Lostock Junction

[cheshire lines]

5:30am - Standard Class 5MT passes through on the Down Main with a train of tank wagons, topped and tailed with barrier wagons. Other locos seen on this working include Stanier Black 5s and 8Fs.

[cheshire lines]

5:45am - A Black 5 passes through with a mixed freight on the Up Main. Other locos seen on this working include BR Standard Class 5s and Stanier 8Fs.

[cheshire lines]

6am - Ivatt Class 2 MT 2-6-2T moves off shed and after crossing over the main lines, collects her autocoach from the yard headshunt before setting back into the Bay Platform to await passengers for the first branch train of the day.

[cheshire lines]

6:15am - Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2T number 41321 is in charge of the first Down Local of the day.


A couple of minutes later she pulls away past the goods shed.

There are twelve local trains per day in each direction, normally comprising two non-corridor coaches hauled by a 2-6-2 tank or a 2-6-0 tender loco.

[cheshire lines]

6:30am - The first Up Local of the day approaches Lostock Junction station with Gresley V1 2-6-2T number 67664 in charge.


A couple of minutes later she is ready to depart as soon as the Guard blows his whistle.

[cheshire lines]

6:40am - The first of five branch Autotrain workings has just departed from the Bay Platform hauled, as usual, by an Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2 tank loco.
On the odd occasion one of these isn't available, operations become a little more complicated because any non auto-fitted loco has to run round the coach at the end of each journey rather than just pulling one way and pushing the other.

[cheshire lines]

6:50am - Standard Class 4MT 2-6-4 Tank number 80120 has arrived with the first Down Semi-Fast of the day. There are a total of six such workings in each direction, normally comprising a 2-6-4 tank or Class 4 tender loco hauling three or four corridor coaches.



A couple of minutes later she is on her way again, passing Lostock Junction Signal Box.

[cheshire lines]

7:00am sees a Stanier 2-6-4 Tank in charge of the first Up Semi-Fast of the day.


A couple of minutes later she is ready to be on her way again.

[cheshire lines]

7:05am - Stanier 8F 48739 waits for the Up Semi-Fast to clear the section before being allowed to move off shed.


She then proceeds tender first on the Up line through the station en-route to the Exchange Sidings.


Before using the crossover onto the Down Main

[cheshire lines]

She then backs down onto a train of covhops




and a few minutes later passes through the station on the Down Main.