The first two Fowler ‘Patriots’ were nominally rebuilt Bowen Cooke ‘Claughtons’ but, as Andrew Wilson explains, little of the original L&NWR 4-6-0s actually remained.
When driver John Bowser and fireman John Stone booked on duty to work the 8.05am local passenger service from Hellifield to Carlisle on Thursday, 6 March 1930 neither man expected anything but an undemanding trip over the Settle & Carlisle line. The booked locomotive was ex-L&NWR ‘Claughton’ No 5971 Croxteth, one of Leeds Holbeck shed’s allocation of seven ‘Midlandised’ members of the class – despite its cut-down cab, and ROD tender, Croxteth looked striking in its LMS crimson livery. The load was relatively modest for the 4-6-0, four eight-wheel bogie coaches and a six-wheel passenger brake, overall some 108 tons. The leading and trailing coaches were electrically lit, while the passenger brake (marshalled second in the train) and other two bogie vehicles were gas lit.
As often happened with experienced crew, the fireman (with 13 years as a fireman) was driving, while the driver (with 34 years as a driver) was acting as footplate tutor and fireman. With such a light load the ‘5X’ 4-6-0 would not need to be worked hard on the three-hour schedule and 72¾ mile run. Nevertheless, by New Biggin No 5971 was running five minutes late. Ahead of the 8.05am service was the 5.10am Skipton to Carlisle goods duty that would be shunted out of the way on to the up line at Culgaith. However, also on the down line was a 14-wagon ballast train in the charge of Fowler ‘4F’ 0-6-0 No 4009, with men working in Waste Bank tunnel, 73 chains north of Culgaith signal box and 164 yards long.
No 5971 arrived at Culgaith station at 10.09am and after three passengers boarded and parcel
