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12th May 1981
Evening light at Cocker Bar on the approach to Midge Hall, as a Cravens Power-Twin formed of cars M50804/M50758 powers along with the 18.49 Ormskirk to Preston service on May 12th 1981. The former double track formation along this former main line is clearly visible in this view. Martyn Hilbert.
7th November 1982
A Class 108 heads into the gathering gloom with its tail lamp visible late on a Autumn afternoon as it passes the Cocker Bar between Midge Hall and Croston with a Preston to Ormskirk service on November 7th 1982. Dominating this scene is the Down Distant signal for Northbound trains approaching Midge Hall, unfortunately in the intervening years the tall peg has since been replaced with a reflective board. Martyn Hilbert.
23rd December 1982
A two-car Class 108 DMU formed of cars M51942 & M56497 was passing the Cocker Bar at Ulnes Walton, whilst running between Midge Hall and Croston with a Preston to Ormskirk service on December 23rd 1982. The tall distant signal for Preston bound trains approaching Midge Hall has now been replaced with a reflective distant board. Martyn Hilbert.
23rd December 1982
Two days before Christmas 1982 in very seasonal conditions, a two-car Class 108 DMU formed of cars M51942 & M56497 had just passed the down distant signal for Midge Hall as it passed the Cocker Bar at Ulnes Walton with an Ormskirk to Preston service on December 23rd 1982. Martyn Hilbert.
31st December 1982
A 2-Car Class 108 DMU, with M50955 leading passes Cocker Bar, Ulnes Walton with a Preston to Ormskirk Service on New Years Eve, 1982. The Distant Signal is for Preston bound trains approaching Midge Hall. The former main line was singled west of Midge Hall in 1970, all trains now use what was the former Down Line. Martyn Hilbert.
20th May 1983
A 2-Car Class 104 DMU with M53527 leading, passes Cocker Bar Farm as it runs between Midge Hall and Croston with a Preston to Ormskirk service on May 20th 1983. This was the period when these units had been reduced from three cars with the removal of the unpowered centre trailer car. The down Midge Hall distant signal against the farm access bridge has since been replaced by a reflective board. Martyn Hilbert.
26th July 1983
With the Pennines just visible on the far horizon, a class 108 2-Car DMU with Motor Brake Second M51940 leading, runs through the West Lancashire countryside at Cocker Bar, Ulnes Walton, between Midge Hall and Croston with a well filled tea-time Preston to Ormskirk service on July 26th 1983. Martyn Hilbert.
16th March 1985
A sudden and unexpected flurry of snow fell in West Lancashire on the late afternoon of March 16th 1985. Within a couple of hours it had all thawed. Class 104 M53530 & M53468 was on a Preston to Ormskirk working passing Cocker Bar, between Midge Hall and Croston. Despite the destination blind, the unit was heading for Ormskirk. In the field to the left of the DMU is a derelict vintage Thames Trader lorry that was in production from 1957 to 1965. Martyn Hilbert.
25th June 1985
Set: EP503
A Class 120 hybrid set drifts through the West Lancashire countryside at Cocker Bar between Midge Hall and Ulnes Walton with the 17.55 Preston to Ormskirk service on June 25th 1985. The former Derby Etches Park set EP503 was formed of two Class 120 Swindon built driving cars and a Class 101 centre trailer car. This particular out and back service on the Ormskirk line was regularly diagrammed for a Class 120 during this period. The sets were normally used on Manchester to Blackpool North services. Martyn Hilbert.
29th June 1985
A hybrid Class 120 three-car set with DMBS M53702 and including a centre trailer coach from a Class 101, passes the Orchard at the rear of Cocker Bar Farm as it runs between Midge Hall and Croston whilst working the 17.55 Preston to Ormskirk service on June 29th 1985. This particular service was diagrammed for a Class 120 set that was usually employed on Manchester Victoria to Blackpool North workings, and had a tea-time out and back run on the Ormskirk route. (The destination blind is still showing Blackpool North). These were the days when the passing loop was utilised at Rufford and an intensive service was used at the late afternoon/early evening peak, when four different DMU sets were used on the Preston to Ormskirk services. Martyn Hilbert.
29th August 1985
On a tea-time filling in turn, a three-car Swindon Cross Country Class 120 DMU with a Driving Motor Second Lavatory (DMSL) leading, was passing the Cocker Bar at Ulnes Walton whilst running between Midge Hall and Croston with a Preston to Ormskirk service on August 29th 1985. These were the days when the passing loop was utilised at Rufford, and in the evening peak, three different DMU sets operated the Preston to Ormskirk services. The service was strengthened by one out-and-back working of a unit that had worked from Leeds to Preston and often brought the sight of a WYPTE Class 101 or a 110 to West Lancashire, whilst the service seen in this view was a Blackpool North to Manchester Victoria unit that made one trip to Ormskirk and back, bringing relative luxury first generation DMU style to the Ormskirk branch! Martyn Hilbert.
31st March 1988
With Globe Mill at Midge Hall visible in the left background, a two-car BRCW Class 104 DMU formed of cars M53492 & M53439, was passing the Cocker Bar at Ulnes Walton whilst running through the flat agricultural landscape onwards to its next call at Croston, with a Preston to Ormskirk service on March 31st 1988. Martyn Hilbert.
2nd May 1989
Set: N613
Running through the flat agricultural landscape of rural West Lancashire, a Metro-Cammell Class 101 two-car DMU formed of DTCL E54362 + DMBS E51435 (set N613) was passing Cocker Bar whilst running between Midge Hall and Croston with a Preston to Ormskirk service on May 2nd 1989. Martyn Hilbert.
5th May 1989
Set: N678
Surrounded by open agricultural land which is a characteristic of the Preston to Ormskirk route, a two-car BRCW Class 104 DMU formed of cars M53536 & M53520 had left Midge Hall behind in the far-distance, and was passing the Cocker Bar at Ulnes Walton en-route to it's first intermediate station call at the village of Croston, whilst working a well-filled tea time Preston to Ormskirk service on May 5th 1989. The set was numbered as Newton Heath N678, the leading car M53536 still carrying Network South East branding on the bodyside, a legacy from when the car was allocated to Bletchley Depot between 1982 & 1987. Martyn Hilbert.
16th May 1992
Set: LO296
With Midge Hall in the far distance, a Class 108 two-car DMU formed of cars 53956 & 54238, was passing the Oil Seed Rape at Cocker Bar with the 16.03 Preston to Ormskirk service on May 16th 1992. Martyn Hilbert.
Page 1 of 1, displaying 1-15 of 15 images