Lostock Hall Shed Scottish BRCWs in the 1970s

[Karl]

Does anybody remember or have any information about the Class 26/27s that were stabled on Lostock Hall shed overnight on their way to Crewe Works back in the early 1970s?

I can vaguely remember these Scottish Type 2 BRCWs visiting Lostock Hall shed. Scottish locos were a rarity in those days and I can remember as a kid sneaking out in the middle of the night to nip to Lostock Hall shed to view 3 or 4 class 26 or 27's stabled up overnight on their journey to Crewe works.

I think I can remember about 4 of the class being dragged over the WCML to the shed and then seeing them parked up at the shed.

I wondered if anybody remembers the event or has any details etc?

 

[Ash Bridge]

Does anybody remember or have any information about the Class 26/27s that were stabled on Lostock Hall shed overnight on their way to Crewe Works back in the early 1970s?

I can vaguely remember these Scottish Type 2 BRCWs visiting Lostock Hall shed. Scottish locos were a rarity in those days and I can remember as a kid sneaking out in the middle of the night to nip to Lostock Hall shed to view 3 or 4 class 26 or 27's stabled up overnight on their journey to Crewe works.

I think I can remember about 4 of the class being dragged over the WCML to the shed and then seeing them parked up at the shed.

I wondered if anybody remembers the event or has any details etc?

This dosen't add a lot of detail, but I recall back in the early seventies, 1971 give or take a year, I setting off back to school having been home one lunchtime. I just stepped out of the house when I heard the sound of a class 24/25 working hard up the gradient from the Stockport direction, wouldn't have normally stopped to watch as a 25 was just so common in those days, but the fact it was working so hard made me hang on to see it. Couldn't believe my eyes when a Class 27 came into view instead of the expected 25 on the head of a freight. Could that have been one of these locos working its way back to Scotland from Crewe?

 

[Karl]

Thanks Ash. Was the 27 you saw an ex-works looking example?

At a guess I would say the year was between 1971 and perhaps 1973. The ones I saw were definitely pre-TOPS as they were all un-renumbered. I also never actually saw any making their way back North. I also think the BRCWs would appear overnight at Lostock Hall around the same time of year over a few years. The convoy would be gone from the shed by the next day so they sort of slipped past most spotters attention.

I'd love to hear if anyone else remembers the movements.

 

[Ash Bridge]

TBH Karl with the passage of time I honestly can't remember, It would definately be no later than May 1972, as I left secondary school after that month so 1971 to that date seems about right. I'd never seen a 26/27 until that day, and to my then less educated mind (certainly railway wise) was totally surprised that they sounded identical to their English cousins, I'm certain about the fact it was a northbound goods working though, if only I had had my Kodak Instamatic in my hand at the time...

 

[Taunton]

I'm surprised to hear of this; having been up in Scotland at the time, the 26/27 were overhauled, and received substantial work (for example, converting the 27/2 to ETH) at Glasgow's St Rollox works, where they kept all the spares for these locos (the builders BRCW long being out of business), and regarded them as "theirs". What was the nature of the work at Crewe.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Just found this,Crewe Works open day September 1975, Not my image, (owner derbysulzers.com)

http://www.derbysulzers.com/27006crewe75.jpg

 

[martinsh]

I once saw a class 27 heading south on a freight between Crewe and Stafford c1971 (i.e. well after whole class moved to Scotland). Luckily I had some enthusiast friends with me, otherwise I would never have been believed !

 

[Ash Bridge]

I once saw a class 27 heading south on a freight between Crewe and Stafford c1971 (i.e. well after whole class moved to Scotland). Luckily I had some enthusiast friends with me, otherwise I would never have been believed !

Can't help but wonder then if the one I witnessed at Stockport heading northbound could have been a return trip, working its passage back to Scotland, I still think 1971 was the most likely year.