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John45378 · 15-03-2009, 19:33

As a newcomer - can I put in my tuppence-worth on the confusing photo?

The reason why it's causing problems is that it appears to be a most unusual movement - and as one who spent a lot of time at Accrington station in the Fifties and Sixties I can't say I've ever seen the like.

Firstly which hand of the picture is correct. The clue is in the number on the smokebox; and also the platform number. Assuming the train is going forward - ie towards the camera - it's turning to the right - as viewed from its direction of travel.

And that's where the problem is - because it's 'wrong line' - ie facing in the opposite direction to that anticipated. Trains in UK normally run on the left, but this one's on the right. It's standing in the Blackburn - Church - Burnley platform, taking water from the water column that was adjacent to the footbridge, but facing towards Blackburn. There was no water column on the normal platform for Burnley to Blackburn - platform 5 - so it must have reversed on the crossover that about a quarter of the way across the viaduct. Very unusual.

I'm trying to think where the next water column was heading towards Blackburn - probably just before Church station, so they must have run things very low and got desperate.

For completeness: the platforms at Accrington were numbered 1 - 6 from the 'town' side - which is where the booking office used to be.

Plat 1 - bay platform for the Haslingden and Manchester trains.
Plat 2 - thro' platform for Burnley - Haslingden & Manchester trains - also used for parcels trains.
Plat 3 - thro' platform for Manchester & Haslingden - Burnley trains
Plat 4 - bay platform for Blackburn trains
Plat 5 - thro' platform for Burnley - Blackburn trains
Plat 6 - thro' platform for Blackburn - Burnley trains.

I used to catch the 0758 from plat 4 to Blackburn to go to school.
In the 10 mins up to and including that train leaving, all 6 platforms saw departures - and occasionally a parcels train as well.

Your correspondents are correct about the triangular layout at Accrington, which could be used for reversals. But in practice by the late Fifties/early Sixties, there was very little use of the South - west (Baxenden - Blackburn) side of the triangle by longer-distance traffic - though there was a lot of shunting into the goods yard which was in front of Howard & Bullough's

Rgds

45378

15-03-2009, 19:33	#41
John45378 Junior Member+ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cheshire Posts: 12 Liked: 0 times Rep Power: 0	Re: Accrington Train station As a newcomer - can I put in my tuppence-worth on the confusing photo? The reason why it's causing problems is that it appears to be a most unusual movement - and as one who spent a lot of time at Accrington station in the Fifties and Sixties I can't say I've ever seen the like. Firstly which hand of the picture is correct. The clue is in the number on the smokebox; and also the platform number. Assuming the train is going forward - ie towards the camera - it's turning to the right - as viewed from its direction of travel. And that's where the problem is - because it's 'wrong line' - ie facing in the opposite direction to that anticipated. Trains in UK normally run on the left, but this one's on the right. It's standing in the Blackburn - Church - Burnley platform, taking water from the water column that was adjacent to the footbridge, but facing towards Blackburn. There was no water column on the normal platform for Burnley to Blackburn - platform 5 - so it must have reversed on the crossover that about a quarter of the way across the viaduct. Very unusual. I'm trying to think where the next water column was heading towards Blackburn - probably just before Church station, so they must have run things very low and got desperate. For completeness: the platforms at Accrington were numbered 1 - 6 from the 'town' side - which is where the booking office used to be. Plat 1 - bay platform for the Haslingden and Manchester trains. Plat 2 - thro' platform for Burnley - Haslingden & Manchester trains - also used for parcels trains. Plat 3 - thro' platform for Manchester & Haslingden - Burnley trains Plat 4 - bay platform for Blackburn trains Plat 5 - thro' platform for Burnley - Blackburn trains Plat 6 - thro' platform for Blackburn - Burnley trains. I used to catch the 0758 from plat 4 to Blackburn to go to school. In the 10 mins up to and including that train leaving, all 6 platforms saw departures - and occasionally a parcels train as well. Your correspondents are correct about the triangular layout at Accrington, which could be used for reversals. But in practice by the late Fifties/early Sixties, there was very little use of the South - west (Baxenden - Blackburn) side of the triangle by longer-distance traffic - though there was a lot of shunting into the goods yard which was in front of Howard & Bullough's Rgds 45378