Bill Lea was a driver who served his entire railway career with steam, based at 24C Lostock Hall depot. The following item has been contributed by his son.

Dad started off his reminiscences by relating the particularly funny story regarding his application for a job on the footplate. He had made this shortly after leaving school in 1949 and was advised that he must first undertake and pass a medical examination. An appointment was made for him and he was told to report to Manchester Victoria station, where this would occur.

At the station buffer stops, in one of the bay platforms, stood 2 former coaches each converted and fitted-out for that specific purpose.  An eye-test was part of the examination. Some weeks later, he received his results from his medical and was extremely surprised to learn that, in the opinion of the medical officer, he was in fact colour-blind and that, therefore, he had been rejected for employment by British Railways.

My father, of course, went out to find alternative employment and soon started at Stanning’s Bleach works in Leyland.  

It was almost 12 months later that Bill was surprised to receive through the post notice that the railway would like him to attend another medical in Manchester. The explanation offered was that the previous test had been cast into some doubt as it had since been discovered that the examining officer concerned was himself colour blind!!!

Evidently, the results of the second test provided a more positive prognosis and Bill was offered a post at 24C Lostock Hall shed in 1950, starting as an engine cleaner. Obviously, he always felt that he had lost almost 18 months seniority on the footplate.

Under the watchful eye of Mr George Charnley (the charge-hand cleaner), his first duties consisted mainly, as the title suggested, of cleaning engines. Engine cleaning, however, even in those days was becoming quite rare and cleaners were kept busy on a thousand and one other general shed duties.  These, for example, included keeping the locomotive sand-hole fire burning to ensure the sand was kept free running or running around the shed making sure that each loco had 2 lamps and also a full compliment of fire irons; namely a paddle, a dart, and a pricker. In winter-time, the cleaner also had to maintain frost-fires, located in braziers adjacent to the water columns.  These needed to be kept well-supplied with coal in order to prevent freezing of the water in the columns.

After World War II, peacetime conscription, or ‘National Service’ was used by the government between 1949 and 1960 to compel every healthy man between the ages of 17 and 21 to serve in the armed forces for 18 months, and remain on the reserve list for four years thereafter. Generally, there were no exceptions to the rule for railway workers and most young footplatemen had to

After completing National Service, my dad came out of the Army and reported back to the shed foreman in the signing on lobby and was informed that in his absence his seniority was now such that he was a fully qualified booked fireman!

He reported to the Store-man to order new overalls and he could now order a black surge jacket. This jacket was only officially worn by past cleaners (cleaners past for firing duties having attained 187 firing turns). Being a Fireman he would now be rostered onto the junior passenger link with driver Tom Barlow. This junior link was a pairing of young firemen with senior drivers and consisted mostly of the West Lancashire line duties Preston to Southport.

One of the first duties a fireman had to learn when coupling up to the passenger train was hooking on the shackled coupling and vacuum brake pipe and during the winter season also the steam heating pipe. These Preston to Southport duties involved 2 trips each way, running light from the shed to Preston with a 2-6-4 Tank Engine which departed in those days from the East Lancs bay platforms now long gone.

The run from Preston to Southport was normally all station stops although there were exceptions depending on the timetable. On arrival at Southport the train would be detached by my dad. The coaches would then be removed by the station pilot engine. My dad and Tom Barlow would then run bunker first onto Southport's Derby Road shed. The loco would be turned on the shed turn-table, take on water, and depending on time, my dad would then go to the shed mess room and brew the cans!

After a drink and a bite to eat they would then run back to the station and back onto their train for the next trip to Preston. Firemen were really kept busy with coupling and uncoupling apart from their duties on the footplate. This was basically the day’s routine in the (top junior link). My dad spent almost 2½ years with Tom whom he considered one of the top drivers at the shed, a damn good mate!

However one notable memory my dad has when he was crewed with Tom was around 1956 during one night about 10pm running light from Accrington to Lostock shed. They were brought to a stand at Daisyfield Junction, Blackburn. The signalman exhibited to them a green hand signal with his lamp. This indicates to a driver that they can move forward under caution to the next signalman’s home signal, (which they assumed would be red), but the junction ahead was blocked. They continued through Blackburn Tunnel under clause 5 of the signalling rules. However the next signal could only be observed from the fireman's side of the loco (which was, again, a 2-6-4T). This signal was showing green says my dad. It remained green as they went the entire length of the platform at Blackburn station. So they passed the signal and ran into the back of a freight train just in the process of moving off. OOPS!!!

On this particular turn, they always tried to make a point of getting home before the Railway Public House closed at Lostock for the last pint and maybe this contributed to the incident. Fortunately, nobody was injured and little if any damage was done and so the matter they kept to themselves.

After this time my dad moved into the Number 2 Passenger Link, or Middle Link as they called it, the second of 3 links. This link also consisted of Southport runs but mostly again with the 2-6-4T, working Blackpool to Manchester, Blackpool to Todmorden, Blackpool to Colne including returns. In the middle link, he fired for Jimmy Gibson. Jimmy was an excellent footplateman and well known at Lostock Hall; he also took the Mutual Improvement Classes. These classes were run for the benefit of those who wished to improve their knowledge of locos and rules and regs particularly those who were about to take examinations either from cleaner to fireman or fireman to driver.

If Jimmy was not available these MIC classes were taken by George Hesketh. George in those days was himself a past fireman (spare driver). These 2-6-4Ts were on many occasions away from the shed many times from 5am, not returning until perhaps as late as 10 or 11pm. They were only bunker engines and didn't carry much coal so often visited 'foreign' sheds as they called them. For example a run to Blackpool then to Todmorden on returning to Blackpool, they would be relieved at Todd Lane Jct by their own Lostock Hall men. The relieved crew would then walk back to Lostock to sign off. The engine men who worked forward to Blackpool would then go onto Blackpool's Rigby Road shed at Blackpool Central where they would turn the engine, take on water, and go for coal.

Blackpool shed had no coaling plant so all coaling of engines was done by hand.’ Blackpool rock' was the term often used for the huge chunks or cobs of coal which were heaved into the bunker but this was superb quality coal! To get as much of this coal as possible on the loco, they stuffed the firebox to it's limits, filled the bunker, and my dad says he used to stand these huge slabs of coal around the inside edges of the bunker so as to get as much in as possible, for Lostock Hall never had this quality of coal in those days.

While on the subject of coal, in this link my dad also fired for Jack Becconsall who lived adjacent to the main line running past Todd Lane. When passing his home Jack would roll 2 or 3 of these huge cobs off the loco onto the running side of the line. In his own time after signing off he would then retrieve the cobs for use on his home fire.

The only touching story for me was before I was born when he used to tell me of the time he was courting my mum and he would ask her to listen out for two blasts of the whistle he would send her as he passed through Farington.

10D was in fact the shed plate of Preston (MPD) towards the end of the last days of steam. Lostock Hall shed 24C also became 10D, due to the fact that Preston 10D's shed roof was destroyed by fire in 1960. My dad remembers the last days of steam very well. In 1959 the first DMUs were introduced and all Lostock Hall drivers were trained on these DMUs. Certain classes of steam locomotives began to disappear from the shed in 1960 in particular the WD 2-8-0s.

With such confusion during the changeover from steam to diesel and in particular the amalgamation of Preston shed with Lostock Hall, many, many footplatemen left the railway and at this point my dad also left as there was much talk in the shed at Lostock that things were changing for the worst.

The signing on point at Preston station was also introduced in 1960 when the diesels came. The confusion came about with Preston crews having to bring down their engines to Lostock Hall for disposal and coaling etc, and then make their way back to Preston by any means they could. With this travelling to and from Preston which involved both Lostock Hall men having to get to Preston and Preston men having to get to Lostock Hall, this resulted in low morale, a main contributor in forcing many to withdraw from the rail service.

There were of course redundancies - some leaving with a pay out. The period towards the end of steam at Lostock Hall saw footplatemen coming into the spotlight of the railway media. Anyone who has seen the video 'END OF AN ERA' will in fact see driver Harold Bolton (my dads best friend), signing autographs at Manchester Victoria on the 15 Guinea Special. 'Fame for the day' was the commentators comment.

Barney as you may know, as well as being a driver at Lostock, was also a deputy running shift foreman. Sadly Barney is no longer with us, but he always held fond memories of his time on the railway. Barney was the one who actually locked the shed door for good at the end of steam at Lostock on 11/08/68. When he was alive Barney always said to my dad... 'Eh, you know, I still have that key'!

Referring back to the photo which you kindly sent of the anniversary bash, my dad recognised Vinny Commons. It always amazed my dad how Vinny could start a shift on Monday with spotlessly clean overalls and himself too of course, and finish on a Friday still spotlessly clean!!! - while my dad was black from head to toe!!! He always carried 2 hand-cloths, wiping down the footplate fittings; he had a tremendous pride in his work.

Vinny had a brother John who also worked on the footplate, both of them served on the Diesel and Electrics all their working life. As for my dads recollections of the shed closure well he's a bit vague; he finished at Lostock in 1961 some 7 years before the closure. Harold would certainly have vivid recollection of the closure at Lostock.

My dad will contact Harold again soon for a copy of his commemorative calendar of the 15 gns trip and somehow we will get it to you. Yes, we still live in Farington - just down the road from Lostock Hall. You would be more than welcome to visit us sometime and use any material my dad can provide for your research. The only piece of historic memorabilia my dad has now from his days at Lostock is a dirty old vacuum brake pipe complete with its coupling, which he found on the site of the old shed long after it had all been flattened. He found it lying in the weeds and he still keeps it at the back of his garage for posterity.

DICK WILSON

Lostock Hall 1942-44, 1960-86

“Sequence of Events in the Life of Richard”

Penned by ‘Singing’ Tommy Miller, former Lostock Hall driver and close friend of the late Dick Wilson of Penwortham, Preston, this amusing piece was recently sent to me by Mrs M Wilson, Dick’s widow.  

Her husband started work on the footplate at Lostock Hall shed in 1942, before being transferred, during the Wartime hostilities, fairly shortly afterwards to a depot in the London area and where his services were more urgently required.  However, having a widowed mother and a 14-year old sister to support, Dick found it difficult to run two homes at once and, in 1944, made the hard decision to leave railway service, in order that he might return to his roots and family.  Then undertaking work in various roles, including coal-mining, in 1960 Dick finally decided to return to his real vocation in life – the railway.  Spending some time at Alsager and then at Crewe, he eventually moved back to Lostock Hall again and then on to nearby Bamber Bridge as a goods guard, before ultimately ending-up at Preston, by now promoted to the exalted heights enjoyed as a passenger guard.  Ill-health, however, was sadly to cause Dick to take early retirement in 1986.  

The original of this interesting and amusing little piece of verse is framed today on the wall of Mrs Wilson’s home and, although doubtless, initially composed as a humorously innocent jibe at Dick’s numerous changes in career direction, it so very aptly echoes the predicaments enforced upon innumerable railwaymen, at a time when steam engines and shunting yards started to fade for ever into the history books.   

The text also clearly broaches into once very touchy areas surrounding the intense rivalry that still existed in the Preston area between “Lanky” (L&YR) and “Wessy” (LNWR) men, even 40 years and more after the LMS Grouping had occurred.  Lostock Hall Shed (24C) and its various environs remained, essentially, an L&Y enclave well into the early 1960s.

The depot still operated a fleet of L&Y engines whose duties were to serve all the former L&Y routes in the area, whereas Preston shed (10B), until its disastrous demise during a fire in 1960, remained a bastion of all things relating to the “Premier Line”.  Indeed, even at the very end of the steam age, most railway staff (and local enthusiasts) visiting Preston station were still referring to the “N.U. side” and “East Lancs Side” of the station, annotations which, of course, directly related to those companies that preceded even the LNWR and the L&YR – namely the North Union and East Lancashire Railways!

The line in the text about men coming down to Preston is clearly made in caustic reference to a fact that, as from 5 August 1968, those few staff at Lostock Hall who had survived redundancy had been transferred to the Preston Station signing-on point and whereat they were faced with no option but to integrate their future duties with men from what, until then, had appeared to them to be quite an alien world!

(Apologies are made to those from other parts who might struggle with the mid-Lancastrian dialect in which Tommy’s words must be read!)

NORMAN CALLAGHAN

(Lostock Hall 1963-1968) (Preston 1968-1971) (New Zealand Railways 1971-1997) (Australian Railroad Group 1997 to present)

This is a bit of a story about life in the early sixties as a young cleaner at Lostock Hall MPD.

I joined the job in August 1963, along with Dave Livesey.  Dave was No 235 on the roll and I was No 236.  On our first day, we were issued with a set of overalls, but no grease-top cap or badge.  Upon introduction to our fellow cleaners, we were then ‘shown the ropes’ … the mess-room, toilets, stores and sand-house, along with the ash-pits and coaling plant … this followed by morning tea.

Harold Sedgebeer was shed-master, Ted Hoskings was head-fitter and  Len Knight, Fred Hopkinson, Terry Campbell, Barney Campbell and Vince Hughes were all in the loco office.  Terry and Fred were drivers. In the stores were Ned and Harold Cookson.

My first jobs included sweeping the shed – both inside and out, bar boy, emptying ash pits, cleaning up around the coaling plant and phone boy in the office, but on that first day we were set straight onto engine cleaning.   Charge-hand cleaner in those days was Harry Bridges, who soon shooed-us out of the mess-room, to start cleaning engines.  Being the junior hand, my task was to clean motion, side-rods and wheels.

Dave and I were talking away, when I suddenly thought, “It’s raining”.  However, we were inside the shed and it soon dawned on me that the other cleaners up above us on the loco running-board were wringing-out their cloths over our heads!  So, there we were – new overalls and on our first day on the job - soaked in cleaning oil!

Next … more pranks. First, I was asked to go to the stores for “a bucket of striped paint”.  So, off I went.  Upon asking for the striped paint, you can imagine the store-man’s response!  Then, I was sent to find Tommy Dolan – the steam-raiser – and to ask him for “a bucket of steam”!  Finally, Dave and I had to go back to the stores and to ask for “a long stand”!  The store-man certainly put us straight in that we had, once again, been “had”!

There were two other ‘initiations’ that newcomers also had to endure: (1)  Being buried up to one’s head in sand and (2)  One’s personal body parts being liberally greased.  I ‘copped’ for both of these, but then I was left alone.

Another of the cleaners’ tasks, usually a Thursday job, was to “put the oil up”, i.e. to keep the large tanks in the stores full of oil. We also had to hand-coal the ‘Greenbank Shunt’ locos, 0-4-0ST Nos 47002 and 47008, which had been brought onto shed each day by the ‘Dock Street Shunt’ engine (normally a 3F 0-6-0T).

As time went by, more cleaners came on-board – Colin Bamford and Dave Ellithorn,  along with Jim Sergeant, who had previously been a ‘booking boy’ in Lostock Junction Signal Box, near Bolton.

In April 1964, four of us were sent daily to Blackburn station, to be with a loco inspector for passing-out for firing. (We all passed!)  We were then placed on the ‘Passed Cleaners’ Roster and then had 8 weeks on midnight to 13.00, 10.00 to 21.00, 07.00 to 19.00 and 04.00 to 16.00 turns.

Seniority was the key. The senior cleaner on shift went with the driver, the second cleaner with the passed fireman and so on. We worked 48 hours a week until around the end of ’64, from when we worked 40 hours.

As a ‘Passed Cleaner’, one day one could be cleaning and the next day firing and one of those first firing jobs was with driver Stan Higham, over to Rose Grove on coal empties.  We got to Rose Grove okay. Had a brew and then relieved a loaded coal train bound back for Lostock Hall.  Cresting the top of Hoghton Bank, I’d nodded-off on the fireman’s seat and, upon awakening, the first thing that I saw was a white horse in a field … I thought it was a ghost … and let out a yell!  Stan replied, in his Bamber Bridge accent, “Served thee reet for’t nodding-off” – said with a big grin on his face!

Time marched on and Eric (“Tom”) Jones joined the gang. Tom was passed for firing and started on shift work with us.

The Passed Cleaners’ shifts commenced at 12-00 midnight, 04-00, 19-00 and 21-00, so there was always an overlap period and, in those days, Lostock Hall village had a vending machine, from which you could obtain, for sixpence (2½p), a triangular carton of either milk or orange juice.  Early one morning, Tom, Dave Ellithorn, Alan Marsden and I were at this vending machine, skylarking about with our drinks.  Up pulls the local constabulary … and says, “’Morning lads, what’re you up to?”  So, we tell them, “We’re having a cold drink”.  Then they asked us for our names, and so we started to tell them.  

Upon coming to Tom, he replied, “Tom Jones” … to which the reply from the car was “Smart guy”.  At that time, of course, the Welsh Tom Jones was all the rage – hence the policeman thinking that our own Tom was merely being funny.  It took us some coaxing to get Tom away from them!

On the midnight shift, it was quite common to be sent to Preston to be a fireman on one of their own jobs.  During one week, I was on a midnight shift and did six nights on the “N.U. Shunt” with a ‘Jinty’ and a Preston driver.  He turned out to be not a happy chappie, firstly, for being landed with a steam engine instead of a 350hp diesel and, secondly, for getting a young cleaner as a mate. Nevertheless, I managed to clean the fire, of sorts, and then topped-up the coal from wagons near the engine or begged this from any standing engine in the N.U. Yard.

I worked from 00-01 to mid-day, got relieved, and rode my bike home to Walton-le-Dale.  Instead of going to Lostock Hall at midnight, I rode straight to N.U. Yard and relieved the fireman who had relieved me at mid-day.  In a spare moment I would ring Lostock Hall depot to sign-off, then book-on again.  The foremen at Preston and Lostock Hall were happy with this arrangement …. So was I …. with the pay packet I got the next week!

Another occasion springs to mind regarding the 21-00 shift. On Saturdays, we were utilised as a breakdown crew on the steam-crane and one day the crane was summoned over to Accrington to re-rail a DMU off-the-road in the depot.  What I remember most of all of that night was that we got well fed!

Amongst other Preston jobs that we got was one that went down to the Docks.  With a 350hp diesel shunter, going there was hair-raising to say the least, but, coming back uphill, there would be a 350hp on the front and two more banking at the rear.  As a young train-spotter, I can still clearly remember seeing, from the platforms of Preston Station, the ‘Super Ds’ forging up the last few yards of that notorious 1 in 29 climb.  Lostock Hall also worked the heavily-laden banana trains out of the Docks and thence onwards both to Crewe and to Carlisle.  On one occasion, Andy Hall and I went down the hill on the “Fylde Ballast” with a ‘Black Five’, the return trip of which produced fireworks!

On one particular Saturday, I was helping Ken Sharples, the boiler-man, and was engaged in scaling-out a firebox, when the cleaners threw in an already well-alight rag liberally coated in cleaning oil.  Now, this engine was awaiting some new fire-bars at the time, so, being much smaller in those days, I found that I was able to drop down into the ash-pan and out through the front damper into the pit.  I then climbed out of the pit and back onto the footplate, where I said to the cleaners, “What’s going on?” – to which the reply was, “We’ve got 'Caz' in the firebox, with an oily rag lit!” It was only then that it dawned upon them that I couldn’t be in two places at once!  The looks on their faces were priceless!

One job that I remember was on the Southport line. I signed on at around 12.30 and the loco ran light to Preston, from where it departed at 14.00.  Turning at Southport, the loco then took out the 15.30 to Accrington. We then ran light to Rose Grove, where we took a meal break before relieving Wakefield men on the parcels 20.45 ex-Wakefield.  This train got to Rose Grove at around 21.30-21.45.  What was unusual about the job was that we normally got a B1 4-6-0 … with the oven-door firebox and a different type of injector. Upon arrival at Blackburn, we uncoupled and ran to the end of the platform, to take water.

The Southport line closed in September 1964 and I worked the first train on the final day.

I was appointed a fireman in 1966 and my regular mate became Tommy Neale, in the Spare Link.  Tom was always a good mate.  On the '14.00 Spare', we always seemed to pick up the job. Sign on 14.00, L.E. to Preston. Into the bay at the south end - to await the arrival of the 11.30 ex-Glasgow Central & Edinburgh, which split at Preston.  The front portion went out to Liverpool and then we backed onto the rear portion for Manchester Victoria. Off we went - first stop Manchester Victoria.  L.E. to Newton Heath and then 'Control Orders', which was normally passenger back to Preston and then back home to Lostock Hall.

Lots of the jobs were to Liverpool Exchange, Lime Street, Warrington, Carnforth, Windermere, Rose Grove, Colne and Skipton.  There was a regular job to Appleby, but I never did that one. I did, however, fire over the Settle & Carlisle.

Tommy and I were on '00.01 Spare' and we got a job on a diverted Euston-Glasgow double-headed by two Black Fives.  The one I was on was No 44675 - a Kingmoor engine. I particularly remember this as, no matter what I tried, the thing wouldn't steam! We left Preston at around 02.00, took water at Blackburn and Hellifield, with Carlisle being reached at 07.00!  The only other time that I got to go over the S&C was in diesel days.

We had jobs to and from Hellifield and also to Clitheroe on the cement trains for the new M6 Motorway at Shap. In the summertime, we also got jobs over Copy Pit with the holiday specials.  On one occasion, Geoff Ford and I worked a Blackpool North-Leeds with a 5X as far as Sowerby Bridge, where we were relieved by Newton Heath men and came home passenger.

Crewe South shed was closed to steam in 1967. However, one Sunday, Tommy and I got a job steam-heating a Blackpool-Euston as far as Crewe. At Warrington, we were diverted via the Cheshire Lines and onwards to Crewe where both we and the diesel came off. Running light to Crewe South, we arrived only to be told, "You can't leave that thing here!"  So, we had to await a pilot and then run back light, via the Cheshire Lines, all the way to Warrington and Lostock Hall.  

Apart from Tommy Neale, my mates were John Roach, Paddy Hartnett, Eric ("Tom") Jones, Ray Haythornthwaite, Lol Charnley and Tom Sargeant (who fired 4472 Flying Scotsman in 1969, when it came through Preston en route to Carlisle).

Also at Lostock Hall with me were old schoolmates from Walton-le-Dale Secondary Modern, Colin Bamford and Dave Cookson (who were in the same class) along with Howard Blakeley and Dave Ellithorn (who were slightly older).

I still have my A.S.L.E.F. card (signed by Paddy Johnson – a mad, but good Irishman!) and my B.R. steam hat. The latter, however, now possesses a N.E. Region tangerine badge, which I acquired in a swop at Huddersfield in diesel days!

Just two or three tales now. The first one relates to a job that Peter Norris and I booked on for one Sunday morning at 05.00.  We were L.E. to Liverpool Exchange with a Black Five via Burscough and the Southport avoiding line and, at Exchange, we backed onto our train. Now Peter was a heavy-handed driver at the best of times, but … that day … well, Southport to Burscough Jct … OK, Burscough to Lostock Hall … OK.  Then, from Bamber Bridge and up Hoghton Bank … fireworks!  As quickly as I was putting it in the ‘box, it was out through the tubes and up the chimney!  

We got to Blackburn, where the Manchester portion was coupled-up and the train went ahead via Hellifield to Carlisle, diesel-hauled.  We filled the tank and then proceeded tender-first back to Lostock Hall.  Through Cherry Tree and Pleasington we ran and then … into Dante’s Inferno!  The line-side scrub was well ablaze … all the way down Hoghton Bank.  All Peter could say was, “Saved the platelayers a job!”  The good thing that came out of it was that I only had a small fire to clean at Lostock Hall!

The second tale involves Paddy Johnson.  Now, one day Paddy and I were working the 06.30 Preston-Liverpool Exchange and we duly stopped at Burscough Jct and Ormskirk. However, as we normally did on other jobs, we sailed through Aintree, not stopping.  On arrival at Exchange, inspectors were enquiring why had we not stopped at Aintree?  Paddy’s reply is unprintable, however the gist of it was that the 06.30 was normally a Preston’s crew job and he was unaware that it was booked to call there.  

We went L.E. to Bank Hall and dropped the engine on the pit, before then preparing a ‘Scot’ which had come L.E. from Edge Hill.  We then backed it onto the 09.00 Liverpool Exchange to Glasgow.  I had only ever fired 5Xs before, so Paddy said, “Fill her up” and I started shovelling in earnest.  After I had spread the fire, a parting shot from the platform inspector was, “Don’t forget to stop at Preston!” Another unprintable reply!

Paddy gave it the gun up to Ormskirk, then eased off to Preston.  I started filling the box up again and down we went through Farington Curve Jct and into Preston Station, where we exchanged with a Preston crew, the fireman of which was Kevin McKrink.  Kevin carried on filling the box and I put the bag in the tender for him and threw some big cobs of coal forward.

I only ever fired one more ‘Scot’ and that was from Wigan Bamfurlong to Ribble Sidings. I have fired ‘Britannias’, 9Fs, 8Fs, ‘Derby 4s’ to Accrington, B1s, 5Xs, ‘Jinties’, Fowler & Stanier tanks, Fowler & Stanier ‘Crabs’, Austerities, Standard 3s, 4s and 5s, Black Fives and one J39 Eastern engine.

In 1964 we had a ‘Lizzie’ at Lostock Hall for a week or two under repair, before it left on the afternoon Warrington job. (I helped Joe Wilcox fill the box.)  We also had an A4 with a corridor tender on shed, but it was already withdrawn and en-route to Crewe Works (60026).

I have a little tale re - the late Terry Campbell – one of Barney Campbell’s brothers. Terry and I booked-on at Lostock Hall one day.  Passenger to Preston … passenger to Lancaster … then down to Green Ayre and passenger to Hellifield.  Waited a while, then our train arrived – the Carlisle-Red bank empty vans.  I put the bag in and threw some coal forward.  Then off to Whalley, where we picked up a banker through to Sough Tunnel.

I was firing away up Whalley Bank, when something on the steam-heat valve caught my eye … a paper bag. By now, it’s dark, so I have a look inside the bag.  Two pies!! My lucky day!!

I thought they belonged to the Kingmoor fireman who I had just relieved and that he had forgotten them.  I’m soon into them both, next firing round paper bag into firebox.  Water at Blackburn.

Upon getting back onto the footplate, Terry is moving the tool bucket and looking around the damper handles.  “What are you looking for, Terry?”   “Two pies”, Terry replies.   

“Whoops!!”

I tell him I’ve scoffed them, thinking they had been the Kingmoor fireman’s. NOT a happy Terry!

I give him some of my butties, but it wasn’t the same, he says.

Needless to say, during the few times that I fired for Terry again, he kept his pies well over on his side of the footplate!   Oh, happy days!

My very last job at Lostock Hall was on the carriage shunt in Lostock Hall carriage sidings. My mate, the late Jimmy Burke, and I took some empty stock to Wigan for a Rugby League Cup Final special to Wembley.

I was lucky enough to get some driving in on steam engines.  For example, Andy Hall let me drive a banana train from Ribble Sidings to Carlisle, Jimmy Clayton let me drive from Farington to Springs Branch.  Arnold Ainsworth, Paddy Doyle and Ernie Hayes were others who let their mates drive.  Tommy Neale had suffered from shell shock during the War and he did the driving and I did the shovelling – but what a mate!

Some of the older drivers, such as Dick Kay, David Bretherton, Bill Stuart and Tommy Critchley were gentlemen and looked after their young firemen.  Joe Unsworth and Dennis Westwood – young passed firemen – were also good mates.

Family connections: Brothers, Bill & Charlie Stuart, Brothers Harold & Bob Dixon, the Fletcher Clan - Bob, Frank, Peter and John (“Fingers”), the Hall Clan – Norman, Ronnie, Andy (not related) and steam-raisers Tommy Dolan Senior and Tommy Dolan Junior, with Peter Dolan, a driver at Preston.

Heavy-handed on the regulator: Arnold Whittington and Peter Norris.

Men that I recall were transferred in when other sheds closed to steam: From Kirkby Stephen – Bill Taylor, Bob Barker, Eric Wall and Bill Johnson.  From Oxenholme – Eric (“Fasten yourself down, we’re gonna motor!”) Allison. From Crewe Gresty Lane – Eric Edge. From Stockport Edgeley – Fred (“Cob of Coal”) Barron, and Mick (“Bowden’s Gap”) Bowden.  (Mick tried to get 3 engines into the shed on No 2 road – which normally takes two.)  From Southport: Stan Shore and Ron (“Full Regulator”) Clough.

Tommy Southworth was a driver in the trip link until he retired in 1965.  I was his fireman on his last day of  railway service - on the No 78 trip job to Garstang trip, I think.  He let me drive, tender-first, from Garstang to N.U. yard, then on to Lostock Hall.  At 65 years old, he fired the Class 8, but he could still handle the banjo!

At Lostock Hall we dropped the engine on the ash pit. He took of his cap, removed the B.R badge, and threw his cap into the firebox.  We shook hands and I never saw or heard of him again. Another job I did with Tommy was ‘L.E.’ to Bamber Bridge to pick up coal empties for Yorkshire. We had an Eastern Region B1. We set off up Hoghton Bank, Blackburn - water, Accrington - water, Rose Grove - water. Tommy was used to the old Lanky engines with small tenders. A gentleman driver.

I’ll slip this tale in.  1964/65, I think it was that the clean air act came into being. Harold Sedgebeer, the shedmaster, had signs put up saying WATCH THAT SMOKE or KEEP THAT SMOKE DOWN.  Well, on this particular day, Tommy Robinson and I are side by side on 2 and 3 roads.  We had both just spread our fires and put a round on and shut the firebox doors, with the normal result of a lot of black smoke.  Next thing, Mr Sedgebeer is calling us down from our respective footplates, and is saying to us, “Can’t you see those signs?”, to which Harry replies, “What signs? We can’t see anything for smoke!!”  Needless to say, the shedmaster was gob-smacked as he then proceeded to walk away shaking his head!

And another tale for you.  Worked to Carlisle over WCML with a banana train.  We get relieved at Upperby.  Into Carlisle for a brew.  Into crib room enters a Scots driver and fireman, driver gets onto control phone - which is an open line.  The conversation goes like this:

“Aye, control, driver 4M52. I’ve killed a koooow.”

Control, “Sorry, driver, what was that?”  

“Aye, I’ve killed a kooow”.

Control, “Sorry, driver, what was that?”  

Exasperated Scotsman, “Aye, I’ve killed a kooow!”  

Control, “What kind of a kooow?”

Scotsman, “A fu***ng MOOKOOOW!!”

Crib room erupts in laughter, however last word to the Scotsman,  “Fu***ng English basssttard!!!”

I departed from Lostock Hall in May 1968, on a transfer to Preston.  We still had steam jobs, but not a lot. On ‘Control Orders’ we could get any form of traction.

On Sunday, 4th August 1968, I was on a ballast train at Farington and walked over to Lostock Hall depot to help prepare the locos for the Last Day specials.

I left British Railways in 1971 to move to New Zealand.  Joining NZ Rail, I finally became a driver in 1977.  Moving then to Western Australia, I resided in Kalgoorlie where I became a diesel driver for the Australian Railroad Group on freight trains working across the Nullarbor Plain – at 478km the longest straight stretch of track in the world. In 2009, I moved to Mackay in Queensland, again as a diesel driver, before eventually moving back to Kalgoorlie once more.

That all for now, but these notes might just spur on other footplatemen to relate even more tales.  So, come on lads, what about it?  Our numbers are thinning … “we are part of history!”   

CHARLES FINDLAY

Loco-fitter at Lostock Hall

After all these years my memory is a bit rusty. I will give you some information as I remember it. I hope it may be of assistance. You will appreciate that as I was a fitter, my slant will come from the maintenance side. I will give you a potted history of my service then if you think I can help in any way just ask.

I started at Blackpool Central, aged 17, in 1962 as an apprentice fitter. I worked there and at Blackpool North until the week before Central shut. Then I was at Fleetwood until that shut. During my Fleetwood days, I spent 6 months in Crewe works and 6 months at Longsight Diesel depot. I went to Lostock Hall in 1965 and shortly afterward started to work as a Fitter properly. So I had a very short apprenticeship.

Lostock Hall, as you know, shut to steam in 1968 and about half the maintenance staff left. It carried on until 1971 servicing diesels. Four of the fitters then went onto Preston Station, myself included, and the rest transferred away to Wigan, etc. At that point the shed took over the work carried out at Lostock Hall C&W works which was demolished. Where the works was, there is now a grassy area covered by a few trees on the left of the line, about a quarter of a mile, towards Bamber Bridge. I obviously know more about the happenings after August 1968. If you require any further information I will help if I can.

The last shed-master was called Sedgebeer. I think by his accent he came from the West Country. At the end of steam there was a Mechanical Foreman and leading fitter and approximately 26 to 30 maintenance staff. These comprised of fitters, electricians, boiler smiths, fitter’s mates and labourers. I don’t know how many staff the running side had, but there were also Foremen and their assistants, store men and, I think, 3 clerks beside the drivers, firemen and cleaners.

I know for a fact that just after the end of steam a book was published with a photo of Tommy Baldwin passing up the nameplate for Oliver Cromwell to be fitted. Also a little known fact is that there were a couple of live steam engine movements after the final trips, one of which moved a standard ‘5’ to Carnforth.

Some of the locos were withdrawn for trivial reasons.

43027, for example, had a piston gland packing problem, blowing it on its first trip after renewal, (possibly a poor fitting) that was the end of that.

43106 derailed up East Lancashire. Our breakdown gang went and they cut the drawbar between the engine and tender. It was re-railed and dragged back. The Severn Valley Railway bought it. We replaced the drawbar and away it went under its own power and is still in preservation today.

45444 was withdrawn because some of the rivets which securely held the cab in place had failed. This caused the cab to rock forwards and backwards when in motion.

45107 was withdrawn for a serious fault. A 13 inch long fracture from the corner of one of the axle box guides in the mainframe.

I have photos of 43027 on the day it was withdrawn & 45107 on the scrap dump.

Just before the end we had the new class 50’s D400 & D401 allocated in turn for driver training and ‘A’ & ‘B’ exams. The drivers would not move them on shed if they had not been trained so we got in a few driving turns. Our breakdown went to the first 50 to be derailed. It happened on the back line between Lostock Hall Jcn. and Farington Jcn. As the body-side was stressed to take some of the weight and the fact that is was the first derailment, our breakdown gang had to wait for top brass to attend.  At that time they were owned by English Electric and leased to BR.

One of our drivers, unfortunately I can not remember his name, used to talk the Running Shed Foreman into letting him take Black 5’s on the Liverpool & Windermere expresses, instead of the booked Class 25. This came to a resounding halt as one day he went to Windermere and found when he got there that the turntable and water columns had been taken out of use. So he filled the tender from a hose pipe and worked back tender first on the return journey.

I will always remember the joy and contentment of sitting on the footplate of an engine in steam, on a warm summer evening, whilst waiting for the next job to arrive. In the distance, the chortling sound of an injector putting water into a boiler and all around the steamy smell of hot oil and the wisps of smoke, drifting lazily over the shed yard. Only someone who has experienced it can truly appreciate the moment.

That’s about it I’m afraid. I have started to write my autobiography for my family, in which they have asked me to go into detail about maintenance work. But it is hard remembering, as I had, at the time, many other things going on in my life and, looking back, missed a great opportunity to document the passing of an era.

If you ever do anything about Blackpool Central, don’t forget it was unique, in that it was the only shed to have two boards. One for normal loco workings, and one for specials. It also was equipped to do bigger and more complex work on locos than most sheds of its size.

PAUL TUSON

Lostock Hall fireman 1962-63, 1965-68

My Last Steam Turn

On August 4 1968, I was rostered at 10D Lostock Hall shed as the fireman to work on British Railways’ own “Last Days of Steam” tour (1T85).  

One of 6 enthusiasts’ special trains running on this, the very last day of steam, my booked locomotive was to be one of the ubiquitous Stanier Class 5MT 4-6-0s based here, No 45305, and my driver was to be no less than Vinny Commons, a colleague with whom I always found it a real pleasure to work.  We booked on together at 10.49am and set to preparing our locomotive for its last moments of glory.

Always one of the externally visually more presentable of the Black Fives on the shed’s allocation, 45305 was also one of the thirteen locos that had just previously received a thorough polishing overnight by a group of clandestine engine cleaners.

All the other locos having departed during the morning to their respective rendezvous points, at around noon we coupled up to 70013 “Oliver Cromwell” and another ‘Black Five’, No 44781, and the three of us then set off to proceed light-engine towards Manchester. In so doing, the following weekend’s event apart, we were probably the last departure from our shed of locomotives still in normal service.

Upon arrival at Victoria station, it was then up to Cheetham Hill Carriage sidings, where we turned the engine, before coupling up to our stock waiting for us there.  At around 1-45pm, we dropped the 8-vehicle ECS down the bank to pick up the patiently waiting passengers. The route our special was to take was Manchester (Victoria)-Eccles-Earlestown-Bootle Branch-Birkdale-Southport (Chapel Street) avoiding line-Wigan (Wallgate)-Dobbs Brow and back to Manchester (Victoria).  Due to the exceptionally late-running of the RCTS special from London, which was forced to truncate its itinerary, the tour was the only one that day to cover the section of line where the original locomotive trials were held by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1829 and Parkside, where the Rt. Hon. William Huskisson MP was killed following the official opening ceremony in 1830.

Upon drawing to a stand in Platform 11 Middle (the long one connecting Victoria with Exchange), we were joined by two footplate passengers, one being a local conductor-driver (my driver didn’t know the road between Manchester and Liverpool, it not being a route normally worked by Lostock hall men) and the other being a rather surly character whose identity we never did discover.  Whether he was a footplate inspector, or perhaps some other higher-up official, was unclear, but he did, nevertheless, produce a valid footplate pass.

Anyway, at around 2-20pm we got the ‘right-away’ and set off along the ex-LNWR line towards Liverpool.  45305 was steaming well and we soon arrived at Olive Mount Junction, just short of Edge Hill, where our conductor alighted, to be replaced by another man to pilot us onwards towards Southport.  Having turned right at Olive Mount off the direct route down into Lime Street, we then proceeded along the, by now, goods-only line through Stanley and Tue Brook, to gain access near Bootle onto the Liverpool Exchange to Southport third-rail d.c. electric line.  Not unsurprisingly, there were a few surprised faces hereabouts, for the locals had long become accustomed to seeing EMUs - and not a steam locomotive and ‘real’ coaches! Indeed, no regular steam passenger workings had passed this way since the through Southport-Euston coaches, normally hauled by 2-6-4 tanks as far as Lime Street, had ceased running some years previously.

At Southport, our second pilot driver alighted, at last permitting the ever-patient Vinny to take over at the controls.  We managed a quick dash over the racing stretch of mainly level track of the ex-L&Y route through Burscough Bridge, before coming to a stand at Wigan (Wallgate), in order to take a, supposedly, 10-minute stop for water.  Having not been used for a while, the bag at the column was leaking badly and this operation was clearly going to take quite some time.  Indeed, the tank was filling so slowly, that a decision was soon made to uncouple 45305 from our stock and to cross over to the opposite platform to fill up there.  This move proved to be a sensible one and, eventually, we were able to back up again onto the train.  It was at this point that our ‘mystery’ passenger assured me that he would ‘put a fire on’ for the steep climb up to Hindley, however he made no immediate move to do so and, after waiting for a while in anticipation, I eventually had to pick up the shovel to ‘gas her up’ myself.  We had to set off shortly after this and, unfortunately, the fire that I had just put on hadn’t had chance to burn through properly.

Nevertheless, off went Vinny, steam pressure and water level both falling steadily, as he hammered 45305 up the bank with full regulator and probably 40 to 50% cut-off.  I decided to give the fire a good root through with the pricker to help it along.  This produced plenty of black smoke and would be described in the ‘Handbook for Steam Locomotive Enginemen’ as “incomplete combustion”, but it did produce the required effect and we did eventually top the bank, where the road fortunately eased to permit an uneventful run along the direct line via Crows Nest and Dobbs Brow Junctions back to Victoria.  

For an outlay of a mere £2-0s-0d, passengers had been treated to almost 3 hours of steam haulage and after all the final photographs had been taken, we took the empty stock back up the bank to Cheetham Hill Carriage Sidings.  As far as Vinny and I were concerned, the day was not quite yet over, for we still had to turn the loco again, before setting off light-engine all the way back to Lostock Hall shed. As we booked off duty, so ended our last job with steam and, at the time, we thought the end had also come for 45305.  But that, of course, is quite another story

JOHN BURNETT

Lostock Hall fireman 1951-67, driver 1967-68

Those Magnificent Machines

Spring 1967 had brought me promotion to 'booked driver' after seven years as a 'spare driver' at Lostock Hall shed.

"To be a 'booked driver’ at 34 years of age was quite something for those days. To command respect one had to be at least 45! I had 15 years of railway service under my belt, including two years as a clerk and a year on the footplate, before serving my two years of National Service. Finally, I had served 12 years back on the footplate.

Due to a fair degree of enthusiasm I had learned much - most of it the hard way! The relatively brief period of my 'glory days' of the early and mid-60's - when I had a good whack of challenging duties, was petering out. The year 1968 heralded the bitter end for steam, so when the opportunity arose to do some energetic running, full advantage was taken of it.

In writing these words, I hope I can convey to the reader the feelings and psychological background to some of those outstanding runs in which I was fortunate to have played a part, and which in some cases have been chronicled in the past.

There was something of a 'state of emergency' on my mind in those days. I suppose it was akin to the situation of being told that you have only a limited time left to live - except it was not the person that was to die in this case, but the machine.

And what machines they were - how expressive their function, their movement, their voice!

Like a human relationship, one tends to reflect on the times of extreme pleasure, or otherwise, and life has taught me concentrate on the positives and ignore the latter, which leads to depression. Yes, the rhythmic plod of a heavy freight train on a steep gradient is an extremely satisfying experience to meditate on and I can, even after the passage of 25 years, still switch on to the feeling of being on an LMS or 'Austerity' 2-8-0, whether firing or driving, slogging our way up Hoghton Bank or the long climb to Copy Pit, with 54 empty coal wagons in tow behind the tender.

Part of the appeal was the immense satisfaction which came from knowing that a successful trip was maybe the result of my putting the coal in precisely the right place. Or the setting of the controls so that the engine was talking to back to me with such energetic and agreeable affirmation. Isn't that a relationship worth having? I certainly thought so.

This situation was only surpassed for me by the 40/50 mph chatter of a mixed traffic locomotive on an uphill stretch with ten 'corridors' behind the tender.

To watch it was entrancing - to experience it was intoxicating. The knowledge that I was about to lose all this was quite dreadful.

So, let me turn back to the Summer of 1967 and indulge in just a little reminiscence. There was a Glasgow-Manchester and Liverpool train which split at Preston in the afternoon. We used to work the seven or eight coaches for Manchester with a Black 5 4-6-0, maybe No. 44800, 45149 or 45450, which were regulars on this turn. Encouraged by enthusiastic firemen and remarks from the guard, some really worthwhile performances were enjoyed by all concerned on these trains!

No. 44800 was fresh out of shops when she came to us at Lostock Hall and was almost too good to be true! On the other hand, 45149 was a rough old bird but had an extremely sharp exhaust note, and, dare I mention it, when ascending Chorley Bank the sound was the equal of a GW 'Hall' 4-6-0!  With 45450, I recall being brought almost to a stand by signals at Leyland, then, when the road was cleared, its acceleration was an unforgettable and most rousing prelude to a fast run, which I know was not only a delight to the crew but also to several passengers! Albeit some of the steam sanding gear came adrift as we rocked and waddled over Lostock Junction at 60mph-ish! We did stop however, to pick up the bits and pieces as we came back light engine. The signalman handed them to us - along with some choice remarks!!

If I had a Museum of locomotives, of my own choice it would definitely have to include a 'Hall' class 4-6-0, a '43XX" 2-6-0 ,a '45XX" 2-6-2T, an LMS 'Black 5', an LMS 2-6-4T, a Fowler LMS '2P' 4-4-0, an LYR 'A' class 0-6-0 and a Midland '1P' 0-6-0. I might also include an LMS 'Crab' 2-6-0 as the 'ugly' in the collection. The next Museum to mine could have all the 'glamour' machines!

My last steam job for BR was as driver of Riddles Class 5 4-6-0 73069 on the Railway Correspondence & Travel Society tour of August 4 1968. We meandered all around East Lancashire in company first with Class 8F 2-8-0 48476 and later Class 5 45407, but it was not a memorable day. The train was late in from London, we suffered untold delays en route and my engine was not in the best of condition, steaming indifferently. I prefer to remember the 'Manchester’s' I have referred to already, many enjoyable trips to Liverpool Exchange and slogging through day and night in all shades of weather over the Midland to Appleby or Carlisle. They were indeed happy days.

Originally published in “Dignity & Defiance” (Steam World 1993) and reproduced with John’s permission.

JIMMY SERGEANT

Lostock Hall fireman 1964-68 (passed away 1999)

Another story, when I was asked to take a driver, Les Bolton, to Preston station to relieve a driver. The train was for Crewe, if I remember correctly. Barney Campbell, the foreman, asked me to get him there as quickly as possible. I had a very fast motorbike at the time. At every bend going to Preston, sparks flew up, as the footrests touched the ground. We arrived very, very quickly. Les never spoke as he got off the bike.  He walked as if intoxicated, his face as white as a ghost. The train, I believe, did leave on time! Over time, we had many a laugh about it … however, Les never got on my motorbike again!

My very first mainline firing duty was to Carnforth with Preston driver Jimmy Cox, who was the ASLEF rep at the shed. Passing Lancaster, Jim looked into the firebox and said to me, "Where it's very bright, I want you to put some more coal on".

I replied, “Sorry Jim, but that is the coal shovel … I let go by mistake.”  

The remainder of the journey was coaled by hand. Oh Happy Days!

I left the Lostock Hall shed during June of 1967, having had some wonderful years working on steam locomotives. Luckily, Yogi was around with his camera during those years and many memories have been captured by him. I still have many of the photographs.

I went on to work at Leyland Motors. Eventually, I decided to study full-time, in order to gain a degree in Business Studies. I did a Post Graduate course, to become a lecturer in Further Education and then became a lecturer at a college in Leicester.

I studied law, got a Masters Degree in Law and became a Senior Lecturer in Bury, Manchester.

Taking early retirement with good pension during 1995, I set up a private training company with a colleague. This became very successful and soon we had two training establishments, one in Bolton and one in Bury, employing 22 staff.  I sold the business during 2007.  

Now retired, I have a fortnightly radio show on Preston FM every other Tuesday, 2.0 - 4.00 pm - mainly 50's and 60's music. Wave-length 103.2 or on-line at www.Preston.fm.  

I still go on the re-union trips.    

P.S. It was me who nicknamed Tony Gillett, "Yogi Bear". Amazing how it's stuck all these years later!

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 and, almost certainly, there must be many more pictures to be shown … 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.  

You may well be an ex-footplateman yourself and, if so, you must surely have taken a camera to work with you at some time.  There are so many Lostock Hall men for which no pictures appear to exist .... please help us disprove that unfortunate fact.

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.  (For such permission, please refer to the “Get In Touch” page in order to obtain the contact addresses of the administrative team.)