The Royal train at Bangor 12 December. (The one on the right...) See report below. Picture Alan Crawshaw

Regular Contributors: Dave Sallery , Alan Crawshaw, Rowan Crawshaw, Dave Skipsey, John Lewis,  John Murray,  Tony Flusk,  John Dawson , Derick Norman, Tony Miles, Ian Bowland, Tim Rogers, Ivor Bufton, Alastair Graham, Mike Stone, Chris Pelling, Tim Proudman, 'Concrete Bob'  and Steve Vaughan.

LAST UPDATE: 12 December 2000

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Current Class 37/4 diagrams - our best estimate

Full report on Alan's Website

The 05:25 Birmingham to Holyhead was late again on 12 December, so I was able to grab a quick picture of a workstained 37 426 and wave to Alastair Graham, enjoying his front bay seat in Riviera Trains Mark 1 No 5030.

A few minutes later, 37 421 turned up on the 07:49 Holyhead to Crewe. The driver very obligingly halted under the canopy so I was able to get a front end shot. A storming start out of the station and a thumbs up from the driver brightened up another dreary wet day and left me wondering if I'd been greeted by one of our driver correspondents. It also reminded me just how much I'll miss these fine beasts.

I hung round for the westbound flasks, then decided they weren't going to come and there'd be time to visit Safeway before the royal train. Wrong! I returned to find I'd missed 20 901/3 passing through at around 09:08.

The royal train arrived bang on time at 10:05, seen here alongside the 10:06 Bangor to Llandudno. What are the chances of getting the royal family to give up loco haulage and travel on 175s! After shedding its load, 47 799 Prince Henry ran round, propelled the seven very smart coaches into Belmont tunnel and then returned  east via the centre road. - 12 December

Observation at Rhyl on 12 December between 10.55 and 12.25: 9 175's - one on its way back and including 3 x 3 car, 156 461, 47 799 Prince Henry (ECS) and 60 081 Isambard Kingdom Brunel (green) on ballast, needless to say no Virgin. Changing times indeed.- 12 December

The 1980's threw up lots of unpredictable workings but one of the most interesting was the use of pairs of Class 20's on the summer dated Derby - Llandudno working.  In this view 20080 & 135 are seen backing the empty stock of their train out of Llandudno station to the carriage sidings - 2 September 1989. - 12 December

Dawn at Bangor - by Alan Crawshaw

You need a steady hand for these dawn shots! 37 421 is on 11 December's 07:49 Holyhead to Crewe. The 13:43 Holyhead to Crewe Virgin shuttle was cancelled as well as the 09:19 Holyhead - Crewe. Workmen were busily preparing for 12 December's Royal visit by erecting temporary additional lighting, which seems bizarre for a 10:00 arrival and presumably a departure before dusk.

As for terminology, surely it must be a pride of 37s, as they're large growling creatures. - 11 December

DJ Crawford writes: Anyone trying to download the new edition of the North Wales Coast time graph before 19:00 on Sunday will have been disappointed as the 'zip' file was corrupted. The good news is that it's fixed now. Thanks to those who e-mailed me to point out the problem. - 11 December

The Chester non-Charger -

Thanks to David White for letting us know that the 'full horror report' by Rich Savage on the Pathfinders trip 'Chester Charger' of December 9 can be found on the Six Bells Junction Web Site. Rich pulls no punches - it would be interesting to hear the 6014 Society's viewpoint. -11 December.

In the Dark - by Charlie Hulme

As well as being the title of a little-known but memorable song by Al Stewart (mp3 file, 3.4 MB) the phrase 'In the Dark' seems to sum up Britain in December 2000, and especially the state of the railway system and its passengers.

On the afternoon of 9 December I thought I'd try for a little Class 37 haulage, so as a first step to reach Crewe I waited at Stockport for the 14:42 Wales and West to Cardiff. In normal times I'd have been able to catch Virgin's 14:25 to Brighton as far as Crewe but this has been deleted from the 'emergency timetable.'  The Cardiff train arrived more or less on time, although it was to terminate at Hereford due to a flood-induced landslide at Abergavenny. Passengers for South Wales were being advised not to travel unless absolutely necessary. As we passed Holmes Chapel the conductor came on the PA to tell us the train was to be terminated at Crewe, as no driver was available at Crewe to take it onward.

After an unexplained wait outside the station I alighted at Crewe as the few other passengers, very much 'in the dark' clustered round a Virgin platform person hoping for advice. The 15:27 to Holyhead (A 175 on Saturdays) was shown as due at 15:49, whilst the 16:00 to Birmingham (13:58 from Holyhead - a 37 working) was 'on time.'  Both were shown as Platform 11: as Simon explains in the next item, engineering work on the Liverpool line was cluttering Crewe station with terminating Virgin trains, putting Platform 12 out of bounds. Many of the information screens on the station were blank, announcements few and far between and the few passengers hung around the station looking even more miserable than usual as heavy rain started to fall.

As I waited on Platform 11, the sad remnant of one of Virgin's Holyhead - London services, the 13:43 from Holyhead, formed of 158 751, slunk into view, turfed off its passengers, and crept away again empty. At about 15:48, with no sign of the 15:27 to Holyhead, a Virgin employee walked down the platform suggesting to passengers that maybe the 15:49 shuttle to Chester from Platform 9 might be the thing, and a few wandered off to catch it.

The few remaining souls on Platform 11 were joined by a couple of 37 fans with cameras, as  37 421 appeared with the Birmingham train at 16:05, still no sign of the Holyhead service but nobody seemed to care, least of all the station staff. I climbed aboard the sparsely-populated train, even getting a seat in the front coach. This was populated entirely by loco-haulage addicts, including a couple of faces I recognised from the 'Bashers' TV show, although even they seemed subdued.

We rolled through the dark and saturated countryside to Stafford, with me trying to take in all the details of the Mk 2a coach knowing I might never get such a meditative ride again. The roller blinds above the windows, the wood-veneered walls, the extra folding door for wheelchairs installed back in 1993 especially for this service in the days when antimacassars were provided..... at Stafford I managed a picture of the loco in the bright station lights, as well as a less successful but emotive video clip (asf file, 200 KB).

Not many people around at Stafford either - but this Central Trains 170 on a service to Stansted Airport made a splash of colour. For some reason some trains to Stoke-on-Trent were replaced by buses, although the 17:06 to Manchester via Stoke, the 16:34 from Birmingham, was shown as on time, and indeed was - a rare event in these dark days.

A quick picture of 47 828 on the Manchester train, then I jumped aboard for a pleasantly quiet ride back to Stockport, disturbed only by an influx of Saturday night revellers at Macclesfield, some no doubt taking advantage of the lack of ticket inspection on Virgin services.

Well, I don't know, friends, it was hard to write this without getting too emotional, but it's difficult to remember that this website began five years ago subtitled 'a railfan's celebration' when all we seem to do at the end of an era is cry about the state of things. Maybe it's time we gave up and found another pastime? - 11 December

Alastair Graham tells me he saw 37 429 Eisteddfod Genedlaethol go down on the late night empty stock to Holyhead on Friday 8 December with 37 426. 37 429 then worked 1G95 (06:20 Holyhead - Birmingham)  on the morning of 9 December but failed at Chester. The train was cancelled and 1D67 (10:07 Birmingham - Holyhead) started at Chester. This was of rather annoyance to me as I was waiting at Birmingham New Street for it and had to ask in order to find out as they don't bother putting cancellations on the boards.

37 429 ran back light to Crewe while 37 421 ran the opposite direction to take up 1D67. My original plan was to do 429 out and back from New Street but that was out of the question. When I got to Crewe, I decided that I would do 426 on 1D71 (12:07 Birmingham - Holyhead) out on the coast and meet 421 for the trip back to New Street. It got to 1317, two minutes before departure, and the lights of 37 426 appeared on the horizon. I thought that for once in the week the train was going to be on time. Then farce descended...

Virgin Trains had brought two terminating trains in - one from London at about 12:30 and one from the north somewhere at 12:50.  These were put into Platforms 11 & 12 respectively. They were due to depart at 13:25 and 13:37 and there were two North Wales Coast through trains due at 12:54 and the 37 at 13: 19. Both the 12:54 to Birmingham and the 13:19 to Holyhead approached Crewe on time but due to the two trains in 11 & 12 (which are the only through platforms for the Coast line thanks to the faulty crossing from Platform 6 still being unrepaired) both were prevented from getting into the station till at least 13:25.

When those trains were platformed they should have known that they would have stopped those two trains from getting through and to make matters worse the 13:25 to London left late at 13:37. There was ample time to move one of those trains into the goods loop and then bring it back in before departure time to free up one of the platforms.  As a result of this farce 1D71 was delayed by 20 minutes and the 12:54 with 175 011 was delayed by 40 minutes after having to run into Platform 9 and reverse out and then run through the goods loop. It appears that it isn't just by not running London-Holyhead trains Virgin is causing other problems on the Coast. -11 December

(Simon Lazenby's 'Platform 1' Website at http://www.platform1.free-online.co.uk/Index.htm includes a very comprehensive collection of loco pictures and much else besides)

A number of Virgin MK3 coaches have suffered from water intake in to the axle boxes and are therefore out of traffic. Until this problem is solved (it is hoped to have all 21 CrossCountry sets to 2+6 over the weekend 16/17 December) loco-hauled trains will substitute on some services whilst others will run short formed. On Tuesday 5 December Power Cars were working against a normal requirement of 46. - 11 December.

I don't know the collective noun for class 37/4's but how about a plethora? [or maybe a growl? - C.]

37 401 Mary Queen of Scots arrived at platform 11 some 20 minutes down on 1K57 (07:49 Holyhead to Crewe) which was shown as arriving on time at platform 9!  It left with the empty carriages to the carriage sidings before returning to bay 8 and then the diesel depot.  This seems to be a regular manoeuvre now whereas the locomotive used to simply cross over the various tracks to gain the depot - what has changed?

Again the off-key note of a 37 caught my ear at the rear of platform 12 and a hurried run allowed me to catch 37 429 Eisteddfod Genedlaethol creeping towards the depot.  Charlie was right, at least one of the nameplates has been repainted - not sure about the other.  Had 429 been round to the IEMD for attention or had it been out on the coast, because it once again ran onto the pumps?

Sat in the depot yard ticking over was 37 421 and shortly after 429 arrived, 421 did the reverse trick and left along the avoiding line at the rear of platform 12 and out onto the Chester line.

Later, 37 426 (complete with RIP embellishment), advertised at platform 12 (occupied by 87 022 with a Virgin London-Crewe-London shuttle and obviously not for shifting) arrived in platform 11 with 1G96 08:53 Holyhead - Birmingham.  Once again the poor folk waiting at 12 were advised as the train was creeping past the Heritage Centre and then only thanks to a Virgin staff member with a radio, bless him.  Why can't Crewe sort itself out? - 9 December

Charter train 1Z42 'The Chester Charger' on 9 December arrived at Chester about one hour late at 1425 behind 47780. Apparently steam loco 6024King Edward I was removed at Birmingham International with non-functioning Automatic Warning System caused by an air brake fault. The GWR loco was later seen with its support coach being piloted by 37 427.

Reporting by Laurence Wheeler and Bruce Garbutt. - 9 December.

Crewe 8 December - report by Ian Bowland

I went to photograph 1T50 the 15.30 Crewe-Holyhead to find 37 401Mary Queen of Scots waiting at platform 12. Looking at the Diesel depot yard I saw 37 421 arrive with some fuel tanks, shunt them up the yard and then run off into the shed itself.  Darkness was setting in so I decided to go and as I walked away the distinctive "off key" note of a 37's horns made me turn to see RR livery.

 37 429 Eisteddfod Genedlaethol was out of the shed after its traction motor flashover  and was heading for the refuelling point, good to see it back. ['Yes, I think we'd agree with you there Ian' - all the readers of this site.] - 9 December

DJ Crawford writes: The Holyhead to Crewe Railway Time Graph, a graphical representation of the
North Wales Coast timetable, has now been updated with Saturdays extra class 37 diagram.  Virgin Trains are picked out in red so you can avoid them. :-) - 8 December

As Alan Crawshaw mentioned earlier, you must be a very keen track basher to spend 80 quid to suffer six and a half hours on a 153 unit. But this is what I did on Sunday 3 December.

We departed from platform 2 at Chester on time at 10:45 in bright sunshine on 153 358. Also in platform 2 was Strathclyde liveried 101 694. After only a few hundred yards we turned off onto the down slow at Windmill Lane Tunnel and came to a stand at Northgate St. Tunnel. We then reversed cautiously into the Chester Wagon Repair Depot sidings, coming to a stand by the points where the sidings split to the north of the depot.

We then had a quick sprint along the coast including the through line at Rhyl at 70+ mph before coming to a stand just beyond the box at Llandudno Jn. Unfortunately, the quay siding is now out of use so was refused. We then reversed slowly behind platform 4 and through siding 6 of the yard and continued along the Glan Conwy siding to a point just beyond the overbridge. Again we couldn't go any further due to track condition. We then went back onto the main line before reversing into platform 4 for a break as we were by now 20 minutes early.

We left Llandudno Junction 7 minutes late due to awaiting 2 x 156s on an empty stock move to Bangor. We following this to Bangor passing along the through line and stopping in Belmont Tunnel. Originally it was planned to go into the yard, but again due to lack of use we were only permitted to do the run round behind platform 2 (see Alan Crawshaw's picture, repeated here). I only saw three photographers all day - my dad and Alan Crawshaw at Bangor, and a camcorderer at Valley.

We then continued to Holyhead, where due to the loco sidings being refused we had a 50+ minute break in platform 2 of the station. Holyhead has been completely transformed since I last visited, with the new expressway right alongside the railway all the way from Valley. Shame to see the carriage sheds & cattle dock vanished and to see the empty loco sidings.

Having stretched our legs we rejoined the 153 to traverse the Valley triangle. This was the reason that we had to have the 153 and therefore pay such a high fare - only one coach length fits into the East point of the triangle! So we reversed all the way round including the entire length of the north nuclear siding which was greeted by a round of applause!

After reversal at Valley station we proceeded to Penmaenmawr, stopping short of Moel Llys Tunnel. We then reversed into the quarry sidings, traveling along the siding adjacent to the A55 before stopping just short of the loading hopper. Having done all the booked track we then returned to Chester arriving 9 minutes late due getting stuck behind a Manchester train.

As usual with the BLS this was an excellently organised tour covering track that has rarely if ever seen passenger trains. - 8 December

The 06:53 Chester - Manchester via Northwich, which continues as the 08:17 Manchester - Llandudno via Warrington, is booked for a Class 175, and in recent weeks has suffered from diabolical punctuality, leaving Manchester anything from 10 to 30 minutes late. In fact the only runs which have been on time have been when older trains have substituted. Can anyone explain this? The pictures taken at Manchester Oxford Road show a  142 034 on 6 December (left) and a 150/1 on 8 December (right.) When I asked one of the conductors what had happened to his fancy new train, his sensible reply can be found at the the head of this item. - 8 December

A picture from Dave Sallery to brighten up the Winter days:  Llanfair PG - the oldest signalbox on the coast, built in 1864, seen on 1 August 2000. Congratulations to the signalmen for the flower display.

Steam Times for 9 December

6024 King Edward 1 Saturday 9 December:  1Z42 'The Chester Charger.' Banbury d. 09:15, Birmingham International (water stop) 10:14-10:59, Stafford pass 12:01, Crewe a. 12:34 d 12:59, Chester a. 13:28.

Train 1Z43 Chester d. 16:46, Crewe a. 17.22. (Thanks to the North West Gen List.) - 8 December

GROVE

HRH Prince Charles is visiting North Wales on Tuesday December 12. The Royal Train is due at Bangor at 10:00. His schedule during the day calls for a visit to an industrial/business park at Bangor and  a visit to a newspaper office in  Llandudno Junction - before moving on to Rhyl and back home for tea. - 7 December

37 401 Mary Queen of Scots on the 07:49 Holyhead to Crewe, 7 December - the tail of the 07:06 Chester to Holyhead just sneaks into the picture as it squeals into platform 2. As you can see, some wag has added a "1/2" to the number. The 09:19 Holyhead - Crewe Virgin service was cancelled again. (Alan Crawshaw)

The Big News of 7 December was  37 717 Berwick Middle School - Railsafe Trophy Winners 1998 taking over 1G76 01:50 Holyhead to Birmingham, after 37 413 failed at Llandudno Junction with fault N/188 (radiator fan drive.) It remained on this diagram (1D57 05:25 Birmingham - Holyhead, 1G96 08:47 Holyhead - Birmingham) until Crewe, on 1G96, at 10:53, where it was replaced by 37 426,  much to the annoyance of one enthusiast who had arrived from some distance for it. The driver reported 717 is  a good engine; shame it couldn't heat the train.

37 413 was coupled inside 56 071 on the 6E43 Holyhead - Humber empty petroleum coke hoppers, and transported to Doncaster depot where it is reported as N/DEC. Its future looks bleak in view of the impending end of 37/4-hauled trains on the Coast.

Alastair Graham writes:  'At Chester  at 06:45 on 7 December I noticed 37 413 'inside' 56 071 which was sitting, again switched off in the Down and Up goods line towards Warrington with the empty covhops forming 6E52 Holyhead to Humber Oil Refinery. 37 521 was shunting along in the carriage sidings at Chester. That move of the empty covhops often sits at Chester - awaiting a crew change? - in the early morning.

'I rode behind 37 717 on  1D57 (05:25 Birmingham - Holyhead) to Holyhead, and back aboard 1G96, 08:47 to Birmingham. The freight loco performed well on a lightly loaded if cold train, complimentary refreshments were offered on the departure from Holyhead and on the way from Chester the passengers were given the option of transferring to the 07:06 175 effort which was supposed to be warmer, but from my experience, not very much...

Ian Bowland takes up the story at Crewe:  'A surprise this morning when 37 717 Berwick Middle School - Railsafe Trophy Winners 1998 arrived at platform 12 (picture at top of this item) about 10 minutes down with 1G96 the 8.47 Holyhead-Birmingham - this train usually arrives in platform 11.

After arriving it was quickly unhooked which meant that either the train was being terminated at Crewe or it was an engine change.  37 401 Mary Queen of Scots and 37 421 were on the depot yard but showing no signs of moving so it looked like termination.  I followed 37 717 out to the south end signal to watch it take off and turned to see another class 37 at the buffers in bay 8.  This received the go-ahead and roared out of the bay to reveal its identity as 37 426.

'37 426 stopped in the crossover area and quickly returned to platform 12 where a driver got out of the rear cab, went to the front and took the locomotive up to the waiting stock.  The train eventually left some 25 minutes down, mainly due to having to wait for a path out.  The speed of turnround was impressive and, today, passengers seemed to matter.  Well done to all concerned.'

37 413's last journey?  Tony Miles captured the cavalcade passing through Stockport station. Later, 37 717 was reported at Castleton, north Manchester, behind the signalbox being hooked up to a dead Transrail 37, dead as in tail lamps attached. Anyone know what was happening there?

Reporting by Ian Bowland, Paul Braddock, 'Concrete Bob', Alan Crawshaw, John Dawson, Tony Miles,  Alastair Graham - revised 8  December

Whilst the Class 37/4 loco-hauls are still scheduled for ending on 30 December, FNW has done a deal with Riviera to have a loco-hauled rake on standby for a period into the new year. RT to arrange traction as well. RT propose 47 705 Guy Fawkes, FNW say anything but 47705.

 Anyway - anyone want a bet on how soon the standby set will be used? (Riviera cheekily has offered a second set - just in case!) -7 December

A book of the steam days along the North Wales Coast Line, centred mostly on Llandudno Junction by the late Harry Rogers Jones, is published on Thursday 14 December. Called Recollections of a Steam Era many of the photographs have never  before been published. Frank owned a chemist's shop just yards from Llandudno Junction station and would often leave the dispensary to take photos of trains at the station.

Many of the workers at '6G' were customers of Harry's and he was allowed unparalleled access to the sheds. There are tales of him being driven to Bangor by his wife after work during the late 1950s/early 1960s and hitching a ride back to the Junction on the footplate. The photographs were found by Harry's son, David, while clearing out an old garage. Despite the lack of care in their storage they were in remarkably good condition.

Harry took great pleasure in looking back through the collection of hundreds of pictures choosing them for the book. But sadly he died just a week before the book went to the printers in October. Profits from the first print run will be donated to the St David's Hospice in Llandudno which opens its doors to the first in-patient in January 2001.

The book has 72 photographs, inclusing 33 in colour, and will be available from local bookshops, WH Smith in Llandudno and 'Bookland' in Bangor and Chester, priced £7.95 or £9 including post from David Rogers Jones, 33 Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay LL27 7RU. Make cheques payable to 'Recollections of a Steam Era.' - 7 December

Rain - by Alan Crawshaw

6 December's photo shows the driver of 37 426 at Bangor awaiting the right away to take the 07:49 from Holyhead on to Crewe. Photographed from the sanctuary of the platform awning - yes, it was raining again! Here's another non surprise: the Virgin 09:19 from Holyhead was cancelled.

TOPS printout from Tuesday afternoon, showing all Clss 37/4s remaining in traffic:

401 Crewe DMD Axam ok 2200 05/12
405 6B18 41h
408 Millerhill 31h
411 Motherwell B/420 ok 2200 10/12 [out of service for 3 months now!]
412 Cardiff 32h (for Rhymney)
413 5T13 empties to Holyhead for 1G76 diagram 52h
415 Fort William 42h
 [1B01/1Y11 sleepers cancelled UFN, utilised on Corpach trip]
416 Motherwell 7h
418 Cardiff 56h (for Rhymney)
419 Inverness 33h
421 1D71/1K73 46h
426 1T50/1G79/1D99 22h
427 Motherwell 17h
428 Saltley Bxam ok 0700 08/12
429 Crewe DMD N/421 ok 1800 07/12 (traction motor flashover)

'The Top Line' Passenger: 142 046 and 153 310 worked the Bidston - Wrexham line on 30 November, both more or less on time.
Freight: 23 November: 6M84/V78 60 041  6F59 56 103. 24 November: 6M86/V80 60 079 30 November: 6M76 60 019 09:07 at Gwersyllt, running 99 late.  6F59 56 131 with 7 Cargowaggons at Wrexham Exchange at 10:31 (on time) 6V80 60 067. 01 December: 6Z53 an unidentified 56 with the empty coal boxes from Penyffordd through Chester at 23:15. No 37's seen on the 'Enterprise'

On the Coast: On Tuesday 28 November 7D41 Nuclear Flask Train was again running late, booked to depart Chester at 06:20. In the event it had to wait for 1D57 and 2D56 (which was also reported at least 33 late despite starting from Chester?) 20 307/315 had two flasks. 6J35 headed by 66 090 for Chirk was also through Chester at 0715 on the down slow awaiting a path to Saltney Junction behind 37 426, the late running 1D57.

56 071 ran light through Chester towards Warrington at 18:30 on Friday 1 December. (Where from?)
20 904/906 were on the flasks on December 1 with three flasks (7C40) at Chester at 17:38 with no stop.
An unidentified 60 also ran light towards Warrington on the same day at 23:05 making a most peculiar sound. - 7 December

Coast line Coaching Sets:
2 December:
5331, 35513, 4876, 5278
5309, 35515, 5335, 4854
5386, 35516, 4880, 4849

5 December:
5331, 35513, 4876, 5278
5030, 35515, 5335, 4854
5386, 35516, 4880, 4849

[Earlier stories are on the previous Notice Board]

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Created by Charlie Hulme, Comments welcome to charlie@dweb.u-net.com