Toggle navigation
News
Latest
Queries
Articles
Slideshows
On this day
Locations
Companies
Contributors
Maps
Slideshows
On this day
Locations
Companies
Maps
More
Queries
Articles
Slideshows
On this day
Locations
Companies
Contributors
Maps
West Lancashire Light Railway
All photographs of this railway in date order.
![The fireman, having completed coupling up, climbs aboard Quarry Hunslet no 823 'Irish Mail' as it waits at Delph for the return trip to Becconsall on the West Lancashire Light Railway. The platform is hidden by the train and the track in the foreground is the run round loop.<br><br>[John McIntyre /08/1994]](/images/24000/24111.jpg "Delph")
![O&K 0-4-0T+WT <I>Montalban</I> in the guise of <I>Monty the Friendly Engine</I>, running round the train at Becconsall on the West Lancashire Light Railway on 5 April 2009. The chimney in the background shows the original use of this site, a brick works with its own clay pit.<br>
<br><br>[John McIntyre 05/04/2009]](/images/23000/23171.jpg "Becconsall")
![There's something missing! Kerr Stuart <I>Joffre</I> 0-6-0T+WT sits in the shed at Becconsall on the West Lancashire Light Railway. The locomotive was one of 70 built for the French Government Artillery Railways during World War 1. It had been in use in a quarry near Calais from after the war and was repatriated to the UK in 1974 in a derelict state. Initially it was stored, but restoration has now been underway for a number of years. Seen through the gap between the two side tanks where the boiler and smokebox should be is Quarry Hunslet <I>Irish Mail</I> resting between turns on the <I>Friendly Engines Day</I> service on 05 April 2009. [See image 36154]<br>
<br><br>[John McIntyre 05/04/2009]](/images/23000/23187.jpg "Becconsall")
![Kerr Stuart 'Tattoo' Class locomotive 'Stanhope' arrives at Becconsall on 25 May 2009 with a train on the West Lancashire Light Railway.<br><br>[John McIntyre 25/05/2009]](/images/23000/23843.jpg "Becconsall")
![Timeless rural scene, by the shed and water tank on the <I>small but perfectly formed</I> West Lancashire Light Railway as Kerr Stuart 0-4-2ST <I>Stanhope</I> runs round its train before another trip down the short line to Delph Halt. <br><br>[Mark Bartlett 19/07/2009]](/images/24000/24684.jpg "Becconsall")
![O&K 0-4-0WT 'Montalban' and Hunslet 0-4-0ST 'Irish Mail' bring a train back to Becconsall on the West Lancs Light Railway as visiting 0-4-2T 'Sragi No 1' waits in the headshunt for its next turn on 4 October 2009.<br><br>[John McIntyre 04/10/2009]](/images/26000/26468.jpg "Becconsall")
![0-4-0ST Quarry Hunslet 'Irish Mail' arrives back in the station at Becconsall with the final Santa Special of the season in winter wonderland conditions on 20 December 2009.<br><br>[John McIntyre 20/12/2009]](/images/26000/26867.jpg "Becconsall")
![One of the West Lancashire Light Railway's tinsel-wrapped Santa Specials in action on the evening of Sunday 12 December 2010.<br>
<br>
<br><br>[John McIntyre 12/12/2010]](/images/31000/31920.jpg "Becconsall")
![A seasonal scene at Delph on the West Lancs Light Railway on 18 December 2010 as passengers wait in the snow to see Santa.<br><br>[John McIntyre 18/12/2010]](/images/57000/57553.jpg "Delph")
![In bright sunshine Quarry Hunslet no 823 <I>Irish Mail</I> brings children (of all ages) through the snow back from <I>Toyland</I> to Becconsall on the West Lancashire Light Railway on 19 December 2010.<br>
<br><br>[John McIntyre 19/12/2010]](/images/32000/32028.jpg "Becconsall")
![O&K 0-4-0WT No 22 <I>Montalban</I> rounds the curve between Delph and Willow Tree Halt on the West Lancashire Light Railway on 19 December 2010. The Christmas special is taking passengers young and old back to Becconsall.<br><br>[John McIntyre 19/12/2010]](/images/32000/32173.jpg "Delph")
![The fireman's view from Hunslet 0-4-0ST <I>Irish Mail</I> as it approaches Becconsall on the West Lancashire Light Railway. The sheds are on the left with the station through the small gap on the right. With thanks to the WLLR volunteer staff. <br><br>[Mark Bartlett 25/04/2011]](/images/33000/33795.jpg "Becconsall")
![The charming 0-4-0ST <I>Irish Mail</I>, built by Hunslet (823/1903), doesn't look 108 years old as she runs round her train at Delph on the WLLR. Just beyond the headshunt the unused track curves round the corner, but is only used for stock storage at the present time. This loco was one of many to a similar style used in the Dinorwic Quarry near Llanberis. [See image 36786]<br><br>[Mark Bartlett 25/04/2011]](/images/33000/33804.jpg "Delph")
![Looking out from the West Lancs running shed as <I>Irish Mail</I> departs with another service for Delph. Whilst steam is the main attraction on this line there is a fascinating collection of industrial narrow gauge diesels from a variety of systems. Photo with kind permission of WLLR volunteer staff. <br><br>[Mark Bartlett 25/04/2011]](/images/34000/34001.jpg "Becconsall")
![Scene on the West Lancashire Light Railway on 13 August 2011. O&K No 22 <I>'Montalban'</I> waits to depart from Delph, while O&K No 21 <I>'Utrilas'</I> and Hunslet <I>'Jack Lane'</I> await their next duties in the loop.<br><br>[John McIntyre 13/08/2011]](/images/35000/35253.jpg "Delph")
![At the end of the first day of the West Lancashire Light Railway <br>
Gala Weekend, three Hunslet Quarry 0-4-0ST locomotives stand at Becconsall having just arrived with the penultimate train of the day on 13 August 2011. Nearest the camera is 'Jack Lane' with 'Statfold' and 'Irish Mail' behind. The first two of these locos were built in the first decade of the 21st century while 'Irish Mail' is an original having been built in 1903.<br>
<br><br>[John McIntyre 13/08/2011]](/images/35000/35268.jpg "Becconsall")
![Scene at Becconsall on the West Lancashire Light Railway on 23 October 2011, where Kerr Stuart 0-6-0 WT+T <I>Joffre</I>, with boiler in place and tanks filled with water, was being checked for problems before the next stage of restoration. The photograph shows the locomotive being propelled back into the shed road by a Planet 4w DM shunter following the first test run. [See image 23187] <br>
<br><br>[John McIntyre 23/10/2011]](/images/36000/36154.jpg "Becconsall")
![With nameplates still covered, Kerr Stuart 0-6-0T 'Joffre' shunts a recreated WW1 train on 22 July 2012 in the West Lancashire Light Railway's Becconsall yard. The locomotive was originally built for the French Government for use by French Artillery in 1915 and after WW1 was used in a limestone quarry in France. It was 'repatriated' in 1974 and, following a lengthy restoration by the West Lancashire Light Railway, has begun operating for the first time since leaving for foreign shores 97 years ago. <br><br>[John McIntyre 22/07/2012]](/images/9000/9947.jpg "Becconsall")
![The renaming ceremony of Kerr Stuart 'Joffre' at the West Lancashire Light Railway on 22 July 2012 was undertaken by Steven Davies, Director of the NRM. He was wearing military uniform as he had earlier attended a ceremony at Preston Railway station where a plaque was unveiled to commemorate the 'Preston Pals'. (See news item).<br><br>[John McIntyre 22/07/2012]](/images/39000/39686.jpg "Becconsall")
![Kerr Stuart 0-6-0T <I>Joffre</I> photographed on 22 July 2012 during a ceremony in the West Lancashire Light Railway's Becconsall yard. [See image 39686]<br><br>[John McIntyre 22/07/2012]](/images/39000/39990.jpg "Becconsall")
![The last 'Santa Special' of the weekend at the West Lancashire Light Railway has just arrived back at Becconsall from Toyland on 16 December 2012 hauled by Kerr Stuart 0-6-0 WT & T <I>Joffre</I>.<br><br>[John McIntyre 16/12/2012]](/images/41000/41391.jpg "Becconsall")
![A clear December evening sky on 16 December 2012 gives a clue to the temperature as O&K 0-4-0 WT & T <I>Montalban</I> waits in the yard at Becconsall for the last 'Santa Special' of the weekend to return so that it can shunt the stock.<br><br>[John McIntyre 16/12/2012]](/images/41000/41403.jpg "Becconsall")
![After several round trips with an evening private charter West Lancs Fireman (and Railscot contributor) John McIntyre contemplates the disposal tasks for 0-4-0T <I>Utrillas</I> on 17 April. First stop the ashpan!<br><br>[Mark Bartlett 17/04/2013]](/images/42000/42765.jpg "Becconsall")
![<I>Down among the daffodils</I>. WLLR 0-4-0T <I>Utrillas</I>, was built in Germany in 1913 and previously worked at a mine in Zaragosa, Spain. It is seen here on an springtime evening private charter on 17 April. Fireman John McIntyre ducks back into the cab just as the shutter is pressed.<br><br>[Mark Bartlett 17/04/2013]](/images/42000/42991.jpg "Delph")
![O&K 0-4-0 WT&T brings a mid afternoon service passed Willow Tree Halt on the West Lancashire Light Railway on 9 June 2013. After a large branch of the willow tree was brought down in high winds earlier in the year, a full inspection deemed it to be unsafe and major surgery was required. A substantial stump remains, although there is now a good supply of wood to fire the locos and the halt receives direct sunlight again.<br><br>[John McIntyre 09/06/2013]](/images/43000/43523.jpg "Willow Tree Halt")
![Basic temporary facilities for the blockman at Delph controlling access to and from the station and the single line to Beconsall during the West Lancashire Light Railway Gala on 5 October 2014. The chair was surprisingly comfortable...<br><br>[John McIntyre 05/10/2014]](/images/48000/48957.jpg "Delph")
![O&K 0-4-0 WT&T <I>Utrillas</I> in the loop at Delph waiting for the next passenger train whilst a diesel and set of skips immediately behind attempts to create a smokescreen during the WLLR Autumn Gala on 5 October 2014.<br><br>[John McIntyre 05/10/2014]](/images/48000/48969.jpg "Delph")
![A recently restored Lister Autotruck has a test run on the West Lancashire Light Railway on 28 June 2015.<br><br>[John McIntyre 28/06/2015]](/images/51000/51809.jpg "Becconsall")
![20 hp Motorail 4w DM loco no 31 'Mill Reef' waits in the yard at Becconsall on the WLLR during the Gala Weekend on 8 August 2015. With another 4w DM loco on the other end of a short 'engineers' train, the pair worked in between the normal passenger operation.<br><br>[John McIntyre 08/08/2015]](/images/52000/52378.jpg "Becconsall")
![Kerr Stuart Joffre class locomotives works numbers 3014 and 2405 running light engine during the 100th anniversary celebrations of the construction of 2405. The locomotives were part of an order for 70 ordered by the French Artillery Railways during World War 1. Six are believed to survive.<br><br>[John McIntyre 19/09/2015]](/images/52000/52740.jpg "Becconsall")
![Two Kerr Stuart Joffre locos at a gala event on the West Lancs, the first pair in steam together for over 60 years.<br>
<br>
Leading engine is Kerr Stuart no.3014 of 1916 from the Apedale Valley Light Railway near Stoke on Trent and was restored by the owners the Moseley Railway Trust.<br>
<br>
Behind it is the West Lancashire Light Railway Trust's Kerr Stuart no.2405 of 1915 which was celebrating its 100th anniversary over the weekend of 19 and 20 September 2015.<br><br>[John McIntyre 20/09/2015]](/images/52000/52672.jpg "Delph")
![O&K 0-4-0 T&WT no.21 'Utrillas' waits at Delph on the early evening of 13 December 2015 whilst operating one of the Santa Specials on the West Lancashire Light Railway.<br><br>[John McIntyre 13/12/2015]](/images/53000/53662.jpg "Delph")
![As the children visit Father Christmas at Delph (renamed Toyland for the visit of the big man) on 20 December 2015, Kerr Stuart 0-6-0 T&WT no.2405 'Joffre' waits patiently before coupling up to the train.<br><br>[John McIntyre 20/12/2015]](/images/53000/53677.jpg "Delph")
![Visiting Hudswell Clarke locos from Statfold Barn Railway are seen at the West Lancashire Light Railway on 14 August 2016. On the left is 0-6-0T works number 1172 of 1922 'Alpha' while 0-6-0WT works number 1643 of 1930 backs onto the train in the platform.<br><br>[John McIntyre 14/08/2016]](/images/56000/56236.jpg "Becconsall")
![Quarry Hunslet 'Irish Mail', works number 823 of 1903 sits on the new turntable at Becconsall on the West Lancashire Light Railway on 21st May 2017.<br><br>[John McIntyre 21/05/2017]](/images/59000/59573.jpg "Becconsall")
![Hunslet quartet plus two at the end of the first day of the West Lancashire Light Railway 'Nearly 50 Gala' on 12 August 2017. This year is the 50th anniversary of the start of the railway by 6 local schoolboys and as part of the summer celebration, the railway's Hunslet loco Irish Mail was joined by visitors Jack Lane, Statfold and Cloister. All 4 were in steam on both days but the line up at the end of day 1 had O&K Utrilas and Kerr Stuart Joffre from the 'home' fleet added for the photo.<br><br>[John McIntyre 12/08/2017]](/images/60000/60509.jpg "Becconsall")
![On 17 November 2017 the Branch Line Society visited the West Lancashire Light Railway for what was billed as 'The West Lancashire Wanderer'. This was a tour over 'all available lines' using adapted Eastriggs wagons as the mode of transport. At the end of the visit however the visitors were treated to a trip on the normal passenger rolling stock which is seen here returning to Becconsall.<br><br>[John McIntyre 17/11/2017]](/images/61000/61768.jpg "Becconsall")
