20th April 1968

Manchester Rail Travel Society / Severn Valley Railway Society
North West Tour

Locos Used E3093, E3180, 44949, 45110, 48773, 73069, 73134 & 92160

Route : 1Z77 throughout

Loco(s) Route
E3180 Birmingham New Street - Stockport
45110 & 44949 Stockport - Disley LNW - Buxton No.1 - Peak Forest Jn - Chinley - Romiley - Guide Bridge East Jn - Stalybridge
73134 & 73069 Stalybridge - Standedge - Hedben Bridge - Copy Pit - Rose Grove - Blackburn - (2) - Bolton
48773 Bolton - Bury Knowsley Street - Rochdale - Oldham Mumps - Dean Lane - Thorpes Bridge Jn - Philips Park No.1 Jn - Droylesdon - Denton Jn - Stockport
92160 Stockport - Northenden Jn - Skelton Jn - Warrington Bank Quay LL - Ditton Jn - Liverpool Lime Street
E3093 Liverpool Lime Street - Birmingham New Street

Notes :
(1) Route confirmation required. Lydney Jeff reports the tour ticket carried the name 'Joint Rail Tour' - was this the tour name or did it refer to the fact it was jointly organised by two societies?
(2) Due to roof works underway in Sough Tunnel the train stopped prior to the tunnel, reversed over a crossover, then continued 'wrong line' through the tunnel.

Sources : David Hills, Lydney Jeff, Chris Totty, Bevan Price, Leonard Rogers & Roy Lambeth

Photo Review
(all photos from Roy Lambeth unless otherwise stated)


45110 & 44949 climbing towards Buxton. To the right is the trackbed of the
former Peak Forest Tramway.


...beyond Buxton and the 5's are about to plunge into Dove Holes tunnel.


The pair of Black 5's again, near Guide Bridge.


73134+73069 crossing Saddleworth Viaduct.


73134+73069 climbing towards Rose Grove/Copy Pit.


Right...and wrong...line working on the approach to Sough Tunnel.


48773 backs on to the train at Bolton.
(photo: Bob Bishop collection - from cine film by John Simons)


48773 speeds by near Clayton Bridge.


A filthy 92160 on the way to Liverpool, about an hour late.


From The John Debens Ticket Collection.


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Chris Totty & David Wignall)

Location Booked Actual
Birmingham New Street 08.45d 08.45
Wolverhampton HL ??.??a ~ 09.02d 09.09 ~ 09.10
Crewe ??.??a ~ 09.48d 09.43 ~ 09.48
Stockport 10L22a ~ 10L37d 10.22 ~ 10.39
Whalley Bridge 10/58 11/00
Buxton No.1 11/16 11/33
Peak Forest Jn 11/28 11/41
Chinley 11p40a ~ 11p50d 11.45½ ~ 11.55
New Mills South Jn 11/55 12/01½
Romiley 12/07 12/12
Hyde Jn 12/15 12/19
Guide Bridge Jn (East) 12/18 12/21
Stalybridge 12L28 ~ 12L38 12.30 ~ 12.48½
Diggle 12/51 13/05
Hebden Bridge 13/49 13/55½
Hall Royd Jn 13/54 14/01½
Copy Pit 14/05 14/12
Gannow Jn 14/14 14/21
Rose Grove 14L16 ~ 14L44 14.24 ~ 14.47
Blackburn 15/05 15/16
Bolton 15L31 ~ 15L39 15.55½ ~ 16.07
Bury Knowsley Street 15/48 16/32
Broadfield 15p55a ~ 16p06d 16.39 ~ 16.48
Rochdale 16/14 16/58
Oldham Mumps 16/26 17/13
Dean Lane 16/38 17/23
Philips Park No.1 16*43 ~ 16*51 17/30
Droylesden 16/58 17/37
Denton Jn 17/02 17/41
Stockport 17L17 ~ 17L25 17.52 ~ 18.18
Northenden Jn 17/33 18/25
Skelton Jn 17/40 18/30
Ditton Jn 18/14 19/02
Liverpool Lime Street 18L31a ~ 18L56d 19.20 ~ 19.31
Crewe 19.40a ~ ??.??d 20.27 ~ 20.32
Wolverhampton HL 20.21 ~ ??.??d 21.13 ~ 21.15
Birmingham New Street 20.40a 21.31


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