The Hall Class at Chester

Chester was always an important location for us. It provided LM namers, GW Halls, Counties and Castles and even the odd B1. We got there by number 10 bus from Stroude’s Corner, then train from Woodside or electric train to Rock Ferry, and sometimes we cycled along the New Chester Road on a 40-mile round trip and parked ourselves on the steps alongside the Hoole Road bridge.

This gave panoramic views of the station and was close to the bay platforms that were often used by the Birkenhead-Paddington services, which reversed here, but also by Ivatt Class 2s on local North Wales stoppers to Ruthin and Denbigh.

John Dyer photographed Nos. 4953 Pitchford Hall, 4956 Plowden Hall and 4968 Shotton Hall at Chester in the early 1960s.