IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Brackenbury Close, PRESTON, PR5 5NB

A fine panoramic view up the West Coast Main line on one of its busiest stretches, between Euxton Junction and Preston, which the ex-London & North Western shared with the ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire as the Lancashire Union Railway, the L&Y trains from the Manchester direction joining at Euxton Junction. It was especially busy on Summer Saturdays and here in 1957 the 16.55 from Manchester Victoria to Blackpool North/Fleetwood, headed by yet another Stanier 'Black Five', No. 44965 (built 8/46, withdrawn 4/68) approaches the site of Farington station (closed on 7/3/60) on the Down Fast, as an Up express recedes on the Up Slow past Farington Junction Box. On the left of the Box with the line of wagons is the ex-L&Y Farington Fork, which allowed access at Lostock Hall to the former East Lancashire line from Liverpool to Blackburn; this Fork was probably only used for freight.

This is the view south from Croston Road bridge. For the northwards view see Image Here, a class 150 Sprinter bearing both "Regional Railways" and Greater Manchester PTE logos operates a Buxton to Blackpool South working.

View southward, towards Euxton Junction then Wigan and the South on the WCML, and Bolton and Manchester Victoria on the L&Y main line. (See Image] for more detail). The 16.35 from Rochdale has come via Bolton and is headed by LMS Fowler 6'9" 3-cylinder Compound 4P 4-4-0 No. 41193 (built 1932, withdrawn 11/58).

Power line at dawn.

View northward on the West Coast Main Line. The Class C freight is headed by Hughes/Fowler 5P4F 2-6-0 No. 42841 (built 1930 as No. 13141, withdrawn 3/65) and is running on the Up Fast line. In 1957 Farington station was still intact. See also Image and other photographs.

View northward, towards Preston etc. on the WCML - see Image] and other images here. On this exceptionally busy Summer Saturday, Control found it necessary to roster a Stanier 8F for a Relief from Blackpool to a Central Division (ex-L&Y) destination, No. 48602 (built by the SR at Eastleigh in 4/43, but employed on the LMS/BR(LMR), withdrawn in 7/67).

Former cotton spinning mill at Lostock Hall. Now split into industrial units.

Row of houses off Sherdley Road, between the industrial estate and the river.

This photograph was taken just five minutes after Image, from a short distance further back; it shows the overbridge carrying the former East Lancashire Lostock Hall Loop, which connected Liverpool with Blackburn avoiding Preston, but was also traversed by Blackpool - Glasgow trains that passed through Preston twice on their U-shaped route. This second express on the Up Fast was the 07.30 Aberdeen to Manchester Victoria, double-headed by Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 No. 45195 (built 1935, withdrawn 7/66) piloting 'Patriot' 4-6-0 No. 45537 'Private E. Sykes, V.C.' (built 7/33, withdrawn 6/62).