Freight in the Ribble Valley (1987) | Class 37s at Clitheroe & Whalley Viaduct

A nostalgic look back at British Rail freight operations in Lancashire during the summer of 1987. At this point in history, the scenic Ribble Valley Line was completely closed to daily passenger traffic, its survival resting almost entirely on the heavy cement flows serving the Castle Cement works near Clitheroe.

In this video, a pair of hard-working Class 37 diesel locomotives arrive with a string of empty powder tankers. Because of the tight track geometry, the train must perform a distinct manoeuvre at Horrocksford Junction: it overshoots the junction on the mainline, pushes the entire train back over the trailing crossover, and then proceeds head-first down the dedicated branch line toward the cement works facility.
The video concludes further down the line, capturing the same pair of "Tractors" as they roar over the iconic 48-arch Whalley Viaduct, powering away with a heavy, loaded outbound train bound for domestic distribution depots.

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