Earlestown and Bank Quay in the 1980's

A few weeks ago I was handed an album containing photographs from the 1980's covering the lines in Wigan, St Helens, Liverpool and Warrington. I was immediately struck by the numbers of class 56s in use at the time on these lines, especially during the middle of that decade. The album was forwarded by Ken Saunders who used a Pentax SLR camera to take the photographs. I have copied four of his pictures taken at the stations at Warrington Bank Quay and Earlestown for this final May post (31st May 2010) but the quality has suffered a little, as a result.

The first pic is of class 45, 45117, rounding the curve at Earlestown Station heading passenger stock on 9th September 1985.

The second pic shows a coal train out of Parkside Colliery headed by class 56, 56071, taken at Bank Quay Station on 12th June 1986.

The third shot is again from Bank Quay and features three locomotives, 2 x class 20s, 20045 and 20053, double-headed, and a class 47, 47198 (D1848). This pic was also taken on 12th June 1986.

The final pic from Ken's album, taken on 15th August 1986, shows class 56, 56099, storming through Earlestown Station with a tank freight working.

If you have any pictures of historical value such as these, please forward them to me. The educational/historical content of the blog is increasing, and it is all the better for it.