Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

‘ Concrete Bob/Sir Robert McAlpine ’. Formerly D6992 it was introduced into service at Cardiff Canton Sheds in July 1965, and has subsequently carried TOPS number 37:292. It headed east at 09:06 and returned west at 14:28. The reason for this movement is not clear but with two in the cab it is possible that this was a route familiarisation run, which suggests there could be trains diverted via the East Lancs Line whilst another path across the Pennines is closed due to engineering work. A ‘special’ organised by West Coast Railways passed through Accrington on Friday the 21 st on a six day rail excursion of the country. Entitled ‘Great Britain XV’ the train was steam hauled by Jubilee Class number 45690 named ‘ Leander ’. This leg, from Blackpool North to York, was on day five of this round Britain tour. It was intended to be double-headed with another member of this class of 4-6-0 locomotives 45699 ‘ Galatea ’, but earlier in the day this engine had been removed after being diagnosed as running with a hot axle box. As a result of which the back-up diesel 47:802 which should have followed on behind, had been attached as a banking loco. Leander was built in Crewe and introduced into service in March 1936. It spent all of its post-war operational life working out of Barrow Road Sheds in Bristol until it was withdrawn in March 1964. It was named after a mythological character that drowned whilst attempting to swim across the Hellespont, this name was also given to a Royal Navy Cruiser between 1931 and 1947. The Class 47 was new in September 1966 as D1950, and also carried TOPS numbers 47:259 and 47:552 For the first time for over two weeks Colas Rail’s VTG Tanker Train ran again in the morning of Tuesday the 25 th . The locomotive in charge of the 12 bogie wagons was 70:809, which on this occasion was working between Preston Docks and Haverton Hill near to Billingham-on-Tees in the North East, as opposed to the usual Linsey Oil Terminal. May In the Summer edition of Amazing Accrington it states that the site of the former holding sidings at the Huncoat Power Station, has already been designated for use as a freight terminal. Local business leaders had contributed to the cost of a ‘feasibility study’ by consultants who specialise in the development of new railway infrastructure. Their findings proved - 1. This was the “ideal” location, centred in the heart of the region’s industries. 2. It had convenient connections not only to rail but to road. 3. It was the only available site in Lancashire for this type of development. There were also additional benefits, which included the establishment of two million square feet of warehousing for the handling of goods, which could lead to the creation of over two-and-a-half thousand new jobs, with even more in secondary and support services. For the first time this month, on Friday the 5 th the Colas Rail tanks ran, between Preston Docks and Total Colas - Haverton Hill, in the North East. This is part of a ‘new flow’ of bitumen tanks between these locations, but it is not clear as to whether this replaces, or is in addition, to the service to Lindsey. With a full load of twelve bogie tank wagons in tow, 70:809 came through some twenty minutes before the booked path. Early running appears to be a regular occurrence in recent times. On Thursday the 11 th , the VTG tanker train ran on schedule behind Colas Rail‘s 70:801 with an increased load of fifteen bogie tank wagons, again destined for Haverton Hill. Earlier in the week it had returned via a more roundabout route via Greater Manchester to Todmorden thus circumnavigating the East Lancashire portion. On Friday the 12 th , there were no train services throughout the North West, due to the ongoing dispute between the train operating companies and the Association of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF), whereas on Saturday the 13 th the Union in dispute was the Rail, Maritime & Transport (RMT), again resulting in no trains running. Northern's Services on the East Lancs Line, trans-Pennine apart are dominated by diesel multiple units of the 150, 156 and 158 classes. Over the past three years these have been modernised with the installation of information screens providing ‘live’ travel information, high-definition CCTV cameras and USB charging points. The programme, which took three years to complete, has finally come to its conclusion.

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