Geograph - photograph every grid square

Westbound express entering Manchester Victoria/Exchange, with train-spotters

View eastward from the east end of the long through platform (Nos. 11/3) at Manchester Victoria/Exchange: ex-L&Y main lines, up the bank towards Miles Platting and Yorkshire. On the left is Victoria East Box, which controlled the junction with the Manchester Loop to Cheetham Hill Junction and Thorpes Bridge Junction. It was perhaps the busiest Summer Saturday ever (3 September 1960), because London Road Station was in the throws of major rebuilding to the new Piccadilly Station and most express to/from the South and London were being diverted from there via Ardwick Junction, Philips Park and Oldham Road Junction. The train approaching (W426) is probably one of these - admired by a bevvy of spotters: the locomotive is Stanier/Ivatt 5MT 4-6-0 No. 44751 (built 3/48 and fitted with Caprotti valve gear and roller-bearings, withdrawn 10/64). I was there for 2½ hours, during which no less than 36 expresses (26 with Stanier Black 5s) came past, plus empty stock, light engines etc. (I also recorded the great cacophony of sound).