Time Capsules
Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 steam locomotive 45397
Photo of the London Midland and Scottish Railway's Class 5 4-6-0, or Black Five, steam locomotive 45397. Seen under power at Southport Station, Merseyside, England c1950.
This engine was designed by William A Stanier and built in 1937. Served for 31 years and was finally disposed off in 1968. In total 842 were built of this class and luckily quite a few survived, 18 according to the wikipedia entry.
Photo © The Step Back Through Time Collection
Picture added on 09 November 2008
This picture is in the following groups
Step back through Time, trains and stations
Step back through Time, trains and stations
Liverpool Exchange stn, 66/67, more likely.
Added by Malcolm Pratt. on 14 November 2011
The roof structures of Liverpool Exchange and Southport were similar, I think. But then they were both Lancashire and Yorkshire termini. Exchange was demolished and made way for Liverpool Link. This shot shows three tracks between the nearest platforms - did Southport have such a layout? The middle track was presumably used as a locomotive release line.
An old LMS EMU can be seen beyond the smokebox of the black five. Would Southport have had third rail electrified lines at that end of the station?
45397 was last based at Rose Grove shed (24B), near Burnley. Would Burnley have been the train's destination?
I'd agree with Malcolm - the date is mid to late 1960s not 1950. The platform lamps and the warning notice re overhead electrification carried by the 5's bufferbeam, above the left-hand headlamp don't fit with the mid-century date
An old LMS EMU can be seen beyond the smokebox of the black five. Would Southport have had third rail electrified lines at that end of the station?
45397 was last based at Rose Grove shed (24B), near Burnley. Would Burnley have been the train's destination?
I'd agree with Malcolm - the date is mid to late 1960s not 1950. The platform lamps and the warning notice re overhead electrification carried by the 5's bufferbeam, above the left-hand headlamp don't fit with the mid-century date
Added by Martin Bodman on 14 November 2011
Re Martin's comment above, I used to live at Formby and travelled to Liverpool on the old 1938 EMUs on the "daily commute". Unfortunately this was after the demolition of all but the facade of Liverpool Central. Southport station had it's electric services to Liverpool running from (what would have been) the left hand side of the station in this view. The right hand platforms (looking in this direction) served the tracks towards Manchester and beyond. Mainline trains from Liverpool Exchange went, via Ormskirk, towards Preston.
However, I'm more inclined to say that the train on the right is not a 1938 stock EMU, but is a DMU, quite possibly manufactured by Birmingham RC&W.
For that reason, I would go with the station being Southport.
However, I'm more inclined to say that the train on the right is not a 1938 stock EMU, but is a DMU, quite possibly manufactured by Birmingham RC&W.
For that reason, I would go with the station being Southport.
Added by Mike Caird on 15 November 2011
Now you mention the emu Martin, this dates the shot mid sixties forward, with the half yellow unit front. The train would be the Glasgow, worked by Springs bch men, as far as Preston. I know this, for my friend A Pollard passed out for driving on this job.
Added by Malcolm Pratt. on 15 November 2011
England
