Birthday Photo 12 Discription
Snow in March.Photo 12 This shot of a WD 2-8-0 No 90470 in the snow at Castleton station has a wealth of detail.
The locomotive was shedded at both Wakefield (56A) and at Sowerby Bridge (56E) during the 1960s. The train is
a mixed freight rather than a block coal train so is probably from Healey Mills and is heading for Moston Sorting
Sidings. The wan, midwinter, weak sunshine gives the shot a pleasing 'watercolour' effect, so much more
attractive than the hyper saturated colour of some digital images. The colour is provided by the typical LYR
signalbox with its window high in the gable end and the outside 'necessary' at the top of the steps. Castleton
Station box was closed in .... which dates the picture. On the right is the Maltings of Magee, Marshall and Co,
Brewers of Bolton. There is an enclosed canopy covering a crane from above the siding into the building. On
the opposite side of the building was a similar arrangement over a berth on the Rochdale Canal. On the left of
the picture is the entrance to the factory of textile machinery makers, Tweedales & Smalleys (Tweedales and
Smallwages to those who worked there). With the decline of the textile industry this complex was taken over by
FW Woolworths who used rail for distribution widely well into the 1960s. Note the pregrouping LYR subsignal
protecting the exit from the private sidings. When the signalbox was demolished a ground frame was provided
to operate the junction.
for more photos by R S Greenwood see:-