The Bootle Brush - 8th December 2019

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The tour historical route map with thanks to our member Dave Cromarty<br>[&copy; Dave Cromarty 2019]	The tour window decal and tickets were designed by Amy Nash and printed by Willow (BLN printer).<br>[&copy; Amy Nash 2019]	Route details<br>[&copy; Paul Stewart & Martyn Brailsford 2019]	Mileage table<br>[&copy; Jim Sellens 2019]	Heading south from Ormskirk.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Awaiting departure from Crewe Bay P7.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Willaston station (CP 6 Dec 1954) building and level crossing 2m 41ch from Crewe South Jn towards Nantwich.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]
Approaching Nantwich P2 from Crewe, showing the trailing crossover that was used after reversal there.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Early morning reversal in Nantwich P2 (the 'feather' is illuminated at the other end of the train for the trailing crossover on departure).<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Heading north through Crewe Up & Down Loop, looking south; P11 is left (through the gap in the wall); the train on the right is at P12.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Acton Grange Viaducts on the Down Main, heading north over the Manchester Ship Canal (looking south). The Helsby lines are far left.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	The Down & Up Liverpool Curve past Earlestown P3 (disused platform right) heading towards Huyton. The Chat Moss Lines are far left.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Olive Mount Chord, once double track, looking back towards Olive Mount Jn from, yes, you've guessed it ……. Olive Mount Tunnel.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Spellow station site 3m 74ch from Bootle Branch Jn, (CP 31 May 1948) - note the platform remains and roof lines in the rock cutting left.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]
Spellow No1 Tunnel (62yd) on the Bootle Branch, after which the line passes directly beneath Kirkdale station! Heading for Bootle Jn.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Our tour reverses clear (north of) Marsh Lane Crossover, the moribund North Mersey Branch to Aintree is left, looking towards Southport.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	In the other direction looking towards Liverpool showing Marsh Lane Crossover itself and far right the defunct Bootle Jn - Aintree line.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	A Photo stop at Merseyrail's newest station, Maghull North, (OP 18 Jun 2028) it documented 330,000 passengers in 2018-19.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	The end of the line at Ormskirk; note the offset join with P2 for the Preston DMU service (which is SuX) ahead.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Kirkby, (EMU platform), for now the end of the line, with the distinct possibility of future extension to Skelmersdale.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Rear view, the train is on the Up Ormskirk line and has just emerged from Kirkdale No2 Tunnel, heading towards Liverpool.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]
Kirkdale Depot Road 22 (TRACKmaps 4 p40A Dec 2018) - the site of the former Carriage Shed which went across (right) to Road 25.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	The south end of Sandhills Reversing Siding looking south (we have plenty of reversals but very few setbacks on our tours).<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	The north end of Sandhills Reversing Siding looking north with the station beyond; the Ground Position Signal is lit with a 'D' for Down in the theatre indicator, the Up line on the right is bidirectionally signalled to Kirkdale South Jn on the Ormskirk line and Bootle Jn on the Southport line.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Formby station [By George!], heading north to Southport, ex-LYR (Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway) as can be seen - twice…<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	The Bootle Brush in Southport P3, a Merseyrail electric is to the left and a Northern DMU (no service this Sunday) is to the right.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Kev Adlam [who is as honest as the day is long, of course] experiences the long arm of the law on Southport P3; Tim Brawn is far left.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Southport Station Jn; leaving Southport P3 (where our tour had arrived from Sandhills) on the non-electrified connection to the Wigan lines.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]
Burscough Bridge station, now unstaffed the new 'interchange' building (left) is totally disused, no buses call here even..<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Rear view between Southport and Wigan Wallgate; Burscough Bridge station is ahead. Originally curves trailed in each side here from the Preston - Ormskirk - Liverpool Exchange line which the tour is about to pass beneath.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	Our Bootle Brush makes an unusual sight at Liverpool Lime Street P10.<br>[&copy; Geoff Plumb 2019]	In difficult lighting conditions 47245 is on Chester Parcels Line at the buffer stops; a Class 175 DMU is in bay P1 right on a Manchester Victoria train<br>[&copy; Simon Mortimer 2019]