Bank Hall Locomotive Depot in 1948: two ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire engines outside the smaller through Shed: ex-L&Y 1F 0-6-0T No. 11535, fitted with dumb buffers and swinging spark-arrestor for working in the Docks; behind it is Class 30 6F 0-8-0 No. 12782. (Beyond can be glimpsed an 8F 2-8-0 with the unusual combination of 'M' as well as the BR initial '4' added to its number). Photo: 20 June 1848 by Ben Brooksbank, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.

Recording Locomotive Sightings 1943 - 1968
A generation of enthusiasts recorded the movements of locomotives around the railway system. These records of visits to locomotive depots have been collected and carefully analysed to provide an overall portrait for the period 1943 to 1968. During that period of steam's final years, there was a marked change from the pre-grouping types that still found work at a few depots, to the modern BR designs that worked until the end in 1968. The handling of freight and passenger services was a major undertaking from town and cities, ports, coal mines and factories. All of it traversed the labyrinth of lines that criss-crossed the country. There were numerous 'sheds' spread throughout the length and breadth of the land that provided and serviced the vast army of steam locomotives (20,000 in 1948). Here is just a taste of that history.

Monday 25 March 2024

Shed Profiles - Blackpool & Fleetwood, Summer 1961

Blackpool CentralAllocations 1961
Post Grouping Ownership - Lancashire & Yorkshire Railwayopened:18851938-195024E
type: A brick built 8TS dead ended shed.closed to steam:Nov-641950-195228A
location: On the east side of the line, south of Blackpool Central station.1952-196324E
1963-196610B
AbbreviationsA - AspinallF - FowlerFb - FairburnH - HughesI - Ivatt
J - JohnsonSt - StanierBR - British RailwaysWD - War Department
Sunday 11 June 1961total:41
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 5MT 4-6-0"Jubilee" 4-6-0
4214824E4473024E4506421B453758C4557424E India
4229824C4473324E4507724E4537724E4558024E Burma
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)447426G450935A4542724L4558155C Bihar & Orissa
4255824E4477824E4510226A4543624E4565324E Barham
4265724E4477924E4520024E4546424E4570524E Seahorse
Brush T2 diesel4489424B4520124EBR 5MT 4-6-04570626A Express
D56904492624E4522624F7304641DCrab 2-6-0 (H/F)K3 2-6-0 (GNR)
EE T4 diesel4493024E4522924BPatriot 4-6-04270026D6185356F
D2994494724E4533926A4555021D4284124F6197556F
shed codes5A Crewe North6G Llandudno Jct.8C Speke Junction21B Bescot21D Aston
24B Rose Grove24C Lostock Hall24E Blackpool24F Fleetwood24L Carnforth26A Newton Heath
26D Bury41D Canlow55C Farnley Junction 56F Low Moor
Monday 4 September 196124Etotal:26
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 5MT 4-6-0"Jubilee" 4-6-0
4214824E4473324E4510126A4555924E Britiah Columbia45689 5A Ajax
4229624C4474527A4510226A4557124E South Africa4570524E Seahorse
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)4477824E453128C4558024E BurmaCrab 2-6-0 (H/F)T4 diesel
4262524E4480616A4533626A456385A Zanzibar4270526AD315
4265724E4489424B4543526A4564226A Boscawen427832B
4494724E4566126A Vernon
shed codes2B Nuneation5A Crewe North8C Speke Junction16A Nottingham24B Rose Grove
24C Lostock Hall24E Blackpool26A Newton Heath27A Bank Hall
Saturday 16 September 196124Eincludes "Illuminations" traffictotal:39
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)cl 5MT 4-6-0"Jubilee" 4-6-0
4248024C4466715C448675D451378C4557124E South Africa
4255824E4473024E4491816A4520024E4557641C Bombay
4262524E4473324E4492624E4520124E455785A United Provinces
4265626C4473724E4493326A4522624F4558024E Burma
K3 2-6-0447588A450348C4522724E4558424E North West Frontier
6189350B4481515C4507121E4537724E4559041C Travencore
BR 5MT 4-6-04485117A4507955C4544224E456295A Straits Settlements
7313326F4485616A4510226AEE T4 dieselB1 4-6-0
4486116AD3261B6103150A Reedbuck
shed codes1B Camden5A Crewe North5D Stoke-on-Trent8A Edge Hill8C Speke Junction
15C Leicester Midland16A Nottingham17A Derby21E Monument Lane24C Lostock Hall24E Blackpool
24F Fleetwood26A Newton Heath26C Bolton26F Patricroft41C Millhouses50A York
50B Hull Dairycoates55C Farnley Junction 
Sunday 17 September 196124Eincludes "Illuminations" traffictotal:39
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 5MT 4-6-0"Jubilee" 4-6-0
4214824E446785A4492624E4520124E4555924E British Columbia
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)4473024E4492724E4521224F4557424E India
4255824E4473724E4492827A4522624F455785A United Provinces
4262524E4481515C450348C4522724E4558024E Burma
4265724E4485117A4507824E4522924B4558424E North West Frontier
B1 4-6-04485616A4507955C452781A4559041C Travancore
61031*50A448675D4510226A4537724E456295A Straits Settlements
"Royal Scot" 4-6-04520024E4544224E4565324E Barham
461499A The Middlesex Regiment4567926A Armada
*named: Reedbuck4570524E Seahorse
shed codes1A Willesden5A Crewe North5D Stoke-on-Trent8C Speke Junction9A Longsight
15C Leicester Midland16A Nottingham17A Derby24B Rose Grove24E Blackpool24F Fleetwood
26A Newton Heath27A Bank Hall41C Millhouses50A York55C Farnley Junction 
Saturday 23 September 196124Eincludes "Illuminations" traffictotal:51
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)B1 4-6-0cl 5MT 4-6-0"Jubilee" 4-6-0
4255824E6113536A4468927C4507955C4555924E British Columbia
4262524E6126856A447145A4510226A4557124E South Africa
4265326C6127350A4473024E4510426A4558424E North West Frontier
Crab 2-6-0 (H/F)6136926B4473124E4520024E4559041C Travencore
428869BK3 2-6-0 (GNR)4473324E4522724E4561116A Hong Kong
BR 2MT 2-6-06197040E4480616A4522924B4563526A Tobago
7804127AEE T4 Diesel4487221D4523326A4563955A Raleigh
D3071B4489424B4529512B4564116A Sandwich
"Royal Scot" 4-6-0449161A4531824E4565324E Barham
46109
56F Royal Engineer
4492724E4533315C4566441C Nelson
46136
5A The Border Regiment
4505424L4543624E4566817A Madden
"Britannia" 4-6-24569555C Minotaur
700469A Anzac4570126A Conqueror
shed codes1A Willesden1B Camden5A Crewe North4570226A Colossus
9A Longsight9B Stockport12B Carlisle Upperby15C Leicester Midland4570524E Seahorse
16A Nottingham17A Derby21D Aston24B Rose Grove24E Blackpool24L Carnforth
26A Newton Heath26B Agecroft26C Bolton27A Bank Hall27C Southport36A Doncaster
40E Colwick41C Millhouses50A York55A Leeds Holbeck55C Farnley Junction 
56A Wakefield56F Low Moor

Blackpool NorthAllocations 1961
Post Grouping Ownership - Preston & Wyre Railwayopened:1886subshed to Blackpool Central
type: A brick built 3TS dead ended shed.closed:10th February 1964
location: On the north side of the line, east of Blackpool North station
AbbreviationsA - AspinallF - FowlerFb - FairburnH - HughesI - Ivatt
J - JohnsonSt - StanierBR - British RailwaysWD - War Department
Sunday 11 June 1961Blackpool Central subshed (24E)total:14
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)cl 5MT 4-6-0"Jubilee" 4-6-0
4220624E4245524E4469626A4541921B4555924E British Columbia
4229424E4246124E4526521A4544224E4570855C Resolution
BR 2MT 2-6-2T4263824E4531824E"Royal Scot" 4-6-0
8401024F4616221A Queen's Westminster Rifleman
shed codes21A Saltley21B Bescot24F Fleetwood26A Newton Heath55C Farnley Jct.
Saturday 16 September 1961Blackpool Central subshed (24E)total:28
Numbers boosted by extra traffic for Blackpool Illuminations.
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)cl 5MT 4-6-0"Jubilee" 4-6-0
4215324E4245524E4466021A4535321D45621^67A Northern Rhodesia
4220624E4255924E447428C4538721B45673^67A Keppel
4229424E4263824E4476621B4541021B4570126A Conqueror
Crab 2-6-0 (H/F)4264324E4491021B4543624E4570524E Seahorse
428929B4502512B^4544521E"Royal Scot" 4-6-0
"Britannia" 4-6-2450335A^4544721A461355A East Lancashire Regiment
7002921D Shooting Star451895A^461539E The Royal Dragoon
^ also present next day, 17 September
shed codes5A Crewe North8C Speke Junction9B Stockport9E Trafford Park12B Carlisle Upperby
21A Saltley21B Bescot21D Aston21E Monument Lane26A Newton Heath67A Corkerhill
Saturday 23 September 1961Blackpool Central subshed (24E)total:33
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)cl 5MT 4-6-0"Jubilee" 4-6-0
4215324E4481821A4501212A452405A456718B Prince Rupert
422096A448332A450398A4528721B4567367A Keppel
4229424E4487321B4506521D4533412A4568012B Camperdown
cl 4MT 2-6-4T (St)4487521B4507121E4541021B4572767A Inflexible
4255924E4489024E450935A4541524E"Royal Scot" 4-6-0
4264127D4491816A4511212ABR 5MT 4-6-0461539E The Royal Dragoon
Crab 2-6-0 (H/F)4491921A4517064C7307967A"Clan" 4-6-2
4275026A4494724E7200512A Clan MacGregor
shed codes2A Rugby5A Crewe North6A Chester Midland8A Edge Hill9E Trafford Park
12A Carlisle Kingmoor12B Carlisle Upperby16A Nottingham21A Saltley21B Bescot21D Aston
21E Monument Lane24E Blackpool26A Newton Heath27D Wigan L&Y64C Dalry Road67A Corkerhill

FleetwoodAllocations 1961
Post Grouping Ownership - Preston & Wyre Railwayopened:18831938-195024F
type: A brick-built 6TS dead-ended shed.closed:Feb-661950-195228B
location: West of the line, about a mile south of Fleetwood station.1952-196324F
1963-196610C
AbbreviationsBW - Barton WrightF - FowlerFb - FairburnH - HughesI - Ivatt
J - JohnsonSt - StanierBR - British RailwaysWD - War Department
Sunday 11 June 196124Ftotal:31
cl 2MT 2-6-2T (I)cl 3MT 2-6-2T (St)Crab 2-6-0 (H/F)cl 5MT 4-6-0WD 2-8-0
4126024F4007224E S4016624E S4270724F4498824F9017124B
4126124F4009124E S4017424E S4272224F4520524B9038556A
BR 2MT 2-6-2T4009924E Scl 4MT 2-6-4T (Fb)4284224F4521224F9058156A
8401124F4010324E S4215324Ecl 2F 0-6-0T (F)cl 8F 2-8-09072024C
8401624F4010924E Scl 2F 0-6-0ST (BW)4716124F485025Bcl 3F 0-6-0 (J)
8401724F4016424E S5141924F4716524F4350224F W
8401824FS - stored
shed codes5B Crewe South24B Rose Grove24C Lostock Hall24E Blackpool
56A Wakefield
Sunday 17 September 196124F9.30am - 9.45amtotal:29
cl 2MT 2-6-2T (I)cl 3MT 2-6-2T (St)Crab 2-6-0 (H/F)cl 5MT 4-6-0WD 2-8-0
8401024F4007224E S4016624E S4270724F4498824F9004756A
8401124F4009124E S4017424E S4271127B4510724F9013824B
8401224F4010324E Scl 2F 0-6-0T (F)4275212A4520226A9040456A
8401624F4010924E S4716124F4284324Fcl 3F 0-6-0 (J)9065824C
8401724F4016424E S4716524F4286724F4350224F W0-4-0 diesel
8401824FD2860
shed codes12A Carlisle Kingmoor24B Rose Grove24C Lostock Hall24E Blackpool24F Fleetwood
26A Newton Heath27B Aintree
56A Wakefield