A day out on the East Lancs Railway.

As Thursday last was my 72nd birthday, Self, Mrs M, my Sister and Bro-in-Law (also a steam nut!) had a day out on the East Lancs Railway. Sister and Bro-in-Law live at Dore on the outskirts of Sheffield, so we got the train from there to Manchester Piccadilly, going through the Dore and Totley tunnel, which I gather is the longest railway tunnel in the UK, and travelling through the Derbyshire Peak District, passing Grindleford, Hathersage, Hope, Edale etc, places We'd driven and walked through many times, but my first time for a different view of things. Arriving at Manchester, we took the tram from Piccadilly to Bury tram terminus, a 5 minute walk from there to the Bolton Street Station from where the East Lancs operates. As the local schools had started back this week (unlike Derbyshire, which starts back next week) there was only a restricted service of 3 trains daily on the around 12 mile trip, so arriving late morning, our first stop was lunch, then a look around. To my great delight, one of my favourite locomotives was just backing down onto a train, unrebuilt Bulleid West Country "City of Wells", which I understand has now taken up permanent residence on the East Lancs.

 

Unfortunately, we discovered that this loco was not attaching to our train, but to a booked lunch outing special train! Our loco was on the other platform, not quite so 'glamourous', but very clean nonetheless!

 

Apart from a glimpse through the trees of a Class 40 diesel with "Class 40 Preservation Society" on the side as we came into Bury on the tram, these were the only loco's visible that day, but I guess that's the best you can hope for on an off peak timetable day. The station and buildings were tidy and nicely painted, and loco's clean and well presented, and staff pleasant and helpful, just what you'd expect on a decent 'Heritage Railway', and a further trip would be worthwhile on a day with a busier timetable.
Keith.