RECOMMENDED READING

ISBN 978-1-87019-90-0

Scenes from the Past No 54
Footplate Memories: Bolton Trinity Street to Liverpool Exchange via Wigan Wallgate

By Jim Markland - "The Bolton Engineman"

FOXLINE PUBLICATIONS LTD

£17.95

 

This is the fourth and final book of footplate memories from the celebrated former Bolton shed fireman, the late Jim Markland, who passed away in 2008, just a day or so prior to the commemorative event marking the 40th anniversary of closure of Bolton MPD to steam. (Indeed, the opening lines include a obituary to the memory of Jim, as penned by close friend and fellow Boltonian, Steve Leyland.)

The contents effectively comprise a fully-illustrated journey from Bolton (Trinity Street), through Wigan (Wallgate), Pemberton, Orrell, Rainford, Kirkby and Fazakerley, to Liverpool (Exchange).

As publisher Greg Fox explains in his own introduction, Jim had “metaphorically fired his engine as far as Rainford Junction” when his illness finally overtook him.  Many ardent followers of the series had been long-awaiting this next book and, in the end, it was left up to Greg to complete the journey – being very ably assisted in the process by many of Jim’s former friends.  

An unremarkable line in many respects, no outstanding scenery of note and little in the way of taxing gradients, the route nevertheless provided one of its vital links in the L&YR’s ambitions to link Yorkshire and North East England with Bolton, Wigan and the port of Liverpool.

 

Although the reader is saved the sort of depressing views of the modern day scene and motive power (apart from a couple of first generation DMU pictures) that prevail in present-day similar titles from other publishers, the scenes depicted are mainly from the final days of steam on the route. Admittedly, this is exactly how the author remembered the line in the days when he worked over it, to many readers the rather mundane, if not bland, variety of motive power shown, might paint a pretty depressing picture and, in that respect, perhaps a few more pre-1960s photos might have been a welcome addition.  Certainly, the addition of several pages to illustrate the once numerous Grand National race specials to Aintree do assist appreciably … although the purist might observe that most of those workings neither passed over the main body of the route covered by the title, nor were any of these likely to have been worked by Bolton engines or men!

One or two irritating grammatical/spelling errors were noticed in the text, but the vast majority of the illustrations are to a reasonably acceptable standard – albeit entirely monochrome, apart from the front and rear covers.

The infrastructure and train services are covered in detail with extensive captions. Nevertheless, as the title intimates, the pages actually do progress an imaginary journey between the two places.  Ably assisted by sufficient maps and diagrams, that is what really lifts Jim Markland’s offering head and shoulders above the likes of the proliferations of haphazard collections of random images evidenced elsewhere down the years.  

Very much a book for ‘locals’ and those who knew the line intimately, in terms of sheer nostalgia, anyone who remotely falls into such categories will certainly get the most enjoyment from the contents. Indeed, as with the majority of the ‘Foxline’ series, this is a book that one can return to, again and again, and might ultimately be all that is required to persuade potential purchasers that the arguably fairly high purchase price really is worth the outlay.  

Book: 21.5cm x 27.5cm, softback with colour card cover. 128 pages, which includes 269 b/w photos and 11 plans.