Diggle Greater Manchester 29th February 2020

Stanier Jubilee 4-6-0 45699 Galatea, beautifully turned out as 45562 Alberta, climbing the 1 in 125 gradient towards Diggle Junction box and Standedge tunnel with the Cotton Mill Express.

The timetable had the loco looped at Diggle for 20 minutes so we expected the driver to be shutting off by this point but the train was actually held at Stalybridge instead. It was running 30 minutes late so the Diggle stop was dropped and she was really working hard through here.

The backdrop is the W.H. Shaw Pallet (formerly Dobcross Loom) Works, reputedly one of the largest factories of its type before its closure in 2006. Dating from 1860 it was being demolished at the time of my visit.