Below: The NER ‘H’ class departs Moor Road for Middleton Park with a VIP train.

Below: The pattern of operation was very impressive, with a departing passenger train heading for Middleton Park at frequent intervals.  When the passenger trains had departed, a goods train would arrive from the Balm Road branch, the engine detaching and stabling, to then work the next outward passenger train.  Meanwhile the previous passenger train arrival’s loco would couple to the rear of the goods train and head back along the branch, to be relieved by another loco at the far end.  A similar exercise at Middleton Park ensured an engine change on every trip!  Here Bagnall No.2, visiting from the Foxfield Railway, arrives from Balm Road.

Below: Steam Elephant wanders along the line leading to the engine shed and workshops and onto the headshunt, which was its limit of running during this operation.  Contrast styles in locomotive!

Below: A familiar face – Furness 20 was also visiting and is seen after arriving from the Balm Road branch.

Below: At the end of the day this attractive triple header arrives from the branch, the two Manning Wardles at the head of the train plus the H, thus returning the spare engine back to base.

Below: A close up of Sir Berkeley – a nice taste of what we can one day look forward to when our own Manning Wardle ‘Newcastle’ is restored…