IN MY quest for family days out that involve industrial heritage, nostalgia and, crucially, the chance to sit down and drink steaming mugs of tea, I bring you The Cotton Mill Express.
It’s the chance to enjoy dramatic Pennine scenery in comfort, as the train pounds its way round a 100-mile plus circuit starting and ending at Manchester Victoria, with at least 12 trips planned for this year.
This also appeals to my other badly-kept secret ambition: to prompt a 2008 revival of passenger steam trains from Liverpool, inspired by the world’s first passenger line, the Liverpool & Manchester Railway.
Previous attempts to link the two cities with heritage steam services never took off. However, Andy Stait, director of Past-Time Rail, who operates the phenomenally successful Torbay Express, (featured on BBC Two’s Coast series), is keen to explore this possibility.
He’s buoyed up by his first Cotton Mill Express, which practically sold out and may extend this to Liverpool, or organise separate excursions. “With the Bristol – Kingswear Torbay Express established, we wanted something similar in the North West, which is the biggest single untouched area for regular mainline steam heritage trains.
“We’ve created a 1950s railway experience with a steam locomotive from Ian Riley’s stable in Bury, and coaches from West Coast Railway Co, in Carnforth. My dad, Bernard, returned steam to the mainline in 1972. I love the reaction of people seeing steam engines in action, especially when travelling through glorious scenery.”
Crowds of locals turned out, drawn by the novel spectacle of loud noise and billowing smoke hanging like ghosts in the damp winter air. Our locomotive, a British Railways Horwich-built Standard 4 class (made, like me, in 1957), spent its short 11-year initial career based at St Helens and Liverpool. Nicknamed “the Pocket Rocket”, it barks like a demented pile-driver thrashing up the steep inclines. Unluckily, we stalled while ascending the deadly one in 65 Copy Pit Summit and needed a 10-minute steam-up. As the locomotive inspector, Ron Smith, told me: “I think the coal’s Russian, but I know it’s rubbish.”
For those aboard, there’s nothing pleasanter than watching valleys and mill towns slip by, comfortably cossetted in spacious 50-year-old coaches. These gently roll like stately galleons around countless curves and pointwork. Regular excursionists bring picnic hampers and wine. During the Blackburn one-hour plus stop, we dined at Cafe Beees, in Church Street, which was a real find.
West Coast Railway Co, which most famously supplies the Hogwarts Express for the Harry Potter films, annually runs up to 300 charters. James Shuttleworth, of WCRC, says: “The key is repeat itineraries, with a choice of dates, and reliability. The atmosphere is building up and we might add dining on board.”
Sam Haslam, 27, a graphic designer, and his father, Ted, a retired engineer, from Saddleworth, were treated to the day out by Sam’s girlfriend, Harriet Thomas.
“We’re interested in northern industrial heritage, and this is like a step back in time. It’s a great way to understand the historic fabric of the landscape.”
Ted says: “Modern train travel is so sterile, but this is a testament to the foresight of the railway pioneers that so much of their infrastructure is operational today. It makes you proud of the North West.”
Mr Stait says: “There’s a lot of competition for family days out, but we think we’ve got a wonderful thing here that will let people forget their worries for a few hours.”
Mr Haslam adds: “I was so excited about coming that I struggled to sleep last night.” Surely that’s the best advert anyone could want for a trip from Manchester to Blackburn.
THE Cotton Mill Express; standard class £42 (junior £37.50), first class £66.50; approx 10.00 – 16.00; scheduled are Sats: Feb 9, Mar 15, Jun 14, Jul 26; Sun Apr 6, May 18; (please check dates before booking), reservations tel: 01543 411971; by post to Past-Time Rail Ltd, PO Box 49691, London, N8 7YS; email: contact@past-timerail.co.uk; website: www.past-timerail.co.uk
peter.elson
