10th October 2023 “The Fylde Line” by Alan Jones
BRCW Class 104 vehicles M50443, M59149 and M50493, complete with Blackpool Line white stripe, are seen at the boarded crossing known locally as the 'three steps' between Adlington and Chorley with the 15.15 Manchester Victoria to Blackpool North on Saturday 2nd May 1981. Photo: Alan Jones.
Our October meeting took the form of a journey from Manchester Victoria to Blackpool (North and South) during the 1980s and early 90s.
Starting from platform 13, where most Blackpool trains departed for many decades, activities at the West end of Victoria station were illustrated with BRCW class 104s, various van trains, class 31s on four coach trains of Mk 1s and the then newly-introduced class 150/2 Sprinters. The signalling at West Junction, Irwell Bridge and Deal Street was described, along with a selection of interesting workings including the modern-day descendent of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway’s ‘Club Train’, the 20-carriage Perth to Red Bank newspaper empties behind 40063 and a Glasgow-Birmingham Inter-City Cross Country working passing the newly-opened Salford Crescent station behind a class 47/8.
The signalling at Burnden Junction, Bolton East Junction and Bolton West was covered and the fabulous model of Isle of Man Steam Packet Company’s RMS King Orry, that used to stand on the Manchester platform at Bolton station, was illustrated. Parcels activity was very much a part of railway activity at Bolton, and this was shown in the colourful transition period between BR Blue and Parcels Sector Red.
After Bolton we saw Lostock Junction, with Class 20s hauling a diverted Sunday Preston to Euston train towards Wigan, and the empty stock of the Whitehaven-Huddersfield TPO that ran to Red Bank every Saturday for servicing.
Chorley was visited, with views of more class 104s and van trains, before joining the West Coast Main Line and scenes at Leyland. Plenty of activity was seen at Farington Junction and Farington Curve Junction, including the Mossend to Stoke Gifford Speedlink working, the coal train to Deepdale and various electrics on main line services.
Preston station on Summer Saturdays in the early 80s was a Class 40 fan’s dream and many examples were shown including 40008, 40044, 40128, 40138 and 40186. After the flurry of activity at the station we took a ride up the Deepdale Branch, past the rows of terraces up to Skeffington Road crossing and back down the spur over Mill Street crossing to the depot.
On to the Fylde area itself, we visited the remote Salwick station before spending some time at Kirkham and Wesham with the junction of the North and South branches, as well as the remains of the former Marton Line direct to Blackpool South.
After travelling the 12-mile line to Blackpool South (now single line throughout and effectively a very long siding) we were treated to some delightful views of Blackpool trams, including a 1934 English Electric Balloon car (probably the classic Blackpool tram for many people), several views of Progress Twin Car sets, the beautifully restored open top Boat Car No. 600 and ‘Dreadnought’ No. 59 at Fleetwood.
We then headed back to Weeton for the final section of the talk, with views of the interesting ‘Double Block’ signalling arrangement, then on to Singleton with some lovely evening lighting, Poulton-le-Fylde with the classic view over the junction with the Fleetwood branch at No. 3 Box and finally into Blackpool North with its semaphore signalled approach and Summer Saturday workings from Sheffield via Copy Pit and the curious overnight working from Stranraer Harbour.
The meeting closed at 9.45 pm with great applause from the audience for a lively, well-researched and wonderfully illustrated insight into this fascinating aspect of Lancashire’s railway operations in the 80s.