6. The journey home-22.08.80

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1980 > 14. East of England Summer Tour-17-22.08.80 > 6. The journey home-22.08.80

Graham and I were supposed to have returned home after seeing the Cumbrian Mountain Express the previous day but due to its extreme late-running, we opted to camp another night and take a more leisurely drive home the following day. Consequentially, we found a spot at a smashing camping site with actual facilities at Hollin Hall near to Rothmell just south of Settle. Most of the photographs presented for this day are courtesy of Graham who doubled up his as I had run out of Kodachrome film, so all these years on, another thank you!

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Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.

47456, 07.05 Glasgow Central-Nottingham (1M70), Settle station
47456 arrives at Settle station leading the 07.05 Glasgow Central to Nottingham service. Given the Settle and Carlisle's poor service pattern at this time with sustained discussions over its closure, I suspect that this was the first southbound passenger train of the day. Notice that there is a number of passenger waiting on the platform to catch the train and the neat and well-kept flower beds.
Keywords: 47456 07.05 Glasgow Central-Nottingham 1M70 Settle station

Settle Junction signal box (Midland, 1913)
I took a photograph of Settle Junction signal box during a passing visit last summer but on that occasion, it was late in the day and the light was totally wrong. Our visit on this day was in the morning with the sun illuminating the front of the lovely Midland box dating from 1913. The signalman can be seen taking in the sun at the top of the steps but don't be fooled by this seemingly bucolic scene, directly behind me is the busy A65 Kendal to Leeds road. As of 2020 the box still exists and is in use controlling semaphores that were photographed during my most recent visit in 2018, see...... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/24425937604/x158784-2h89-settle-junction-sd813606 In addition, I also visited the box in 2014 (almost thirty-four years to the day) and took a very similar photograph apart from the growth of the trees, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/30016458766/x12-settle-junction-signal-box-mr. I wonder if the signalman mentioned earlier is still working on the railways?
Keywords: Settle Junction signal box Midland Railway MR

Wilpshire signal box (L&Y, date not known)
The superb Wilpshire signal box is seen under threatening skies. It is a Lancashire and Yorkshire structure that I can find precious little about even its date of construction. Located just to the north of Blackburn on the line that joins the Settle and Carlisle route at Hellifiled during the time of our visit it was switched out. The line had been reduced to freight only to serve cement works at Horrocksford and was almost certainly going to close if the S & C went the same way. Happily, the latter was saved and passenger services returned to this route in 1994 as far as Clitheroe. Noice the rather unusual sighting screen behind the home signal standing atop its own post and the height of them both!
Keywords: Wilpshire signal box Lancashire and Yorkshire L & Y

40049, 25291 & 40148, stabled, Blackburn station
Balckburn's first station opened in 1846 but with the expansion of the railways soon after this time, it proved inadequate so in 1888 the L & Y built this replacement. It was, in all honesty, a rather gloomy structure with its best feature being a rather grand frontage. However, by 2000 the roof and other parts of the structure were in a serious state of disrepair so the whole station, with the exception of the said frontage, was demolished and a new modern structure was constructed. In this scene, looking south-west through the station, 25291, 40148 and, almost obscured, 40049 can be seen. To the right, a DMU waits to leave southwards towards Manchester or westwards towards Blackpool. Notice the particularly large station clock to the right of the image.
Keywords: 40049 25291 40148 stabled Blackburn station

Chorley Level Crossing Ground Frame signal box (L&Y, 1894)
The rear of Chorley Level Crossing Ground Frame signal box is seen from the rear. The 1894 Lancs. & Yorks. box looks a little dilapidated but it soldiered on for another twenty-seven years until closure came in 2007 when it was removed and is now in use again on the Ribble Steam Railway on Preston's waterfront. Whilst the crossing and box have now gone the distinctive building in the background on the corner of Friday Street still stands, but it is no longer home Rex Campbell's engineers and fabricators but amazingly it still retains the same windows!
Keywords: Chorley Level Crossing Ground Frame signal box Lancashire and Yorkshire L & Y

Radway Green Signal Box (NSR, C.1881)
On our long drive home in the Mini we dived off the M6 in Staffordshire and took lunch in the car park of an MOD establishment at Radway Green. This was adjacent to the Crewe to Kidsgrove line and the station that closed back in 1966 but mechanical signalling still controlled the line. As Radway Green signal box was located on the up line that ran east to west on a sunny afternoon such as this the front is in shadow! The box was a North Staffordshire Railway Company type 1 structure dating from 1881. It survived until 19.07.85 being decommissioned as part of the Crewe re-modelling with the railway town a short distance to the west. The line has since been electrified and passenger services have returned with it enjoying direct trains to London operated by London Northwestern.
Keywords: Radway Green Signal Box

Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.