Liverpool steam train drivers

[Mw36817@gmail.]

Hi all, thank you for allowing me to join the forum.. I’m trying to find out information on Liverpool steam train drivers I.E. names and dates . I believe the last steam train on the main line to run was 1968 . Any info would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[6Gman]

Hi all, thank you for allowing me to join the forum.. I’m trying to find out information on Liverpool steam train drivers I.E. names and dates . I believe the last steam train on the main line to run was 1968 . Any info would be appreciated. Thank you

That's a very wide-ranging question!

There will have been thousands of steam loco drivers over the years.

Is there a particular location or time period of interest?

 

[randyrippley]

OP
you may want to change your user name, if you don't there's a good chance you may become a victim of e-mail spambots

 

[30907]

Is this related to your previous thread
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/steam-train-stoker.260247/
which went a bit off-topic but you never reacted to?

 

[70014IronDuke]

Hi all, thank you for allowing me to join the forum.. I’m trying to find out information on Liverpool steam train drivers I.E. names and dates . I believe the last steam train on the main line to run was 1968 . Any info would be appreciated. Thank you

The last scheduled steam-hauled service ran into Liverpool Exchange on 3 August, 1968. But it was manned by a Lostock Hall (Preston) crew.

The last steam special left Liverpool Lime Str on Sunday, 11 August - the (in)famous 15 Geunia special. I don't know if it had an Edge Hill crew or not. As it went to Carlisle, I suspect it would more likely be a Manchester or Carnforth crew, with an Inspector from Liverpool who knew the road.

The Liverpool district lost its last steam turns earlier in '68, not sure when, probably around April.

IIRC, the last two sheds with steam were Edge Hill (8A) and Speke Junction (8C, I think it was). Not sure when Birkenhead went, probably the same time.

There were many more sheds previously, eg Bank Hall and Aintree - I guess these were Lancashire & Yorkshire Rly sheds back in the day. So it's an enormous subject, both in time and locality. Far better if you can give more information to narrow down your search.

 

[Mw36817@gmail.]

Hi , thank you for the info. I’m trying to research a steam train driver who’s last name was Reynolds , I believe he was at edge hill and lime street .. I believe it was a father and son who both drove the trains …

 

[Gloster]

With a fairly common name like Reynolds we will need some idea of the dates. The first name(s), or at least initials, would help.

 

[Mw36817@gmail.]

I think one of the Reynolds first name was Leslie (les) really not to sure on the dates .. I was told that the son rode on the foot plate with his dad aged 12 .. not sure if that would have been allowed?

 

[30907]

I think one of the Reynolds first name was Leslie (les) really not to sure on the dates

1890s? 1930s? 1960s? You must have som information about them .

.. I was told that the son rode on the foot plate with his dad aged 12 .. not sure if that would have been allowed?

Officially no, unofficially....

 

[The Crab]

The last scheduled steam-hauled service ran into Liverpool Exchange on 3 August, 1968. But it was manned by a Lostock Hall (Preston) crew.

The last steam special left Liverpool Lime Str on Sunday, 11 August - the (in)famous 15 Geunia special. I don't know if it had an Edge Hill crew or not. As it went to Carlisle, I suspect it would more likely be a Manchester or Carnforth crew, with an Inspector from Liverpool who knew the road.

The Liverpool district lost its last steam turns earlier in '68, not sure when, probably around April.

IIRC, the last two sheds with steam were Edge Hill (8A) and Speke Junction (8C, I think it was). Not sure when Birkenhead went, probably the same time.

There were many more sheds previously, eg Bank Hall and Aintree - I guess these were Lancashire & Yorkshire Rly sheds back in the day. So it's an enormous subject, both in time and locality. Far better if you can give more information to narrow down your search.

Birkenhead closed November 1967.

 

[Mw36817@gmail.]

1890s? 1930s? 1960s? You must have som information about them .

Officially no, unofficially....

1890s? 1930s? 1960s? You must have som information about them .

Officially no, unofficially....

I think maybe late 50s mid 60s

 

[70014IronDuke]

Birkenhead closed November 1967.

Ah - thank you for the clarification. I've just found my 1962 Winter combined volume and realise that Birkenhead was a 6 division shed. Makes sense, I suppose - it was possibly GWR oririginally? I think Birkenhead must be the biggest place in the UK that I've never been to.

I think one of the Reynolds first name was Leslie (les) really not to sure on the dates .. I was told that the son rode on the foot plate with his dad aged 12 .. not sure if that would have been allowed?

As @30907 says, only unofficially, so there won't be any official record of it - unless, I suppose, he was caught by an inspector. But things were more relaxed back in the 60s that today, certainly in places off the main lines.

 

[30907]

I've just found my 1962 Winter combined volume and realise that Birkenhead was a 6 division shed. Makes sense, I suppose - it was possibly GWR oririginally?

It most certainly was - my wife's grandfather (an ex-GW guard) didn’t take kindly to the transfer

Back to the OP: searching "find railway ancestors" should give you some official leads for staff records etc.
However, your dates are within living memory - you may find that former staff at Edge Hill (the shed for Lime St)/Brunswick (Central)/Bank Hall (Exchange), or the local ASLEF, have websites or social media groups and you might be able to make contact that way.

 

[Bevan Price]

Ah - thank you for the clarification. I've just found my 1962 Winter combined volume and realise that Birkenhead was a 6 division shed. Makes sense, I suppose - it was possibly GWR oririginally? I think Birkenhead must be the biggest place in the UK that I've never been to.

Birkenhead to Chester was GWR + LNWR (later LMSR) jointly owned & operated. The shed (6C) was put into the London Midland Region by BR, but retained an allocation of ex-GWR locos until about the mid to late 1950s.

Other Liverpool area sheds not mentioned above were Brunswick plus Walton-on-the-Hill (both CLC), and also Bidston.