Preston Station - Waiting Room

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NEWS
28th January 2012
Book News
Robert Gregson's acclaimed Preston book (see advert, centre panel), which sold-out over Christmas, has now been re-printed and is again available in all good bookshops. The reprint includes extra photos and a sneak preview of the follow up, covering the LNWR part of the Preston network, slated for publication before the summer. Also due for publication around the same time is The Railways of Preston - Half a Century of Change. Telling the story of the lines and stations in the Preston area since the mid-1950s, Andrew Fowler’s interesting book charts the dramatically-changing face of the railway from the last decade of steam through the ‘corporate blue’ era to the present day. The book, specially produced for the Guild Year, will feature some 300 photos, many in colour. Details of these books can be found on the Atkinson Publications website.
24th January 2012
Steam Bonanza
The second half of the year is shaping up to be another good 'un for the steam fan. At the peak we have regular steam on Mondays (Mersey Moorlander Express), alternate Tuesdays (Welsh Mountaineer), Wednesdays (Fellsman) and Saturdays (Cumbrian Mountain Express). The Gen / Timetable page is beginning to fill-up!
23rd January 2012
Steam Move
In addition to any other rumoured steam activity this week, 34067 Tangmere is scheduled to move from Southall to Carnforth on Thursday. The times show a short stop at Preston at 16.29.
21st January 2012
Preston and South 1965 -1968
A photographic show featuring images from the late Peter Ditchfiled presented and compiled by Mike Taylor... A digital image show in black and white using the 35mm negatives from the late Peter Ditchfield who lived in Preston and was a frequent visitor to Preston station photographing steam locomotives leaving and arriving during this period. The first of two shows showing Peter Ditchfield's work concentrates on departures and arrivals at the south end of Preston station, with visits to Lostock Hall mpd, Wigan Springs Branch mpd and his trips to Crewe works, to the Manchester area, Birkenhead and Shrewsbury for railtours in between the shots at Preston station. If you were a trainspotter at Preston during this period you may well remember these sights and you may even be in one or two images! Very few dates were recorded by Peter at Preston during this period, so bring along your old 'spotters books' and help us identify the dates! The first show is at the LCGB at the Pied Bull Hotel, Newton-le-Willows, Thursday 16th February, starting 7.30pm. There may be a small charge for entry Space I believe is limited at this venue. The same show is being shown at Rishton Golf Club, Thursday 23rd February, start time here is 8.00pm, where the ever popular 'Railway Meetings' are held each month during the winter season. Entry is £3.00 and the always excellent supper £2.00 at half time. There is plenty of room here and a bar is available.
16th January 2012
You wait for one...
Bob Gregson's excellent book The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway around Preston has sold out the initial print-run. The good news for anyone that didn't find one in their Christmas Stocking, is that second batch is currently on order from the printers and should be available soon. The reprint has a few extra photos at the back and a sneak preview of the next book.... The success if the L&Y book means that "part 2" will now be published. The second volume will complete the railway picture in Preston, covering the former LNWR lines. Publication is expected in the Summer. Also on the cards for Guild year, from a different author, is a nostalgic look at the of railways in Preston. It will feature a large number of photographs, mostly in colour, and should complement Bob Gregson's books nicely, by covering half a century of Preston railways, including the final days of steam.
3rd January 2012
Tours.... lots of them
A very big thank-you goes to Graham Boreham for compiling a huge list of tours for our Gen / Timetable page. The newly updated list now includes over 40 tours between now and the middle of the year... Highlights for the steam-buffs include the return of main-line favourite 6233 Duchess of Sutherland in BR green livery, plus "Castle" 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe on a couple of tours. Things are looking less exciting for the diesel-fans at the moment, but it's good to see 86259 stretching its legs on the Euston - Preston legs of several Statesman Rail steam tours.
3rd January 2012
2012
Happy New Year...! It should be an interesting year for railway enthusiasts in Preston - The Guild celebrations will almost certainly make Preston a destination for a few railtours and plans are afoot to bring some interesting visiting locos to the Ribble Steam Railway. 60163 Tornado is already confirmed and the NRM's prototype Deltic should also be coming back to its birthplace. There are other "irons in the fire" which should bring some once-familiar types back to Preston and the Dock system. Looking at the early railtour schedule, we see that The Cumbrian Mountain Express will feature strongly in the first few months, but there's not much else to report yet. If you spot some railtour announcements that I've missed, please get in touch.
HST Power Car- Weds 4th
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