11th August 1968

British Rail
Fifteen Guinea Special

Locos Used 45110, 70013 'Oliver Cromwell', 44871 & 44781

Route : 1T57 throughout

Loco(s) Route
45110 Liverpool Lime Street - Rainhill - Earlestown - Eccles - Deal Street - Manchester Victoria
70013 Manchester Victoria - Windsor Bridge No.1 - Windsor Bridge No.3 - Bolton - Darwen - Blackburn - Clitheroe - Hellifield - Settle Jn - (via S&C) - Petteril Bridge Jn - Carlisle
44781 & 44871 Carlisle - (reverse of outward route) - Manchester Victoria
45110 Manchester Victoria - (reverse of outward route) - Liverpool Lime Street

Notes :
(1) This 315 mile, almost eleven hour journey marked the end of standard gauge steam-hauled passenger service on British Railways. Timings sheet was headed with the statement - 'Last steam hauled train on British Railways on standard gauge track, Sunday 11th August 1968'.

Sources : David Hills (compiled from contemporary reports), John Broderick & Leonard Rogers

Photo Review
(all photos by Roy Lambeth, except where stated)


70013 'Oliver Cromwell' approaches Dent station on the way to Carlisle.


70013 'Oliver Cromwell' followed the Black 5's through Garsdale on its way
to Bressingham and a life of preservation.


44781 & 44871 pass Garsdale on the return leg from Carlisle to Manchester.


44781 & 44871 at Arten Gill (photo: the Bob Mitchell collection)


44781 leading at Wilpshire (photo: The Mike Morant Collection)


From The John Debens Ticket Collection.


From The John Debens Collection - Dining menu and available drinks listing.


Front & back of a souvenir platform ticket
From The John Debens Collection.


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Broderick)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Liverpool Lime Street 09.10d [SL] 09.10   19.50a 19.59
Edge Hill 09/16 [FL] 09/19   19/46 19/53
Huyton 09/22 09/27   19/40 [FL] 19/46
Rainhill 09.27a ~ 09.42d 09.31 ~ 09.42   ? ?
St Helens Junction 09/47 09/46½   19/32 ?
Earlestown 09/54 09.52½a ~ 09.59½d   19/28 19/32
Parkside 09.58a ~ 10.14d 10.08½ ~ 10.18   ? ?
Kenyon Jn 10/18 10/23   19/22 ?
Barton Moss Jn 10/25 10/30   19/14 ?
Eccles Jn 10/27 10/31   ? ?
Cross Lane ? ?   19/09 ?
Ordsall Lane No.2 10/32 10/37   ? ?
Deal Street 10/34 [FL] ?   19/04 ?
Manchester Victoria [P14] / [P12] 10L36a ~ 11L06d 10.42 ~ 11.06   18L48a ~ 19L02d [SL] 19.00 ~ 19.07
Windsor Bridge No.1 11/09 [BL] ?   18/44 [FL] ?
Windsor Bridge No.3 11/10 11/13   18/42 [BL] ?
Clifton Jn 11/17 11/17   18/38 18/53
Bolton 11/27 11/27   18/30 18/45
Walton Sidings 11/56 11/50   18/21 18/35
Darwen 12/01 11/57   18/12 18/30
Blackburn 12w08a ~ 12w16d 12.07 ~ 12.44½   17w58a ~ 18w04d 18.18 ~ 18.22
Daisyfield Jn 12/18 12/47   17/56 18/16
Clitheroe 12/34 ?   17/39 ?
Hellifield 12/54 13.23a ~ 13.29d   17/22 17/37
Settle Jn 12/58 13/34   17/18 17/33
Blea Moor 13w24a ~ 13w29d 13/58½   16w58a ~ 17w04d 17.00½ ~ 17.20
Ais Gill 13.45a ~ 14.05d 14.20 ~ 14.33   16/44 16/45
Appleby West 14/23 14/52½   16/14 16/23½
Lazonby ? ?   15/54 ?
Petteril Bridge Jn 14/53 ?   15/33 ?
Carlisle Citadel 14L56a 15.29   15L30d 15.44


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