2nd April 1966

Stephenson Locomotive Society / Manchester Locomotive Society
Lakes & Fells Rail Tour

Locos Used 4472 'Flying Scotsman', 45596, 46426 & 46458
Stock Used 9 coaches (booked for: BSK + 7x SO/SK + BSK)

Route : 1T90 throughout

Loco(s) Route
45596 Manchester Exchange - Golborne Jn - Wigan North Western - Farington Jn - Bamber Bridge - Blackburn - Hellifield
4472 Hellifield - Appleby - Carlisle No.13 - Penrith
46458 + 46426 Penrith - Keswick - Cockermouth - Workington Main - Moor Row - Millom - Park South Jn - Dalton Jn - Arnside
4472 Arnside - Wennington - Hellifield
45596 Hellifield - Blackburn - Bamber Bridge - Farington Jn - Wigan North Western - Tyldesley - Manchester Victoria

Notes :
(1) This was the last steam passenger train to traverse the entire Penrith to Workington Line.
(2) Train terminated at Manchester Victoria (extended from Manchester Exchange - due to very late running). Many passengers alighted at Arnside and returned to Preston on a service train. Dave Groves adds: severe blizzard conditions (even about 15" snow in central Manchester) had stopped most public transport in NW England and any special would normally been cancelled. However for reasons not entirely understood (perhaps a Royal train?) the route was given special clearance. Even with service trains running hours late (e.g. the overnight Glasgow – Manchester was over 180mins late), the spirited running between lengthy stops minimised many potential delays but eventually our luck ran out... Actual departure from Manchester was 9mins late at 09:14, but only 1min late at Blackburn, but we then had to wait for the snowplough to reach Hellifield. Departure from Hellifield was 54mins late, but then we had to wait at Settle for the Blea Moor/Ais Gill snowplough to reach wherever. By Keswick we were still 79mins late despite very fast running in poor conditions and departure from Workington was about 82mins late as we had to let the late running 17:08 to clear (we overtook it via the Barrow avoider). As Manchester Exchange barriers were closed as usual overnight it was no surprise that we terminated at Victoria platform 16 138mins late at 00:09.

Sources : Andrew Fairholm, Kevin Driscoll, Bevan Price & Geoff Jackson

Photo Review


4472 at a snowy Hellifield (photo: The John Debens Collection)


From Andrew Fairholms ticket collection


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Kevin Driscoll, Dave Groves & Ian Clark (SLS)/Alan Brackenberry)

M.C Location Booked Actual
0.00 Manchester Exchange 09.05d 09.14
15.13 Golborne Jn ? ?
21.08 Wigan North Western 09.43a ~ 09.45d 09.51 ~ 10.02
33.48 Farington Jn ? ?
44.48 Blackburn 10/43 10/44
- ?Blackburn? ? 11.02 ~ 11.32
? Hellifield 11L22a ~ 11L39d 12.15 ~ 12.43
? Appleby West 12/39 13/37
144.58 Petteril Bridge Jn 13/10 14/10
146.00 Carlisle No.13 13/22 14/16
? Penrith 13L46a ~ 13L58d 14.38 ~ 15.05
? Threlkeld 14p29a ~ 14p39d 15/37
? Keswick 14p45a ~ 14p57d 15.43 ~ 16.19
? Cockermouth 15/25 16/44
? Workington Main 15p45a ~ 15p57d 17.17 ~ 17.37
? Whitehaven 16/14 18/00
? Corkickle 16/18 18/02
213.03 Moor Row 16/28 18/10
222.62 Sellafield 16/52 18/24
241.53 Millom 17p20a ~ 17p32d 19.20 ~ 19.25
253.50 Park South 17/54 19/42
254.56 Dalton Jn 17/58 19/45
272.75 Arnside 18L30a ~ 18L40d 20.35 ~ 20.38
278.32 Carnforth F & M Jn 18/51 20/45
? Wennington Jn 18/52 20/48
306.14 Hellifield 19L34a ~ 19L44d 21.26 ~ 21.42
? Blackburn 20/24 22.35 ~ 22.36
? Bamber Bridge 20/36 22/51
? Farington Jn 20/46 22/57
353.65 Wigan North Western 21.07a ~ 21.09d 23.22 ~ 23.24
361.27 Tyldesley ? ?
371.52 Manchester Exchange 21.51a (DIV?)
? Manchester Victoria DIV 00.09a [P16]


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