When driver John Bowser and fireman John Stone booked on duty to work the 8.05am local passenger service from Hellifield to Carlisle on Thursday, 6 March 1930 neither man expected anything but an undemanding trip over the Settle & Carlisle line. The booked locomotive was ex-L&NWR ‘Claughton’ No 5971 Croxteth, one of Leeds Holbeck shed’s allocation of seven ‘Midlandised’ members of the class – despite its cut-down cab, and ROD tender, Croxteth looked striking in its LMS crimson livery. The load was relatively modest for the 4-6-0, four eight-wheel bogie coaches and a six-wheel passenger brake, overall some 108 tons. The leading and trailing coaches were electrically lit, while the passenger brake (marshalled second in the train) and other two bogie vehicles were gas lit.
As often happened with experienced…