Send your letters to: The Railway Magazine, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. email: railway@mortons.co.uk NB. Publication of a letter does not imply that the Editor or staff of The Railway Magazine necessarily agree with its contents.
STAR LETTER
How steam returned to the Southern
I RECENTLY heard that an old friend of mine, Steve McColl, had passed away a couple of years ago. I first met Steve when he was a manager in Liverpool in 1984, and I have never known anybody before or since who could cut red tape like him.
Being an enthusiast himself, he did not keep information to himself, and would even put up lists at Lime Street of Class 40 rosterings. He supplied me with a lineside permit so I could photograph Aintree specials on Grand National day.
Every time he organised an event, he would send me the details through the post. And in 1991 he sorted me a main line cab ride on ‘N7’ No. 69621 from Marks Tey.
And so, when our attempts to secure an open day to celebrate Longsight depot’s 150th anniversary in May 1992 were struggling, the committee agreed to my suggestion for him to visit the depot, have a tour and report back to his mate Ivor Warburton, boss of InterCity. We ended up with a two-day event, 25,000 punters and £10k to
