13th March 1997

Crew change, Bank Quay at 11.27: Class 56 no. 56099 "Fiddlers Ferry Power Station" is ready to go after pausing to allow a change of driver. I seem to recall that this loco had recently been reinstated after a period of storage, but it did not stay in traffic for too long afterwards. It's an appropriate loco for this train, from Gladstone Dock, Liverpool, as this is a loaded coal train for Fiddlers Ferry Power Station! It will veer off the WCML into Walton Yard, and after a complex route passing Arpley Yard and involving reversals will head out of the Latchford Sidings and onto the route to the power station.