37 717 and 37 520 on engineers' train 7L60, Piper's Ash - Crewe Basford Hall via Wigan, Sunday 3 March. Photo by John Skipsey taken at Piper's Ash from the A41 road overbridge.
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LAST UPDATE: 04 March 2002
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Sel Williams writes: 'The Tytherington stone trains will run this Tuesday 5 & Thursday 7 March. These usually depart Crewe at westbound at 11:15, arriving Penmaenmawr at 12:55. There may also be a special movement of one wagon from Penmaenmawr to Llandudno Junction this week; the wagon was due to be put on wheelskates at Penmaenmawr on 4 March.'
These trains are described in Modern Railways magazine as carrying gritstone
for blending, but we believe the load is granite - confirmation would be
welcome. - 4 March
Let's see, now, where do we start? The picture shows 175 103 at Stafford, turned back short on 1G96 Holyhead - Birmingham due to a broken rail at Tipton; because of all the booked Saturday diversions via the Grand Junction line via Bescot, there wasn't enough capacity to divert other trains that would normally use the Stour valley lines into Birmingham.
On the same day there was a 'fiasco' with 175 112 and 175 106 at Birmingham New Street, being unable to release the brakes, due, it is thought due to a door fault; this was the first time that two units with modified door control circuits had operated together. The train was eventually divided, and 112 went forward some 100 minutes late, whilst spare staff were 'scrambled' to recover the other unit and fill in gaps left by the absence of the delayed train crew. This was not helped by the broken rail at Tipton...
Monday 4 March dawned with problems affecting 175 104 while working the 06:51 Chester-Manchester via Northwich which forms the 08:17 Manchester - Llandudno via Warrington, causing both trains to be 30 minutes late. The unit ran back empty to Chester where it worked to Birmingham at 10:31 replacing 175 115 which then ran with 175 011 to Longsight for modifcations. (Hope you are following this.) The latter had been replaced by 150 149 on 10:19 Crewe-Bangor at Chester. Later in the morning 158 752 needed fiiter's attention and terminated at Chester on 1K61 Holyhead-Crewe it was later revived to work the 14:13 Crewe shuttle as that unit had gone to Holyhead instead!
175 107 - is to go to Wolverton for repairs (or has it already gone) after it's "electrifying" experience in the high winds of a couple of weeks ago near Chorley (pantograph through the front of the cab). Apparently the damage to the cab, control desk, instruments, etc. is very severe. Since there are virtually no spares of this sort for the fleet, is 175 101 at Eastleigh going to become even more of a 'Christmas Tree?' The driver was lucky to get away so lightly physically, though we hear he was very badly shocked, not surprisingly. It is to be hoped that someone has been disciplined for allowing the damaged electric locomotive to be hauled without properly securing it.
175 110 - This was the unlucky one that happened to be the next train through Tipton station on Tuesday 26 February on the 05:25 New Street to Holyhead after parts of the canopy had been blown onto the track. We hear the skirting under at least one of the vehicles is very seriously damaged and there is other underfloor damage as well. 175s don't seem to fare at all well in circumstances where they come into contact with objects at speed. Does anyone remember, wasn't it a pheasant that one of them hit in the early days of testing that caused a lot of damage to the front panels and those along the side? Even 142s seem to fare better in these types of circumstance and they're poor compared to Sprinters. Comments from insiders welcome ... - 4 March
Here's a few more pictures of events on Saturday 2 March: more to come!
In dawn's early light, 37 421 brings the stock in to Crewe to form the service to Manchester via Warrington, which then goes on to Cardiff. (Simon Davis)
47 789 Lindisfarne worked the 05:43 Holyhead - London, seen here at Chester (Rowan Crawshaw)
37 415 at Chester before departure to Cardiff on 1Z10 07:10 from Crewe. (Tim E. Rogers)
At Wrexham General (Tim E. Rogers)
Sunshine as 415 arrives at Cardiff. (Rowan Crawshaw)
An expedition up the Rhymney branch with Rowan Crawshaw: 37 412 Driver John Elliott runs round at Rhymney after working the 11:51 from Cardiff ....
... and 37 419 stands at Rhymney after working the 13:51 from Cardiff. This is now the only branch line terminus in the UK where traditional running round of locomotives can be seen on a regular basis. although on non-rugby days only in the Monday - Friday peaks. Worth a visit, as the saying goes. - 4 March
Pride of Saltley
Mention of the 'depot' named Virgin 47s prompts Simon Davis to send along this picture of 47 839 Pride of Saltley at Crewe on 9 February, along with a nameplate view showing the 'seagull' motif. - 4 March
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