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An item of information that is short and sweet .... for I really am totally lost for words!
I have just heard through the grapevine that, following months of inviting the views of all interested parties specifically to consider what might be the most appropriate ways to mark the very great historical importance of the former steam locomotive engine shed site in Lostock Hall (the last one of all to close), the eminently informed and so highly-qualified Council team involved appear to have come up with their 'ideal solution' .....
Wait for it ...... it's a cracker ........
The chosen memorial for the shed site is to be a huge stone sculpture in the form of ......
a leaf!
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Turning over a new leaf eh !!!
djh
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Maybe it will be a tea leaf, I bet plenty was drank there, I used to go there on my bike as a kid it was a great place for any kid to see the great steam trains being serviced, the workers there didn't mind us kids poking around, it wouldn't be allowed now.
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We bought our house on what was called the painters fields just off where the sheds were. The land was full of remains of the spent coal, literally hundreds of clay pipes and old glass bottles.
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I was allowed on the footplate of a steam train from Lostock Hall to Preston in about 1957/8 I would be 14 at the time, I used to go to the sheds and help get the fires going so they had steam to start their journeys,and this particular sunday the driver said "do you fancy a trip to Preston?, we take this one to the station and bring another back to the sheds",, How could a lad say no ??? If only we could turn back the clock.
PeterG
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Nice one PeterG, pity it wouldn`t be allowed in this health and safety era, how sad.
djh
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It wasn't allowed then either. I had a good many unauthorized footplate rides at various times with my dad (who retired from 24C at 65 in 1958). He made me wear a locomen's shiny-topped cap (I still have one) and keep a low profile in case a footplate inspector should be around. If by chance such a one had seen me from lineside and sent in a report, I suppose I would have been a third man who was "learning the road".
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OMG what on earth has a leaf got to do with a bar of soap!!!!!
I lived bordering onto the sheds also in Mayfield Ave. so they were a part of my growing up. Maybe a sooted nappy would have been more appropriate, because my mother swore everytime a steam train passed , blasting out the soot on her whitest of whites.!!!!
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It would now appear that matters are not quite so bad as were first thought.
A colleague has been in touch with South Ribble Council who confirm that that the 'big leaf' proposal is not of their volition, and is actually the idea of the church who owns the land that was once the goods yard and sorting sidings - on the opposite side of Watkin lane to the old loco shed site.
That party also plan to install both a 'peace garden' (and hence the 'leaf'?) and also a BMX bike track and work is expected to commence on these in the fairly near future.
Currently, there is no news of any substance about the old shed area itself, other than the inescapable fact that any planning applications for development are likely to be rejected on the grounds of inadequate access being available.
If anyone does hear any more, please do place it here or on the Lostock Hall Shed Website discussion forum. In fact do consider joining the 10D forum to share any reminiscences whatsoever that you may have about the shed and its characters.
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Would it have been the wrong type of leaf Alan?Ha! Ha!
