The
first 3 photos on this page were taken from similar positions and show
some of the changes which have taken place over the last 40 years.
The first dates from 1967
and shows the reality of steam railways. A grimy 70022 passes the signal
box adjacent to what is now platform 5. |
Just
a decade later - Electric traction is now well established on the West
Coast Main Line.
An unidentified class 83 and 84003 prepare to depart from the same platform.
Like 70022 in the photo above, these locomotives are now a memory, having
made way for more modern traction.
Photo by Alan Robinson |
62005,
Lord of the Isles lets off some steam prior to departure with the "Pendle
Witch" railtour in 2003. In the background, Debenhams and the
Fishergate Shopping Centre now occupy the space which was once the Butler
Street Goods Yard. |
Stanier class 5 4-6-0 no 44800 cement train Preston 22-9-67.
Bill Watson |
Class
87 no. 87014 stands at Platform 4 - the usual platform for WCML expresses
heading south.The photo was taken in 2004 towards the end of the end of their long
reign on the West Coast Main Line. |
A
Class 86 departs from platform 6 with a train of Mk1 coaches. In the
background, part of the old East Lancs Goods yard are still standing
Photo
by Alan Robinson |
47603
"North Star" stands at platform 5 on a sunny day in Preston
during 1984. This loco is one of the survivors of the class, still working
for a living in 2007 as 47840, and currently in the same livery as
pictured here. Soon it will retire into preservation, with a repaint into
two-tone green on the cards. There is a photograph of this locomotive in
2004, on the North End page of this website.
(c) Neil Dimmer
(1984) |
Platforms 3 & 4 are
occupied by Brush type 4s, with an English Electric class 50 sitting
alongside.
The trains are 1M20 10:10
Glasgow C to Euston Royal Scot and 1M23 10:25 Edinburgh to
Birmingham.
The 10:10 from Glasgow was booked to pass Preston at 13/40 with 1M23
calling arriving 14:10 so it looks like the failure and loco change had
cost the Royal Scot only 30 mins or so.
Before they migrated to the
south west, the 50s were used on the non-electrified northern . Eventually, electrification was
completed between Preston and Glasgow, but for a few years, the 50-strong
class were as common as the Pendolino is today at Preston.
Photo and background
information from Trevor Machell - dated 4th June 68
|
AC
electrics 84003 and 85017
exit the station southwards from platform 5
Photo
by Alan Robinson
|
Class
86 on platform 4 and a class 47 on platform 5, pictured in 1978.
Photo
by Alan Robinson
|
|