Railway Herald
The main line loco now hauls the rake of wagons to the exchange sidings behind the Odeon cinema on Preston docks. There, one of the Ribble Rail locos (normally one of the fleet of Sentinel 0-4-0 shunters that replaced steam in 1968) has delivered a similar rake of empty tankers and is waiting to take the loaded train on. The rake of loaded tankers is split in two, and hauled towards the museum, over the swing bridge and two more level crossings at the dock entrance itself. Ribble Rail operatives again stay in control of train movements and keep a watchful eye on operations from the Preston City Council control tower by the swing bridge. After crossing the roads, the points are re-set and the wagons shunted into the long siding under the collection gantry, where pipes are connected to the wagons and the bitumen quickly discharged. The Ribble Rail loco then returns to collect the next rake of wagons, and the main line loco takes the empties on the long journey back to Immingham. All this has usually happened within a 45-minute timeframe, such is the sheer efficiency of the operation.
PHOTO - ANDREW FOWLER
Ribblesteam
