MRS Journal No. 38 (Autumn 2008)

Table of Contents

• Midland Electrification: The Lancaster, Morecambe and Heysham Lines / By Ian Howard
• Items from the Study Centre — 2 : Infected Farm Animals, Chief Goods Manager Circular No. 2227 / By Roy Burrows
• Miller’s Dale Widening / By Ian Howard
• The Last Days of Steam / By Peter Clowes
• Locomotive Aesthetics / By Jack Braithwaite
• Midland Expresses Through the Peak / By Ian Howard
• Query Corner
• Comments on Items in Previous Journals

• Front cover
  This photograph, rich in fascinating Midland Railway detail, was taken at Lancaster Green Ayre station some time after 1908. The photographer was standing between the lines to Morecambe that can be seen curving off to the left and about to cross the Lune viaduct near where the camera was. This was a nine-chain curve, necessitating the check rails. The line straight ahead of the train, past Lancaster North signal box with the signal-man looking out of the window, would take it on the steeply graded (1 in 89 maximum) single track to Lancaster Castle station. The structures for supporting the catenary and the catenary itself that supported the electric power lines can be clearly seen. It looks as though the whole complement of station staff had turned out for the picture. The train standing at the station was of the standard composition, with the motor car (in this case, the Westinghouse unit, No. 2236, with the pantograph) flanked by two of the driving trailers. One can see, looking towards the train, the driver behind the glass of the right hand window of the leading trailer. If anyone knows anything about the staff pictured here, I would be delighted to hear from them.
  [Roy F. Burrows Trust, No. 60807: MR Study Centre/Kidderminster Railway Museum]

Rear cover
This is the cover of a brochure issued in July 1898 by the Midland Railway to potential passengers from Liverpool or Manchester to London. They would have travelled through the Peak District on their journey; hence the company’s claim of having the “Pictureque Route”. The brochure was a tourist timetable, attractively produced on quality paper. The Midland was, at that time, strongly pursuing the potentially profitable traffic from the Atlantic liner trade that docked at Liverpool.