The Northern Summer Salvo
Incorporating Weekly Notices, Sectional Appendices, and Northern Weekly Salvo
Published at Station House, Kents Bank, Lancashire-North-of-the-Sands, LA11 7BB
email: paul.salveson@myphone.coop
Publications website: www.lancashireloominary.co.uk
No. 327 July/August April 2025 (Bolton Holidays Edition)
Salveson’s half-nakedly political digest of railways, tripe and secessionist nonsense from Up North, luxuriating in the tepid bath of managed decline into old age
Summer Special
Another long gap, which hopefully won’t be repeated – the lame excuse has been shifting from Bolton (in part at any rate) to Kents Bank. I’m
now fully settled in at Station House, but keeping a foothold in Bolton – Horwich to be precise – where my Lancashire book collection is housed and where (soon) the garden railway will be operating.
Apart from domestic stuff I’ve been busy with chairing ’Rocket All Aboard’, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, as well as Bolton and Leigh 200, Station Library and getting back into writing. My writer’s desk is, it must be said, pretty good – I look out over Morecambe Bay, with a view of the
Furness Line under my window. Nothing more exciting than class 195s and 156s and a twice-daily couple of 68s on the Nuclear train and the occasional steam charter. But all the same….(having just written that, 66739 Bluebell Railway and another class 66 Justine have just trundled past on what looked like a weed-killer train – thought I’d share that with you). I’ll be at ‘The Greatest Gathering’ at Alstom in Derby on August 1st and 2nd with the Rocket All Aboard stall. If you’re there, pop round and say hello. We will have some Rocket memorabilia for sale including t-shirts.
I’d welcome reader’s views on frequency of The Salvo. The days when it used to be weekly are long gone, but I could manage monthly – or perhaps more easily bi-monthly. It will continue the usual bizarre mix of railways, culture, some politics and recommended fish and chip shops.
I’ll try and limit the ‘politics’ to things relevant to the rest of the Salvo though I think some issues transcend ‘politics’ and are about basic morality. Perhaps above all Gaza. I have some good Jewish (and non-Jewish) friends who do not share my views on this (as well as some that do!). I can’t sit back and say nothing about the daily slaughter of the innocents – and most of them are innocent – who are being massacred by the Israeli armed forces. We seem to have become inured to what’s going on, with any criticism of Israeli being dismissed as anti-Semitic. No it isn’t. Like many people I was horrified by the atrocities that happened on October 7th. That does not justify the daily slaughter of children in the name of Israel ‘defending’ itself. It’s barbarous. Speak out against what’s happening, support charities like Oxfam and International Red Cross.
The Government Spending Review
The Chancellor’s Spending Review was good news for the North – and for public transport. At last, after many false starts, the North appears to be getting the investment it needs in transport – with rail at the top of the list. Hidden away in the announcement is a very significant statement about criteria for infrastructure investment: the mysterious ‘Green Book’ used by the Treasury to determine what represents ‘value for money’. The criteria has been heavily skewed against the North,
with too little attention given to wider social, economic and environmental benefits. It has been an issue that environmental campaigners have lobbied over for decades and it seems that finally someone is listening. A new approach to evaluating schemes ought to reduce our obsession with road-building and big projects which benefit areas which are already doing OK – such as much of the south-east.
For now, many projects in the North will get substantial funding allocated to them, including light rail projects in Greater Manchester, heavy rail in the Liverpool City Region and other major conurbations. Which is great, it’s much needed.
Where the statement was weak was addressing infrastructure challenges in less urban areas, such as parts of Cumbria, Northumberland, Durham and Lancashire. Control of the latter two counties recently passed to Reform and there was little in the statement that would prove them mistaken. In Cumbria, Barrow is to get a large order for new submarines and the Government’s fixation on nuclear power will
benefit Sellafield. Where are the ‘green’ forces in Labour challenging these dangerous ventures? We seem to have sunk into a lazy attitude where ‘nuclear’ is regarded as the only way forward. Yet it’s hugely expensive and will take decades for nuclear power stations to be ready.
In many parts of rural Britain rail closures in the 1960s have left communities very vulnerable – many bus services that tried to fill the gap after your station closed have now gone themselves. There has been a modest revival in some areas, through Government-sponsored ‘bus service improvement plans’ for local authorities. In my village we now have six buses a day instead of three, and they are being well used. No irony intended here – most bus passengers in towns and cities would consider a bus every fifteen minutes at the limit of what’s
acceptable. Turning round the damage that has been done to rural public transport is a massive task and won’t be solved by a few ‘demand responsive’ dial-a-ride buses. At the same time, there are many ‘left-behind’ towns across the North which don’t have powerful champions like metro mayors to argue their case, and aren’t ‘rural’ either. Places like Blackburn, Burnley, Accrington, Bacup, Northwich, Consett and others. When investment is made in towns like these, the results can be spectacular. The new line to Ashington, in Northumberland, is already exceeding its targets by a big margin.
There remains a place for private ‘open access’ operators despite less than supportive noises coming from the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander. Operators such as Grand Central have already brought towns and cities such as Halifax, Sunderland, Bradford and Stockton back on the inter-city map and there are proposals from several operators, including First and Virgin, to connect other towns across the North. Meanwhile, the great hope of a co-operatively owned train company is running into trouble. Go-op, a co-operative formed to run services in the south-west (and recently awarded access rights subject to some onerous requirements) is facing big financial challenges. Why not a partnership with this Labour government, demonstrating their co-operative credentials?
It’s right that Labour takes a strategic approach to longer-distance transport links. The Government has given the go-ahead to a new high-speed railway (‘Northern Powerhouse Rail’ – NPR) from Liverpool via Manchester Airport, central Manchester and possibly continuing across the Pennines to Leeds and beyond (which I’m less
sure will happen, or for that matter should happen). Yet the biggest headache facing transport planners in the North is the rail bottleneck through Manchester which impacts on the rail network across the whole of the North of England. Unless this is addressed (and it will benefit freight as well as passenger services) building new railways risks being counter-productive. The new high-speed line will certainly alleviate some of the problems but I suspect not all. And it will be decades before we see any benefit from it. Four-tracking through Deansgate won’t be quick, but quicker than NPR.
The issue of HS2 still hangs like a bad smell over rail investment. Huge sums of money continue to be poured into this calamitous project, which a few isolated voices (like Chartist!) argued against from the start. The general view seems to be that “we’ve got this far, there’s no option but to carry on and get it finished as far as Birmingham.” And I suppose that’s right, but it must not let politicians regard any future major investment in rail as money down the drain. There is still need for better links between Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool, and Scotland – connecting in to NPR from east to west. Some major lessons have got to be learned from the HS2 fiasco with Government and its new ‘guiding mind’ Great British Railways getting on top of costs.
At the same time, some of the worthy schemes seemingly shelved by Labour when it took office should be revisited. Top of my list for the North , in terms of wider regeneration and environmental benefits as well as useful transport links, would be:
- Skipton – Colne (strong inter-regional connectivity, passenger and freight)
- York – Hull via Beverley (connecting strong, growing communities e.g. Market Weighton, Pocklington)
- Fleetwood (major regeneration benefits, connecting large population centres, maybe freight in longer term)
- Manchester – Sheffield via Woodhead (strong interregional connectivity, passenger and freight)
The re-opening of the Ashington Line is a brilliant example of how local re-openings can make a huge difference and outstrip consultants’ forecasts. This was shown very clearly with the Borders Line. It’s good to see that funding has been found for a major study into prospects for re-opening south from Tweedbank through, eventually, to Carlisle.
(this is based on an article first published in Chartist magazine).
Northern Rail Heritage 1825 – 2025
Kents Bank Station Library’s first venture into publishing happened earlier this year. Northern Rail Heritage 1825 – 2025: a short introduction to the social history of railways in the North of England is doing very well. It’s a readable introduction to the exciting history of railways – from the early days of the Stockton and Darlington through to the railways of today –
with a glimpse to the future. It’s written by Paul Salveson and includes a foreword by Railways Minister Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill. The book design is by Peter Skellon. Dozens of schools have taken multiple copies for use in their history curriculum (and other studies).
We had an enjoyable weekend distributing boxes of copies to various heritage railway projects around the North-East including Stainmore (see below), Tanfield, Beamish, Locomotion and Wenselydale. We are happy to offer boxes (50 per box) to heritage railways for their work specifically with schools. This is thanks to the generosity of CrossCountry Trains who funded the printing costs. Please get in touch if your railway would like to take some, free of charge. We can also offer copies to sell on a 50-50 basis.
THE BOOK: Northern Rail Heritage: an introduction to the social history of railways in the North of England is available price £5 from Kents Bank Station Library, cheques for £8 (including post and packing) to Kents Bank Library, c/o Station House, Kentsford Road, Grange-over-Sands LA11 7BB. ISBN 978-1-0683741-0-4
Bolton and Leigh Celebrate their own Railway200!
The Bolton and Leigh Railway opened on August 1st 1828 – over two years before the Liverpool and Manchester, with George and Robert Stephenson being responsible for its engineering. The railway received
parliamentary approval on March 31st 1825, so there’s plenty to celebrate this year. Bolton and Leigh Railway 200 CIC is working with a local school, on a major event this Saturday June 28th starting at 11.00. ‘A Day for Daubhill’ is being held at The Olive Tree Primary School, which is on the site of the original Daubhill railway station, on Adelaide Street off St Helens Road.
Derek Bullock, chair of the Bolton & Leigh Railway CIC, said; “We want this to be a great event which celebrates not just this historic anniversary but also the vibrancy of Daubhill today. We are at the early stages of planning a ‘Bolton & Leigh Greenway’ which will provide a walking and cycling link along parts of the original railway. We’re very grateful for the backing we’ve had from Bolton Council and local councillors and community activists. We’re also delighted with the support we’ve had from across the community including the Hindu Temple and Park Cakes.”
The railway was engineered by the great George Stephenson. His son, 
Robert, built the first locomotive, ‘Lancashire Witch’. The Bolton and Leigh has always been under the shadow of its more well-known neighbour, the Liverpool and Manchester. Yet Bolton came first and the two worked together and when the Liverpool and Manchester opened the Bolton and Leigh connected into it by the Leigh and Kenyon Railway, with through trains from Bolton to Liverpool. Something we lack today!
‘The Day for Daubhill’ on Saturday June 28th will be a vibrant community event with something for everyone. Zainab Patel, Interim Principal at The Olive Tree Primary School, said: “We are proud to be celebrating the rich heritage and cultural diversity of the Daubhill area.
It is an absolute privilege to be hosting ‘A Day for Daubhill’—a celebration of everything that makes our community so unique and vibrant. At The Olive Tree Primary School we embrace and reflect this diversity in all that we do, helping our pupils develop a deep sense of pride, respect, and belonging within the community they are growing up in.”
Councillor Ayyub Patel, who represents Rumworth Ward, said “This anniversary is a proud moment for Daubhill and the wider community. It’s a chance to honour our rich railway heritage while celebrating the diversity and energy of the area today. I’m proud to support ‘A Day for Daubhill’ and encourage everyone to join in on June 28th.”
Walt Whitman’s birthday celebrated in Bolton
The weekend of May 31/June 1 was a special weekend in Bolton’s cultural calendar – the birthday celebrations for the great American poet Walt Whitman who had such strong links with our town. He was
born on Long Island on May 31st 1819 and in his later years built up a close connection with a small group of socialists in Bolton. The town’s library has the finest collection of Whitman material outside the USA, including a copy of the first edition of Leaves of Grass.
Several events took place over the weekend including a talk at Bolton Socialist Club on the Friday evening, by Prof. Karen Karbiener of New York University, who is visiting on a Leverhulme Fellowship grant. Karen also gave a lecture the following day at Bolton library, before the annual Whitman Walk in the afternoon. As well as Karen, we had visitors from Canada and California as well as Mike and Mary Pat formerly of New Jersey but
now London. On the Sunday there was a Walt Whitman-themed garden party at Linda Nuttall’s – a gradely time was had by all. Anthony Dolan has made an excellent film of the weekend which will be available soon. My book on the Bolton Whitmanites (With Walt Whitman in Bolton) may be in for a new edition, updating the 2019 version which is out of print. Watch this space.
Summertime reading for the beach, lineside or foreshore:
Later this year Kents Bank Station Library will be publishing a collection of nine of my railway short stories with a slightly ‘supernatural’ element. They will appear under the title of The Loco Vanishes: Northern Railway Mysteries. We’re currently looking for some extra funding and have already had generous support from ASLEF and
also Furness Line Action Group. The title story relates to a real event which happened at Plodder Lane loco shed (Farnworth) in the early 1950s. Here is a taster of one of the stories, based on a real incident which happened towards the end of steam. Thanks to Viv Melia and Mick Kelly (former fireman on the Copy Pit bankers) for their help with this.
The Boggart of Kitson Wood Tunnel
In steam days, it was a name to strike fear into the hearts of enginemen.
Kitson Wood Tunnel.
It’s on the line between Todmorden and Burnley, squeezing between Lancashire and Yorkshire. Unlike the more famous tunnels of Summit or Standedge, which burrow for miles under the Pennines, it’s very short – a mere 290 yards long. Yet it was approached by one of the most ferocious climbs on the railways in the North of England.
The line from Todmorden climbs up to Copy Pit summit on a gradient of 1 in 65. Water was forever dripping down off the tunnel roof making the rails slippery. To make things worse it was on a curve, an added challenge for drivers of heavy freight trains.
It’s a dramatic piece of railway – when you emerge from the tunnel you’re high up above the Cliviger Gorge, looking down on rows of stone terraced houses which used to house workers from the local weaving sheds. Some of the buildings survive, like Frostholme and Portsmouth mills, though they don’t weave cotton anymore. Above the weaving sheds were the moors and dramatic rock outcrops. Locomen didn’t have time to admire the view though. It was ‘collar work’ all the way to Copy Pit.
In steam days it was a big challenge for drivers to stop their engines
from slipping when they hit wet sections of track within the damp tunnel. You could easily slip to a stand and then wait for hours while another engine finally came along to rescue you. The indignity of it.
There was usually help at hand, eventually. Down at the bottom of the climb, at Hall Royd Junction, there were sidings where two or sometimes three locos hung around in case a train going over Copy Pit needed a ‘banker’. Usually it would be a coal train, taking forty or more wagons from the Yorkshire pits to the power stations in East Lancashire, mainly Padiham, near Burnley.
The crews on the banking engines made sure their cabin was comfortable and warm, with an ancient wooden table where the men would sup tea and play cards, in between jobs. The crews were all from Rose Grove shed, just outside Burnley.
The ‘Copy Pit Bankers’ became famous in the last months of steam, in 1968. Rose Grove’s dwindling fleet of LMS ‘8Fs’ formed the usual supply of engines. It was the last place in Britain where you could see freight trains hard at work with engines at both ends of the train.
A train would arrive off the main line at Hall Royd and draw up past Stansfield Hall signalbox – whistling to let the enginemen men know that their assistance was required. The signalman at Eastwood, back down the line towards Hebden Bridge, would have already given the crews advance warning to get steam up in readiness.
Much whistling would go on and the driver of the engine at the head of the train would feel a small nudge when the banker came on behind the brake van at the back of the train. Then away they’d go, with the banking engine slipping off at Copy Pit, the summit of the line.
By 1968 the jobs were worked entirely by Rose Grove men – the Yorkshire steam sheds had closed down a year earlier. So it was all very much a family affair, with the drivers, firemen and guards all knowing each other, often from railway families stretching back generations, like the Kellys, MacManus’s, Carrolls and Entwistles.
The Copy Pit Line was Rose Grove men’s regular haunt. They knew every inch of the line – tunnels, bridges, where to watch out if it was a ‘bad rail’ and you’d be liable to slip.
There were some additional hazards which weren’t recognised in any of the official railway instructions – the Sectional Appendices, special instructions and the like. Some of the old drivers were convinced that Kitson Wood Tunnel was haunted by ‘boggarts’ – ill-intentioned spirits or hobgoblins, mainly resident in the Pennine hills of Lancashire and Yorkshire. The legend was that a platelayer, perhaps a bit worse for wear when walking through the tunnel, was hit by a train and killed. He haunted the tunnel, occasionally creeping onto the locomotive’s running board to scare the driver and fireman and curse them for his untimely – and grisly – death.
By 1968, boggarts were becoming like the steam locomotives at Rose Grove. Nearly extinct. Back in the nineteenth century any child brought up in Burnley or Todmorden would know to look out for boggarts. They often lived in dark places, like under bridges – or in tunnels. There’s still a ‘Boggart Bridge’ at Towneley Hall, close to the railway and there was a small coal mine called Boggart Bridge Colliery. There are lots of Lancashire poems and stories which feature boggarts.
The Copy Pit Line had three tunnels – Kitson Wood, the first one you come to after leaving Stansfield Hall, then Holme, at the top of the climb, and Towneley, as you drop down the gradient towards Gannow Junction and Rose Grove.
There were no sightings of boggarts in the last two, but plenty of tales about ‘the Kitson Wood Boggart’ by the Rose Grove enginemen, many of whom claimed to have seen him.
The boggart usually manifested itself through strange noises which you’d hear over the sound of the locomotive hard at work, or through tappings on the cab window or roof. It could have been any number of things and most of the drivers and firemen treated it as a bit of a joke – but it would be no joke if they got stuck in the tunnel so they always made sure they’d get a full head of steam as they started up the climb.
At most depots there were always one or two jokers, men who liked to play tricks – and Rose Grove was no exception. The most notorious
was Fred Towneley, who claimed to be descended from the aristocratic Towneley family of the nearby hall. Nobody believed him. Neither did they believe the tales he used to come out with. But he was part of the shed culture and, as Joe Carroll said of him one day in the messroom “he’s a daft pillock but there’s no harm in him, even if he is an ugly bugger.” And it has to be said that when the Lord was handing out the good looks, Fred was right at the back of the queue.
One of Fred’s favourite jokes, when he was on banking duties at Hall Royd, was to climb on the running board of one of the other bankers and position himself just under the cab window on the fireman’s side, pretending to be the famous boggart. He liked to play the trick on young passed cleaners who were not yet aware of his tricks, or ‘marlocks’.
The train would set off from Stansfield Hall with the usual cacophony of whistling and tooting and the guard would give a nod to Fred so he knew he was there.
Fred’s trick was to wait until the engine entered the tunnel, with steam and smoke surrounding the loco and creep up along the loco’s running board to the cab window, pressing his face on the glass. It was a sight to scare the living daylights out of a rooky fireman or passed cleaner. At first sight, anyway. Usually the driver would know what was going on and tell the young lad not to worry. “It’s just Fred havin’ a joke, tek no notice of ‘im an’ keep shovelling!”
Which was what happened. And when they got to Copy Pit and the engine eased off steam to let the coal train carry on down the other side towards Burnley, the driver would let Fred climb up into the cab for the trip back down to Hall Royd, with all three of the men having a laugh.
It must have been June ’68 when Fred was on banking duties – nights – and was sat in the messroom at Hall Royd with a few other footplatemen, engrossed in a card school. It was about 11 pm and there was nothing due up after 9M23, a coal train from Healey Mills to Padiham. Once that had gone up the bank there was nothing else before another ‘coaler’ for Whitebirk, at about 5 a.m. They’d all get their heads down and have a few hours sleep.
“Only a few months to go and I’ll be comin’ to work in a shirt and tie,” mused Joe Brunshaw.”I’ve got my diesel driver’s uniform already.“
“Well some of you meyt be oreight but I’ll be redundant,” replied Andy Kelly, a passed cleaner. “But I’ll manage, mi uncle works at Lucas’s and he says he’ll get me a job – better money and regular hours, none o’these 2 a.m. starts.”
The messroom internal phone started ringing, interrupting the game.
“Who the bloody ‘ell’s this, at this time?” Fred said out loud. “Mebbe they’ve cancelled the Padiham job and we can get some sleep.”
Fred picked up the phone; it was Hall Royd Junction signalbox. “Just to let you know, tha’s gerrin’ a visitor. Some management trainee from Leeds. He’s just been in here an’ he’s on his way to you. He wants a ride up to Copy Pit on th’banker. An’ 9M23 has just passed Eastwood so get yourselves ready. 45 o’coal – he’ll need a push. Night night.”
“Well that’s put th’tin hat on it,” said Fred. “We’ve got some kid from university who wants a ride wi’ us. Joe, arta dreivin’ this one? Aw’ll stay here an’ look after th’stove…”
Five minutes later the door of the messroom opened and a young lad, who didn’t look a day over 20, came in.
“Good evening. I’m James Martindale, I’m a management trainee and I’ve been told to get some experience on the footplate. I hope you don’t mind if have a run up to Copy Pit with you?”
“Aye, this chap ‘ere ull look after you,” Fred pointed to Joe, finishing off his brew.
“But tha knows you’ll have fert look out gooin’ through Kitson Wood Tunnel. It’s haunted.”
The management trainee looked across to Fred with a slightly supercilious smile. “Well I’m sure we’ll be alright,” he replied. “Has anyone ever seen it?”
“Oh aye, it’s bin seen mony a time.” Fred got into his stride. “It’s an owd Lancashire boggart. It’s been known to strike terror into folk. They reckon it’s the ghost of a platelayer who was run o’er while he were walking through th’tunnel, fifty year ago. Sometimes he comes out of a neet – though he’s not bin seen for a twothri years now.”
A few minutes later they heard the sound of a steam loco heaving round the curve, from Hall Royd. It was 9M23 with Jim McManus driving and Tom Catterall firing, both old hand ‘Grove men. It was a regular Rose Grove loco, 48348, not long off from the scrapheap, like her sister 48278.
They steamed past the messroom, whistling. “ Come on yo’ lazy buggers, we want a shove up to Copy so’s we con get whom, we’ve 45 o’coal on. An’ gamblin’s a mug’s game, you should know! Put them cards deawn and get on that engine!”
McManus brought his engine to a stand with the back of the train just beyond the points. The signalman at Stansfield Hall set the road for the banking engine to come out of the sidings and buffer up to the brake van, ready for off.
Joe Kelly edged his ‘8F’, another Grove regular, 48278, out of the sidings. By now it was blowing off with full boiler pressure, after Andy Kelly had shovelled several rounds of coal into the firebox. It was known for being a good steamer, unlike some of the 8Fs that had arrived from other sheds that had closed.
Joe looked over to Jim and gave him a wink, expecting Fred to be preparing for his ‘party piece’ by clambering on the running board ready to give the trainee a scare.
“Have you been on one o’these before?” Joe asked the trainee.
“I can’t say that I have. All the steam locos have gone where I live, in Esher. It’s all electric.”
“Well just sit down on the firemen’s seat over there. Andy’ll have plenty to do shovelling coal up to th’ top at Copy Pit and keepin’ th’ boiler full wi’watter.”
Whistle codes were exchanged between the train engine, with Joe McManus in charge, and Jack at the rear. He opened the regulator and felt the loco squeeze gently up to the brake van. The guard, Bill Robinson, had removed the tail light for the climb and settled back into his snug van with a roaring stove. He gave a ‘thumbs up’ to Joe and a surreptitious wink, in expectation of what was to follow with Fred’s tricks.
The two locos settled down to a slow, solid plod, both working hard with the 45 wagons of coal between them.
Kitson Wood Tunnel was approaching. The front engine made a momentary wheel slip when it entered the tunnel, which McManus quickly corrected, half expecting it on the greasy rail.
The slip caused a loss in momentum which the guard in the brake van felt – again, not unexpected. You had to know what you were doing though, or you’d get thrown from one end of the van to the other.
In the cab of 48278 Joe nudged back on the regulator slightly and then opened up the regulator and full forward gear to try and get some momentum back. The noise on the footplate was deafening and the trainee looked nervously across to the driver, but kept quiet. After tomorrow he’d be back at The Grove Training Centre at Watford and wouldn’t have to worry about getting covered in coal dust and oil. This was the old railway, which was on its way out – and not a moment too soon as far as he was concerned.
It took another minute before the rear of the train entered the tunnel mouth at Kitson Wood. By now the drivers had recovered their pace and the combined power of the ‘8Fs’ had got speed back to about 10 mph.
………………………………………………………………………………
It was then that the trainee looked out through the cab window, along the loco running board. His blood ran cold.
It was the most horrific thing he’d seen. A twisted face pressed itself up against the window, screaming in agony, its hands pressed against the sides of the window.
“Aaagh! What is it?” he screamed.
Jim and Andy looked at each other, trying their best to avoid grinning at the terrified novice.
“It’s that boggart as Fred towd thi abeawt,” said Andy. “But sit theer an’ tha’ll be oreight. We’re comin’ eawt o’th’tunnel neaw.”
The engine emerged into the moonlit scene above Cliviger, everyone else asleep in the cottages down below, several hours before the knocker-up would come round calling them out for their 6 a.m. start in the weaving sheds.
Joe pulled back the regulator to half port and wound the cut off gear back a few notches. 48278 was still working hard but not all out – boiler pressure was showing 225 lbs per inch and the summit at Copy Pit wasn’t far off.
They reached the summit and Joe shut off steam and brought the loco to a stop. Bill Robinson emerged from his van onto the veranda, replacing the red tall lamp to show the train was complete, giving a wave back to Jim and Andy as the train disappeared into Holme Tunnel.
The crew of 48278 were both expecting to see Fred appear up the cab steps and expect a ride back down to Hall Royd. Nobody appeared.
Jim went over to Andy and whispered to him, “Wheer’s Fred gone?”
“’Appen he jumped off at Kitson Wood an’ walked back. Let’s get across and back down to Stanny’ Hall and look eawt for him on th’way.”
Meanwhile, the shocked trainee was not in a very communicative state. All he could think of was getting off this engine and picking up the car that he’d left at Todmorden station. He’d be back at his hotel in Manchester within an hour and that would be it for his ‘footplate experience’.
They drifted back down towards Hall Royd, with no need for steam. Driver and fireman kept a careful look out for Fred but there was no sign of him. Neither was there any sign of boggarts in Kitson Wood Tunnel.
They got the signal to go across the down line and into the bank engine siding and Joe brought the loco to a stand.
The trainee was down the cab steps in a shot, offering only a very desultory “Goodbye” as he ran down the path to the station.
“Don’t think we’ll be seeing him ageean, “ Andy laughed.
Jim and Andy put on the loco’s tender brake, shut the damper doors and climbed out of the cab to the awaiting warmth of the messroom.
Fred was sat at the table with a large mug of tea.
“Tha took this time,” Fred said to Joe. “Thowt tha’d have bin back ages ago.”
“Well we were lookin’ out for thee. That was a great boggart impression Fred – probably one of your best ever performances – but tha meyt have said tha’d be walking back under yo’re own steam…”
“What dost mean?” Fred replied. “Aw’ve not been eawt o’ th’cabin since tha left pushin’ McManus. “Had a bit of a beauty sleep to be honest.”
“Well tha’rt a lyin’ bugger Fred. We saw thi in Kitson Wood Tunnel doin’ your boggart trick. Scared that trainee to deeath.”
“Aw’m tellin’ thee, straight up, aw’ve not bin eawt o’this cabin aw neet. Tha must’ve bin imagin’ things. Tha doesn’t really believe in aw that boggart stuff?”
Joe and Andy looked at each other and gazed out of the cabin window up the line, towards Kitson Wood Tunnel. There seemed to be a faint whisp of light coming out of the tunnel mouth, but then it vanished.
Kents Bank Station Library and Gallery News
The gallery has been host to a great exhibition of ceramic art by Lara Clahane. That’s finished but we still have some work by Lara on display and for sale. Over the summer we will be featuring some new work by local artists. The exhibition of the stunning black and white industrial photography of Michael Poulter has been postponed but we hope it will happen later this summer.
Next door at the library we are getting a growing number of visitors,
many taking advantage of the ‘pop-up station buffet’, offering complimentary teas, coffee and biscuits to visitors to the library and gallery. The buffet operates on a ‘help yourself’ basis and was a nice cool haven during the recent hot weather.
We continue to get some much-valued donations – including some really valuable early ‘community rail’ items from Peter Roberts. We have also had some donations from Nick Tozer, former Souther fireman, Huddersfield driver and railway bookseller. If we get duplicates we either sell them or offer them to like-minded organizations such as the East Lancashire Railway, Tanfield and others. Just this afternoon, while writing this, I’ve had a delivery of donated books from friends on Lewis.
The really big donation recently is a full-scale model railway layout from Colin in Bolton. It belonged to his dad and is enormous. It includes stations, other buildings, scenery, as well as some rolling stock. We are looking at having a small model railway display at the library but this ways exceeds space that we have available. So it is open to offers.
Here’s a photo. Currently it is in a shed in Horwich, appropriately. It needs a budding Aspinall (the great Horwich-based locomotive engineer) to rebuild it. Ring Paul on 07795 008691 if you’re interested.
The other successful initiative this year, a joint project of the library and gallery, has been the Poetry Platform. We’ve hosted two well attended evening events in the library for local poets. We’re having a break over the summer but will re-start early September. Let me know
if you’d like to be on the direct mailing list.
We are open (gallery and library) every Friday, Saturday and Sunday – plus Easter Monday – 11.00 to 16.00. See www.stationlibrary.org.uk. However, if you are in the area take pot luck and ring us on 07795 008691. We may be able to open up for you.
Holidays by Train
The Station Library is having a special display of items on the theme of ‘holidays by train’, running over the summer from July 12th, with a
preview talk at the Library on Wednesday July 9th, at 14.00 (please book in advance or ring me on 07795 008691). There will be displays of posters, books, tickets and other ephemera – feel free to bring something along to display during the exhibition’s period, or just to show us.
Stainmore Railway: Bank Holiday event coming up
During our tour of North-east heritage railways to distribute Northern Rail Heritage we had a brief visit to the Stainmore Railway project at their base in the old station at Kirkby Stephen East. This is a project with huge potential and it was nice to see how things are developing. They have a major event coming up over the August Bank Holiday weekend – try and get there. Unfortunately reconstruction of Belah and Deepdale Viaducts will not be completed in time (pity they didn’t feature in Rachel Reeves’s plans) but you can’t have everything. There will be a connecting bus to the gala from Kirkby Stephen Station (West) on the Settle-Carlisle line, meeting all trains.
Property Pages: my house is still for sale!
My Bolton house is up for sale! I’m now permanently resident at Station House, Kents Bank – though sub-shedded at Horwich. Most of the garden railway has been removed to Horwich though one section remains in case anyone would like it as part of the sale.
Details of the house are here: https://plmsales.co.uk/property/109-harpers-lane-bolton-bl1-6hu/
Catering Corner
Sllghtly hoisted up by one’s own petard…having said I’d offer guides to fish and chip shops I’d better deliver. So…I recently spent a pleasant morning in Ulverston (X-ray on my knee followed by haircut in The Barber’s Shop) and rounded off the day with fish and chips in The
Chippy Bank, which is always good with very friendly staff. So there, I have fulfilled my promise. Of course nothing beats The Olympus in Bolton, where else can you be entertained by a pianist while you enjoy your meal? As well as the fish and chips, I’d recommend the rag pudding, a good old Lancashire delicacy (though not at the same time). And they’re licensed – prices are decent, not like the wine in most restaurants. The Salvo welcomes further recommendations. Oh, should mention the superb Indian at Consett where we enjoyed an excellent
meal during our North-East tour. It’s called Soami’s Trio (Indian, Mexican or Thai). Worth a trip, though sadly you won’t see/hear any 9Fs slogging up from Tyne Dock with a trainload of iron ore for the steel works.
Books in print (at gradely prices)
Lancastrians: Mills, Mines and Minarets I still get invitations to speak on my book on Lancashire’s history. The book is hardback, price £25. Salvo readers can get it post free directly from me: http://lancashireloominary.co.uk/index.html/order-form Or from publisher Hurst. Get in touch if you’d like a talk about the book and its themes. Later this year I’m talking to Bolton Soroptimists on ‘Great Lancashire Women Whom The History Books Ignore’.
ALLEN CLARKE: Lancashire’s Romantic Radical £5.99 (normally £18.99): the only biography of Allen Clarke/Teddy Ashton (1863 – 1935): Lancashire dialect writer, socialist, cyclist, philosopher, poet, novelist…and more. Born in Bolton, mum and dad were millworkers; spent his later years in Blackpool. A remarkable chap who helped keep memories of the 1896 Winter Hill Trespass alive, friend of Tolstoy, admirer of Walt Whitman, etc. etc.
Moorlands, Memories and Reflections £15.00 (£21.00): based on Allen Clarke’s Lancashire classic Moorlands and Memories, bringing some of the story up to date and exploring the forgotten history of the Lancashire moors.
The Settle-Carlisle Railway A history of the famous route with an emphasis on the human story (including my own, as a guard in the 70s!). £14 including p and p.
Last Train from Blackstock Junction (published by Platform 5 Books). A collection of short stories about railway life in the North of England. Salvo readers can get the book at a specially discounted price, courtesy of Platform 5 Publishing. Go to https://www.platform5.com/Catalogue/New-Titles. Enter LAST22 in the promotional code box at the basket and this will reduce the unit price from £12.95 to £10.95. I’ve a few copies of my own to sell at £10.95 plus p and p.
With Walt Whitman in Bolton: This has been out of print for a few months but I’m doing a new edition, with at least one additional chapter. Likely to be out for May/June 2026.
The Winter Hill Mass Trespass of 1896: also out of print but I’m working on a new edition for 2026.