2. Rocket 150, middle of the day

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1980 > 17. The John Mynors Memorial & Rocket 150-14.09.80 > 2. Rocket 150, middle of the day

A dash to manchester from the Midlands in Mike's Ford Fiesta to capture the historic passage of a replica train hauled by the 1838 'Lion'.

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Lion, Rocket 150 celebrity train Eccles-Manchester Liverpool Road, Salford SJ804983
As a culmination of the Rocket 150 celebrations, that started with the Great Cavalcade in May, a special train was run from Liverpool to Manchester. It was quite an organisation feat for BR but only proved that when the wanted to, they could really come up with the goods! In this photograph, the final part of the special train is seen passing Salford heading for Manchester Liverpool Road. The train is being hauled by 'Lion' designed and built by Todd, Kidson & Laird in 1838 only ten years after the famous Rainhill trials. There is heated debate about the exact provenance of this locomotive. Some suggest that it was rebuilt from a find at Liverpool Docks in the 1930s to whom it was sold in 1859 for use as a mobile pumping engine whilst others think it was a new build. Whatever its history, it is seen here passing through the western part of Manchester having picked up its invited guests and dignitaries at Eccles. While that line exists today but electrified, the empty trackbed and bank in the background are now home to the M602 motorway. The distinctive end of terraces is still extant today along Salford's White Street.
Keywords: Lion, Rocket 150 celebrity train, Salford SJ804983

Lion, Rocket 150 celebrity train Eccles-Manchester Liverpool Road, Salford SJ804983
'Lion' leads the short special train that left Eccles station heading for Manchester Liverpool Road, the original terminus of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Getting away from the actual provenance of Lion, the stock is all reproduction but looks absolutely superb. As well as a brass band playing in the front open coach the rest of the space was filled with various dignitaries and invited guests including the then Home Secretary William Whitelaw (1918-1999) and the leader of the House, Lord Christopher Soames (1920-1987). The special train left Liverpool Lime Street earlier in the day hauled by 46229 'Duchess of Hamilton' banked by 47194. After a brief stop at the Huskisson memorial, the train stopped at Eccles for the special guest to transfer to this train. The other passengers were taken in a fleet of coaches to Liverpool Road to witness its arrival. The empty coaching stock followed along later to Victoria station ready to take everybody back to Liverpool again. The people standing on the wall in the background would now be peering down on to the twin carriageways of the M602 motorway. Finally, this train journey could not be physically undertaken today as Network Rail has severed the link from the national network to the world-famous Liverpool Road station being the world's oldest surviving terminal railway station by their crass and reckless construction of the Ordsall curve.
Keywords: Lion Rocket 150 celebrity train Salford SJ804983

Greenfield Junction signal box (LNWR, 1888)
In an effort to capture 46229 'Duchess of Hamilton' running light engine back to York after leading the Liverpool to Manchester Victoria special earlier we raced to Greenfield to the northeast of Manchester. Unfortunately, we missed its passage but I did manage this photograph of the rather grand, if a little decayed, Greenhill Junction signal box. Still wearing its BR (M) enamel plate it was a LNWR box dating from 1888 that closed in 1999.
Keywords: Greenfield Junction signal box LNWR London and North Western Railway

Images 1-3 of 3 displayed.