Waiting for a job
In the 1970s most rail-fans from the East Midlands would look forward to a trip up to Manchester, especially this callow 19 year old with a growing interest in photography.
However, Piccadilly, despite its grandeur and being the station for London, was hardly the main attraction with its sterile fare of West Coast Mainline electrics. Victoria station on the other hand was careworn, dilapidated in parts, and had a generally neglected feel to it - but also possessed a unique railway charm that Piccadilly never had, and it didn't take much imagination to see and hear the sound of steam engines hissing and clanking into the platforms. As an added bonus it also saw plenty of freight traffic passing through, some of which required a 'push' up the infamous 1 in 59 bank heading east to Miles Platting.
This reprocessed image captures the locomotive on banking duty on the day of my visit, Sulzer class 24 no. 24024, with one of the crew at the Miles Platting end leaning back casually against the open window. The class, introduced between 1958 - 1961 as part of BR's Modernisation Plan, was already seeing some withdrawals so seeing one in such a setting was more than welcome, especially as in my (admittedly limited) experience a more contemporary class 25 would typically be doing the honours.
My notes tell me I was passing through en route from Carlisle to Leeds, so sadly the brief interlude changing trains didn't give me the opportunity to see 24024 doing the job she was there for. I'm sure I found time to visit 'The Coastal' cafe though - well known purveyors of weak coffee and greasy sausage rolls, essential refreshments to the rail-enthusiast on the move.
The original upload from 10 years ago has been deleted.
Kodak Ektachrome 64
19th August 1974
Waiting for a job
In the 1970s most rail-fans from the East Midlands would look forward to a trip up to Manchester, especially this callow 19 year old with a growing interest in photography.
However, Piccadilly, despite its grandeur and being the station for London, was hardly the main attraction with its sterile fare of West Coast Mainline electrics. Victoria station on the other hand was careworn, dilapidated in parts, and had a generally neglected feel to it - but also possessed a unique railway charm that Piccadilly never had, and it didn't take much imagination to see and hear the sound of steam engines hissing and clanking into the platforms. As an added bonus it also saw plenty of freight traffic passing through, some of which required a 'push' up the infamous 1 in 59 bank heading east to Miles Platting.
This reprocessed image captures the locomotive on banking duty on the day of my visit, Sulzer class 24 no. 24024, with one of the crew at the Miles Platting end leaning back casually against the open window. The class, introduced between 1958 - 1961 as part of BR's Modernisation Plan, was already seeing some withdrawals so seeing one in such a setting was more than welcome, especially as in my (admittedly limited) experience a more contemporary class 25 would typically be doing the honours.
My notes tell me I was passing through en route from Carlisle to Leeds, so sadly the brief interlude changing trains didn't give me the opportunity to see 24024 doing the job she was there for. I'm sure I found time to visit 'The Coastal' cafe though - well known purveyors of weak coffee and greasy sausage rolls, essential refreshments to the rail-enthusiast on the move.
The original upload from 10 years ago has been deleted.
Kodak Ektachrome 64
19th August 1974