24th October 2019 · “BR 60’s North West Steam in Glorious Kodachrome”

Presenter: Anthony Bowles

To soften the onset of the winter nights the October evening meeting was presented by Anthony Bowles showing archived photographs taken by the late Gerald Dixon. The composition of the programme entitled “BR 60’s North West Steam in Glorious Kodachrome” aptly described all that was to be seen. It was an excellent show containing myriads of top quality colour photographs taken in all shades of weather, be that at either day or night. With deference to the title of the presentation the area that was covered proved to be of significant interest to the audience as a great deal was to be seen of the local lines in and around West Yorkshire and over the metals into the adjacent area of North West Lancashire. Activity in Yorkshire embraced the routes between Standedge and Huddersfield, Bradford to Leeds via Halifax, the L&Y route to Manchester whilst visits to Normanton and Wakefield depots broadened the make-up of the programme. Scenes in the nearby areas of Lancashire were to cover Altrincham to Diggle through Stalybridge, the lines from Bolton to Blackburn, the Oldham loop and those over Copy Pit. Action at both Warrington and Wigan individually featured. The overall composition reminded the audience of the remarkable and interesting localised mill town architecture that was once taken for granted. Overall the quality and totality of the presentation specifically designed around the latter days of steam activity was greatly admired and enjoyed.