11th August 1968

B.R.
Fifteen Guinea Special

Locos Used 45110, 70013 'Oliver Cromwell', 44871 & 44781

Route : 1T57 throughout

Loco(s) Route
45110 Liverpool Lime Street - Rainhill - Earlestown - Eccles - Deal Street - Manchester Victoria
70013 Manchester Victoria - Windsor Bridge No.1 - Windsor Bridge No.3 - Bolton - Darwen - Blackburn - Clitheroe - Hellifield - (via S&C) - Carlisle
44781 & 44871 Carlisle - (reverse of outward route) - Manchester Victoria
45110 Manchester Victoria - (reverse of outward route) - Liverpool Lime Street

Notes :
This 315 mile, almost eleven hour journey marked the end of standard gauge steam-hauled passenger service on British Railways. Timings sheet was headed with the statement - "Last steam hauled train on British Railways on standard gauge track, Sunday 11th August 1968".

Sources : David Hills (compiled from contemporary reports), John Broderick & Leonard Rogers

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Broderick)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Liverpool Lime Street 09.10d SL 09.10   19.50a 19.59
Edge Hill 09/16 FL 09/19   19/46 19/53
Huyton 09/22 09/27   19/40 FL 19/46
Rainhill 09.27a ~ 09.42d 09.31 ~ 09.42   ? ?
St Helens Junction 09/47 09/46½   19/32 ?
Earlestown 09/54 09.52½a ~ 09.59½d   19/28 19/32
Parkside 09.58a ~ 10.14d 10.08½ ~ 10.18   ? ?
Kenyon Jn 10/18 10/23   19/22 ?
Barton Moss Jn 10/25 10/30   19/14 ?
Eccles Jn 10/27 10/31   ? ?
Cross Lane ? ?   19/09 ?
Ordsall Lane No.2 10/32 10/37   ? ?
Deal Street 10/34 FL ?   19/04 ?
Manchester Victoria [P14] / [P12] 10L36a ~ 11L06d 10.42 ~ 11.06   18L48a ~ 19L02d SL 19.00 ~ 19.07
Windsor Bridge No.1 11/09 BL ?   18/44 FL ?
Windsor Bridge No.3 11/10 11/13   18/42 BL ?
Clifton Jn 11/17 11/17   18/38 18/53
Bolton 11/27 11/27   18/30 18/45
Walton Sidings 11/56 11/50   18/21 18/35
Darwen 12/01 11/57   18/12 18/30
Blackburn 12w08a ~ 12w16d 12.07 ~ 12.44½   17w58a ~ 18w04d 18.18 ~ 18.22
Daisyfield Jn 12/18 12/47   17/56 18/16
Clitheroe 12/34 ?   17/39 ?
Hellifield 12/54 13.23a ~ 13.29d   17/22 17/37
Settle Jn 12/58 13/34   17/18 17/33
Blea Moor 13w24a ~ 13w29d 13/58½   16w58a ~ 17w04d 17.00½ ~ 17.20
Ais Gill 13.45a ~ 14.05d 14.20 ~ 14.33   16/44 16/45
Appleby West 14/23 14/52½   16/14 16/23½
Lazonby ? ?   15/54 ?
Petteril Bridge Jn 14/53 ?   15/33 ?
Carlisle Citadel 14L56a 15.29   15L30d 15.44


Back to "The Railtour Files - 1968"