Driver training on Class 175 units began on Thursday 13
January. This is 175 003 at Chester awaiting the signal to run to
Altrincham and back. Photo by Dave Skipsey: see
Dave's Website for more. Note the Scharfenberg coupler, and the headlight
above the windscreen.
Compiled by Charlie Hulme. Regular Contributors: Dave Sallery , Alan & Rowan Crawshaw, John Humphries, John Lewis, John Murray, Tony Flusk, John Dawson , Derick Norman, Tim Rogers and DJ Crawford. Items for inclusion are welcome at charlie@dweb.u-net.com.
LAST UPDATE: 14 January 2000
To the North Wales Coast main page : To the December 1999 Noticeboard
Our first view of a Class 175 at Chester, 11 January - see story below. Picture by John Murray.
[- More Pictures and info on the Class 175 Page -]
175 001 arrived in Chester (see heading picture) at 12:30 on 11th January 2000, after being stabled overnight at Crewe due to a broken rail at Beeston Castle the previous day (see item below.) It was hauled by 47 775 Respite, as train 7Z11, although the unit itself was powered up as it passed through Chester station, having paused briefly to request permission to enter the depot. The train entered the depot directly from the Birkenhead line. The loco was detached and the unit pulled into road 8 of the depot under its own power. 47 775 then returned light engine. All fairings had been removed from the unit apart from the one nearest the locomotive. No match wagon was used, instead a coupling adapter was attached to the 47.
175 003 has sustained damage to its front fairing during night-time test running, but this was, it is believed by FNW and Railtrack, caused by a bird strike rather than any problems with platform clearances. Daytime test running from Chester to Stafford, Llandudno Jc and Altrincham was due to start on 11 January, but Railtrack decided that a loco must be available on standby to rescue failures, so a Fragonset Railways loco has been arranged to stand by at Stafford, and testing should now start on Thursday 13 January. At present the 175s are not allowed to rescue each other until they have passed their tests.
Thanks to John Murray, Tony Flusk and Tony Miles for information for this and the following item. -11 January
47 844 became 'ill' at Prestatyn on 11 January with the 09:19 Virgin Train from Holyhead to London Euston, but fortunately managed to limp to the freight loop at Holywell Junction, to allow later services to pass. The driver requested assistance, but no passenger locomotive was available at Chester as spare Coast Line loco 37 426 was in use by EWS on the pick-up freight to Middlewich.
Eventually the train was rescued by EWS (Mainline blue liveried) 37 055 despatched from Warrington. The train left at Chester at 12:48 (102 minutes late) with the 37 working hard with its load of 8 coaches, DVT and failed locomotive. Problems were not over them as on arrival at Crewe no electric locomotive was available to take the train forward, only 47 634 borrowed from EWS again. Class 47s are restricted to 95 mph, so even more time would have been lost before London. - 11 January
Broken Rail problems
John Murray writes: A broken rail at Beeston Castle (eastbound)
severely disrupted services on 10 January. 37 415, which had
been terminated at Chester on an earlier service, formed the 16:44
to Bangor which today was extended to Holyhead. Many other
coast line services where diverted via Warrington, cancelled, or
replaced by buses. After services where restored, due to stock
displacement, many late afternoon Llandudno and Holyhead services were
formed of class 142 units. The 17:17 Crewe service was formed of
142 057+153 324 the latter was detached at Chester to form
the 18:17 to Holyhead. The 17:19 from Manchester Piccadilly
was formed of 158 753
instead of the expected class 37.
Thanks also to Ivor Bufton and Tony Flusk. - 10 January
37 401 Mary Queen of Scots calls at Bangor with the 10:07 Birmingham New Street - Holyhead on 8 January 2000. Picture by Rowan Crawshaw.
New Website
Derick Norman, regular contributor to the Notice Board, now has his own Website with a good selection of recent pictures from the coast line and from the West Midlands. Pay a visit! And on the subject of websites,we can recommend the site of the Railcar Association, which includes among much other useful info, the detailed history of the FNW 'green' Class 101 unit. - 9 January
Chester on Saturday 8 January, and the 14.54 Holyhead
to Crewe, which is loco-hauled on Saturdays only, calls at Chester whence
it departs at 16.33. Locomotive is 37 415.
Readers of a certain age may find themselves, while riding the Coast line trains, the song 'Day Trip to Bangor' - one group of regular Class 37 travellers even named their website after it (here's their sound clip to remind you!) A recent thread on the uk.music.folk newsgroup has been discussing this song, which was written by Debbie Cook and recorded by folk band Fiddler's Dram (a.k.a. the Oyster Ceilidh Band) on their album 'To See the Play' (Dingles Records DIN-304, 1978) and became a surprise hit.
It was pointed out that although Bangor has a pier, it doesn't really have the facilities mentioned in the song:
Class 37 notes by John Dawson, Friday 7 January
37 401 1D60/1G97; 37 408 1D67/1H42; 37 429 1D62/1K67
Scottish note: 37 413 hauled 1Y11 sleepers from Fort William
to Edinburgh, 37 409 1B01returned to Fort William with the down
working. The Scottish sleeper diagram changes on Fridays, hence 413 up
for 409 back down.
This is 409's first working in ages, this is one of the highest engine
hours 37/4 along with 414 and I would be surprised if either of these see
the summer out. - 7 January
Coast signalling antiques (and Our Dave) on TV
The Railway Development Society's press release about the old signalling on the Coast line (full text below) was featured by BBC Wales on 5 January, and their report is also available on the BBC Website including a video clip of a 37 at Abergele and our contributor Dave Sallery being interviewed! - 6 January
Steve Morris writes: I have quite a few photographs taken in the Holyhead area in the early 80s, but I'd like to get a look at any 1970s view that are out there. In particular I am looking for good negatives of Class 34-hauled cattle trains and Class 50 on anything in Holyhead. If anyone could lend me such things, please write to Smogis@aol.com. - 7 January
John Murray writes: 'From Sunday January 9 a peak-period open return (Standard Class) Chester to London Euston rises from £113 to £121, an increase of just over 7% and an increase of over 42% on 2 years ago. The SuperSaver fare increases from £42 to £43 (2.4%) while the regulated Saver fare increases by just 10p from £48.20 to £48.30 (0.2%) which is based on a formula which takes into account the operator's actual performance. It seems strange to me that the peak fares are not regulated allowing an operator to abuse its monopoly position in this way. Virgin's response, in various press articles, has been to say that "the market will take it" or "this is the business travel sector and our trains are full" in other words relying on the fact that a high proportion of people (but not all) who travel at the peak time are not concerned about the price as their fare will be reimbursed by their employer.
'It is actually now cheaper to go down to London the night before on a Saver or SuperSaver and stay in a reasonable hotel (e.g. the Travelinn opposite Euston Station) than it is to travel down early for a meeting!'
Compiler's note: Although it is possible to get to London without using Virgin Trains, by riding First North Western to Birmingham and changing there to Silverlink or Chiltern services, the current system means that one still has to pay Virgin fares, as each route's fares are 'set' by a company chosen at the time of privatisation. At present there are no FNW/Silverlink-only fares to London. - 6 January
Class 37 Notes by John Dawson
The Coast line fleet on Thursday 6 January:
37 401 Crewe DMD on an 'A' exam
37 408 1H42 (42)
37 415 1K67 (19)
37 421 Crewe DMD on B/420 ok 1800 08/01
37 426 Crewe DMD spare (25)
37 429 1G97 (47)
Also, 37 047+37 216 were booked to work 6P30 Ballast train Penmaenmawr - Guide Bridge, but in fact returned light engine.
37 410 Aluminium 100 is yet another 37/4 withdrawn from service, at Motherwell depot. Its most notable working last year was the Linlithgow to Penzance SRPS charter on August 11 1999 which it worked throughout with 37 405. It was out of service for most of the last few months of the year with a worn fan drive mechanism N/188, but returned to traffic in late December. It was stopped again shortly afterwards with fault N/132 turbocharger, it's high engine hours and a desire to withdraw more 37's resulting in its demise. - 6 January
Can anyone help with this? Cecil Henderson of Columbus, Indiana, USA has appealed for help in contacting a railway worker, David William, who he met in 1945. Cecil says "All I remember is his name David William he worked for the freight yards, I was in the service. He took me on a tour of a castle in Devon or a town similar to that. I heard from him once since I came back to the states the address has changed since that his letter said 68 Park Street N.Wales. If you find out any thing I sure would appreciate it" - 6 January
56 090 and 37 429 at Holyhead, 5 January (Picture by Rupert Lewis) see story below.
A lively day - Report by Tony Flusk
Wednesday 5th January started badly for the signaller at Valley when the previous nights departure from Humber, 6M43 22.56 Humber - Holyhead failed at his down distant signal, 56 090 suffering from loss of power. The train was assisted by 47 817 on hand at Holyhead to work the 1A46 09.19 departure to London Euston and after depositing the 56 in the carriage sidings at Holyhead, worked the train into the RTZ plant,the first Virgin livery loco to work the "Tinto's"?.Meanwhile further up the coast 66 169 worked 6M62 02.53 Healy Mills - Mostyn and return with 6E39 08.09 Mostyn - Saltend.In the afternoon occurred a now rare working with a Mainline liveried pairing of 37 047 & 37 216 on 6P26 11.38 Guide Bridge - Penmaenmawr,returning with 6P30 19.14 Penmaenmawr - Guide Bridge with 1651 tonnes in tow !
56 090 still remained at Holyhead,so 37 509 was sent as 0Z37 light engine Warrington - Holyhead to pick it up and take back to Warrington for repairs but what happened next could never have been predicted. 37 429 Eisteddfod Genedlaethol failed at Holyhead prior to departure on 1G79 18. 22 Holyhead - Birmingham Int, so 56 090 and 37 509 were both added to the front creating the never to be repeated sight of a North Wales loco hauled train with five coaches,a 56 and two 37's at the front,departing a mere 6 minutes late. 37 408 Loch Rannoch was located at Warrington Bank Quay (itself having been "moonlighting" away from its coast duties during the day working 6K15 1003 Warrington Arpley - Middlewich trip,and return 6F17 1143 Middlewich - Warrington Arpley) and sent light engine to Chester to replaced the threesome on 1G79. - 5 January
Freight Traffic Report by Tony Flusk
Tuesday 21st December had 37 703 cross the Pennies with 6M43 22.56 Humber - Holyhead, returning light loco as 0F43 08.56 Holyhead - Warrington on the following morning, Wednesday 22nd December. the same morning 56 117 visited Mostyn docks with 6M62 02.53 Healy Mills - Mostyn docks and back with the empty tanks as 6E39 0809 Mostyn Docks - Saltend.In the afternoon 60 098 ran as 0P30 16.05 Warrington - Penmaenmawr to work the return 6P30 1914 Penmaenmawr - Guide Bridge.
In the early hours of Thursday 23rd December 37 370 set out from Warrington as 0E52 00.43 Warrington - Holyhead to work the booked RTZ train 6E52 07.03 Holyhead - Humber,but on arrival at Holyhead it was found the train had not yet been fully unloaded and therefore the loco was sent back light all the way to Warrington ! (Don't you think someone would have checked before it had left Warrington?).
The next day Friday 24 December a unidentified Class 60 ran light from Warrington to Holyhead to work the train now running as 6E52 14.30 Holyhead - Humber, however the train was terminated in Warrington Yard as no train crew could be found to work it forward.
After the Christmas shutdown on Monday 27th December the customary "Route Proving" trip ran with 47 772 working 0Z01 00.01 Crewe - Holyhead - Crewe.This runs most years and apart from checking the line is clear of obstructions,also assists signallers in checking the operation of Signals and track Circuits after 48 hours inactivity.
Tuesday 28th December again had a type 3, 37 883 on 6M43 22.56 Humber - Holyhead,returning on the morning of Wednesday 29th December light to Warrington on 0F43 08.56 Holyhead - Warrington. - 4 January
Class 175 appears...
175 003, currently based at the new Chester depot is booked to emerge each evening at 21.45 to run on test runs to Crewe then Stafford. It returns at approx 05.30 until further notice. Thanks to Mike Dunning and Tony Flusk for the information. - January 4.
The loco-hauled train to Manchester did run on 4 January; our picture report of an afternoon at Warrington Bank Quay and return by this train is now online. The working continues, Mondays - Fridays only, until January 21: 13.23 Holyhead - Manchester Piccadilly and 17.19 return. - 4 January
The traditional timetables for loco haulage of coast trains in the Winter timetable are now ready: follow the links from our Traffic and Timetables page. All comments and corrections to these will be very welcome. - 4 January
January 3 was something of a chaotic day along the Coast line, which resulted in the loco-hauled Manchester working being cancelled: for a full picture report on the day go to John Murray's Trouble on the Coast page. - 3 January
A few minutes after 47 841 with the 09.19 Holyhead to London (see above), 37 401 Mary Queen of Scots arrives with the 08:17 from Crewe.
Although a respectable number of passengers boarded the Virgin service, two people alighted here and the train left for Holyhead with four passengers and a dog between 5 coaches. The dog is seen here relaxing in a second class compartment ... [suggested captions for this picture welcome - C.H.]
Later we returned to the station to see 37 415 with the 08.07 Birmingham to Holyhead - this train wasn't much busier, three railfans alighting while five passengers occupied the five coaches to the terminus.
Rowan Crawshaw writes: Engineering work between Llandudno Junction and Bangor is taking place on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings between 8 January and 13 February. No replacement buses will be running on Sunday mornings and the first train departs from Holyhead at 11:37 and the 09:50 from Crewe will terminate at Llandudno Junction. A Sunday Supplement is available from railway stations covering 9 January to 21 May. - 4 January
Two useful reference sites have come to our notice recently: Rail Elite, maintained by Rowan Crawshaw and recently refurbished, is a useful overview of the current railway companies and their locos, and Steven Boulton's Train Pages which include all sorts of useful information and photos, including a very useful section listing current diesel loco-hauled diagrams, including all Virgin Class 47 workings. - 4 January
The following Press Release was issued by the Railway Development Society North Wales Branch, January 3 2000.
Major investment in signalling on the North Wales Coast Main Line isneeded urgently. Last year at Abergele, Railtrack installed a new semaphore signal lit by paraffin, 19th Century technology which is planned to last well into the 21st Century.
2000 will be an exciting time for passengers in North Wales. New 100mph Coradia trains will begin service for First North Western in the Spring and work is already taking place to up the main line's maximum speed to 90mph. And in 2002, Virgin will introduce high-tech tilting trains on its Holyhead-London route.
The Railway Development Society, however, is concerned that signalling on the route and its branches is not being modernised, to reduce the cost of running trains. Manual signal boxes, the oldest dating from 1864, are still controlling the passage of high-speed trains on this important international link between Britain and Dublin, one of Europe's fastest growing cities. RDS is calling for progressive modernisation towards the goal of just one signalling centre that controls the Crewe-Holyhead Main Line and the Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog Branches.
Dave Sallery, spokesman for RDS North Wales Branch, said: "By reducing the staffing and maintenance costs, new signalling would make it cheaper to run trains. This could translate into cheaper fares and additional passenger and freight services.
"For example, the Conwy Valley line now has to have 2 signalmen on duty every time a train runs, one at Tal-y-Cafn level crossing and one at Llanrwst. Converting Tal-y-Cafn to automatic operation and introducing radio signalling, as on many other rural lines in Britain including the Cambrian Coast Line, would reduce operating costs. This would make it feasible to run at least one train every Sunday throughout the year, so that Blaenau Ffestiniog, Betws-Y-Coed and Llanrwst have connections at Llandudno Junction with trains to and from London, Chester, Bangor etc. The small investment needed would be an ideal candidate for Objective 1 grants."
Mr Sallery added: "We stress that we have NO safety concerns in relation to the old signalling technology still used in North Wales, which is extremely safe."
The 3 mile branch line from Llandudno Junction to Llandudno is covered by 3 signalmen and is closed at 9.30 each night. Between September and May it has no trains at all on Sundays. This is inexcusable for a town and resort of such importance.
Services across Anglesey have been hampered for many years by the closure of the basic signalling functions of Ty Croes signal box, which is still used to operate a level crossing. We understand that Railtrack may be considering replacing the equipment at Ty Croes. This work or preferably replacement of the signal box with remote-controlled signals and crossing equipment, is needed urgently to allow trains to follow each other more closely when forming ferry connections at Holyhead.
Mr Sallery said: "We are disappointed that Railtrack's Network Management Statement for the next 10 years does not mention any specific investment in North Wales, when we would have expected a plan for wholesale upgrading to modern signalling standards."
Contact: David Sallery 01745 889783 Rod Fairley 01352 756964
Freightliner locos begin infrastructure trains
During the last week of 1999 a series of trains ran from Guide Bridge to Chester and on to the coast line in conjunction with track relaying west of Chester. The large, continental-registered, hopper wagons operated by GTRM were used , being fitted with air-operated doors for controlled dropping of the stone.
Dave Skipsey's picture shows 66 502 at Chester on 30 December. Presumably all this stone will have passed through Chester once before as the 'virtual ballast quarry' at Guide Bridge is supplied by rail from Penmaenmawr. - 4 January
Created by Charlie Hulme, Comments welcome to charlie@dweb.u-net.com