Freezing at Madeley

 
   
  On Saturday, December 4th 1954, I somehow persuaded my father that a trip to the West Coast Main line north of Stafford might be a good way to spend a few hours. Despite it being a bitterly cold day with temperatures around zero, he agreed. So off we went in the old faithful Morris Minor WMC236. Our first stop was at Whitmore where two southbound trains and one northbound  were seen. At 11.39am 45638 Zanzibar passed on a Manchester to Birmingham to be followed at 46149 The Manchester Regiment on the Pines Express at 11.54am. The northbound train was 42811 on a freight.
   
  We then decided that Madeley might offer better viewing possibilities, so by 12.15pm, we were duly parked in Madeley yard. Below is what we saw over the next 3 hours or so.
   
 

 
 
NORTHBOUND: DOWN LINE:
12.49 46167 & 46125 (double heading) passed on 11.25am Birmingham to Glasgow/Edinburgh (10).
12.55 42947 passed on down Freight on Slow line.
12.56 46256 passed on the Royal Scot, 10.00am Euston to Glasgow (14)
1.32 44942 passed on 12.10pm Birmingham to Manchester (10)
1.45 46253 passed on 10.40am Euston to Carlisle (13)
1.55 42856 passed on Empty stock (newly painted)
2.23 42856 passed on down Freight on Slow line.
2.40 45545 passed on 10.40am Euston to Blackpool/Holyhead.
2.40/2.45 48296 called Light engine on Slow line.
 
 
SOUTHBOUND: UP LINE:
12.30 44683 passed on Up Freight on Slow line
12.45 46139 passed on Workington/Blackpool to Euston (15)
1.14 45449 passed on Up Freight on Slow line
1.26 49008 passed on Up Freight on Slow line
1.28 46159 passed on 8.25am Carlisle to Euston (13)
1.35 45515 passed on 11.40am Liverpool to Rugby/B'ham (14)
1.56 45430 passed on Up Freight on Slow line
2.10 42926 passed on Up Freight on Main line
2.57 45033 passed on 12.15pm Blackpool to Birmingham (10)
 
3.34 46157 passed on 2.10pm Liverpool to Euston (13) *
* seen at Great Bridgeford
   
  By 3.15pm, we decided that enough was enough, and headed for home. The weather had deteriorated and by the time we reached Wolverhampton, it was snowing hard. Future lineside visits to the area were in summer.
 
  The Photo above, of 45449 on a southbound freight, was taken by a Box Brownie camera. Probably the last time it was used.
   
   
 

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