"The runaway train came down the track..."

SAM DICKENSON, signalman at Carnforth station box, could not believe his eyes when class 5 loco 45095 trundled past his box in the direction of Arnside - it appeared to be driverless.
Getting a quick grip on himself, he immediately sent the signal "train running away, right line" to colleagues along the track, while another signalman, Bill Postlethwaite, warned Carnforth MPD.
When loco staff realised what had happened, two drivers - David Walker and Russell Williams - with passed fireman Edward Wyatt, gave chase in a car.
They found no trace of the engine at Silverdale level crossing.
At Arnside they entered the closed signal box and phoned Grange-over-Sands.
Still nobody had seen the runaway.

Through crossings

The men then split forces, Russell Williams walking back along the track to Silverdale and Edward Wyatt going towards Grange, David Walker stayed with his car at Arnside.
Meanwhile, 45095 had gone on gaily down the track, through level crossings - which were fortunately open - and stations.
After running out of steam, it finally came to rest near Grange, over nine miles away.
Edward Wyatt eventually found the engine and after a "stoke up" was able to take it as far as Grange station from where it was returned to Carnforth shed.
The engine had been made ready earlier that evening for a job at 21.05 hours. This had been cancelled, and 45095 had been shifted from road to road within the vicinity of the shed.
How the engine had apparently started under its own steam remains a mystery.

4/9/1966 Loco ran away from Carnforth MPD - 45095.

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