10D LOSTOCK HALL  MPD

JANUARY to JUNE 1968

As 1968 dawned, there were but 13 surviving steam depots left on British Railways – all in the North West, mainly in
Lancashire and disappearing rapidly.  By the month of July, the locations of the three final outposts … those with the dubious

honour thrust upon them of completing the last chapter in the history books, were certainly not celebrity top-ranking names

Inextricably  associated with express passenger locomotives and famous titled trains. Indeed, just about as far from this as it

was possible to get, the ‘bread-and-butter’ duties of Carnforth,  Rose Grove and Lostock Hall centred – as they always had done –
essentially upon the efficient operation of freight traffic, with the very occasional passenger working thrown-in for good measure.
That regime continued, with very little change indeed, right up until the very final hours of these sheds’ existence.

If the reader is seeking fanciful tales or images in any way akin to the glamour and romance of the ‘Glorious Years of Steam, then the final chapter in the 87-year history of Lostock Hall MPD in particular, will almost certainly disappoint. Indeed, for both professional railwaymen and enthusiasts alike, apart from the occasional visit by a ‘celebrity’ loco, there really was little that was either eminently outstanding or memorable about those agonising last few months.   

LOSTOCK HALL M.P.D. STEAM LOCOMOTIVE ALLOCATION FEBRUARY 1968

Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0: 43006/8/19/27/33/106,  

Stanier 5MT 4-6-0: 44672/83/713/61/800/16/78/942/71/5149/212/345/53/91/421/36/44/,

Stanier 8F 2-8-0: 48077/253/335/445/76/92/646,  

Total: 30 steam

[LEFT] In early January 1968, No 48492 rests between duties on No 2 Road at Lostock Hall alongside a strangely deserted No 1 Road. The breakdown train, normally resident here, has clearly been called out to attend a derailment somewhere.  This engine was only to survive until February.

[RIGHT]  No 48679 hastens through the long-closed Deepdale Station (on the former Longridge Branch - closed to passengers in 1931) with No 63 Target, consisting of a full load of coal for Deepdale Sidings and Courtaulds Red Scar Works. No  48679 was notable for ending its career attached to a lined-green tender (which, clearly, had originated from a 'Jubilee' 4-6-0). The part-time engine-cleaning gang at 10D had, however, resisted the temptation to clean this particular engine!

Everywhere, the lack of spare components from BR workshops had reached chronic proportions, a situation resulting in otherwise good engines being taken out of service merely for the most minor fault, or even merely because of a sheer lack of parts. It was a fact, at 10D for example, that at least one very reliable and free-running ‘Black 5’ was consigned for scrap merely because it had been ‘failed’ with no more than a few broken floorboards on the footplate!  No 44800, another really good engine, went the same way, due merely to a few leaking tubes – which in other circumstances would have been rectified by several minutes of re-expanding – or even by removing and replacing them.

No 43027 had a piston gland-packing problem, blowing this out again on its first trip after renewal (possibly a poor fitting), but that was the end of that. No 45444 was withdrawn because some of the rivets that securely held the cab in place had failed, causing the latter to rock forwards and backwards whilst in motion. No 45107, however, was condemned with a far more serious fault - a 13inch long fracture from the corner of one of the axle-box guides in the mainframe.

[LEFT] 'Flying Pig' No 43027 was a regular performer on station pilot duties and parcels workings following arrival from Workington in 1967. It was, however, something as simple as a blowing piston gland packing that precipitated its demise on 4th May 1968, one month after this picture had been taken, leaving just one other member of the class remaining in service.

[RIGHT] Five No 44800, a long-term Mold Junction, had arrived at 10D via Shrewsbury in 1966 and was fresh out of shops, soon proving to be a consistently good performer. Its life was ultimately brought to a premature end on 16th March, however, merely due to a few leaking tubes!

Drivers at Lostock Hall remarked that they had waited for years for really good engines to arrive, but that when their wishes did come to be granted, this only occurred right at the very end of the depot's existence!  It was all so desperately sad for anyone who had an interest in steam, and the unfortunate thing for the preservation movement - still then really only in its infancy - was that, maybe, better engines than those actually saved were available earlier, but these had perished through some very minor fault, along with an acute lack of funds to invest in attempting to save them.  

LOSTOCK HALL M.P.D. STEAM LOCOMOTIVE ALLOCATION AT BEGINNING OF MARCH 1968

Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0: 43006/8/19/27/33/106,  

Stanier 5MT 4-6-0: 44672/83/713/61/800/16/78/942/71/5149/212/345/53/36/44/,

Stanier 8F 2-8-0: 48077/253/335/445/76/646,  

Total: 27 steam
 

Nevertheless, ‘refugees’ continued to arrive, as other depots were closed, and many of these remained in service at 10D until the bitter end and, in doing so, one or two becoming ‘legends in their own lifetime’.  Nos 44806, 45305, 45386, 45388, 45407 and 48476 (three of which passed into preservation) came from 8C Speke Junction; Nos 45055, 48294 and 48765 from 8A Edge Hill; Nos 43106, 44878 and 45212 from 12A Carlisle Kingmoor; No 45353 from 6A Chester; No 48723 from 9F Heaton Mersey and Nos 45110, 45260 and 45318 from 9K Bolton, to mention just a few.  

These locomotives came in the last few weeks of steam, when sheds such as 10D had long been struggling to manage with 'camels' … to use a popular description of the day for a poor locomotive.  One such ‘camel’ was No 44878, which had a bit of a reputation and one driver recalls the extreme struggle he had with it on a freight over Ais Gill in late 1967. Because of that experience, it only came to be used on one single passenger train during the whole of its stay at 10D, working out most of its remaining time on ‘trippers’.

[RIGHT] A favourite during the final months of steam on the Glasgow-Liverpool portions of Manchester trains was ex-Stoke depot Black Five No 44713. To the left of this 12th April 1968 picture, can be seen No 44878, which had gravitated down from Kingmoor depot at the beginning of the year. This was not so popular a loco and one driver described it as 'camel'!

[FAR RIGHT] No 44878 again, on 4th March 1968.  During its stay at the shed, it is known to have worked only one single passenger turn.

Dwelling for a moment longer in discussion upon individual engines, former 10D driver John Burnett, who still lives within a stones-throw of the old shed, turned back the clock to the summer of 1967 to indulge in just a little reminiscing. There was a Glasgow-Manchester and Liverpool express, which split at Preston in the afternoon. He said that he used to work the 7 or 8 coaches onwards to Manchester with a 'Black 5', maybe No 44800, 45149 or 45450, which were regulars on this turn. Encouraged by enthusiastic firemen and remarks from the guard, as John confirmed, some really worthwhile performances were enjoyed by all concerned on these trains!  

No 44800 was fresh out of shops when she came to Lostock Hall and this, John said, was almost too good to be true! On the other hand, No 45149 was a 'rough old bird', but had an extremely sharp exhaust note and John, being something of a GWR buff, dared to mention that, when ascending Chorley Bank, the sound was the equal of a 'Hall' 4-6-0!  Another was No 45450, with which he recalled being brought almost to a stand by signals at Leyland, then, when the road was cleared, the acceleration was an unforgettable and most rousing prelude to a fast run, which he fully acknowledged was not only a delight to the crew but also to several passengers! Albeit some of the steam-sanding gear came adrift, as they rocked and waddled over Lostock Junction at 60mph-ish! They did stop, however, to pick up the bits and pieces as they came back light-engine. It was the signalman who handed them over … accompanied by one or two choice remarks!!  

No 44950, a former Blackpool engine for very many years, was a "disgraceful rust bucket" by the time it came to be passed on by Speke Junction shed, but again, John reckoned, "could fairly fly".  On one of the Glasgow-Liverpools, if the train hadn't had to stop at Ormskirk, he would have done Preston to Liverpool in the level half hour, which, he added, "was close to the optimum on the Liverpool line"!  Today, with the line 'singled' and Liverpool Exchange having completely closed in 1977, there are no longer any expresses, nor even any through trains from Preston, with a change of train being necessary at Ormskirk.

LOSTOCK HALL M.P.D. STEAM LOCOMOTIVE ALLOCATION AT BEGINNING OF JUNE 1968

Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0: 43019/27/106,  

Stanier 5MT 4-6-0: 44713/806/16/78/942/50/71/5149/212/345/53/44/,

Stanier 8F 2-8-0: 48253/445/76/646  

Total: 19 steam

As the New Year commenced, despite what management had planned, one or two steam passenger diagrams still existed for Lostock Hall shed, these mainly on 'portions' of expresses that had split at Preston.  At this time, there also still survived a number of parcels train diagrams, as well as a fair amount of freight working.  In addition, many local trip duties still did see steam, although diesels were often appropriated if available. The following is a reasonably accurate representation of the roster at that time.

[LEFT] No 45407 was yet another 'cascaded' engine from 8C Speke and, again, in terrible external condition. Here, on 4th May 1968, it speeds downhill past Hoghton Tower towards Pleasington with 3P26, the 10-40 Preston to Blackburn parcels.

[RIGHT] No 44971 works hard past Rose Grove depot with a lengthy load of coal empties bound for the Copy Pit line on 15 February 1968.  In this view the LMS Standard No 2 coaling plant and the pre-1937 coaling stage (still supporting its original water tank) are clearly visible. Identical items to these could be found at Lostock Hall shed.

Gradually, as the year progressed, the number of main-line passenger diagrams lessened dramatically. According to official loco diagrams, once the summer timetable had come into being, the final regular steam-hauled passenger job of all was supposed to be a Lostock Hall turn. This was the 1P58 (Saturdays Only) 20.50 Preston to Blackpool South (a portion of a through train from London Euston) rostered for a 10D Stanier 5MT.  After completion of its duties in stabling the stock, the loco was then booked to return light from Blackpool to Preston, to officiate as station pilot - or, more specifically, to provide steam heat for the 2 sleeping cars that it eventually attached (along with a BG) to the rear of the 20.30 Windermere-London at around 22.30.  Although little-recognised as such, technically, this too, was a 'passenger' working, albeit merely for a matter of a few hundred yards and only between the platforms at Preston. In performing that mundane duty, it was not the only example, for a similar task involved another 10D loco, in the removal at 03-46 of yet 2 more sleeping cars plus a BG from 1P54, the 23.15 Euston-Windermere. The BG later going forward at 04.10 attached to a Manchester-Blackpool parcels, the sleepers were stabled in a bay platform with the loco steam-heating them until around 08.00.  

Despite the official edict, for a variety of reasons, other steam passenger workings still did occur from all 3 remaining depots, although somewhat sporadically and, at times, not even to the knowledge of the 'grapevine' until after it was all over. (For those requiring further details, some of these are recounted in the book, "Steam-The Grand Finale" - see 'Recommended Reading' Page ).

On parcels traffic, there were now only 4 regular turns.  The first was a 'out-and-home' working, booked for a Lostock Hall 'Black Five', namely 3P00, the 02-50 Preston to Colne and 3P20 19-14 (MX) Colne to Preston.  On the main line, there was 3P24, the (MSO) Preston to Barrow (also a Lostock Hall 'Black Five') and 1P24, the 20-28 Barrow to Preston (but the latter was worked by a Carnforth 'Black Five' and men).

On the freight side, workings were equally elusive and, working timetables for these appeared to have been published more as a 'guide' than for any other ulterior motive. Once again, full details of these are tabulated in the afore-ascribed book and both Carnforth and Rose Grove would appear, on paper, to have possessed the lion's share of those remaining steam duties.

Nevertheless, in the Preston area on weekdays, about 20 or so steam freights still passed by (but not all necessarily through Preston Station itself). These included local trip workings between the various yards in the area and those at Garstang, Horwich, Chorley, Deepdale and Courtaulds (Red Scar) - the latter 2 being on the truncated former Longridge branch.

[LEFT] No 48620 was a visitor from 9D Newton Heath on 12th April 1968 and awaits its return home alongside one of the original L&YR cast iron water columns. This engine was condemned upon closure of Newton Heath to steam at the end of June.

[RIGHT] No 45212 stands on the former Longridge branch at Maudland Jct with No 78 Target, consisting empty mineral wagons that it will shortly trip up the main line to Farington Jct yard. The remains of the former Maudland Jct signal box (that stood on the bridge over the long disused Lancaster Canal) can be seen behind the loco.  Destroyed by fire not long previously, it had been replaced by a ground-frame to handle the remaining traffic worked into the yard.

LOSTOCK HALL M.P.D. STEAM LOCOMOTIVE ALLOCATION AT BEGINNING OF APRIL 1968

Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0: 43019/27/106,  

Stanier 5MT 4-6-0: 44683/713/61/816/78/942/71/5149/212/345/53/436/44/,

Stanier 8F 2-8-0: 48253/335/392/445/76/646/763,  

Total: 23 steam

[FAR LEFT] The end of the road has finally come for Nos 44950 and 44713.  On 25th May 1968, their tenders having been emptied by crane, they await that final call - their celebrated exploits in excess of 80mph on the Liverpool expresses all but forgotten.  Notice the Timken roller-bearing tender behind No 44950.  This survives today behind the preserved No 44767.

[LEFT]  One that remained in the limelight for a little longer and then went on to survive its visit to the scrapyard; No 45305 shares space with Brush Type 4 No D1733 .

Ballast trains also ran, as required, between the Preston and Lancaster areas, and longer-distance general-merchandise traffic, occasionally with 10D motive, power traversed the various routes between Carnforth, Warrington (Arpley), Bolton (Burnden Jct), Manchester (Ancoats) and Liverpool Edge Hill.  By far the majority of the remainder of the freight traffic consisted of coal trains between the Bickershaw and Parkside Collieries (in the Wigan area) and Whitebirk Power Station (just beyond Blackburn), this complemented by additional workings between Rose Grove or Burnley Central and Wyre Dock or Burn Naze (Fleetwood).  There were also 2 or 3 workings over the Copy Pit route, usually as far as Healey Mills Yard, near Wakefield in Yorkshire, although these were more normally worked by Rose Grove engines and men.

 Unfortunately that’s all we have in this section for now, so before you continue on to the next page, please do consider the following. What you have just been reading is, of course, only a small part of the story of Lostock Hall MPD ….  all of it having been gratefully received from a mere handful of contributors who have so generously assisted us to-date.  There are obviously many more stories out there just waiting to be told … only these haven’t as yet been passed on to us!  Therefore, in order to start filling-in many missing pieces in this, still very incomplete, jigsaw, please do now consider making a contribution of your own. Items of information and scanned photographs would be most welcomed.  

NOTE: All information contained within these pages is original material - prepared specifically for the Lostock Hall MPD Website (www.LostockHallMPD.org.uk) and which remains strictly the express COPYRIGHT of the website administrators. Likewise, all photographs used remain the COPYRIGHT of the photographers identified. No item must be reproduced, or quoted from (in whole or even in part), in the absence of express prior permission being granted.  (Please refer to the “Get In Touch” page in order to obtain the contact addresses of the administrative team.)

[RIGHT] The "disgraceful old rust bucket" that was former Speke Junction No 44950. Despite this, it survived to the very end and was no stranger to passenger work at 10 D and is seen here arriving at Lytham on 10th May 1968 with the 12-44 Preston to Blackpool South.                                                       

[FAR RIGHT] No 44806 was another emigrant from Speke, in a similar external condition, but, once more a survivor to the end.  Once again, this engine proved to be mechanically good and saw much use. Here, having been specially cleaned at Lostock Hall shed for the photograph, it is seen during the early months of 1968, climbing to Moss Lane Jct with the 16-53 (Sundays Only) Preston to Liverpool Exchange.

Two Lostock Hall workings that succumbed to dieselisation in the early months of 1968.

[FAR LEFT] No 45212 storms away from Lytham with the lunchtime 12-44 Preston to Blackpool South (a through service from Euston) on 9th February 1968.

[LEFT] On 7th April 1968, No 44713 had been specially cleaned for the 16.53 (SuO) Preston to Liverpool Exchange (through coaches from Glasgow & Edinburgh) and is seen here taking the Liverpool line at Farington Curve Junction. The fireman was John Fletcher who still fires steam on the main line!