On the WCML image page, I have moved north from Euston using photos at various locations along the line from my collection. However, I have a large number from Crewe, and decided to create a separate page rather than overload the WCML one with photographs from one particular station.
46114 ‘Coldstream Guardsman’ leads another member of the class into Crewe station, with a northbound service during the early 1960s. A pair of Royal Scots does seem to be rather unusual motive power for a passenger service, but I was never too familiar with London Midland practise.
The slide mount gives little info here except Crewe 1965. This is 70012 ‘John Of Gaunt’ on a freight train which appears to be coming up the incline on the freight avoiding lines heading in the direction of Basford Hall; but the scene has changed so much over the decades that I’m not sure of the exact location of the photographer.
Even as late as 1965 steam station pilots were still to be found at Crewe. 47482 takes water at the station in between shunting duties.
I can’t remember seeing class 26s at Crewe Works, but maybe I was just unlucky because here are two from 1987. 26037 and 26040 are not seen in the greatest light due to the dodgy colour balance of certain low cost brands of 35mm film.
On January 29th 1977 the Western Memorial railtour took D1023 ‘Western Fusilier’ to Crewe on a circuitous route from Paddington to Chester. Here the loco is seen adjacent to the station on that day.
Westerns were not strangers to Crewe station in their early years. Many were built there (well – down the road in the works). Here we see an unidentified member of the class sharing the station with a BRC&W DMU and an EE Type 4 in December 1964.
Those who have viewed my early autobiographical pages may have seen this photo. This was taken while I was still at school, on a day trip from East Lincolnshire during half term. I was lucky because the sun came out and the snow was not as problematic as it had been a few days earlier. E3102 and D1954 are seen in February 1969.
Black 5 4-6-0 44851 moves around the station in 1963, passing an AM4 unit in the adjacent platform.
Much more recently is 390011 in Virgin livery arriving at the station on April 1st 2006.
325002 passes the station on the through lines in 1999.
33018 waits for departure time with a train for Cardiff on February 15th 1984. These locos took over from class 25s on this service a couple of years earlier.
Freight trains through the station were somewhat irregular, as many of them used the avoiding lines beneath the junction. However, 58049 was passing with an MGR train on November 2nd 1989.
One of the prototype class 150 units 150001 is seen here ready to leave for Derby on November 21st 1985. These were 3-car, but the production run units were only 2-car.
In 1985 the entire main line track layout at Crewe was remodelled, with through non-platform lines for services not booked to stop there. Here is a wiring team at work after the new tracks had been laid.
By autumn much of the remodelling work was complete, and everywhere looks bright and clean with brand new ballast. 150002 leaves with a service for Derby on September 26th 1985.
21st century rains have a more modern look to them, although the need to provide passenger connections between units tends to disfigure the cab ends somewhat. 350118 pays a visit to Crewe on November 11th 2008.
I love night time photos at stations, but they are so difficult to get right. 87017 is waiting for a green light to depart towards Stafford in 1993.
Click the links below to move to the Stafford or WCML pages
Trainspotting data from 1947 until 1980 