The Cotton Mill Express
More photos from David Hughes.
The Cotton Mill Express ran on Saturday 29th February 2020. This was an ambitious tour that went twice round a Pennine circuit, taking in Huddersfield, Brighouse and Blackburn. It started at Lancaster, and was steam hauled throughout. There was a break in Blackburn, so time for the chip shop. The locomotive was Jubilee Class 4-6-0 45562 Alberta, renamed from 45699 Galatea. Highlights of the day were numerous, but the two unassisted climbs of the 1 in 47 gradient of Miles Platting Bank east of Manchester Victoria was something else! Roll on the next one!
1 45562 Alberta seen arriving with the empty stock at Lancaster.
2 Alberta stands at Sowerby Bridge water stop in the afternoon sunshine.
3 At the summit of the climb to Copy Pit
4 Copy Pit summit was well populated with onlookers!
5 Sowerby Bridge photo stop.
6 Sowerby Bridge
7 Alberta at Sowerby Bridge
7 Alberta at Sowerby Bridge
9 The museum in Lancaster has some railway interest, including the name and number plate from LMS Duchess 46243 City of Lancaster!