The Railtour Files

Loco(s)	Route
40063	Manchester Piccadilly - Ardwick Jn - Beswick Jn - Philips Park No.2 Jn - Park - Droylesden - Ashton Moss North Jn - Ashton O.A. & G.B. Jn - Ashton Oldham Road - Park Bridge - Oldham Clegg Street - Oldham Mumps - Royton Junction (?- Royton?)
40063	?Royton - Royton Junction?
40063	Royton Junction - Shaw - Rochdale East Jn - Rochdale
52523 (1)	Rochdale East Jn - Rochdale - Facit
40063 (2)	Facit - Rochdale - Rochdale East Jn - Castleton - Heywood - Heap Bridge Jn
52523 (1)	Heap Bridge Jn - Heap Bridge
40063 (2)	Heap Bridge - Heap Bridge Jn - Bury Loop Jn - Bury Knowsley Street - Bury Bolton Street - Tottington Jn - Tottington (3)
52523 (1)	Tottington - Tottington Jn
40063 (2)	Tottington Jn - Summerseat - Ramsbottom - Stubbins Jn - Rawtenstall - Bacup
52523	Bacup - Rawtenstall - Stubbins Jn - Ramsbottom - Summerseat - Tottington Jn - Bury Bolton Street - Radcliffe North Jn - Radcliffe Central - Prestwich - Queens Road Jn - Cheetham Hill - Manchester Victoria

Notes :
(1) ?40063 on rear? (see note 3 below)
(2) ?52523 on rear? (see note 3 below)
(2) 52523 assisted assisted on the Facit, Heap Bridge, Tottington & Bacup branches. 52523 also reported as 'taking the tour over single-handed from Bacup' (back to Manchester Victoria?). 40063 was taken out of store at Bolton, specially for this train. Confirmation of the use of locos top-n-tail as given in the route tabulation is required.
(3) The photograph below had the caption on the back '52523 at Holcombe Brook with the Roch Valley Railway Society Salford Hundred rail tour' suggesting the train went beyond the booked reversal point at Tottington...confirmation is required. The line between Tottington and Holcombe Brook officially closed in 1960.
(4) Photographic evidence shows 52523 carrying headcode 1Z30 - was this used throughout the trip?

'52523 at Holcombe Brook with the Roch Valley Railway Society Salford
Hundred rail tour' (photo: The Bob Mitchell Collection)