Fifty years of Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust

Fifty years ago this month, a small group of Rochdale railway enthusiasts founded what has now become known as the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Preservation Trust.

The registered charity celebrated their 50th anniversary by travelling on the Worth Valley Railway.

Of the original founders of the trust, Ralph Newhouse and Richard Greenwood were part of the trip. Ralph now lives in Germany and Richard is an active member of STORM. Third founding member, Donald Russell died some years ago but his widow Anne, along with his two sons Stuart and Keith with their wives and three grandsons, all took part in the trip.

Other locals who were involved with the starting of the trust who were involved in trip included Barry Holton, Gordon Massey, Stephen Greenwood, Robin Higgins and Ian Holt.

The trust is the owner of a number of steam locomotives. Two are ex Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway pug small shutting engines. These engines worked with docks and goods yards. One of these locomotives, Number 68, an ex British Railways 512118, is currently out of service and is awaiting periodic boiler maintenance.

Its sister engine, Number 19, formerly of London Midland Scottish Railways 11243, was sold out of mainline service and last worked for United Glass Bottles in South London. Currently this locomotive is a static exhibit in the Museum at the Ribble Steam Railway in Preston.

The third locomotive is a Lancashire and Yorkshire number 752, formerly LMS 11456. This locomotive was built in 1881 as a tender engine which was later converted into a saddle tank. This locomotive shunted the goods yards in the Rochdale and Castleton areas for many years.

As well as owning a number of locomotives, the trust also owns four ex Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway carriages.

The Hughes brake/third number of 1474 of 1910 was largely restored from a departmental vehicle to a passenger carriage by Glenn Foxley of Heywood.

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Club Carriage, number 47 was used on the Blackpool/Manchester residential service by a textiles magnate living on the Fylde.

The Trust also owns a pair of six wheel coaches dating from the 1880s which were rescued from a site at Hapton (Accrington) where they had been converted into bungalows. One of these has already entered service and the second is well advanced.