Twice to Carlisle 1961

In the late summer of 1961, my brother and myself, whilst on a short break with our family at Blackpool, decided to have a trip by rail to Carlisle. And so on Tuesday 5th September, we caught the 9.00am Blackpool Central to Liverpool Exchange service, hauled by 5MT 4-6-0 no 44767, and alighted at Preston.

We had a choice of two services to take us to Carlisle. Jubilee class 45628 Somaliland was at the head of the Manchester to Glasgow, due out at 10.26am, and Rebuilt Royal Scot class 46102 Black Watch was at the head of the Liverpool to Glasgow, due out at 10.32am, but with a booked stop at Lancaster.

Preston..46102 to the left, 45628 to the right.

No contest!. "Black Watch", to us Brummies, was the ultimate member of the Royal Scot class, so it was the Liverpool to Glasgow service that we joined. We arrived Carlisle at 12.32pm.

Highlights of almost 4 hours on Carlisle station were:

46121 Highland Light Infantry on 2.50pm Carlisle-Glasgow

60090 Grand Parade on 3.22pm Carlisle-Edinburgh

46253 City of St Albans on 11.15am Birmingham to Glasgow

46223 Princess Alice on 10.10am Glasgow to Euston

46240 City of Coventry took over 10.10am Glasgow to Euston

72007 Clan Mackintosh arrived on 9.00am Perth to Euston

45716 Swiftsure on 11.00am Glasgow to Liverpool

70050 Firth of Clyde on Glasgow to Manchester

45655 Keith on Edinburgh to Manchester

72006 Clan Mackenzie on Empty Stock

6068 Sir Visto on 12.05pm Edinburgh Waverley to Carlisle

46226 Duchess of Norfolk on Perth to Euston (D2 took over)

46227 Duchess of Devonshire on 1.45pm Glasgow to Liverpool

We returned south on 46227 on the Glasgow to Liverpool service, but encountered heavy delays from Burton & Holme onwards due to the failure of D2 on the preceding train. So we were 82 minutes late into Preston. We returned to Blackpool behind Black 5 no 45078. Despite the late running, the trip to Carlisle had been a huge success, and we decided that at some stage in the not too distant future, we would do it again.

The not too distant future turned out to be Thursday the 7th. The preceding day having been reserved for visits to Blackpool based relatives, plus an evening visit to Bloomfield Road Football stadium to see Blackpool FC take on West Ham United, who included a young Bobby Moore.

So on Thursday 7th September 1961, once again we travelled from Blackpool to Preston on the 9.00am service to Liverpool, this time behind Caprotti Black 5 no 44743. At Preston, the choice awaiting us was between 46104 Scottish Borderer on the Manchester to Glasgow, and 72002 Clan Campbell on the Liverpool to Glasgow. What a choice. Another gleaming 66A Polmadie Scot, or a Clan pacific, a class that we had never travelled behind. 72002 won the day, with some misgiving. I had read that the Clans were modest performers, and 72002 proved the point. With load 11, we struggled up to Grayrigg, then stopped for a banker at Shap. We dropped 10 minutes to Carlisle.

On the journey, we saw 46248 City of Leeds, 45635 Tobago, 45729 Furious, and 45713 Renown.

This time we decided to spend less time on Carlisle station, and headed for Kingmoor shed instead.

Northbound services of interest were the 1.26pm Carlisle to Edinburgh Waverley, with 60068 Sir Visto, the 9.25am Crewe to Aberdeen, 72005 Clan MacGregor taking over from an English Electric type 4 diesel. And 46222 Queen Mary, working north on the 2.50pm Carlisle to Glasgow stopping service.

Southbound, 46230 Duchess Buccleuch gave way to 46248 on the 10.10am Glasgow to Euston. 72007 arrived on the 9.00am Perth to Euston, giving way to an English Electric type 4.72000Clan Buchanon worked the11.00am Glasgow to Liverpool, 46140 The Kings Royal Rifle Corps the following Glasgow to Manchester, and 60099 Call Boy the 12.05pm from Edinburgh Waverley.

So we headed for Kingmoor Shed , where we knew that we unlikely to obtain permission to go round, but worked on the principle that whilst we were walking to the foreman's office, to ask, we would see a fair amount in the process. It worked, for we actually noted 23 numbers before being stopped. And in view were the then stored Stanier pacifics, 46201 Princess Elizabeth and 46210 Lady Patricia. The only other named loco we saw was 72009 Clan Stewart. But it was well worth the trip.

So it was back into Carlisle in good time to catch the 1.45pm Glasgow to Liverpool service. What would be working it this time? Hopefully a Polmadie Scot. No such luck. Another Clan, this time 72001 Clan Cameron. With very generous schedules as far as Lancaster and a load of 10 coaches, the loco held it's own, though 31 mph up to Shap was hardly inspiring. But on the Lancaster to Preston section, with a 25 minute schedule for the 21 miles , 72001 never exceeded 63 mph, and dropped three minutes.

So my conclusion of the Clan class was that they were indeed poor machines. I could never really understand why they were ever built.

On the return journey, we saw 46125 3rd Caribinier, 46133 The Green Howards, 46109 Royal Engineer, 45696 Arethusa, 45584 North West Frontier, 45710 Irresistible, and 45507 Royal Tank Corps.

And another Black 5 run to Blackpool concluded another excellent day.

		Our stay at Blackpool also included a visit to Blackpool Shed (24E) on the evening of Monday 4th September. On shed were 27 locos, including 9 Jubilees. And our journey from the Midlands to Blackpool on the Monday included runs behind 45599 Bechuanaland, D297, 45237, and 42652. Our return on the Friday included 45205 and 45547.

		And so ended a memorable few days.