1968 IS ABOUT MEMORIES

I must say how much I enjoyed the various recent articles on the final months of main line steam. This was particularly the case as I was also there and participated in the evermore frantic attempts to ‘capture the moment’.

I had been a student at the University of Birmingham since September 1966 and had lived through the very depressing demise of steam in the West Midlands, but that final era in my home region, the North West, was such a compelling draw for me that, even without a car and with not a lot of spare cash, I just had to revisit Lancashire (in particular) as often as possible. My efforts at photography were rather amateur, but I was happy with it. It was the experience and the thrill of the chase as much as anything that will stay in my memory and I wouldn’t change that for anything. My minuscule involvement in the end of steam pales into insignificance against the exploits of the mighty ‘Master Neverers Association’, but at least I did experience some of the magic and, to my eternal gratification, I was one of those cleaning ‘Black Fives’ at Lostock Hall the night before the final day of specials on August 4. I didn’t get much sleep (in the cab of a ‘Black Five’) and then I was given a lift in someone’s car all around East Lancashire to capture those last few shots! August 11 was a huge disappointment, although I got to Helwith Bridge in time to see ‘Cromwell’ venture north. Then it was all over and an enormous void opened up in my life, although it didn’t sink in straight away. Keep reminding us, through your pages, lest we ever forget, especially as some of the detail does tend to fade after half a century!

Alan Fell, Topsham, Exeter

I WAS CLEANING ‘BLACK FIVES’ AT LOSTOCK HALL THE NIGHT BEFORE THE FINAL DAY OF SPECIALS