IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Shirebrook Close, ST. HELENS, WA9 5XE

This 104 ft tunnel built in 1820's was to accommodate an existing colliery tramway that ran from Sutton to the Liverpool Warrington Turnpike. It has been given grade 2 listed status.

The Class 9F locomotive No 92220 'Evening Star' was the very last steam locomotive ever to be built for British Railways, being completed at Swindon in 1960. It is a 2-10-0 locomotive, and while actually classified as a freight engine, was perfectly capable of handling express passenger work as well - for many years, these engines were seen on the 'Pines Express'. 251 of this class were built and nine have been preserved.

The LMS 'Coronation' Pacifics were express passenger engines. Of the 38 built, some 24 (including the 'Duchess of Hamilton' seen above) originally had streamlined casing, but this was removed in British Railways days. Only three survive into preservation. The 'Duchess of Hamilton' originally had the number 6229, but became No 46229 under British Railways. Built at Crewe, 1938.

The Bulleid Pacifics of the Southern Railway were express passenger locomotives, and when built had air-smoothed casing which gave them a semi-streamlined appearance. There were 30 'Merchant Navy' locomotives, all built at Eastleigh, and some 110 of a lighter design, known as 'West Country' and 'Battle of Britain' classes, which were built at Brighton. The above locomotive is No 35028 'Clan Line', is a 'Merchant Navy', and is one of those which, in the 1950s, had the casing removed, which gave a more conventional appearance. It is shown carrying the headboard for the 'Golden Arrow' Victoria to Dover boat train service.

One of some 391 locomotives to this design built for the Ministry of Supply and War Department from 1943-1953. This one was WD No 75091 'Robert', later bought by the National Coal Board and renumbered 7. A very large number of these lcomotives survive at various locations.

The design for this locomotive originated with Fowler on the Midland Railway in 1911, and over the next thirty years, and extending well into LMS days, no fewer than 775 examples were built, making it the most numerous class ever built in Britain. There are four survivors, this one being LMS No 4027, later BR No 44027, built in 1924 at Derby works.

Ubiquitous on the London and North Western Railway were these neat 0-6-2T of which some 300 were built between 1891 and 1896. This is No 1054, which became LMS No 7799 and BR No 58926.

'Lion' was one of four locomotives built in 1838-9 for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and is the sole survivor of the four. Film fans may remember it as the star of the film 'The Titfield Thunderbolt'

No 600 of the Longmoor Military Railway, built in 1943. It has carried the name 'Gordon'.

Designed by Webb of the London and North Western Railway, this is No 790, 'Hardwicke', one of some 166 of these express passenger engines built between 1874 and 1882. These engines were known as the 'Precedent' class.