8D ASSOCIATION

The 8D Association is dedicated to promoting the history of the railways of South Lancashire, Merseyside and North Cheshire.

Industrial and Private Railways.

Throughout the area that we cover many industries not only relied on the rail network for the delivery of raw materials and finished products they operated their own internal systems. Some systems were small affairs with only a couple of locos whilst others were complex with many running lines and sidings. The decline of industry in the area also meant a decline in the scene. Many of the larger rail systems contracted and eventually closed while by the early 1960’s many of the smaller operations had disappeared. We shall try to cover some of the lines within the next few pages.

Pilks sheet stores Windle awaits preser CA Appleton

Windle was a locomotive built at the Providence Foundry of Edward Burrows at St Helens Junction. Many of the 50 locos of this design worked at factories and collieries around the St Helens area. The loco had been specially cleaned as it was being donated to the Middleton Railway Preservation Society. 17th October 1961.

Photo by C A Appleton.

Reproduced with permission from the Industrial Railway Society.

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