Back to "The Railtour Files"12th December 1981
Branch Line Society
(NCB Littleton Colliery
Railtour)
| Loco Used | 63.000.442 'Western Pioneer' (GECT 6wDE W/No. 5422/1977) |
| Stock Used | brake vans |
Route :
| Loco | Route |
| 63.000.442 | Littleton Colliery (alongside one of the pit shafts) – Fulls Sidings (the northernmost limit of the colliery lines) |
| 63.000.442 | Fulls Sidings (the northernmost limit of the colliery lines) – Fulls Outwood line – Rapid Loading Bunker (newly installed at the time) – the site of the junction for the Empties Inward line (1) – Branch incline (single track with a gradient average of 1 in 48 which includes a section of 1 in 35) – Reception Sidings – NCB/BR boundary (short of the sidings at Penkridge) (2) |
| 63.000.442 | NCB/BR boundary - Cripple Sidings (by the M6 - stub of canal basin line) |
| 63.000.442 | Cripple Sidings (by the M6 - stub of canal basin line) – NCB/BR boundary (3) |
| 63.000.442 | NCB/BR boundary – passing loop at the foot of the incline (4) – Branch incline – Littleton Colliery (5) – Screens - South End Headshunt (6) |
Notes :
(1) Line closed with change of operation to rapid loading and cutting filled in.
(2) Train did not venture to the sidings next the BR Stour lines as an empty mgr
train from CEGB Ironbridge was due. MGR empties from the south reversed off the
main line into the Exchange Sidings where the NCB loco was attached and the BR
loco (rostered a class 47/3 at the time of the 1981 visits) detached. Loaded
MGRs heading south were brought into the Exchange sidings where the NCB loco was
detached at one end whilst the BR loco was attached at the other. The train was
then propelled into the BR sidings next to the main line before reversing and
being hauled onto the main line).
(3) Train returned to Br boundary to pick up some NCB p.w. staff.
(4) Stopped in the loop to allow the empties a run at the incline.
(5) Passengers detrained for a visit to the loading bunker control room for
getting back onto the brake vans to continue to the southern end of the site.
(6) The tour terminated at the south end headshunt (retained to give access to
the loco shed when the rest of the track in the area was removed on completion
of the rapid loading facilities. The loco was detached from the brake vans and
parked in the loco shed.
Source : Andy Pullar (on the train throughout)
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