Here is a 1930s portrait featuring one of the exceptionally long-lived and numerous (278 built) ex-London & North Western Railway Ramsbottom 'Special Tank' 0-6-0 Saddletanks. Several were allocated for departmental use including the wagon works at Earlestown in Lancashire. The eponymously named 'Earlestown' was built at Crewe in October 1879 as L&NWR No. 2359 but lost its number when transferred to Earlestown in May 1881. It remained there until withdrawn in Oct. 1957 after no less than 78 years service! THIS and its kind, is what the various over-ambitious 'new build' projects should be concentrating on...

© Steve Armitage Archive