How much longer will this view be possible? 37 415 enters Crewe with the 08:33 Manchester - Cardiff, 6 April. (Charlie Hulme)

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LAST UPDATE: 7 April 2002

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Tim Rogers was out of bed extremely early on 6 April to see 37 415 leaving Crewe with the 07:19 to Manchester via Warrington ...

... the explanation of this early rising involving Deltic 9016 Gordon Highlander, see here  at Crewe ready to depart with 1Z40 07:22 Charter to Scarborough (running 50 late!)

Your compiler was waiting for 37 415 at Stockport when it returned as the 08:33 Manchester - Cardiff, the six coaches well-filled with fans heading for the rugby match at the Millennium Stadium, and a certain number of fans of another kind!
 

Sadly I had to leave the train at Crewe - seen here departing south in bright, but very low, sunshine.

A second 'rugby' train ran at 10:00 from Crewe via Chester and Wrexham to Cardiff, hence the sight of 37 419 waiting to depart from Platform 12 towards North Wales.

47 726 Manchester Airport Progress worked the morning train from London to Holyhead west of Crewe: it is seen here on the western outskirts of Bangor with the morning Euston to Holyhead. The Menai Straits and the Isle of Anglesey are in the background. (Alan Crawshaw)

Having run round at Holyhead, the same loco waits departure at Holyhead with the 13:35 to London. (Rowan Crawshaw)

A couple of personal footnotes to the day's events. First, there have been a number of reports recently of a certain friction between station staff and railfan photographers. Sadly, looking at this picture taken at Crewe one can perhaps begin to understand why: the gent with the tripod is between the yellow safety line and the edge of Platform 5, and has his back to the Wales and Borders train which is already signalled to enter this platform to couple to another unit. Is this wise?

Second, we have commented before on the 'customer card' at Crewe station, and made ourselves unpopular, but here's another example from 6 April. The 09:54 W & B train to Manchester is shown on the information displays as due to call at Platform 5, and many people are waiting there, including your scribe. At 09:56 (with the info display unchanged) there is no sign of any train in Platform 5, but we notice a Wales and Borders 158 coming to a stand in Platform 6, the one in which the Class 87 stands in the picture above and quite a long walk away over the busy footbridge. Only then is an announcement made about the platform alteration, so off we all go up the steps, across the bridge, and down the other side, meeting all the people who have alighted from the train coming the other way. Is this necessary? - 7 April

"The Wessex Express" on 27 April from Hooton, Bache, Wrexham, Gobowen and Shrewsbury to Bath, Salisbury and Southampton has been strengthened to 13 vehicles.  However, there are now only 20 seats left, all in standard class.  Outward is via the "North & West", Maindee East Junction, Chepstow and Gloucester, return is via the Lickey.  Details from laurence.wheeler@tesco.net or from 01244 678070.

"The Somerset Coast Express" on 18 May - most stations from Altrincham, then Chester, Wrexham, Gobowen and Shrewsbury is to Bristol and Minehead with the option of riding on the West Somerset Railway steam trains at no extra cost.  This is down to its last 60 seats (10 first all in FK 13227 and 50 standard in a TSO).  Details on www.mcrua.org.uk or ring Peter Frier on 01565 722140. - 7 April

It looks as though no First North Western or Virgin trains (which are driven by FNW drivers) will run on the Coast line due to FNW drivers' strikes on Monday 8 April - see the First North Western website for a copy of a statement by the Managing Director as handed out to passengers on 4 April.  Don't bother looking at the Aslef website - although this has 'coincidentally' been drastically changed since we ridiculed it two days ago, there is still no mention of the FNW situation that we can find. A limited stop bus will run between Crewe and Holyhead for long-distance passengers - everyone else will have to trust themselves to Arriva Cymru's services. (Here's a Rhyl - Chester Service bus timetable and here are some Gwynedd bus timetables) or try for one of the Wales and Borders services which are crewed by W & B drivers.

We were suprised by some additional information which came our way. Apparently the driver at the centre of the dispute has 49 years of service on the railway, and is due to retire this year. It is said that First North Western offered him early retirement on full pension, but this was refused. Also, it appears that the alleged passing of two red signals and exceeding the speed limit all occurred on a single journey. (If anyone believes the above to be inaccurate, please contact us.) It seems incredible that all this has been allowed to happen. - 7 April

just a reminder that the 2 for 1 offer for the Conwy valley line runs until 4 May 2002.  Any train after 09.00 Monday to Friday and any train at weekends and on Bank Holidays.  A "it takes two"  (groan)  leaflet is required which should be available from Llandudno and Llandudno junction stations, and probably from the FR office at Blaenau.

For a guide to the classic North Wales Circular train ride, see my Cambrian Rail Cruise pages, and also http://www.conwyvalleyrailway.co.uk/ - 7 May

Macclesfield Model Railway Exhibition report - by Charlie Hulme

The Macclesfield show on 6-7 April had a definite North Wales tinge to it. The now-famous Mostyn P4 layout from the Merseyside Model Railway Society made its public debut as promised; herculean efforts had clearly been made to get this impressive exhibit to a state closely approaching completion, and all credit to the team for this. Some running problems were in evidence, however, including a couple of derailments (to the delight of the anti-P4 pundits no doubt) while your reporter was watching, and the fleet of locomotives is rather sparse, but this layout will certainly be a major attraction in the future. There's no doubt that the 'correct' track gauge of 18.83 mm looks better in relation to the models, although why can't Britain just adopt H0 scale like the rest of the world?

For lovers of more rural railways, there was also very attractive layout built by Phil Greaves on a Cambrian Coast Line theme, with a nostalgic 1960s period, as seen in our second picture. Note the gunpowder vans in the pick-up freight, and the camping coach in the siding. Good stuff. - 7 April

Strike report #1 - by John Murray

I wandered down to Chester Station on the afternoon of 5 April. The rail replacement buses were in operation, although were subject to delays due to traffic, the one illustrated (heading picture) being the 12:45 to Crewe running 30 minutes late.  The replacement bus services were well organised with
signs directing passengers for North Wales and Crewe services and plenty of staff on hand to assist.  What surprised me was how lightly loaded the coaches were, demonstrating that many passengers had stayed away.

The only rail services in evidence, at this normally busy time, were the 13:20 Arriva Merseyside service to Liverpool formed of 507 001 ...

... and 158 851 as the 13:35 Wales and Borders to Birmingham New Street via Wrexham, unusually using platform 3b, due to First North Western stock being stabled in platform 2. - 5 April

The second 24-hour strike by drivers meant no FNW or Virgin Trains on the North Wales Coast line - although some services were reportedly operated by non-union drivers based in North West England [TV news showed a Class 150 departing Blackburn.- C.H.]. Wales and Borders managed to run both its Holyhead-Cardiff trains on 5 April - it made sure the drivers with North Wales line knowledge were on duty, and carried them by taxi from Crewe to Holyhead when necessary. Some freight trains were also reported to have run down the Coast. The pictures show the scene at Llandudno Junction with a 175 stabled in the sidings.

The third strike is due to take place on Monday - both sides are entrenched and will not give way so a resolution seems unlikely over the weekend. Aslef chiefs are to discuss the issue next week and claim they have the mandate to call further strikes as and when they deem it necessary. - 5 April

Wales and Borders, 5 April

Some loco-hauled trains ran on the Manchester - Cardiff line again on Friday 5 April, the last time on a Monday-Friday for the moment, although Saturday 6 April's rugby matches will see locomotives again. See times below.

The morning in Cheshire was misty, as Steve Morris's atmospheric shot of 37 411 and 37 415 on the 07.19 Manchester - Cardiff  approaching Holmes Chapel shows.

Returning to Crewe in the afternoon, however, 37 415 was paired with 37 419. (Ian Bowland) - 5 April

The 13:43 Holyhead to Euston on arrival at Bangor, seen here waiting to leave. 43 013, with 43 198 at the rear, 3 April. (Alan Crawshaw)

37/4 from Shrewsbury - by Ian Bowland

I saw that 37 415 was out on one of the Wales & Borders turns on 3 April so I took a trip to Shrewsbury to meet 1Z43 and travel back to Crewe on it.  A very uneventful but highly nostalgic trip behind 37 415.

Although the runround at Crewe was actually a reverse of what used to happen at Crewe, it was, nevertheless, a nostalgic operation. - 4 April

Another four First North Western Class 101 units are to go to Glasgow worksfor what Angel Trains refer to as a 'Mini-C-exam' - in other words, enough of an overhaul to keep them going for another 12 months. 101 680 is already there, with 101 692, 101 693 and 101 676 to follow in their turn. 680 includes a 1956-built vehicle: 47 years is a good life indeed for a diesel railcar. - 4 April

Dave Skipsey sends along this picture of 47 367 at Mostyn in '1977' to remind us that the P4 scale Mostyn layout will be making is public debut at the Macclesfield Model Railway Exhibition on 6 and 7 April. More details on the previous notice board. - 4 April

The following details of Class 37 workings for the Rigby match on Saturday 6 April comes with thanks as always to Bruce Garbutt and the North West Gen List:

1H98 07:19 Crewe - Man Piccadilly via Warrington
1V77 08:33 Manchester Piccadilly - Cardiff
1Z42 10:00 Crewe - Cardiff (arr 13:30) via Wrexham
1Z37 10:11 Crewe - Cardiff (arr 12:59)

Return departures are 19:15, 19:45, 20:45 ex Cardiff. All booked class 37 traction.

Trains running on Friday 5 April are now shown as just two diagrams:

1V76 07:19 Man Pic - Cardiff  37 411 & 37 415
1Z82 13:25 Crewe - Cardiff 37 418
[1Z42 10:30 Crewe - Cardiff  is NOT RUNNING]
1Z43 15:20 Cardiff - Crewe
1Z75 17:15 Cardiff - Crewe

- 4 April

There have been some interesting events in recent days, most of them dutifully observed by our contributors. Thanks to Richard Boyd and Tim E. Rogers for the following pictorial round-up.

37 401 The Royal Scotsman stands at Chester station reliving a few memories on 25 March with 1Z75 1715 Cardiff to Crewe. (Tim E. Rogers)

31 468 passes through Heswall on 5Z72 13:00 Birkenhead North to Derby (Class 501 unit 'drag') 29 March (Tim E. Rogers)

47 812 on the ECS of the 15.10 Liverpool-Poole at Liverpool Lime Street on Thursday 28 March. (Richard Boyd)

47 814 prior to working the 17.25 Euston-Holyhead stands next to 37 418 East Lancashire Railway which had just arrived with the 15.20 additional from Cardiff at Crewe on Thursday 28 March. (Richard Boyd)

47 826 Springburn awaiting departure from Holyhead with the 09.19 departure to Euston on Saturday 30 March (Richard Boyd)

The same train approaching Shotton (Tim E. Rogers)

47 789 approaches Shotton on 1D87 07:20 Euston to Holyhead on 30 March (Tim E. Rogers)

47 854 awaits departure from Liverpool with the 15.10 Liverpool-Poole on Saturday 30 March. (Richard Boyd)

37 668 approaches Whitchurch on 1Z42 1032 Crewe to Cardiff, 2 April.  Note the provision of the generator van. (Tim E. Rogers)

Silly Season

The customary appearance of a special page this year was thwarted by your compilers Easter trip to Wales, but in these depressing times it would be  a shame to waste this contribution by 'Concrete Bob' ...

Things you see from trains, no.1037425; Llamas

STOP PRESS secret government breeding station discovered by railway near Calveley; some strange looking animals were spotted grazing within earshot of the trains early this morning; further enquiries led our intrepid reporter to discover the startling existence of a hush-hush establishment that is in the final stages of perfection of a sheep - giraffe cross that will help colonise some of the more vertically challenged fields of the Celtic province..

Things you see from trains, no.1037426; Sheep
Once again, our intrepid reporter has a scoop; the world's first PTS trained sheep. These intelligent animals are specially trained to stand stock still on the approach of a train in a position of safety, raising a hoof in acknowledgment of the driver's whistle, although since they are tone deaf, a programme of refitting traction units is in hand, equipping the latter with sheep sensitive warning horns. Only fitted trains will be allowed onto the section of line where the trials are under way, and it is thought that Class 175s will have their Hippo sensitive horns replaced with the new design in time for the summer timetable; FNW said that they may have to hire in replacement stock from Riviera trains, with locos from EWS SCRP pool based at Wigan providing the traction. This may not happen within our lifetime, as some teething problems have arisen with the two prototype sheep near Prestatyn, such that they have had to have their eight legs temporary nailed down to prevent them from running off. The owner, Al Stom, said they were confident that these difficulties could be overcome before the second coming, and failing that, they could always eat them with a bit of mint sauce..

Some Notes for editors...
PTS - Personal Track Safety
FNW - Funny, No Wheels
EWS - Ever Woken Screaming
SCRP - self explanatory

Next week; Monach of the Glen as seen at Beeston.
Sometime next year; Bashers and how to love them. [1 April]

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