GCR 8B No 358 with a heavy train of 11 assorted carriages. The writing on the back states:
"Manchester-London express passing Godley".Photo: Author's collection Click on the image for an enlargement
This picture caused much controversy. The stated location is on adjacent sheets of the 25" OS map so I've combined the 1907-19 ones including part of the scale:
Click on the image for an enlargement
As can be seen Godley Junction is to the NW and the approach to Hattersley Tunnel to the SE. The junction station had two platforms on the west (CLC) and two on the east (GCR) from Manchester. There are many sidings around the station and 2-track running lines don't come clear until some distance south of the platforms. There's a signal box at this point. A little after that a shallow cutting begins, which rises higher towards the tunnel mouth.
By way of comparison, there's an earlier picture on p.10 of "GC Album", George Dow, which shows the station close to the end of the platforms.
Now, a confession for a daft mistake on my part: the scale on the map is not in yards but feet so my previous estimate of the distance between the station platforms and where the double track emerged was wrong (actually 1300 feet or 430 yards, a quarter of a mile).
Secondly, a short distance south of the signal box the map shows "S.Ps" for signals and the photograph appears to show stays and their shadows. This could be the photographer's location:
In this enlargement of the area around the south signal box I have placed a blue cross where the photographer appears to have been standing. It also shows that the signal box would have blocked sight of the sidings. A closer look at the extreme left of the photograph shows a vague structure: could this be a tall wooden signal box? With perhaps a fogman's hut nearby? The black marks in the foreground are pulley-wheel posts for signal wires. Map source: 25" OS, National Library of Scotland.
So, the location is near Godley Jc after all.
The train
An enlargement from the original scan with minimal repair to avoid damaging the pixels. Click on the image for an enlargement
As far as I can tell the carriages are:
GNR 6w |
C |
|
GNR 6w |
T |
|
GNR 6w |
T |
|
--------------------------------- |
------ |
|
GNR 12w double-ended* |
BCK |
with reversed destination boards? |
GNR semi-open |
TK |
with reversed destination boards? |
GNR |
BCK |
with reversed destination boards? |
--------------------------------- |
------ |
|
GCR Parker-style** |
TK |
|
GCR Parker |
BTK |
|
GCR clere |
T |
|
GCR ex-MSJ&A |
T? |
|
GCR ex-MSJ&A |
? |
|
* These were rebuilt later. ** Built by Robinson to the GCR house style.
The writing on the back "Manchester-London express" is implausible because of the mixture of stock:
- It could be a heavy excursion made up with a borrowed GNR portion and low-grade carriages on either side, but such a mixture of two company's carriages is implausible.
- The loco had been put into traffic in May 1906 and the surrounding foliage looks like the same time of the year. The loco is very clean and possibly newly-built. I wonder if if this could have been a test train comprising idle stock from the carriage sidings?
.
