NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY :NOTICE BOARD

Rheilffordd arfordir gogledd Cymru: Hysbysfwrdd

22 September 2025

Forthcoming events

See our Calendar Page for operator details.

September 2025

Monday 15 September Saphos Trains Edinburgh Summer Explorer Chester to Edinburgh with LSL 47 and/or 57 to Carlisle for steam to Edinburgh and back to Carlisle

Saturday 20 September Northern Belle Settle & Carlisle Steam Special Telford, Shrewsbury, Wrexham and Chester to Carlisle with steam WCRC diesel to Carlisle, steam over S&C, diesel back

Saturday 20 September Vintage Trains The Cambrian Coast Explorer Dorridge to Aberystwyth with 37 240 and a Network Rail 97/3

Saturday 29 September Belmond Britannic Explorer Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales

Wednesday 17 September Midland Pullman Settle and Carlisle Pullman. From Ruabon, Wrexham General and Chester.

Saturday 20 September Northern Belle Settle and Carlisle Steam Special. Wrexham General and Chester to Carlisle via the S&C. Diesel to/from Carnforth, steam for remainder.

20/21 September
This year's Bala Lane Railway Model Show 10.00 - 16.00 both days. Venue: Ysgol Godre'r Berwyn (Bala School). Approximately 25 layouts and 11 traders, and there will be special extra trains on the Bala Lake Railway that weekend too.

October 2025

Thursday 2 October Clwyd Railway Circle 'Memories of railway operations at Llangollen from my childhood days growing up in the town during the BR era of the 1950’s and mid 60s.' Gareth Jones

Wednesday 8 October Statesman Rail Snowdonia Statesman from Durham to Blaenau Ffestiniog with LSL 47 and/or 57

Friday 10th October Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Alteration: A new speaker, Lee Stanford, who is speaking on "Unseen Southern Steam from the late Edward 'Ted' Banting Collection". The talk features steam in the Salisbury and Andover area in the early 1960s.

20 October, Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales

November 2025

Thursday 4 November Clwyd Railway Circle Jeff Nicholls “A Baptism of Fire and Water-My First Wolsztyn Experience” Part Two

Saturday 8 November Northern Belle Settle and Carlisle Steam Special. Wrexham General and Chester to Carlisle via the S&C. Diesel to/from Carnforth, steam for remainde

Saturday 10 November; Belmond Britannic Explorer 3-day Tour of Wales

Friday 14 November Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Noel Coates "Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Engine
Sheds".

Saturday 22 November Pathfinder Railtours The Chester Christmas Explorer Oxford Parkway, Golden Valley and Marches line to Chester

December 2025

Monday 1 December Midland Pullman Edinburgh Christmas Pullman from Bangor to Edinburgh

Thursday 4 December Clwyd Railway Circle 'Railways & Tramways of the Isle of Man' Geoff Morris.

January 2026

Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Friday 9 January John Hooley "A Midlands Miscellany".

February 2026

Friday 13 February Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society Paul Shackcloth "People and Places 8".

North Wales Coast Railway website created and compiled by Charlie Hulme

An interesting meeting at Stockport on 10 September: 390 016 - disguised as '390 200' for the said 200th anniversary of railways, working the 10:13 Euston - Manchester and behind, 805 003 waiting for a path to complete a transfer from Oxley depot to Longsight depot.

Due to a holiday, the next issue will appear on the evening of 7 October,

Assortment

10 September at Goostrey station: the 08:53 Cardiff - Manchester passes powered by 67 020, , while 323 212, one of the units recently transferred from West Midlands to Northern calls with the 11:06 Manchester - Crewe. (Greg Mape).

On 14 September 70 008 pulling into Ramsbottom on the East Lancashire Railway with 56 006 in tow on a service to Rawtenstall from Heywood, 70 008 was visiting from Freightliner
for the weekend as part of '200 years of railways' celebrations. (Greg Mape).

On 30 September Linda worked The Quarryman 11:40 Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog (Tim Rogers).

On 17 September first train if the day 197 018 standing at Llanrwst North, unable to proceed due to flooding; however service was restored on 18 September (Greg Mape).

Apologies

In the caption of the recent Statesman tour to Blaenau Ffestiniog I said the wasn't a connecting train for a trip on the Ffestiniog line. This was incorrect: there was such a train, complete with the Statesman headboard.

Britannic on the Coast

66 744 Heart of Wales is seen at Llandudno Junction (66 701 at the other end) whilst the train was being serviced on 16 September (Ivor Bufton).

66 744 leads as 1Z33 13:42 Llandudno Junction to Pwllheli through Prestatyn (Ivor Bufton)

66 701 on the rear of 1Z33 13:42 Llandudno Junction to Pwllheli passing Prestatyn. (Ivor Bufton)

Notes by Ivor Bufton

In a change to the usual routing of the Britannic Explorer journey through Wales, the 12 September departure from London Victoria was diverted from its normal route at Maindee Junction (Newport) and instead of continuing to Haverfordwest for the overnight stop, it travelled through Hereford, Shrewsbury, Crewe, Chester and Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog. The engines were 66 701 and 66 744 Heart of Wales. Normally the train would be top & tailed form London Victoria to Willesden, where the 'tail' engine would be removed, however on this occasion the train remained Top-and-Tailed throughout until its arrival back in Chester on the Llandudno Junction - Pwllheli part of the journey. From Chester it was double headed to Shrewsbury, where the 66's were replaced by 2 Network Rail Class 97s.

The reason for the diversion seems to be that the Central Wales line (its normal route form Haverfordwest to Shrewsbury) was closed. The Belmond website states that 'due to planned engineering works on 15 Sep 2025, 20 Oct 2025, 10 Nov 2025, 19 Oct 2026 and 9 Nov 2026, the Welsh tour may take an alternative route'. I am not sure whether this means more visits to the North Wales coast.

Looking at the departure calendar, the 22nd September is sold out, there is availability on the 29th September departure starting at £8,500 per person, The October 20th departure (which is the next listed as may be subject to diversion) is also sold out, with availability remaining for the 10th November again starting at £8,500.

Picture gallery

Just come off the Blaenau branch following the overnight visit to Blaenau Ffestiniog. We wonder the train was permitted to go to Blaenau Ffestiniog, as Network Rail's own "sectional appendix" still shows that mark 3 carriages are not permitted at all on the branch nor on the Cambrian line).

The weather was quite grim at this point! (Gary Thomas).

66 744 in Llandudno Junction yard with empty coaching stock.

Working the 0T10 11:50 Crewe to Holyhead light engine move, 67010 passes Llandudno Junction en route to Holyhead. 66 744 with the Britannic Explorer stock stands in the slate sidings.

66 744 on Conwy Cob after reversal, enters back into Llandudno Junction platform
1 for the return 1Z33 to Shrewsbury and Pwllheli. Note the 'leaf' triangle warning of slippy track.

Arrived in Platform 1, ready to go (Logan Humphreys)

197 119 passing 1D36 Manchester Airport - Llandudno (Logan Humphreys).

The train passing Pensarn beach, Abergele with the leg to Pwllheli (Gary Thomas)

66 701 on the rear passing . The sun came out thankfully! (Gary Thomas)

66 701 powers away from Rhyl after being checked by the preceding 1A50 to London Euston. with the Britannic Explorer from Llandudno Junction to Pwllheli. The train was routed through Chester and Shrewsbury, long gone are the days of travel via Bangor. (Roland High).

Ironically, 66 744 Heart of Wales led the train into Shrewsbury with 66 701 inside (Graham Breakwell)

The Observation car on the rear – I could see only five or six passengers inside (Graham Breakwell) [maybe the others are asleep?]

After the loco change, 97 302 and 97 303 approaching Hookagate.

Notes from Chester by Geoff Morris: 'The Belmond train was preceded by 805 002 on the 12:48 Holyhead - Euston. This ran a few minutes late and at Chester Northgate it passed the 11:23 Cardiff - Holyhead formed of 197 002 providing a perfect photo opportunity - a case of "two by two"?'

'The Belmond train was top & tailed into Chester by 66 744 & 66 701. Unbeknown to me, 66 744 ran around during the reversal at Chester and so the pair double-headed the train to Shrewsbury (where a loco change would be needed before traversing the Cambrian line). I was at the City Walls,. unprepared for a double header, looking for a going-away shot of the rear of the formation to show the observation coach but, fortunately, the full formation including the double header could be seen as it powered away across the racecourse viaduct.'

Severn Valley Railway Scenes - report by Logan Humphreys

Pictures taken 21 September, the third day of the Autumn Steam Gala. In the left column: 73082's crew at Kidderminster before moving on to the platform for the first service of the morning.

35006 Peninsular & Oriental S.N.Co. attacking Eardington Bank with 'The Bournemouth Belle' Headboard

NCB N49 Attacking Eardington Bank with the Local Bridgnorth - Hampton Loade service.

73089 Camelot rushing down Eardington with a regular Bridgnorth - Kidderminster service

75069 heading up Eardington Bank on a regular Kidderminster - Bridgnorth Service.

'Jinty' 47298 at Bewdley with a rake of LMS Stanier coaches under the only sun we got that day !

75069 Leaving Bewdley with a Regular Kidderminster to Bridgnorth service.

0-4-2T 1450 seen with a single Autocoach on a positioning move to the water tower at Bewdley ready for the double-header with 7714 later that evening.

NCB N11 (GWR 813) & 1450 seen enduring a brutal rain shower at Bewdley.

From Dave Sallery's archive

20 069 and 20 095 pass the long-demolished Flint signalbox with an up ballast, 22 March 1990.

37 407 leaves Pen-y-Clip tunnel on a Crewe - Bangor service, 5 June 1993.

J37 0-6-0 64569 at Thornton Junction 62A shed in August 1966. Built in 1918, This loco survived until December 1966.

Class 114 DMUs 97775 and 97776 (formerly 54015 and 54015) at Shrewsbury on Cambrian lines ATP (Automatic Train Protection) testing, 30 July 1996.

Looking Back: Steam and Diesels 1969 part 5 - by David Pool

In 1969 Bulmer’s Cider was seeking publicity by running an advertising train in Britain. It had offered a home to the recently preserved 6000 King George V, intending to use it on the “Bulmer Cider Train”, but the steam ban then prevented it from being used. A small Museum was opened on Bulmer’s site in Hereford, and 6000 was made available for public viewing. A Fowler diesel 22871(1939) Woodpecker was also on display at the time of my visit on 27 September 1969, having been displaced as the site shunter by Cider Queen, an ex BR Hunslet (D2578).

Later that day I was at Severn Beach, where the 16:53 from Bristol Temple Meads was arriving, a Gloucester “Cross Country” Class 119, W51062/W59421/W51090. The line between Severn Beach and Pilning Junction had closed five years earlier.

On 28 September 1969 I was passing Bleadon and Uphill Station, near Weston-super-Mare, where a Kitson locomotive No.3799 (1898) was plinthed. This had been Cardiff Railway No.5, then 1338 when it was taken into GWR stock in 1923. It then spent much of its life at Bridgwater Docks, moving to Swansea shortly before withdrawal in 1963. It is currently based at Didcot Railway Centre. The Hawthorn Kitson valve gear is unusual, in that a motion link is above rather than below the running plate.

I was in Totnes early the next day, in time to see the overnight train 1V57 from Manchester to Penzance, headed by D1004 Western Crusader. The second coach appears to be a Mk1 composite sleeper (PLC). I didn’t identify the Warship or the Type 47 also in the shot.

On 30 September 1969 the Up Cornish Riviera Express would have had no problems with the 1 in 42 of Hemerdon bank, being powered by a pair of Warships, 814 Dragon and 829 Magpie (each number without the D prefix). The train is descending towards Totnes.

The Dart Valley Railway provided a much more leisurely journey alongside the River Dart near Riverford Bridge. The Pannier 6435 is sandwiched between two pairs of coaches, the outer vehicles having driving compartments for the push/pull working, an arrangement often seen on the Western Region. 6435 is currently operating on the Bodmin Railway.

The Kingswear line was still under BR control in 1969, although there were signs of decay at Churston, the Brixham branch having closed in 1963. Two Birmingham Class 118 cars (the formation normally being a 3-car set) were working the 12:15 Kingswear to Paignton on 1 October 1969. The headcode 5C90 does not seem to fit the passenger working.

Moving on to Aller Junction, where the Torquay and Paignton line meets the main line to Plymouth, D1551, a Class 47 still in two tone green, was on the 09:30 Bradford to Penzance. This should have been 1V30, but the headcode box seems to have had a mind of its own. D1551 became 47 529, and was scrapped in 1987.

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