Cover Image Captions
Top
Through the beautiful north Lancashire countryside locos Nos. 20090 and 20120 head for Mossend Yard with a train of empty steel wagons on 11 March 1989.
Bottom Left
Former LNER A4 loco No. 4498 is pictured on Whalley Arches starting the climb up Langho Bank with 'The Mancunian' on 3 May 1980.
Bottom Right
Avanti at Newsholme. After a gap of over 20 years, West Coast Main Line diversions returned to the Ribble Valley and here on 10 January 2026 we see Class 805 No. 003 with the 08.54 Crewe to Carlisle service.
THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND THE STORY BEHIND THEM
Ribblehead · Hellifield · 21 August 1980
Photograph 1 — Ribblehead Viaduct
Nos 40163 & 40179 (failed) & Carlisle Yd–STJ · 21.8.80 · JSW
HEADING FOR
HELLIFIELD →
Photograph 2 — Hellifield
← ARRIVED FROM
RIBBLEHEAD
Hellifield — running off Midland on to the L&Y · Nos 40163 & 40179 · Carlisle Yd–Bescot (STJ) · 21.8.80 · JSW
The Story
Thursday 21 August 1980 started out much like any other although later in the day ex LMS loco No. 5690 'Leander' was making an appearance on a 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' steam special, certainly something worth seeing. During the afternoon things began to get interesting when a Carlisle to Severn Tunnel Junction freight hit trouble north of Garsdale when its loco No. 40179 failed, blocking the line. Nearby, 'Leander' was quickly removed from its special train at Kirkby Stephen and sent 'wrong line' to hook up to the freight and shunt it safely out of the way in to Garsdale Sidings. The steam special continued and No. 40163 was sent to take the mixed goods over Ribblehead Viaduct then on to Hellifield and beyond.
Although the steam loco rescue wasn't captured, John Whiteley was fortunate enough to be at Ribblehead to photograph the double-headed train in superb light and he then jumped into his Volvo 244 for the 'steady' drive down to Hellifield to see the freight running on to the L&Y line for Blackburn. Well done John, thanks for the great photos and story. A day never to be forgotten.