brassmasters for £2.00 plus postage. The brake van kit exhibitions is managed by Graham Smith. His contact details are: t: 0115 938 4371 e: [email protected] is now available from London Road Models.

6 magazine • No. 258 January 2014 7 The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society It became apparent the steel track on the Tottington section was unreliable Holcombe Brook and Tottington for DCC operation – years of storage had taken its toll – so after the Wigan PETER CRICHTON, of The Lancashire & Yorkshire DCC Model Railway Group, exhibition we completely re-railed the describes this 4mm scale 00 gauge layout of a well-known L&YR branchline... Tottington section with nickel silver rail before its next showing at the Halifax show in September. This was no easy task as it has wooden sleepers with plastic chairs, so in effect I was building new track, which was not easy in situ dodging delicate scenery and buildings. The work was completed in time for an appearance at an open day in Greenmount Village on 7 September to celebrate the official opening of the landscaping of the original Greenmount Station sidings. The layout had now made two appearances at Ivatt Class 4MT 2-6-0 No.43121 at Holcombe Brook. venues near to the original branch line! The running on the Tottington section was completely transformed and was well worth the effort and it worked perfectly at Halifax. We operate the layout using an iPhone App called ‘TouchCab’ which links wirelessly to an ESU ECos DCC command station. This allows great freedom to walk around the layout controlling the trains, signals and the points all from the one handset. Having initially resisted the Cravens Class 105 DMU waits departure at Holcombe Brook Station. All photos by kind permission of Mike Wild, Editor, Hornby Magazine temptation to motorise the points on the Holcombe Brook section with the ease of n February 2011 I visited the Pontefract plus – due to the sad demise of John unit in the January 2012. All points were operation using TouchCab I have decided Iexhibition and was very impressed by some time earlier – he also constructed manually operated, but those on the they will be motorised this year. a layout based on the Bury to Holcombe the permanent way. Peter Noyce built Tottington section had been motorised Brook branch line exhibited by the East the viaduct and assisted with electrics and but converted back to manual by ERFG. Stock Class 504 EMU No.M65439M approaches Holcombe Brook Station as a Riding Finescale Group. I enquired about scenery. I re-motorised these points using I didn’t buy the ERFG stock but I continue former L&YR Aspinall Saddle Tank shunts in the yard. it attending our own exhibition, then in The building of the layout and its slow motion point motors but left the to operate the layout in the same ‘what Rawtenstall, but unfortunately it was up extensions took place over a decade or Holcombe Brook section points manually if’ early 1960s scenario, so I have built up for sale so I expressed an interest. No more and before its retirement it had operated at least for the time being. some appropriate stock which includes a sooner had I walked away when I was attended many exhibitions in the South The first exhibition under my Class 504, converted using a Bachmann approached by Neil Ripley from the group East and had a couple of visits up north to ownership was at our own MRX Model 2EPB and a DC Kits Class 504 kit. There and after a brief discussion I was the Blackburn. The layout had been in store Railway Exhibition at the Museum of are various steam locos renumbered prospective owner of a layout based on for a number of years and Dave wanted Transport Manchester in May 2012. Work and weathered to represent those a very interesting L&YR branch line that to dispose of it, so in 2007 he offered was still needed to make it suitable for operated from Bury or other local sheds, was local to our clubrooms in Haslingden. it to one of the original operating team, DCC operation, so with the help of including an 00 Works L&YR Barton Steve Grantham, who had now moved up fellow club member, Wayne Merridew, we Wright 0-6‑0ST currently numbered The layout north and was a member of the ERFG. completely replaced all the wiring. Power 51381. Recent additions are all the The layout was originally built in the early The ERFG set about a major management modules were installed on current Bachmann Radial Tanks including 1990s by Dave Akerman and John Benson refurbishment of the layout, the main each board; these prevent a short on 1008. All locos and units are fitted with from Marlow. They choose Holcombe work being done on the scenery. The one section affecting another section. A sound including the Radial Tanks using Brook as it would be a compact original linear layout was changed to an ‘L’ Frog Juicer was installed to trap potential recordings from the preserved L&YR layout that presented an operationally shape configuration with two new short shorts on the diamond crossing, this locos. challenging prototype with an interesting 45 degree scenic breaks between each instantly detects a potential short and and varied history. of the three sections. The inspiration switches automatically to the correct The future Originally it consisted of the 12 foot for this came after a visit by Neil to a polarity. These were later added to all It has been a real pleasure continuing the Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-0 No. 46452 from Lees shed crosses Tottington Viaduct Holcombe Brook station section with French model railway exhibition in Sedan points on the Holcombe Brook section refurbishment of the layout and updating on its way to Holcombe Brook. a 4 foot fiddle yard. The track was where there were several layouts using as the original micro switches proved it for DCC operation and it is testament Bury shedded Fowler 4F No.43913 passes through Tottington Station on its hand built using phosphor bronze on this method. They also undertook a unreliable. to Dave and the original team for their way to Holcombe Brook, whilst Fowler Jinty No.47472 shunts the yard. copperclad sleepers. The prototype track simplification of the wiring with the aim The two platform signals were originally craftsmanship and modelling skills that it layout was not followed slavishly for of making it DCC friendly. operated with a very sophisticated has stood the test of time. I have learnt operational reasons, but incorporated all ERFG operated the layout in a ‘what if’ electronic mechanism which provided a a lot of new skills over the last couple of the major features. Dave scratchbuilt all 1960s scenario, in which the urban sprawl bounce, we couldn’t get them to operate years including track and signal building the structures, using wood for the timber had happened some 20 years earlier and using DCC so they were replaced with and so I am planning on building a new goods shed in order to get the correct meant the line served this new growing servos which could be programmed to section based on Woolfold station on the look. Assistance with the wiring and the commuter traffic using the then new bounce. There was also a non-working branch which was the only one to have control panel came from Peter Noyce and Class 504s. Ironically I believe in real life plastic home signal with a calling on a passing loop and I hope to start work Andy Wells. a new housing development planned in arm. This was replaced with a hand built soon. The layout was operated with early the late 1940s for the Holcombe Brook brass signal made from a standard kit and In 2014 the layout is currently booked LMS period locomotives and stock. area was due to there being a railway! various spare pieces of brass. Both these to be exhibited at the Heywood Model It was then extended with another signals were also motorised. Rail Group Exhibition in Middleton on 8 foot section of Tottington station Under new ownership The layout attended several exhibitions 15 & 16 March; the Rail Road Exhibition in with a central fiddle yard. This was I took possession of the layout at the including Hartlepool in 2012, and then Dukinfield on 5 & 6 April and the Hornby quickly replaced with a representation Shipley show in September 2011 but due Tottington High School (a stone’s Magazine’s Great Electric Train Show at of the Tottington viaduct. Again, Dave to limited space at our clubrooms work throw from the original Tottington the Heritage Motor Centre Gaydon on scratchbuilt the Tottington structures, did not start until we moved to a larger Station), Stockport and Wigan in 2013. 11 & 12 October.

8 magazine • No. 258 January 2014 9 The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society ASK ASPINALL PROBLEM PAGE Contact Aspinall via: Martin Nield, 31 Enfield Close, Hilton, Derby, DE65 5HT t: 01283 730544 e: [email protected]

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Low Moor Photograph 4 The crane at Low Moor is a much more solid affair with two girders for a jib and a thick chain for lifting loads of around five tons; Eric’s photo is not quite clear enough to show the figure. 1 Presumably the iron materials coming for the local works needed this heavier provision. This photo was taken on 10 5 June 1963. (LYRS Collection 6442) Goods yard cranes Photograph 5 Details of the gearing. All station. There were a couple of inclined cranes were numbered and a register of planes to get the stone down from the n Magazine 256, Derek King asked for hook at the ground and probably still tight accumulator tower was for the hydraulic details kept. (LYRS Collection 6442) quarries using private owner wagons Idetails of L&YR goods yards to help in its holding ring as late as 28 August power which worked the capstans placed which the Company would not allow on to him construct a small shunting layout. 1965. (LYRS Collection 7650) around the yard. (LYRS Collection 6051) Shepley and Shelley its metals beyond a couple of sidings, so In Magazine 257 we covered goods yard Photograph 6 Identical to the one at transhipment was necessary. The quarries entrances and loading banks; in this Hebden Bridge Cleckheaton Low Moor, this is one of those examples were abandoned before World War II but, edition we focus on goods yard cranes Photograph 2 The 10 ton crane placed Photograph 3 The two ton crane at where the siting of the crane suits a in earlier days, quite substantial size (and and in the next edition we will look at near the warehouse at Hebden Bridge was Cleckheaton warehouse, photographed model perfectly. It was placed between weight!) blocks would need moving from weighbridges and weighbridge huts. The of a much greater capacity. Eric’s photo, on 1 May 1965, was derelict with no sign the goods shed line and the central one wagon to another. In the background photographs were all taken by Eric Blakey taken on 21 July 1963, is clear enough to of the hook or chain. Somehow it seems lurry road so lifting from one mode of is the second (1904) cotton mill which gave in the 1960s and come from the Society’s also tell its register number 1350. It was to have got buried slightly so it must transport to the other was a simple job. the locality its name. It was demolished photographic collection. The introduction probably a replacement for an earlier have been some time since it was used (Clayton West has the crane over by a in March 2012. Eric Blakey took this (and and captions are by Noel Coates. lower capacity machine: the nearby spindle properly. Other photographs of the day straightforward siding. Denby Dale was many other detail shots of this crane) on looks suspiciously like it is the remains of show it was used to lower goods into between two sidings, one with boards June 13th 1964. (LYRS Collection 7345) 7 ranes came in different sizes for the previous crane. The quantity of goods wagons on the adjacent track around six between the rails for parking a lurry). Eric Clifting different items; the simplest moving in and out of this busy yard no feet below – three feet to the wagon Blakey took this on 14 June 1963. (LYRS were built to take a 30cwt load so only doubt forced the upgrade in capacity. The floor. (LYRS Collection 6218) Collection 6614) small items were expected at the goods yard. One or two at larger yards would Luddendenfoot bear far heavier items, as at Hebden Photograph 7 The second crane at Bridge. As much as the thickness of the Luddendenfoot was on the loading bank (wooden) jib, part of the capacity was and looks like it is a sturdier replacement down to the gears and gearing and the of an older one. The gearing is within wire hawser used. Most cranes seem to the cast iron brackets and the straight jib have sat on a spindle (and once removed suggests it can lift up to two tons. Only the stump often remained for many years) the wire rope/chain has gone. Eric Blakey and some, like Shepley and Shelley (see took several detail views of this machine photograph 6), used a cog wheel for on 21 July 1963. (LYRS Collection 6081) greater control. Yards without cranes could ask to use one of the rail-mounted Facit ones if a heavier than normal load was Photograph 8 This is the more northerly on its way. Again, there are many, many of two cranes at Facit (there was one points for modellers to consider. either side of the goods shed demolished to right) and is plated for 10 Tons capacity Burscough Junction even though it looks nowhere near as Photograph 1 The crane at Burscough strong as the one at Hebden Bridge. The Junction rated at 5 tons is on a loading 2 reason for this higher capacity was the 8 bank and the wire rope is intact with the stone traffic being shipped out from the

10 magazine • No. 258 January 2014 11 The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society after leaving the brake van on the main Class 2 loco. When the guard gave us the into Moston Exchange Sidings. They lay line. The guard would place the tablet green flag, the driver gave three short just after Moston Station: the entrance RECOLLECTIONS into the points frame and set the road for whistle bursts to indicate to Rochdale was just after the road bridge. After we Turners sidings. The shunter would have Goods Yard Signal Box that his train was had cleared the main line points on the to obtain the key for the gates from the ready to go. The Inspector in charge of arrival road we would be told to stop by Station Masters’ office. When all was clear the sidings would have given the details a shunter who would then come and hook the pilot would back the wagons into the of our train to the bobby in Rochdale us off the train. Then we would travel back siding. The operators would have set the Goods Yard Box who would then pass the up an empty road to where we came in and road where they wanted the load to go, information on down the line. then the fireman would use the phone at after which we would pick up the empties. If the Leeds/Bradford to Liverpool the bottom of the signal post to inform the They had holding roads in their sidings Express, due in at 6.26pm, was running signalman in Moston box where we wanted and they also had their own diesel late they would let us go. The bobby in to go. When it was clear and the points shunter with two operators, who used Rochdale Goods Yard Box would shout set to cross over onto the Down road, a to empty the wagons. This was done by to the driver “all off to Castleton”, the small one-arm signal would be placed in placing the Lowfit wagon at the side of a driver gave one blast on the whistle, the the off position. Then it was light engine to covered metal shaft which led down to ground signal would go to the off position, Bury Shed where we would leave the loco the warehouse. then we would travel towards the Up on the disposal road and report to the The raw asbestos came in cloth bags. Loop line. With the Home and Starter Foreman’s office. The driver would make The two operators placed the bags on the signals reading right away, we would pass out a repair or no repair card, then we metal shaft and they would slide down. Rochdale Station on the main line. Once would make our way back to Rochdale via The operators were covered from head all the train was on the main line the Bury Knowsley Street on a passenger train to foot with protective clothing and they diver would give it all with the regulator and book off. would not start unloading until we had and the bark from the exhaust was quite left the sidings with the empties. exhilarating. Firing the Ivatt locos was Night turn The empties would be placed on the very simple: they had a small straight The night turn for the No.2 pilot was running loop, then the brake van placed firebox. If you were running you would mostly at Bury L&YR sidings, shunting and on top of them. Then the engine would fire it little and often; this kept the smoke making up loads for trains calling in during run round the train, hook up, draw out slightly grey coming from the chimney and the night for the Up or Down sidings. We on to the main line, clear the points to the steam pressure up and when it was were also banking trains up Broadfield wait for the guard to give the green flag, not needed you didn’t waste fuel. When Bank when required. We would sign on at Ivatt 2-6-0 No.46406, another Bury engine, leaves then run back to Rochdale. The engine the Castleton Station Box Home signal Rochdale, before walking up to the station Wardleworth for Shawclough engine and brake on would then shunt the yard as required. was in sight he would then shut off the and catching the 9.25pm train to Bolton as 6 October 1959. This was a working for Rochdale When the loco men had finished their regulator and coast though the station. far as Bury Knowsley Street, then walk to Number 2 pilot. Richard Greenwood mealtime break, the engine would Once past Castleton East Junction the Bury Shed, report to the Foreman’s office, back any wagons for despatch over the line levelled out and if all the signals were then check the engine board to see what crossover road to the Up Sidings waiting off and we were right away at Castleton road our engine was on, then start to road, hook off, then run into the coal South Junction box the driver would open prepare the engine for work. The diagram of Number 2 pilot stage road until the waiting road was up again keeping the speed constant. This Once the driver had done his bit he would BILL TONGE continues his recollections of working on steam locos in the Rochdale area in the 1960s… clear. Then we would run up to the floor was like being back at Cricklewood on the draw the engine outside to fill the tender dolly (ground signal) protecting the Up fast freights: it’s very invigorating on a fast with water. After this he would run down oth pilot engines arrived from Bury then came the big climb up to Shawclough sometimes coal wagons for Todmorden Loop line and wait for the train to be freight going at speed though a station and to the sand station and I would fill the boxes BLoco on Monday morning to be station where it levelled off. Then there which had been taken to Rochdale in made up for the Rochdale/Moston trip. with the footplate moving side to side it up, two either side, with dry sand. When we relieved on the Down Loop at 6am. After was another climb up to Whitworth error. Rochdale Down Sidings had plenty gave you a feeling of speed. were due to leave the shed we would run relieving the Bury crew on No.2 Pilot we Station Goods Yard and then on to Facit of room for storing wagons, so towards Moston trip The train having cleared South Junction the engine down to the small semaphore would travel past Rochdale East Junction Goods Yard. The key was for Tonge End the end of summer fitted vans were being The front five vans would be vacuum it was now all down hill to Moston signals (the top one was for going behind the Signal Box down to the Rochdale Branch Road crossing gates situated just before stored here, ready for the big rush in fitted when they were shunted onto the Exchange Sidings. The driver eased off box towards the buffer stops, the next one Junction Signal Box, then into the Down Facit station and the tablet when placed October, November and December for engine. The fireman would couple them the power and now felt the train pushing down was for going onto the Up main line) Sidings to shunt as required. in the machine controlling the levers the catalogue companies’ warehouses up to the engine for extra brake power, the engine. We coasted towards Mills Hill where a telephone was placed for the crews Bury Loco Shed had a five-day diagram allowed you to operate the points to in Oldham Mumps Goods Yard. The change the lamps to top smokebox and and Middleton Junction. Crossing over to inform the Bobby at Bury Loco Junction working from Rochdale to Facit on access the goods yard from the main line. catalogue companies did big business in left hand side front, which was the code the Rochdale Canal bridge at Scowcroft the engine number and where we going to. the Bacup Branch which was normally The Facit pilot would shunt the coal and the 1960s, with 90% of their traffic going for a semi-fast freight. When the train the driver would start to brake and slow Off would come the signal and we would diagrammed for a WD Austerity 2-8-0. bring the empties down to Whitworth by rail. No.2 pilot would sometimes be was complete the guard would give the down for Middleton Junction station, then trundle down past the signal box and clear When the engine arrived, its train of Goods Yard, leave the train on the required to run with empty vans to driver the details of the load which in passing Vitriol Works Box he would brake the points, whistle then wait for the signal to 16 ton coal wagons would be ready for main line, pin down the brakes on some Oldham Mumps Goods Yard. At the end those days was always a full load for a to slow the train for the sharp left turn come off for us to travel on the Loop Line the trip and frequently have a maximum wagons and leave it with the brake van of the shift, the pilot morning crew would towards Bury Loop Junction and onto the load for the branch. The driver would on. The pilot would shunt the coal yard, travel light engine to the Up side and back Up main line towards Rochdale and under slowly pull out of the Down yard onto then afterwards the engine would run on to the coal stage road. The fireman the bridge to clear the points. Then we gave the branch line which was on a down round the empties in the yard and then would clean the firebox and drop the ash one whistle, the points were set, the ground gradient, then once all the buffers of the propel them on to the train waiting on pan ready for the late turn crew. signal went to clear and we backed into wagons were touching each other and the the main line. The guard would be waiting Knowsley Street Sidings ready to start. engine, the driver would let it go. It would to hook up on to it, then release the Working the branch (When I had been back a couple years pick up speed, then when the engine was brakes and call the engine on to propel Once every three months or so a ship I met Kathleen, the girl that I was about on the Roch viaduct and levelling out, the train to clear the points. The shunter would arrive at Salford Docks with a to marry, and she lived near to the Alfred the wagons would start to stretch on the would set the points to the main line, load of raw asbestos for Turner Brothers Street road bridge. I used to go to her links. The guard would slightly apply the retrieve the tablet, retire to the brake Asbestos Company at Shawclough. This house every night before going to work. brakes of his van and when the driver felt van and then return to Rochdale Down could mean hundreds of wagons for the I would let her know that I was at work a slight pull he would open the regulator Sidings. If there was no more work for branch and up to two trains a day. The by blowing the whistle two long and one to pick up speed and the guard would the engine it ran light to Bury loco shed. pilot would return to the Down side short – that’s love for you!). We would release the brakes on the van. Meanwhile No.2 pilot would make a trip with wagons for the siding, then in the work normally until about 1am and then Travelling though Wardleworth station to Wardleworth Goods Yard with coal afternoon the pilot made up a train for have a meal break. In the meantime trains at speed you had to pick up the tablet wagons, condemned wagons for scrap and Shawclough, mostly for Turner Bros. from both directions would be dropping and key for the branch. This was on a sometimes the odd freight wagon for the but sometimes including coal wagons. off and picking up wagons. After the wire hook dangling from the footbridge warehouse on the other side of the main Turner Bros. had their own siding which break we would start work again on and that gave access to the signal box. You line. On returning to Rochdale, the pilot was situated at the back of the station, off until 4.30am, then it was light engine put your arm out and put it through the would sometimes have to work a trip access to which was across a minor road. WD Austerity 2-8-0 No.90555 in the coal yard at Whitworth on the former to Rochdale, back into the Up sidings and large loop the tablet was attached to, and to Littleborough with coal wagons and The pilot engine would draw forward Rochdale to Bacup line on 15 August 1961. Richard Greenwood wait to get relieved by the day crew.

12 magazine • No. 258 January 2014 13 The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society The beginning of the end the south end of the station behind a signal overnight in the overhead electric hoist By the end of 1963 steam was on its way post containing three calling on signals. shed. Within six months the late shift Miles Platting revisited out. The Edge Hill loco coal train, with The top one was for Radcliffe direction, was abolished: the driver went Newton best steam coal for the long distance the other two for Knowsley Street Station. Heath Loco Shed and the fireman took Inspired by an article in a Society publication, FRED HARTLEY passenger work in special hopper wagons We would whistle when we were clear, the money. explores the Miles Platting area of Manchester… from out of Yorkshire, which had been a then down to the shed past Buckley Wells So now I was the last fireman on the daily run into Liverpool, had now stopped Crossing and down to Loco Junction Box, books at what was left of Bury Loco Shed. then onto the shed. The other way was Drivers where still signing on there for running. Bury Loco Shed closed and our This section destroyed by fire locos where transferred to Bolton. In the up to Bury Loop Junction, clear the Up the electric cars running the Manchester in 1873 - recreated digitally meantime work for the No. 2 Pilot was Fast points to cross over onto the Bury Victoria service. British Railways had started to negotiate with the union to do becoming less and less. Joe Taylor, the coal Loop Line towards Radcliffe, then up to Loco Junction and onto the shed. If the without the second man on diesels. Section demolished merchant at Whitworth, was still having in 1892 to make turntable was out of order, this is the way The work at Rochdale Up sidings in way for a new line. wagons delivered, but Facit yard had they turned the engines round. 1967 was down to two to three hours a closed. Wardleworth yard was still having When fireman had passed their driving day. We signed on at 10am until finish. coal and condemned wagons for breaking examination they would be given a Route British Railways was trying to close the up, while Turner Bros Asbestos Company Availability Card so they could write branch, but Turner Bros. wanted it kept was still having deliveries, so this kept the on it the routes that they were familiar open. I believe that they offered to pay all branch open for the next two years or so. with and then put their signature on the the expenses to keep it open but it was Hoist Tower No.1 pilot’s work was also depleting Traverser card to confirm this. It meant that when not to be. My driver Clifford Stansfield and the evening run to Moston by No.2 Hoist Tower extra work was given to a shed by the and I were the last up the branch with pilot had now stopped running. By now Traverser Locomotive Control Department base at a diesel shunter to shunt Whitworth the M62 was open, fewer trains came Manchester the Foreman could then check sidings, bring back all the empties and to Carriage Shops Locomotive Shops in from Yorkshire and the Hull and who was available to do the work and call in at Shawclough and Wardleworth Goole fish, fruit and vegetable trains check that he was familiar with the route. and back to Rochdale Up sidings. The aving been inspired by Tom Wray’s Fred’s reconstruction of Miles Platting Works before the fire gives some idea for Manchester Oldham Road were less Every so often they would have to reaffirm Down sidings were now closed. In fascinating article in LYR Focus 72, I of the extent of the buildings and their purpose on this cramped site. As the frequent. Freight was all starting to go by H the card and date and sign it again. October that year I gave in my notice as finally found time to get to Manchester plan below shows this must have been an incredibly difficult and inefficient road and as soon has their contracts with I could not live off my wages: I had a wife for a day to have a look around the works and the relief at moving to Horwich would have been immense. British Railways where up for renewal Closures begin who was expecting our second child in former L&YR lines in the city. I grew up they were not renewed. The work to warrant two locomotives at January 1968 and a mortgage to pay. in Stalybridge and often used to travel The No.2 pilot after working the Rochdale was declining fast. Bolton shed I have no regrets about leaving the to Victoria down the incline in the days branch in the afternoon would now travel was about to close as were Bury L&YR railways. In the last few years of steam when it still had the flyover lines and to Castleton Up Goods Yard and pick up Sidings. Rochdale’s Down Sidings were locos the engines were badly maintained, L&YR signal boxes, but I had never visited vans of Cadburys products for delivery to receiving less coal for the merchants as mainly with steam blowing from the on foot. their Cold Storage Depot at Broadfield. it was mostly coming by road. Only Joe cylinders. When shunting in damp Although the works itself has Then we would shunt the Up and Down Taylor of Whitworth was getting coal weather we had difficulty in seeing the completely vanished, with a 1960s council yards as required and bring wagons out delivered by rail. Rochdale No.2 pilot hand signals from the shunter. The yard estate built over the site, the first twelve of the MOD RAF yard (all of which was was abolished. The junior divers and crew would complain, you would ask for a arches of the viaduct to Oldham Road top priority green arrow freight) and firemen either went to Newton Heath or replacement, but you would be given the still survive and are quite an impressive make up our train for Moston yard. We Longsight, or took redundancy money. same story: no replacements, you have to monument. Under two of the arches there would leave with our train after the tea The loco for No.1 Pilot now came from manage or shut down the yard. are narrow gauge railway tracks. I think break. Sometimes we would have to call Newton Heath Loco Shed and we had The one thing I did gain was experience the gauge would be about 18 inches, but in at Heywood Goods Yard to pick up low to go and collect it ourselves on Monday in using your initiative and the respect of I’m afraid I didn’t check this or note which loader wagons with narrow gauge wagons morning. This only lasted for twelve responsibility that I had gained in the ten arches had tracks under them. Presumably on them for Zambian Railways which had months. The night shift was cancelled and years as a British Railways employee in the arches were walled up on the New been made by Heywood Wagon Works Co. another set of men went to Longsight the Motive Power Department has help Allen Street side and used as additional After parting with our train at Moston shed. Rochdale pilot was now allocated me to advance in my future employments. space at the back of the workshops shown Exchange Sidings we would travel Light a 400bhp. 0-6-0 diesel shunter working on the bird’s eye view. Engine to Bolton Shed via Manchester just two shifts. The engine was housed To be concluded in Magazine 259. There is a path along the north side Victoria, Salford and Clifton Junction. of the viaduct which leads to the point On one occasion there was a problem where the flyover lines cut through the at Cheetham Hill Junction and they sent original locomotive works. I’ve always us by Irk Valley Junction onto the Bury been intrigued by the John Marshall Electric Line, then we crossed over onto photo of the buildings in their last the through road through the station days and on the drawing I’ve tried to controlled by Victoria East Box. (I had a reconstruct the full scale of the original ride on the tram from Victoria to Oldham structure. via Irk Valley Junction once again recently From Miles Platting I walked down – around 50 years between the runs!). to Victoria and on to Liverpool Road, The six drivers and the three passed admiring the superb 1840s cast-iron fireman at Rochdale would be acquainted arches which still survive hidden among with the route via Manchester Victoria later widening – but perhaps that is a because they had to know all the different story for another time. routes to go to Bury Loco Shed: via Clifton Junction, Ringley Road and Right: The surviving arches of the Radcliffe North Junction; via Bolton, viaduct that led to Oldham Road Burnden Junction and Rose Hill Junction, Goods Station. The street on the then Bradley Fold Junction to Radcliffe left is Osborne Street about 100 West and North Junction; or Radcliffe yards along which was a right turn Black Lane to Knowsley Street station, into Pump Street which led to the then draw clear of the crossover points Back Cropper Street entrance to on the Up Fast to the Down Fast, then The last offical trip to Whitworth was worked by an 08 shunter on 19 August Miles Platting Works. We will be whistle Bury West bobby. He would give 1967. From left the crew are: British Railways Area Manager, name not known, visiting this area on our Lanky Day a green flag when the points were set to Joe Taylor coal merchant, shunter name not known, Guard Terry Hernon who Out on 6th July (see p.2) and for draw up to the starter for the East Fork to ran a boys’ boxing school, Driver Clifford Stansfield and Fireman Bill Tonge. more information see LYR Focus 72 Bolton Street station and we would stop at Richard Greenwood pp33-39 and LYR Focus 74 pp 4-17. Traverser Hoist Tower Hoist Tower 14 magazine No. 258 January 2014 15 • Traverser Carriage Shops Locomotive Shops The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society to boast that he had more Sundays in than the Pope! In another case, one Wednesday Healey Mills Diesel Depot lunchtime he had been involved in an DAVE CARTER concludes his article about his experiences working at Healey Mills Diesel Depot… explosion when a locomotive battery blew up. The steel cover plate hit him and wrapped round him, fixing him to the shed roof pillar. We got him free and off to hospital where they kept him in for observation overnight. On Thursday, we had a phone call from the hospital: “Don’t give me Sunday away, I’ll be back!” We did have some near misses in the depot. The pit on ‘A’ road was only long enough for one locomotive. This was used for the locomotive lifting jacks: four 25-ton Matterson electric jacks were used to lift locomotives off their bogies. An English Electric Type 4 had been lowered down onto its bogies and the fitters and electricians were working in From left: Dave Carter (Desperate Dave), fitter; Bob Smith (Black Bob) the pit, coupling everything up. We had fitters mate; Alan Graham (Big Al), electrician; John Box (Boko), fitter; not taken the safety precaution of putting Jim Taylor (The Kirkgate Python), fitter. a point clip onto the track outside. Unknown to us the drivers parked in water which boiled like a giant electric Type 4s (Class 47) which came to run another English Electric Type 4 right kettle. I was the fitter one day, George the merry-go-round coal trains to outside the flimsy aluminium doors and Holland was the spark. He had been a power stations. These were superseded had not reversed the points! Locomotives Petty Officer in the Navy during WW2. by Class 56 3,250hp locomotives. The Class 37 No.37112 stands outside the fuel and inspection shed at Healey Mills TMD circa 1980. © 2012 53A Models usually passed the shed at about 20 mph. Three technicians had come out from York Class 56s were basically a Class 47 body A driver coming down the yard, expecting HQ to do a full power test on a Class 47. with a Ruston (English Electric) V16 power Locomotive tales the relays were as big as a man’s fist; you and the access was through a 6 inch gap to go past the shed as normal suddenly George pointed out to them that the tank unit shoehorned into it – physically, the English Electric 350hp diesel electric could see them operate and if they didn’t between body and bogie. An awkward turned right and hit the parked loco. This would need filling up fully and all the plates world’s biggest diesel traction engine, plus shunters (Class 08s) had been working in a screwdriver could be used to work job with the body off the bogies, nearly was propelled straight through the door, coupled up, but they were in a hurry and ancillary items such as filters, oil coolers, the yard long before the depot opened. them! On modern traction everything is impossible in position! hitting the loco being worked on. This overrode George who said: “Fine, we’ll fan drive pumps, etc. This meant that there For servicing they had been running up miniaturised and encapsulated, you cannot The engine cooling fan was shaft driven was pushed forwards, off the ends of the watch it from the free end, Dave.” As the was precious little room left in the things; to Hammerton Street depot in Bradford. see anything move, it’s just a component from the engine crankshaft, so when the track, took the front off the foreman’s engine power rose the voltage was rising an accomplished contortionist would have The six BR-built Drewery shunters with a lead and plug. engine was running, so was the cooling office and finished up in the stores. The too, well above the design rating. The been the ideal worker on these locos. (Class 03s) didn’t work in the yard, but In addition to the loco fleet Healey Mills fan. This often prevented the engine men in the pit were a bit shocked but generator flashed over – this is when the There wasn’t enough room at floor level to covered out stations such as Huddersfield had 24 Diesel Brake Tenders. Ours had getting up to working temperature. The uninjured. Fortunately, the foreman Wilf voltage is able to jump from one brush turn your boots around, this meant going station, Wakefield wagon shops, etc. Gresley bogies from scrapped coaches injected fuel oil then didn’t vaporise Wall had his feet under his chair; had box to the next, a bit like a giant catherine to the end to turn round and then walking They had Gardner 8L3 8-cylinder in-line with a low body on top (so it didn’t and burn properly, finishing up in the they been out straight, he would have lost wheel. The engine room filled with smoke Egyptian style, with both feet pointing engines which were a delight to work on; obstruct the driver’s view) containing the lubricating oil in the sump. This caused them. Today’s railways are a lot safer. and ozone, the engine shut down and the to the same side. The first 30 Class 56s everything was highly finished, no rough vacuum brake cylinders and ballast weight. fuel oil dilution, a major problem leading Quite a few of the artisans had lights went out. The three technicians were assembled in Romania. Much of their edges and the parts were smaller and These were usually propelled in front of to excessive wear of bearings and completed their apprenticeships in 1939; bailed out and vanished, we never saw workmanship left much to be desired, very lighter than the English Electric items. the loco to provide extra braking effect crankcase explosions! they said it was obvious what was going them again. George was still nonchalantly little was standard, not much could be These locomotives were part of the when dealing with unfitted freights going A side effect of the low engine coolant to happen, so it was better to volunteer propped there, with his roll up stuck to ‘robbed’ and used on another loco. The 1955 Modernisation Plan but, sadly, down gradients. The leaf springs inside temperature occurred in the cabs. The than be told where you were going. I do his lip! “Nothing much seems to faze you drivers liked them, they were on top of the their jobs were disappearing as quickly the bogie frame were very awkward to get cab heaters were two small radiators, think it gave these men a more pragmatic George,” I said. “When you have had job, but maintenance staff had other views. as they were being built. The main line out when changing a spring. one under each seat, and an electric fan view of events; they were not given to seven years of people actively trying to kill locomotives were all English Electric: Since leaving the shop floor and moving to blow the ‘heat’ round the cab. The making mountains from molehills. Healey you, this is bu**er all,” was his reply. Conclusion either Type 3, 1,750hp Co-Cos, of into training I have worked in many water was never more than lukewarm Mills had a load bank. This is a device for The first book about the Lancashire & which we had 20; or the Type 4 2,000hp depots and most staff believe that their and the drivers complained bitterly. Every absorbing the full power of the locomotive Fleet additions Yorkshire Railway that I was given was 1CO-CO1s of which we had 34. Nos. locomotives are better than anyone else’s. I locomotive had a repair book where on the depot. In our case it was an old Later additions to the fleet included Eric Mason’s L&YR in the 20th Century, D243-D249 had disc head codes and have experienced the strange phenomenon drivers would report faults and we were LNER tender with steel plates suspended Brush Type 2s (Class 31) and Brush when I was 13. I read it and still have gangway doors (which were never used when stock is transferred from depot A to supposed to rectify them. Cold cabs were it, but as a teenager you don’t fully and caused draughts). The later 27 Type depot B that at some point between the a regular booking and my electrician appreciate Mr Mason’s comments. As a 4s were all of the last batch with one two places the locomotives turn into the had his own test. He would kneel down fitter working on locomotives you come piece head code boxes, which I thought biggest pile of junk ever to run on rails! If and hold a lit match by the fan; if it blew to understand that the staff in the design looked better. told to transfer locomotives, sheds do not out, he would endorse the repair book: office live on a different planet to that The Type 3s came up to us second hand send their best machines. ‘Passes match test OK, recommend use inhabited by rude mechanics. In so many from South Wales. They had odd lamp As an example, some of our drivers were of Scott’s Porridge Oats on a morning’. cases, a pipe joint moved six inches either brackets designed for lamps that had the a picky lot and would complain about trivial Some drivers thought this was a proper way would drastically make a job easier slot on the side. These had to be warmed problems. The easy cure was to offer exam procedure and would book ‘cold and save time, but draughtsmen never up and bent through 90 degrees to take them a loco from another depot: “Take cab, needs match test’. These tradesmen get their hands dirty. After four years normal lamps. A blue spot on the cab that Newton Heath, Longsight or Edge were a really good bunch and I learnt working as a fitter, I too was working at side denoted their Western Region route Hill one”. They usually decided that the a great deal from them, not all about a drawing board and I did always think availability. Some of them had the GWR windscreen wiper was wiping fast enough repairing locomotives. about ease of access to components. type ATC equipment on the Number 2 and that they could manage after all. Healey Mills yard never achieved its bogie; this was strapped up, but had to be The Type 4s did have faults: the bogies, Characters and a lucky escape full potential throughput of wagons per removed before they went into service. inspired by Bulleid, the ex-Southern We had some real characters. The plant day; the coal trade was the main source The fitters’ mates concocted a special chap, were constant sources of trouble. and machinery fitter Jack Robertshaw of traffic and the 1984/5 coal strike was brew of loco sand and paraffin to grind The frame plates had to be checked for would never take his annual leave as a full the final straw. The rapid run down of embedded dirt from the windscreens and cracks, the 24 brake cylinders (one for fortnight, but split it into two separate pits in South and West Yorkshire was other windows. each brake block) were prone to failing weeks. That way he could always work the writing on the wall for the depot; it The English Electric locos were a good – often a third of cylinders were not his Sundays and get double time. One closed as a maintenance depot in 1986, introduction to diesel traction. The working. The iron air pipes supplying the year, for some strange reason, we had 53 Class 56 No.56029 on a merry-go-round train with the main shed at Healey although fuelling still carried for some electrical components were well made: cylinders had up to five navy couplings payslips in the 12 months. Jack was proud Mills in the background during 1982. Chris Firth Flickriver.com time afterwards.

16 magazine • No. 258 January 2014 17 The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society

If you have any information about current events on the former L&YR LANKY TODAY contact Don Westerman t: 01744 813638 e: [email protected] Manchester Victoria News Digest Holme Tunnel refurbishment electrification Station was closed during the Christmas holiday… Major maintenance work will restore linespeed… olme Tunnel on the Copy Pit line Brierfield signal box Hfrom Todmorden to Burnley passes Councillors have been asked to through a spur of land which has long block the planned demolition of the been unstable and subject to landslips. redundant signal box and incorporate it The tunnel has a 2 feet thick masonry into the adjacent £25 million Brierfield lining which showed signs of deterioration Mills redevelopment. in the 1980s. In 1986 and 1991 a total of 152 steel strengthening ribs were put Daisyfield signal box into the tunnel extending some 81 metres The signal box built by Saxby & Farmer from the Todmorden portal. Despite this for the L&YR at Daisyfield Junction has deformation and cracking have continued been given Grade Two listed status. and even the steel ribs are now showing Other signal boxes on the former L&YR signs of deterioration. to be given listed status are Birkdale, As our cover photograph clearly shows Hebden Bridge and Hensall. there is considerable distortion of the Todmorden portal. The upper segment Moss Side station of the arch has moved more than a foot Network Rail are extending the single and the crown has been forced upward Network Rail platform to take longer trains. At by more than six inches resulting in present it isn't possible to run 4 car restricted clearances and a permanent anchester Victoria station was closed after the last services on Christmas Eve Class 142s or even 3 carriage Class speed limit of 20 miles per hour. Muntil Thursday 2 January allowing Network Rail to do major preparatory works 155 or Class 150s on the Preston to The major problem is at the for the electrification of the line to Liverpool. Blackpool South single track branch as Todmorden end and the restoration work Engineers installed 74 foundations and some of the steel work for the overhead line Moss Side platform is too short. is starting 88 metres from that end and equipment. Inside the station the engineers installed 42 fixtures to hold the overhead working out towards the portal. Four wires to the station roof. Oldham Metrolink line of the existing ribs at a time are being 400 metres of track was removed under Cheetham Hill road bridge at the east of The Metrolink line to Oldham town removed along with the existing masonry. Low pressure pumping of the cement based grouting behind the tunnel lining the station to allow the track to be lowered by up to 17cm to create the headroom centre is due to open Monday 27 These are then replaced by the new being carried out overnight. AMCO Rail required for overhead lines. 1300 tonnes of spoil were removed before the track was January. The line will have four new steel arches encased in spray concrete. relaid with almost 1000 tonnes of new ballast. stops – Westwood, Oldham King A cement grouting is injected at low Street, Oldham Central and Oldham pressure behind the lining to improve the Mumps, with the latter providing a strength of the granular material and a Hindley station free park and ride site for Metrolink new concrete invert and cess is being laid passengers. to which the new ribs are bolted before A new passenger footbridge has been installed… The existing temporary route being spayed with a sixteen inch thick between the former railway station he footbridge at Hindley station at Werneth and Oldham Mumps will fibre reinforced concrete lining. linking the two platforms which The other 150 metres of tunnel T be decommissioned. The platforms, was severely corroded and had been platform equipment, ramps, overhead towards the Burnley portal is much closed for safety has been replaced. less seriously damaged and the work power lines, rails and sleepers will The embankment at the rear of the be removed and, where appropriate, being done includes cross pinning of the Manchester-bound platform was re- masonry, stitching cracks and re-pointing. retained for use elsewhere on the modelled to relieve the load on the network. To reduce problems of water ingress low retaining wall thus stabilising the existing level weep holes are being cut. wall and steps to the platform. Penistone line doubling The parapet at the Todmorden end will The ground levels at the rear of this be replaced by concrete with dowelling The user group for the Huddersfield platform adjacent to the stairs were JNP Group – Penistone – Sheffield line has called bars running down into the wing walls to also lowered to reduce loading on the for it to be doubled and turned into a add strength. existing retaining wall and the top of the At the same time a new GRP deck was more strategic route. The line was built The whole job is scheduled to be brickwork façade walls were also reduced installed on the footbridge linking the as double track, most of the track bed finished by the end of March at a cost in height and copings installed to provide ticket office with the platforms to provide is still available and only three stations of just over £16 million. The line speed enhanced weathering characteristics. a level access across both footbridges. – Berry Brow, Silkstone Common and will be then be increased to 45 miles per Dodworth – would need new platforms. hour but the clearances achieved by the The group says doubling the track restoration work are sufficient for 75 would enable a half-hourly frequency miles per hour if required. Trial erection of the replacement steel ribs. AMCO Rail Accrington station and allow the introduction of a through Station gets a new eco shelter… service to London; Huddersfield is brand new eco shelter has recently currently the largest town in West Wigan – Bolton line to be electrified A opened at Accrington station. Yorkshire without one. Approval to electrify this former L&YR line announced by the Department for Transport… Following examples on the Cumbrian Skelmersdale Coast, Lancashire County Council and he line from Wigan North Western to Lostock Junction, The first part of the North West electrification project was Northern Rail agreed to build a trial A new rail link to Skelmersdale is TBolton is to be electrified by December 2017 at a cost of completed in December when the line between Castlefield shelter at the station. proposed in the West Lancashire £37 million. This project is in addition to the existing scheme Junction outside Manchester Piccadilly and Newton-le-Willows The shelter is constructed from iroko Highways and Transport Masterplan to electrify the Manchester – Liverpool, Liverpool – Wigan and was energised. This will allow First Trans-Pennine Express to hardwood which has been treated with which was published in draft form Manchester – Preston – Blackpool routes. It will enable the divert its Manchester to Glasgow services, using new Class 350 a fire retardant and then coated with recently. The £100 million link from the conversion of the busy Wigan to Manchester Victoria and Wigan electric trains, via this route. However that will mean a poorer Danish oil. It has solar panels and the Wigan – Kirkby line would include a to Manchester Airport services from older Pacer diesel trains to service for people on its existing route through Bolton until that electricity generated by them allows the parkway station near the town centre Northern Rail more modern and higher capacity electric trains. line is electrified. shelter’s lighting to be self sufficient. and a new bus interchange.

18 magazine • No. 258 January 2014 19 The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society several years, the signal arms for the Fast lines were removed from their posts; Walkden Signal Box 1888 - 2013 to all intents and purposes, the working This summer another iconic former L&YR signal box disappeared from the Network Rail landscape. layout at Walkden became from that date Society Signalling Steward CHRIS LITTLEWORTH laments its passing… on exactly as it was at closure, nearly 48 years later! Ellesmere Siding box closed on 27 November 1968 and for a short time afterwards the next block post to the west was Peel Hall, but when that closed on 30 January 1969 Walkden’s western neighbour became Atherton Goods Yard; this situation remained the same until both boxes closed earlier this year. To the east of Walkden, Moorside and Wardley box closed on the 13 February 1969 and from then until 13 May 1982 Walkden worked to Swinton Station box; however on that date the latter box was destroyed in an arson attack (it officially closed on 4th October). This meant that Walkden became the last of the original Railway Signal Company boxes still in use on the Atherton line; for the next five years it The interior of Walkden Signal Box in 1987, before part of the Railway Signal worked a long block section to Brindle Company frame was removed to make way for train description equipment. Heath Junction to the east. By that time, The block instrument to Atherton Goods Yard and the train description bell the other remaining mechanical boxes on to Windsor Bridge can be seen on the blockshelf. Harry Gardner the line (Atherton Goods Yard and Crow ‘switched out’; Walkden and Crow Nest the water supply tended to freeze up Nest Junction) were British Railways-built Junction jointly controlling the long block in winter, and unfortunately the box LMR type 15 replacements. section. However, in c2003, when traffic suffered from anti-social behaviour and While Brindle Heath Junction remained began to increase Atherton Goods Yard vandalism from time to time, even though in use Walkden continued to work box was refurbished, and by 2006 was signalmen were on duty. As a result of traditional Absolute Block on both sides, regularly manned again. During the period the latter, the box was equipped with a but when that box closed on 10 May 1987 when traffic levels were low Walkden reinforced door and heavy duty wire mesh Walkden began working Track Circuit box itself was only manned on a two-shift (to protect the windows) in the 1990s. Block to Windsor Bridge (formerly No.3) basis, but when more trains began to be In 2002-3 Walkden box was box in Salford. This meant that signalmen scheduled to use the line it reverted to re-windowed and re-clad using uPVC working Walkden had to be qualified in three-shift operation. Also, on 23 May materials; this unfortunately removed both Absolute Block and Track Circuit 2010, Sunday passenger services were much of the remaining evidence of the Block regulations; a bell was the only re-introduced, which meant that from box’s Railway Signal Company heritage. Walkden Signal Box (and its Up Home signal) in the final months of its life, photographed on 13th March 2013. means of train description used over that date Walkden box had to be open on The survival of the three mechanical Re-cladding and re-windowing had by this time drastically changed its appearance. Harry Gardner the Track Circuit Block section during Sundays as well. boxes – Walkden, Atherton Goods Yard t 01.02 hours on 28 July 2013 the Up and Down Slow lines, and both the levers for the Down direction signals this period. Finally, on 22 April 1989 In its later years Walkden was not a and Crow Nest Junction – working a short AWalkden Signal Box, along with its Fast and Slow lines had crossovers (or, at the right-hand end. Windsor Bridge box was abolished, very popular place to work. Because of section of Absolute Block controlled line younger neighbours at Atherton Goods in L&YR parlance, ‘crossings’) controlled When built, the Up Slow line would and Walkden became a ‘fringe box’ to train timings, signalmen had no choice but between two power boxes (Manchester Yard and Crow Nest Junction, was by the box. As was common practice on have had a stop signal protecting the Manchester Piccadilly panel; levers 14 to use their own transport to get to and Piccadilly and Warrington) working Track officially closed; thus another long-lived L&YR lines at the time, there were no platform – it is probable that lever 6 to 18 were removed from the frame and from work and as the box could not be Circuit Block – was an anachronism which fragment of Lancashire & Yorkshire ground or shunting signals reading from fulfilled this function originally; apart Train Description equipment was installed accessed by road vehicles their cars had, could not continue for ever. With the Railway Signalling passed into history. or between the running lines, but such from this and some other relatively minor in the gap, being positioned on boards for many years, to be left some distance future of the Atherton line seemingly Walkden Signal Box was of significant signals were provided for exit moves changes, very little seems to have altered placed directly on the frame’s top plates. away (eventually however a secure parking assured it was sadly inevitable that interest as it had been built and opened from the sidings. The cantilevered bracket at Walkden for the first 75 years or so During the 1990s, due to much reduced compound was provided). Because of its eventually money would be found to with the line which it signalled, the fast signals were a LMS or early BR period of its existence. In 1963, however, the traffic over the line, Atherton Goods location the box itself had poor lavatory re-signal this section of the route. Thus it four-track Bolton avoiding line between alteration; the earlier arrangements would goods yard closed and its connections Yard box was taken out of regular use facilities (in the form of an antiquated was decided that Manchester Piccadilly’s Windsor Bridge Junction and Crow Nest have probably utilised individual posts. and associated signals were subsequently and became more-or-less permanently and poorly maintained chemical toilet), area of control would be extended and Junction which the L&YR opened between Again conforming to the conventions of recovered. Then, on 21 November 1965, the three boxes closed. This was originally 1887 and 1889. The box opened in July the time, all signal levers (running and the Fast lines were taken out of use, scheduled for 25 March 2013, but the work 1888 and was constructed by the Railway shunt) relating to movements in the Up presumably due to declining traffic levels was delayed, the end finally coming during Signal Company, the parts for the frame direction are grouped at the left-hand end over the line and the post-Beeching the early hours of Sunday July 28 last year. and the building being manufactured at of the frame, followed by spares, then all rationalisation of infrastructure. Although It is a shame that such an iconic that company’s premises at Fazakerley, the point levers, more spares and finally the track itself was not recovered for box could not be preserved, but given Liverpool. In August 1913 it was manned the difficulties of access to it and the on a three 8-hour shift basis by three alterations which had been carried out signalmen who earned 24/- per week for to the structure in recent times it is the first year of employment and 24/6 perhaps not surprising that this did not thereafter. happen. It has now been demolished (as A pre-rationalisation diagram for has Atherton Goods Yard, although at the Walkden box, dating from 1964, is time of writing – November 2013 – Crow reproduced on page 47 of my book Signal Nest Junction box remains) and so yet Boxes on Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway another piece of L&YR heritage has, sadly, Lines, North and West of Manchester: been consigned to history. Part 1. The track layout here then seems The author would like to thank to be as it was when the box opened. The Harry Gardner for his great help with box was situated some way to the east of the preparation of this article and for the station, which has an island platform An unusual view of Walkden box, taken from the post of signal No.7 in 1992. permission to use his photographs, and with faces only on the Slow lines. There By this time the site of the erstwhile Fast lines was fast disappearing under Mike Addison, Fred Collinge and Tony were goods yard connections to both The signal box diagram at closure. vegetation. Harry Gardner Graham for providing information.

20 magazine • No. 258 January 2014 21 The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society Write to reply... MEMBERSHIP from the What’s On Ken Carter e: [email protected] NEWS Highflyers

Fleetwood irstly I would like to apologise for glancing through a 1902 copy of Boys Own The Society stand will be at the venues Following our AGM and Members’ Day in Fthe lateness of the membership Annual when I came across an article about marked * on the dates shown. Fleetwood in October, Michael Hughes sent renewal forms and 2014 membership cards a model railway. You may not think this was Details are also available on our website. us the following notes and photographs. which was due to a printing error. Also unusual given the interest by boys of my Go to www.lyrs.org.uk Editor. next year we will be back to a picture generation who have grown up with Hornby and follow the links In the park near to the North Euston Hotel membership card as usual. This year I just Dublo and train spotting. The model there is a small piece of Fleetwood Station. thought the crest looked too good to pass had been totally hand-built taking many The carved stone coat of arms looks well- M on 24 Feb 7.30pm up. I would like to welcome our many hours and went around the garden and of weathered, but you can see how close we A review of the latest THE L&YR IN ITS HEYDAY new members to the Society, I hope you course was steam driven. There were no were to a piece of L&YR history. Committee minutes Talk By Noel Coates enjoy being a member and our officers other articles about model railways which Further away from the hotel there is RCTS Sheffield are happy to help you with any enquiries was not surprising as the model railway a more modern reminder of the railway Sheffield Scouts HQ, you may have. I am pleased to tell you industry was just starting. Looking at what history of Fleetwood. The poster is sited The committee met at Ken Carter’s 60-68 Trippett Lane that 2013 was a good year for membership is available today and the recent excellent near to the ‘shelter’ built alongside the house in Nottingham on Saturday Sheffield, S1 4EL recruitment and there was a good model of the L&YR 2-4-2T in 4mm shows 11 January 2014. trainshed. increase on 2012’s membership total. just how far our interest in model railways Michael Hughes, Selly Oak Sat 15 & Sun 16 March On another note, the other day I was has come in the last 111 years. Those present were: Ron Tinker * KEIGHLEY MODEL RAILWAY Right: The railway history poster A warm welcome to the following new members… (Chairman), Noel Coates (Vice- EXHIBITION referred to in Michael Hughes’ letter. 1880 Derek Read, 9 The Crest, Droylsden, Manchester M43 6FL Chairman and Treasurer), Martin Nield Victoria Hall, Victoria Park, Below: Close up of the carved stone 1881 Jim Muir, 5 Second Avenue, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 9DP (Secretary), Roger Mellor (Publications Hard Ings Road, Keighley, BD21 3JN coat of arms. 1882 Alec Ralph, 11 Humber Road, Milnrow, Rochdale, Lancashire OL16 3EZ Officer), Ken Carter (Membership www.keighley-mrc.org.uk Bottom: The proximity of the carved 1883 Sean Alexarndross, 34 Alma Street, Eccles, Manchester M30 0EX Officer), Chris Leach (Information stone to the North Euston Hotel. 1884 Ken Rutherford, 104 Two Bridges Road, Newhey, Rochdale, Lancashire OL16 3SR Officer), David Carter (Modelling Sat 22 March 1885 Birgitta Hoffmann, 55 Broadwalk, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5PL Co-ordinator 4mm scale), Nigel SOCIETY MODELLING MEETING 1886 Chris Quarmby, Piffel Head, Edenmount Road, Grange Over Sands, Cumbria LA11 6BN Thornley (Events Officer), Mike Fitton The Fielden Centre, 1887 Jonathan Hunt, 23 Moorside Drive, Carleton Grange, Carlisle, Cumbria CA1 3TE (Photographic Officer) and Graham Todmorden, OL14 7DD 1888 Jack Parker, 4 Morrison Street, Saratoga, NSW 2251, Australia Smith (Exhibitions Co-ordinator). (For details see page 3) 1889 Roger Bailey, 5 Moorland Road, Poulton- le-Fylde. Lancashire FY6 7EU The main points were: 1890 Graham Kay, 66 Almond Road, Dogsthorpe, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE1 4LT Martin reported on his meeting with Sat 12 & Sun 13 April • 1891 Ian Butler, 7 Ferndale Grove, East Boldon, Tyne & Wear NE36 0TG Network Rail about the Ordsall Chord * ROCHDALE MODEL RAILWAY 1892 Andrew Matthewman, 24 Lower Hall Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD5 0AZ and on the forthcoming public inquiry. EXHIBITION 1893 Allistair Taylor, 12 Hillcrest Avenue, Hessle, East Yorkshire HU13 0NP Arrangements for the Modelling Littleborough Coach House, • 1894 Laurence Bell, 151 Luck Lane, Paddock, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 4QZ Meeting were discussed. It was agreed Lodge Street, 1895 Derek Coombes, 11 Woodthorpe Drive, Sandal, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF2 6HT to hold the Lanky Day Out between Littleborough, OL15 9AE 1896 Alan Lewin, 72 Nipper Lane, Whitefield, Manchester M45 7RF Oldham Road Goods, Manchester and www.rmrg.co.uk 1897 Gerald Pollard, 7 Sunny Bank Grove, Mirfield, West Yorkshire WF14 0PF Littleborough. The AGM and Members’ Day will be in Yorkshire. Sat 19, Sun 20 Mon 21 April 1898 David Hallett, P.O. Box 649, Mundaring, 6073, Western Australia On the day of the meeting the Society * YORK MODEL RAILWAY SHOW 1899 Martin Hill, 80 The Street, Blundeston, Lowestoft, Norfolk NR32 5AB • had £16,499 in the Business Reserve and York Racecourse, YO23 1EX 1900 Paul Waldron, Stoneleigh, Old Vicarage Lane, Kemble, Cirencester Glos, GL7 6BB £27,489 in the Current Account, but the www.yorkshow.org.uk 1901 Ken Gray, 1 Raphael Place, Old Toongabbie, NSW 2146 Australia 1902 David Edmondson, 3 Quakers View, Brierfield, Nelson, Lancashire BB9 5PU latter included money from the sale of model locomotives to members which Sat 26 April … and the following re-joining members… will shortly be paid to the NRM. A total * 0 SCALE NORTH WEST 1296 Mike King, 150 Hunter House Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S11 8TY of 127 Bachmann 2-4-2T locos had been North West 0 Gauge Modellers, 697 Stephen Clinch, Stockbridge House, Victoria Road, Padiham, Lancashire BB12 8QZ purchased by members and the accounts Leigh Sports Village, Sale Way, 1089 Karl Pashley, 13 Beever Lane, Gawber, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S75 2RP for this will be reported separately from Leigh, WN7 4JY 157 Fred Collinge, 16 Willow Road, Prestwich, Manchester M25 3DZ www.nwogm.org.uk the main Society accounts. Condolences to the families of deceased members… • At 31 December 2013 we had 834 Sat 3 & Sun 4 May 1238 Ken Nash of Liverpool members which is a record. At the date * BRADFORD MODEL RAILWAY 1804 Clifford Robinson of Warrington of the committee meeting we had 554 EXHIBITION 426 Mike Hayward of Stockport members and renewals were continuing Whitcliffe Mount Sports Centre, to come in briskly. Turnsteads Avenue, • Chris Leach said he would take on the Cleckheaton, BD19 3AQ role of Drawings Officer in addition to www.bradfordmrc.org.uk his existing responsibilities. • Manchester Archives will re-open Sunday 6 July on 21 March and work will resume LANKY DAY OUT cataloguing the remaining drawings in Manchester Oldham Road – Littleborough our collection. (More details in Magazine 259) • Roger said the next publication will be L&Y Line and Lineside. This will be To offer assistance manning our followed by the second part of Chris Exhibition Stands call: Littleworth’s signal boxes book and Peter Wood then Focus 76. t: 01706 812606 • The Society will produce an e: [email protected] information panel to go alongside the L&YR War Memorial at Manchester The membership renewal staff hard at work. Ken’s 92 year old mother-in-law, May, All membership enquiries should be addressed to: Victoria. It will also have a significant To invite the Society to exhibit call: is hard at work sticking stamps on the 800 plus envelopes which go out to members The Membership Officer, Ken Carter, presence at the 2014 Remembrance Graham Smith as Ken folds the forms and makes sure the envelope contains the matching form and 11 Waveney Close, Arnold, Nottingham NG5 6QH Service to commemorate the centenary t: 0115 938 4371 membership card. Ken says she is a good worker and if she continues to work hard she t: 0115 967 3485 e: [email protected] of the start of the Great War. e: [email protected] might be promoted to sealing the envelopes next year.

22 magazine • No. 258 January 2014 23 The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Society

The very first train to work over the recently re-laid Todmorden Curve on 27 October 2013 was this ballast train headed by a Class 66 locomotive. The photograph is of the train returning over the crossover installed at the east end of Todmorden station, having had the locomotive and first three or four wagons in the up platform. The scene was captured by our Northern Exhibition Stand Manager Peter Wood who lives nearby. The new curve will enable trains to run direct from Burnley to Manchester via Rochdale rather than the lengthy journey via Blackburn and Bolton – if Northern Rail can find any rolling stock that is. Peter Wood

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