From the guard's van

Altrincham in the southern suburbs of Manchester has been an important commuter destination for many years. After being steam operated the line was electrified in 1931 at 1500v. dc but was eventually converted to conform with the now standard 25kv ac system used elsewhere in Manchester in 1971. Then came the tram system, and the line was converted again... this time to 750v dc in 1992. Just before that these pictures give some idea of the final BR electric trains which operated the line into Manchester and onwards to Alderley Edge and Crewe. Class 304 EMUs dominated the electric side of the station. By this time they had lost one coach and were now three car sets. The terminal platforms are to the right and the through (non electric) lines to Chester on the left in this view from the island platform. The two platforms on the right are now operated by Manchester trams while the through roads are still used for the Manchester to Chester trains. This class 150/2 i...

I have, at last, managed to get more shots to compare with the images of York station which I took back in 1987. A Virgin East Coast Train arrives from the north. Back in 1987 a class 141 Pacer arrives from Harrogate. A general view from the footbridge today. Looking North. The same view in 1987. No wires, through lines and the Pacers are there as today. Looking down at the two south facing bay platforms today. One is now used for Virgin trains slow York to Kings Cross trains. A similar view with a class 150/2 standing at the bay.

Back in 1969 a holiday in Castletown on the Isle of Man gave me the opportunity to photograph some of the trains on the various railway systems on the island. A down train approaches Castletown station.  The lady sitting on the bench looks familiar. A Douglas bound train passes the southbound train at Castletown station. 

The loco parked in the sidings on the site of the South Shed on 23rd January 2016 was 67013 painted in DBS red.

The A4 'Sir Nigel Gresley' is now in the workshop at NRM for its ten year boiler overhaul. This is it... admittedly it doesn't look much like it but I am assured that it really is 60007. And one of her predecessors from the East Coast Main line, the Stirling single complete with its new tender.  

Back on the CLC again, this time with some local trains on the Manchester Oxford Road to Chester service in the Ashley area. A Metro Cammell DMU class 101 at Ashley station on a Chester service . Ashley station. 

The CLC, or the Cheshire Lines Committee, was a joint railway owned originally by the Midland Railway, the Great Central Railway and the Great Northern Railways. Its aim was to break the LNWR monopoly around Manchester and give access to Liverpool.  These pictures were taken on the Chester line out of Manchester around Ashley station.  A class 47 in Railfreight grey passes under the M56 with a southbound train of cement tanks. Another class 47, numbered 47445, this time in large logo blue livery passes with a train of empty containers forming the Manchester refuse train returning to Northendon refuse depot.  Once more we meet the Tunstead - Northwich stone train. Again class 47 hauled. A very short freight train heads south headed by class 37 number 37 355.