ROCKET 150:

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Rainhill Trials – which, in 1829, had seen Stephenson’s Rocket chosen as the design for the locomotives of the newly-built Liverpool& Manchester Railway – British Rail closed the present daymain line through Rainhill to stage a three-day event on May 24-26, 1980. Grandstands were erected alongside the tracks, and crowds gathered to watch a cavalcade of locomotives and other rail vehicles pass by. Nearly 40 steam, diesel and electric locos were involved – including this reduced length APT set Nos. 370004+370003, which was propelled by ‘Grid’ No. 56077.