14th November 1970

B.R.
(Day Excursion)

Route :

Notes :
This day excursion was plagued by problems from the outset. Only minutes from its starting point the train was stopped due to vandals severing the lineside telephone wires, at St Helen's Jct the train drew up twice, even though only one coach was reserved for this location. The detour via Northampton and the use of the slow lines to Tring made the special thirty minutes late into Euston.

On the return a points failure at Euston caused a half hour's delay. Approaching Warrington the driver forgot to stop, the train stopping at Earlestown to transfer the luckless Warrington passengers into a DMU. Drawing up twice at St Helen's Jct confused detraining passengers adding to the lateness of the excursion. Arrival at St Helens was at midnight, just over one hour late. By this time most local transport had ceased for the night, a few lucky passengers were able to travel in the empty stock for stations to Huyton.

Source : David Hills (compiled from contemporary reports)

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