anhydrate trains

[widnesian]

here's a strange question, but one I hope some one will be able to answer, in the late 1960;s how long, on average, did it take the returning empty hopper trains take to get from Tanhouse sidings in Widnes to the sidings at Long Meg, got a photo of a 9F starting such a journey and composing the caption would like to tell the time it took to get home, can you help ?

[thesignalman]

I can only answer for Summer 1962, which was probably before the 9Fs and the bogie hoppers (from 1964, I think). I don't see it as a strange question but the answer is strange . . . they didn't! Not directly.

Both the Walton and Widnes services terminated at Langwathby and were collected later by an engine destined for a southbound service. Thus the 8 54 am from Widnes arrived, after a leisurely journey, at Langwathby at 5 36 pm. The engine was scheduled to leave Langwathby to Kingmoor (MO) and Upperby (MSX) at 6 21 pm.

An engine despatched from Kingmoor at 6 26 am, arriving Langwathby at 7 40 am, would work those wagons tender-first to Long Meg departing at 8 25 am, arriving at Long Meg 8 33 am. That engine then worked the 9 0 Long Meg to Walton.

I think the workings were like that because Long Meg box was only open for one daytime shift. It would have also catered for late running. The wagons (and brake) were stowed in the Down Refuge Siding at Langwathby.

At that time there were three trains a day departing Long Meg, the third being a small train and a very short run to Howe & Co's Sidings. Amazing results for a relatively small quarry.

To know if the workings were similar in 9F days you would need to find pictures of trains arriving at Long Meg and establishing which way the loco faced. If boiler first they must have run straight in.

John