Caption:

British Rail in transition. The juxtaposition of these items of

power and rolling-stock needs little explanation, but the fact remained that whilst BR was happy to keep parcels traffic as a going concern, it probably received scant attention from the accountants in terms of potential future investment. In fact, during the 1970s, as passenger vehicles were being renewed and replaced by then state-of-the-art air-braked and air-conditioned coaches, for the enthusiast, parcels vans of all sorts were a happy hunting ground. About to set off from Crewe up the West Coast main-line – not too quickly one hoped – is a Class 86 fitted eighteen months previously, in December 1971, with a new-style GEC Crossarm Pantograph. The loco is still in service with Freightliner as number 86608 and an LMS-built Stove R van and six-wheeled into the bargain, which is now preserved on the East Lancs Railway!