Rusting Ruston (1) - 23 July 2021

The internet really came into its own for my research on this chance sighting during a stay in Liverpool. I should record that I refer to multiple sources in order to ensure a reasonable level of accuracy. There are plenty of examples of errors being perpetuated when this is not done.

This lonely, neglected shunter, stripped of all cab controls, stands at the junction of Bankfield Street and Derby Road in Kirkdale. It has been identified as a Ruston 48DS 0-4-0 and would once have been used in the nearby dock system. The name plate 'The Atlantic Avenue 1998' was, perhaps, the greater mystery for a shunter of evidently far greater vintage but this too has been explained. Derby Road was styled Atlantic Avenue in a 1998 initiative which involved various infrastructure improvements. Whatever the impact of those improvements at the time, the area looks a bit stressed now.

There are other photographs and notes on Flickr and other sites including geograph.org.uk

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