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VISITORS
ARCHIVE
Railtours and
special workings to 24th March 2007 - 1st March 2008 |
| This
Page : Photo Archive
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Recent
Photos
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Video
Page
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| 1st
March 2008
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| 9th
Feb - The Cumbrian Coast Express
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[above] The Duke in early morning son before taking the tour
north |
Photos : Martin Brown |
[above] At the other end
of the day, after returning the tour - ahead of schedule!
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Photos : ASB
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| 19th
Jan
2008 - The Preston Docker
|
 67
029 approaches the swing bridge on the way the Ribble Steam
Railway. The train was running 20 minutes late.
[Click
to enlarge] |
 The
silver 67 moves onto the swing bridge with 12 coaches in tow.
Since EWS were providing traction for
this tour, it was expected that a 66 would be used to assist the
train off the dock branch. This would avoid multiple run-arounds for
the 67. In the event, the assist loco turned out to be 37401, which
had arrived on the docks 30 mins earlier.
[Click to enlarge] |
 37401
powers the Preston Docker up the steep climb to the station, then on
to the bridge over the Ribble. A few minutes later, the 67 again
took charge of the train as it was brought into the station and on
towards Heysham.
[Click to
enlarge] |
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| 1st
Dec
2007
|
 37410
and 37417 bring the Festive Yorkshireman tour through
Preston. The train wasn't due to stop in either direction, so with
unfavourable lighting and a forest of gantries , this poor shot is
the best I managed to get.
The destination for the tour was
Leeds, via Carnforth and Skipton, having travelled via Crewe and
the WCML on the outward trip. The return was via Chorley,
Manchester Vic, Stockport and Crewe.
ASB 01/12/07
|
 The
weekend southbound drags continue, so there were three 57/3s
lurking about the station. Here 57313 and 57304 sit in the
platform 3a bay.
ASB 01/12/07
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| 24th
Nov 2007
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| 20th
Oct 2007
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|
 The
Derbyshire Dalesman tour from Blackpool to Buxton and return, sets off
from Preston on the Outward leg. The steam locos, 45407+76079, were
removed at Manchester Victoria on the return trip.
Photo by Dave Hoyle
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| 30th
Sept 2007
|
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National
Rail's New Measurement Train (NMT) passes through the station,
returning from a run to Blackpool.
[left]
43067 john Armitt leads.
[right] Hybrid power car 43089 beings up the rear after pausing
for a path south.
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[Click images for full-size version]
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| 29th
Sept 2007
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[Click images for full-size version]
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| 25th
Sept 2007
|
 The
VSOE Northern Belle Excursion from York to Windermere
pauses at Preston. The train had already waited for more than 10 minutes
south of the station, so the driver was probably getting a little impatient...EWS
Silver 67 no 67029
was in sole charge of the train rather than the usual top & tail pair.
[Click image for full-size version]
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| 16th
Sept 2007
|
 The
Buxton Forrester tour passed through Preston twice on 16th September, on
its way to and from Heysham Docks. 40145 and 37248 shared the duties,
operating in top & tail mode.40145
East Lancashire Railway heads the train as it approaches Preston witn a
particularly strong window-hanging contingent!
[Click image for full-size version]
|
 West
Coast Railways' 37 248 brings up the rear.
[Click
image for full-size version]
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| 24th
August 2007
|
 For
a second time, the Virgin West Coast loco-hauled set was involved in a
Bank Holiday relief, extending its usual diagram from Birmingham to
Preston. Could this be the last such service to Preston?90039
stands at the north of the MK3 set waiting to propel the train back to
London Euston (24/8/2007).
Photo by Mike Thomas
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| 18th
August 2007
|
 Class
47s were once the most numerous diesels on the network, but they are now
reduced to a handful of operational examples. DRS and spot-hire companies
such as Cotswold and WCRC keep the class alive and kicking.
The
Heartlands Rail tour to Glasgow pauses at Preston on the return leg, with 47 828 Joe Strummer
leading. (AB)
|
 As
with just about all rail-tours these days, the Glasgow excursion involved
two locos working in top & tail formation.
47813 John
Peel on the rear. (AB)
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| 4th
August 2007
New
|
 The
Pathfinder excursion was due to be hauled by 6201 Princess Elizabeth, but
due to "Paperwork issues", it was diesel-hauled throughout. The operators
therefore suffered the
embarrassment of having the loco which all the passengers had paid to travel
behind, standing idle as a modern loco hauled the train along the
Settle-Carlisle route.
Here
the class 67 which deputised for 6201 sits at the north of the train while
D1015 Western Champion was attached at the southern end. The use of D1015
would have been a bonus for this otherwise ill-fated trip, since it was added to the tour at short notice.
D1015
had been booked tohaul the Western Fellsman a week earlier, back to
Reading, but the tour had to be cancelled due to flooding in the midlands.
Since that tour was intended as a way of returning the hydraulic back to its home
territory, the oportunity was taken to utilise this tour instead.
Photo
by Dave Hoyle
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| 29th
July 2007
|
 The
new-look 40145 sporting newly-applied "Large Logo" livery on The Fishwick
Centenarian tour
The
repaint has caused some controversy in preservation circles since class 40s never
carried this variation of corporate blue in British Rail service. The
repaint and naming East Lancashire Railway are to
celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ELR.
On the
outward trip, 6201 Princess Elizabeth had taken the train from
Preston to Carlisle. 40145 hauled the tour from Manchester to Preston, then
Carlisle to Newcastle, York, Manchester and then back to Preston, where it
is seen here. It is 9pm and the light is failing, but a high ISO setting
and long exposure give the impression of full daylight.
40145
was deputising for Deltic 55022, which remains out of action following an
engine falure last year. (AB)
|
 Earlier
in the day - 9.45 to be precise, LNER "A4" streamliner 60009 The
Union of South Africa hauled the outward leg of the Cumbrian
Mountain Express From Manchester to Carlisle.
For
those that don't know, this is the same type of locomotive as
"Mallard" which still holds the steam speed record at 124mph.
These
locos would have been rarely, if ever, seen at Preston in their service
years. They were used for the express services on the East Coast main line
in the same way that the "Princesses" and "Duchesses"
were on the West Coast route through Preston.
60009
is one of a handful of main-line-certified steam locos which earn their
keep working steam tours and excursions throughout the year. 60019 Bittern
is also now registered for main line use.
60009
Coasts into Platform 1 (AB)
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| 25th
May 2007
|
 It's
quite some time since a loco-hauled Virgin West Coast service was seen in
Preston. June 2005 saw the end of such trains as the final Pendolino sets
replaced the class 87s. Since then, class 87s and class 90s have seen some
use on the southern section of the WCML and a regular VXC diagram has
taken a class 90 to Manchester but those of us further north have seen
nothing to break the monotony of the Pendolino revolution. That is perhaps
why today's relief train from London Euston (and return) attracted quite a
bit of interest along its route.
EWS
90028, at the north of the Mk3 set waiting to propel the train back to
Euston as the 17.16
(AB)
[click image for larger version]
|
 at
the other end of the train, DVT 82126 Wembly Traincare Centre in
bright evening sun, waits to head the train back south.
[click
image for larger version]
Rumour
has it that this may be the first of several such trains. The planned
increase in service frequency on the WCML, coupled with the long-term
unavailability of the 390 involved in the Greyrigg derailment means that
Virgin will struggle to find extra Pendolino sets when relief trains are
required. Holiday weekends such as this may well see further loco-hauled
trains venturing north like this one. Lets hope.
Keep an
eye on the "Gen" page for any repeat of
this.
(AB)
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| 2nd
May 2007
|
 On
2nd May 07, 86101 was involved in a test run from Crewe to Preston and
back. The test run was for the newly overhauled rake of Mk3s painted in
matching 1980s BR blue/grey livery. This combination was intended to have
been used on the Ynys Mon Express on 24th March, but the
coaches weren't ready in time and were replaced by an ex-Virgin Mk2 set.
Add
a bit of dirt and ignore the odd "detail" like the headlight and
Fishergate shopping Centre (!) and this could almost be 1982...Almost.
Hopefully
these coaches will see plenty of use on railtours. Up until now, the stock
used with preserved diesels has usually been less well-matched than the
combination we see here. There are 47s, a 40, a 55 and 37s which are at
least in the right livery (even if Mk3s are not strictly right in all
cases). A nice rake of blue/grey Mk1s would be nice too...
Photos
by P Costar and C Roberts
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| Saturday /
Sunday 14th / 15th April 2007
|
 "The
West Somerset Express"
Compass
Tours operate several class 47-hauled excursions, intend to appeal to the
general public as well as the enthusiast.
This
tour took a pair of "duffs" from Preston to Minehead and return.
For those involved, it would have been a long day, setting off before 6am
and returning just before midnight on Saturday.
As
is often the case, the stock was stabled in the station overnight on its
return. These photos were taken on Sunday morning.
(AB)
|
 The
first shot (above) above is taken looking North under Fishergate
Bridge.
This
photo (right) was taken from the other side of the road, taken
"blind" at arms length over the wall. It provides an interesting
shot of the old ReS / mail platform (originally platform 1/2), which
unlike all the others, extends northwards beyond the road bridge. It
hasn't been in regular use by the public for many years.
(AB)
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| Saturday
24th March 2007
|
 "The
Ynys Mon Express" Carlisle - Crewe
Having been overhauled and fitted with all
the requisite safety equipment to allow it to run on the main line, 86101
represents the AC Locomotive Group's first move into mainline traction,
with other locomotives in their fleet being assessed for main-line use.
Also in their care are examples of classes 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87 and most
recently, class 89 following their successful bid to save it from the
scrap man.
86101"Sir
William Stanier FRS" pauses at Preston on the return leg of its
maiden trip in preservation.This photograph is the best of many taken with the
feeble flash on my compact
camera.
(AB)
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|
 This
photograph was taken with the same camera, without flash. The camera has
used a long exposure making the scene much lighter than it was in reality.
Without a tripod available, the camera was braced against a post to keep
it still and produce a reasonably sharp picture.
(AB)
|
 "The
Ynys Mon Express" Watford - Carlisle
15
minutes after the departure of the 86, the Cotswold silver pair of class
47s passed through on their way back to Watford. 47813 "John
Peel" had
failed during the day, so both locomotives ended up on the front of the
train rather than the usual top-and-tail configuration, with 47828
"Joe Strummer" doing all the work.
This
is another typically poor shot, due in part to the disastrous combination
of moving train, poor light, poor camera and inept photographer. The
approaching shot failed to materialise due to the lense cover not being
fully retracted... doh!
(AB)
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The
Borderman tour was hauled by 6201 Princess Elizabeth from
Preston to Carlisle and back, with a class 47 in charge for the
rest of the trip from Euston. The weather had been a bit cold and
wet for the daylight shot on the outward journey, so I decided to
dust off the tripod for a night-time shot.
