Despite a pessimistic weather forecast it turned out nice in the end for the eleven hardy souls at Warrington Bank Quay on 11th March. The sight of 66429 on a southbound ‘Malcolm’ cheered the three amigos for their first sighting of that loco and we had the rare sight of a Dallam there and back trip working with 08897 hauling nothing! The sight of two Fiddlers Ferry coal workings (one full and the other empty) passing each other on the lower level was a noteworthy sighting, whilst the two smokers exiled briefly to the station car park witnessed some heavy clamping of vehicles that shouldn’t have been there.

Locos on Arpley at 10.20 included 37401 37405 37411 66248 08897

175107 10:20 on 08:47 Llandudno – Manchester Piccadilly
66170 10.20 on 6F14 09:32 Stanton Grove - Arpley
57305 10.34 towing ‘dead’ 221113 southbound
66418 10.38 on 4Z34 05:00 Coatbridge - Daventry
175110 10.41 on 10:03 Manchester Piccadilly - Holyhead
175006 10.48 on 10:16 Manchester Piccadilly - Llandudno
390015 10.48 on 08:46 Euston - Glasgow
142003 10.48 depart on 10:48 Warrington - Liverpool
221112 10.53 on 07:45 Glasgow – Birmingham New St
60044 10.56 on 6F10 11:27 Arpley - Gladstone Steel Terminal
390026 11.12 on 08:10 Glasgow - Euston
221142 11.13 on 10:03 Birmingham New St - Edinburgh
150147 11.18 arrival on 10:18 Liverpool - Warrington (15 min late) (return at11.48)
325004/5 11.24 on 1F00 07:55 Willesden - Warrington RMT (returned south at 12.14)
175107 11.49 on 11:16 Manchester Piccadilly - Llandudno
390029 11.55 on 09:46 Euston - Carlisle
221106 11.57 on 08:51 Edinburgh - Birmingham New St
142056 12.05 arrival on 11:18 Liverpool - Warrington (12.48 return)
66522 12.23 on 4S41 Rugeley – Chalmerston
390046 12.26 non stop on 10.29 Euston -Glasgow
66620 12.42 ex Ellesmere Port and then at 13.00 to Fiddlers Ferry
175111 12.50 on Manchester Piccadilly – Llandudno
390039 12.54 on 10.46 Euston – Lancaster
156421 13.05 on 12.18 Liverpool – Warrington (return at 13.48)
390008 13.13 on 10-10 Edinburgh -Euston
221107 13.15 on 12.03 Birmingham New Street - Edinburgh
37423 13.24 in DRS livery Was apparently on its way to York via Carnforth (to pick up an inspection saloon) and then Skipton. The pair would work a trip from York to Whitby & return Wednesday
08897 13.38 on 8T15 Arpley – Dallam trip working (no wagons)
66429 13.43 on 4M44 Mossend – Daventry
175114 13.50 on 13.16 Manchester Piccadilly – Llandudno
221144 13.53 on 10.51 Edinburgh - Birmingham New Street
390014 13.41 on 11.46 Euston - Glasgow
66114 13.55 on lengthy 6E33 Arpley – Immingham
142031 14.05 on 13.18 Liverpool – Warrington (return at 14.48)
390025 14.12 on 11.10 Glasgow - Euston
221112 14.15 on 13.03 Birmingham New Street - Glasgow
60094 14.16 on 7F82 Liverpool Bulk Terminal – Fiddlers Ferry
175006 14.20 on 12.47 Llandudno – Manchester Piccadilly
08897 14.23 on 8T15 Dallam – Arpley trip working (no wagons)
66173 14.40 light engine from north to Arpley
150140 14.41 empty stock working for Helsby
175102 14.50 on 14.16 Manchester Piccadilly – Llandudno
unidentified 150 15.01 on 14.18 Liverpool Lime Street – Ellesmere Port
390040 15.04 on 12.46 Euston – Lancaster (14 mins late)
221143 15.07 on 12.10 Glasgow - Birmingham New Street (15mins late)
66620 15.10 on Fiddlers Ferry to Ellesmere Port
60094 15.10 on 7F82 Liverpool Bulk Terminal – Fiddlers Ferry
221106 15.13 on 14.03 Birmingham New Street -Edinburgh
390038 15.15 on 14.29 Lancaster – Euston
175107 15.19 on 13.47 Llandudno – Manchester Piccadilly
66424 15.20 on 4S44 Daventry – Coatbridge
390042 15.23 non stop on 12.49 Glasgow - Euston
175110 15.33 on Holyhead – Manchester Piccadilly (Arriva Wales new livery)
175006 15.48 on 15.16 Manchester Piccadilly – Llandudno
150140 15.48 on Ellesmere Port – Liverpool Lime Street
142003 for 16.02 arrival ex 15.18 Liverpool Lime Street

RWN/GM/ACD

Postscipt - Additional notes regarding Warrington observation on 11th March 2008

Further information has now been received about 08897’s workings past Bank Quay station at 13.38 and at 14.23 on 11th March when it was going to and from Dallam without wagons – in fact the purpose of those workings is to provide a turn-over shunt for the gas tanks which is different to the impression given ‘on line’ by Freightmaster. These tanks are placed by a main line loco on two roads in Dallam yard but the road tanker can only reach so far before the wagons have to be repositioned.

11/03/08