Wigan Album

3x gronks in one shot had some good days walking round the old steam shed. happy days

Cullie. Although I lived, from the age three, until I was fifteen, with my back bedroom window, in Henry Street, Spring view, overlooking the turn-table, and clouds of smoke invariably coming in the direction of my window, I still miss the magic of the age of steam locomotives. They were like living creatures. The years of smoke, does not seem to have done my health any harm. I was born early March, 1934.

Albert; One of my bowling pals on No.3 green in Mesnes Park was Jack Lythgoe a railway signalman. On Sun.10th March 1948 he took me to Springs Branch shed. I drove loco 44832 for a short distance. This loco, a Stanier Black Five, was built at Crewe Works on 31st Aug.1944 and was withdrawn on 30th Sept.1967.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqiYe0CDFdM
shows loco 44832 hauling `The Cathedrals Express` on 30th July 2010. However, loco 44832 is not listed on website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Stanier_Class_5_4-6-0#Preservation
I`ve looked again at the video and have stopped it to read the number of it. It looks to be 44932 which was built at Horwich Works; location now is West Coast Railway Company and is mainline operational.
http://www.steamdreams.co.uk/Executables/GT436TourCalendar.exe?ActionCode=TC
gives the running of `The Cathedrals Express` from Sat.23 Nov.2013 to Fri.05 Sept.2014. On Thurs.05 Dec.2013 it`s hauled by double-headed black fives but doesn`t specify which ones - only states that 18 black fives survived into preservation.

Albert: Forgot to mention that website:-
http://www.railuk.info/steam/getscrap.php?id=102
states 44832 was scrapped.

Hi Ernest. Visited the website. As you state . It was scrapped, (1967). At least a decent number of steam locomotive have been preserved, unlike those massive colliery winding engines, great steam work horses, similar to the Trencherfield factory steam engine. A great sight to see, when it is in operation. I hope that it is still open for the public to view it. It was really a privilege to have lived through the age of steam locomotion.

Yes, Albert, the Trencherfield Mill engine is still running. There are plenty of video`s of it on the Internet.
Did you see Jeff Haydock`s Photo-a-Day on Thurs.10th Oct.2013? This shows the Astley Green Colliery winding engine.

rail uk locoscrapyard search is a mine of information re most steam locos demise,though some classes like the stanier 8f never /seldom give a date or scrapyard they went into.

Yes Ernest, I have had a look at the photograph of the Astley Green winding engine. It is a very clear photograph, and in such an immaculate condition, pity it is not in working order, for all the younger generation to see it in operation. I used to go into the winding houses of No1 & No2 shafts, at Maypole Colliery, just to watch these steam giants in operation. An oil man was constantly lubricating the numerous moving parts.