Full steam ahead for exhibition

Jun 9 2008 by Peter Elson, Liverpool Daily Post

When British Railways’ last steam train in the UK ran from Liverpool, in August, 1968, nobody would have dared predict its return with such force 40 years later. Peter Elson reports

WITH a mind whirling around almost as fast as the wheels of an express train and speed of speech to match, Claire Rider scatters a rapid-fire stream of attention-grabbing ideas.

As National Museums Liverpool’s dynamic marketing manager, she felt she must deliver something big and special to promote the Walker Art Gallery’s big summer exhibition.

Surely, there was only one real big and special option to celebrate the Walker’s landmark show, Art in the Age of Steam, for European Capital of Culture?

Parking a steam locomotive outside the gallery in William Brown Street would be just the ticket to catch the public’s attention.

“It sounded great until I discovered that it would cost at least £5,000 for the duration of the show,” says Claire, who is that unusual find, a woman who loves trains, without compromising her femininity.

Also, the word “ticket” could be the undoing of this noble plan. Readers may recall Liverpool’s diligent traffic attendants booking a crane unloading an Egyptian sarcophagus into the World Museum next door to the Walker.

“Then it suddenly struck me,” gasped Claire, “it was blindingly obvious. Liverpool Lime Street station was practically across the road.

“So why not run a series of steam train excursions in conjunction with the exhibition? One day, people can go to the exhibition and then on another travel on a real steam train?

“Looking at the bigger picture (and I don’t mean one in the show), we might even persuade people to stay overnight and put a bit more money into the local economy.

“So I got hold of Nigel Dobbing, who runs the Railway Touring Company and operates train trips all over the world, to devise a programme for us.”

Nigel Dobbing says: “That Claire is a very persistent person. I was away on business, but kept on getting these messages.

“Obviously, we were very happy to put this programme together. There are a lot of seats to sell, but if it goes well I hope we’ll be able establish this as an annual event.”

Aimed very much at the family market, the excursions will re-establish lost direct rail links from Liverpool to Holyhead and return, with the North Wales Coast Express trains, on Sundays, August 3-30, plus Bank Holiday Monday, August 25.

There are several stops to pick up and put down passengers. If Holyhead is not your destination of choice, there will be the chance to alight at Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Junction, Conwy and Bangor.

Likewise, the Liverpool to Carlisle route will be revived, via the Settle & Carlisle, nicknamed “the Jane Russell of railways” due to its spectacular curves and gradients mimicking those of the old Hollywood star (slightly).

Excursionists will be able to sample these delights aboard the Cumbrian Mountain Express, on Saturday August 2 and 23, including premier Pullman-style dining accommodation.

The programme launches with a special one-way trip in conjunction with the Tall Ships Race from Liverpool, with the 1937 streamlined locomotive, Union of South Africa, hauling a special train from Scarborough via York to Lime Street, on July 19.

It is exactly 40 years this August since British Railways ran its last steam-hauled train, which by extreme good fortune ran from Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester, Carlisle and return.

Dubbed the “15 Guinea Special” of August 11, 1968, enthusiasts were outraged by the ticket price of £15.15s per passenger, lambasting BR for blatant profiteering on a celebration of the steam power it was happily annihilating.

More importantly, the North West, and Liverpool in particular, created Britain’s great gift to the world, the passenger steam train, with the Liverpool & Manchester Railway’s opening in 1830.

The National Museums Liverpool and Railway Touring Company’s magnificent programme will be no half-hearted effort.

Three of Britain’s greatest steam locomotives, Princess Elizabeth, Duke of Gloucester and the aforementioned Union of South Africa (all restored to top operating condition) will haul these trains in rotation. They will be based at Crewe between trips.

Closer to home, Sharon Brown, NML curator of land transport and industrial collections (who hasn’t compromised her femininity either), is keen to emphasise Liverpool’s railway heritage.

“Among many items, we’ve got major items of railway rolling stock such as the Lion locomotive, built for the Liverpool & Manchester Railway in 1838, which was made more famous starring at the Titfield Thunderbolt in the Ealing comedy film.

“There is also the Mersey Railway’s Cecil Raikes steam locomotive, of 1885, which operated beneath the Mersey before electrification, and the Liverpool Overhead Railway coach.”

These will be displayed in the new Museum of Liverpool, under construction at Pier Head, but can be viewed in store during office hours by contacting Sharon Brown on 0151 207 0001.

peter.elson