1968 Fifty years on.

I think I'm right in saying that 1968 also saw the very first Mk 1 to be preserved. I see 1968 as the year the turbo really kicked in for the preservation movement. Until then it had been a case of cherry picking what was available, after that it turned into a rush to save more or less anything that could be had.

 

Even later than France, then!

 

And I would suggest this mad rush to save anything steam and steam-related led to one of the biggest mistakes ever in railway preservation - the scrapping of 10000/10001.

 

They were withdrawn and scrapped before the end of BR steam and the rapid expansions of the heritage railway movement. So the "mad rush" happened after they'd gone.

 

I know that there are 18 Black Fives preserved, but 45156 certainly comes in my top 10 locos I wish had managed to escape the cutter's torch. Thank you for sharing these images. A sad anniversary indeed.

 

Point taken:, although they weren't scrapped until January 1968.

 

I could be very wrong on this but I seem to recall the first mark one corridor coach was preserved by the fledgling ELR in the early 70's .

 

It nearly did, a fund was started to save it but at the time the work needed on it was considered beyond the skills of the early preservationists. Back then there was still the thought that steam locomotives would have a finite life and would have to be plinthed when major boiler work became necessary. Building new boilers or even new locos wasn't even on the radar then.

 

Now with the end of BR steam gone. The next mile stone in railway preservation happen in September 1968 with the first loco 43924 leaving Barry scrapyard.

 

Definitely not the first - the NYMR acquired a couple of Mk1s in late 1970, at least one of which came not from BR but Flying Scotsman services, but the NNR example was acquired earlier still as it had been vandalised in footex service. Did the fledgling ELR exist much before the mid-1980s? The line itself wasn't closed till 1982.

 

A rake of Mark ones were delivered to Haverthwaite by BR as one of the last movements south of Haverthwaite before the track was lifted and the line severed... that must have been the early 70s

October 1970 acording to https://www.lakesiderailway.co.uk/railway-history/

LHR opened 3rd May 73 - same day as first section of the NYMR

 

ELR incepted 1968, initially based at Helmshore with intention to operate the line back to Ramsbottom. They had an open day at Helmshore around 1970 which featured 44806, delivered from Carnforth (Steamtown?) by BR towed by a type 2. Some stock had already been delivered by that time too, I think.
The Helmshore project fell through not long after and relocated to Castlecroft, Bury.

 

You may be interested to learn however that 45156 was officially condemned on 1st August at Rose Grove depot but it was later realised that the locomotive was booked for railtours on 4th August and the loco restored to traffic prior to taking up its booked weekend duties !