A6 Rebooted

[Spitfire]

A 1951 poster for the Red Rose Euston to Liverpool train.

[NickB]

If the defence accepted that the 12.15 arrived in Liverpool about half an hour late there would be no need for witness evidence on that point. Also at the trial Hanratty said his train arrived in Liverpool at about 4.30, so there could further have been a consensus on which train it was.

However it appears the prosecution did not reveal the 6.00 timing of the last bus to Rhyl, so did not ask the pertinent question: 'How did he do everything in the time?'. This is a question Woffinden completely ignores, though he goes for an even later arrival. Foot at least attempts to answer it for the period before 10.20, but it is interesting that when Woffinden makes an estimate of his arrival at Euston he comes up with 10.45. And that assumes that he did not visit Anderson that morning, as she testified.

[Spitfire]

"The jury heard evidence about the train times from London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street (12.15pm arriving 4.45pm)"

This is from Section 185 of the 2002 Appeal.

Indeed it is Nick, but whether that is taken from the trial transcript directly is open to question.

Hawser says the "relevant train would have arrived in Liverpool at 4.43 pm".(para 160).

There is no mention of the train being late by anyone, nor any witness being called to prove that fact.

Foot also mentions that Hanratty thought his train stopped at Crewe. The 10.35 am train from Euston stopped at Crewe but Hanratty would have had to change trains there to get to Lime Street, so we can rule that one out.

I don't know where Woff has got his 11.37am train from.

If Hanratty had travelled from Euston to Liverpool on Thursday 24th August, then there was a through train which left Euston at 2.15pm, stopped at Crewe, and then arrived at Liverpool at 6.50pm.

[moste]

"The jury heard evidence about the train times from London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street (12.15pm arriving 4.45pm)"

This is from Section 185 of the 2002 Appeal.

So the jury had to decide.’Was Hanratty working to a very tight schedule, ‘ or the more likely scenario, ‘ did Hanratty spend the 1/2 an hour or so hoping to find the road somewhere off Scotland road, before returning to the town centre ,having his wash and brush up , having a bite in the cafe, then spontaneously on a whim, jumping on a coach to Rhyl at 6 o clock , just in the nick of time.


‘The Comet’.‘ The Palatine’ The Mancunian’ WOW! Great train spotting memories.

[NickB]

"The jury heard evidence about the train times from London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street (12.15pm arriving 4.45pm)"

This is from Section 185 of the 2002 Appeal.