Lostock Junction

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8-55pm : A Black 5 brings a parcels train into the Down platform.

After uncoupling from the rest of her train, she draws forward with one parcels coach


before setting back into the Bay platform where the coach will be detached.


She then draws forward again


and then backs onto the remainder of her train.


After coupling up and waiting for the signal, she restarts her train


The final shot shows the composition of the train: another parcels coach, a full passenger brake and a long wheelbase van.



Apologies for the gap between postings, but a roll of film got mislaid for a while at the processors (in reality haven't run much in recent weeks due to gardening and DIY duties).

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9pm: 41229 propels the last branch autotrain of the day round the curve past the goods shed.

The signal setting indicates that, as the bay platform is already occupied by a parcels coach, the autotrain will have to use the Down platform.

The train is seen here in the station.

Once the passengers have disembarked, the loco shunts the coach onto the goods yard headshunt, where it will be stabled overnight.

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The next move is for 41229 to make her way across to the loco shed. Firstly onto the Down Main,

Then via the Up Main to the shed entrance road.

Her first port of call is the coaling stage

and then on to the ashpit for her fire to be raked out

leaving just enough steam for her to move to one of the shed roads to be bedded down for the night.

[Chops]

Excellent photography and most interesting scenes.

[IanS]

Not only excellent photography, but the storyline (or commentary) makes a huge difference.

[cheshire lines]

Thanks both.

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At the request of the Traffic Department, the Civil Engineering Department have installed an additional crossover between the Up and Down main lines adjacent to the exchange sidings.
This allows locos on the Up main to run round their trains before shunting the wagons into the exchange sidings.
The following photos show this in action.



8F 48073 arrives with a train of covhops

and comes to a halt on the Up Main

she then uses the new crossover

before passing her train on the Down Main

before crossing over again to buffer up to the rear of the train and shunt it into the exchange sidings.

Having completed the shunt, the 8F, with brake van in tow transfers to the Down Main and goes on her way.

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Once the mainline loco has departed, the ICI shunter takes over:

approaching the train of covhops

and then shunting them round the curve under the pipebridge towards the works.

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Engineering works on the WCML have lead to a number of services being diverted via Lostock Junction.
In reality these give me the opportunity to run some of the larger locos I inherited from my dad (he was a member of a model railway club and ran them on the club layout - which was much larger than Lostock Junction).
Firstly Duchess class 46239 City of Chester rounds the curve near the entrance to Lostock Junction loco shed with an Up express.



Next Brush Type 4 D1111 heads a Down Sleeper Service through the station.





Shortly afterwards, Britannia class 70050 Firth Of Clyde is seen heading a Down Newspaper Train. Immediately behind the loco is a Brake Second carriage, providing limited seating for passengers choosing cheaper ( albeit less comfortable) overnight travel than the Sleeper service.



Finally EE Type 4 D368 heads an Up express past the goods shed.

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I've recently been making some changes to the Albion Engineering site which occupies one corner of the main Lostock Junction layout.
Originally it had two sidings, one straight and one curved, seen here with a brake van sitting next to the buffer stops:



Now the straight siding remains, but the curved siding has been replaced by a section of straight track appearing to run between two buildings:



This purports to form a Light Railway leading to Lostock Canal Wharf and further industrial buildings: