47 847 Railway World Magazine approaches Chester with the 09:19 Holyhead - Crewe, 22 May. (Alan Crawshaw)

Regular Contributors: Dave Sallery , Alan Crawshaw, Rowan Crawshaw, Dave & John Skipsey, John Lewis, Tony Miles, Ian Bowland,  Alastair Graham, Mike Stone,  'Concrete Bob'  George Jones, Selwyn Williams, Steve Vaughan, Dave Bramley and many others.

LAST UPDATE: 22 May 2002

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47 840 North Star re-entered traffic on 22 May wearing British Rail 'corporate blue' livery with original small numbers and logo - Steve Marshall has scooped a picture on the news page of the Globe Video Films website. - 22 May

Once named Jimmy Milne, 47 635 has worked 1D87 10:31 Crewe-Holyhead and return 1A63 13:35 Holyhead-Crewe  two consecutive Saturdays (11 and 18 May).

47 635 arrives at Bangor with the 07:20 London - Holyhead on 18 May. (Rowan Crawshaw)

47 635 returns to Bangor with the 13:35 Holyhead to London, 18 May. (Alan Crawshaw). - 20 May

Here's what happened to the 09:19 Holyhead - London on 18 May, in answer to the question in Ian Bowland's  report below. -  87 032 , the loco meant to take over at Crewe from 47 828 for the run to London, was at Longsight depot, Manchester, and because the line between Stockport and Crewe was closed for engineering work it was sent via Stafford. When it arrived at Stafford, there was a major signalling failure at No.5 box and all down trains were being 'talked by' on the down slow. It arrived at the north end of platform 1 at around 11.50 clearly expecting to go to Crewe but presumably that was impossible so it eventually shunted via the south end to the north end of platform 3, presumably in the hope the fault would be cleared before the Holyhead arrived. After standing a little while, the incoming driver detached 47 848 and the signal came off to go in the arrival siding (that's the siding leading off platform 1 alongside the warehouse) but the driver wouldn't take it and the loco was eventually shunted onto the parcels line.

Meanwhile the 87 dropped back down Platform 3 and the next thing I noticed the guard was in his disposable overalls messing around at the front of the DVT. The 87 then backed on and its driver was hooking up while the guard was on the signal post telephone presumably ensuring the up Fast Line was 'blocked' [kept clear of trains ensure the crew's own safety while working on the ground alongside]  he then walked down the platform and shouted words to the effect 'is someone on the line?', just as the 11.20 Preston appeared running at line speed! So not only had they failed to 'block the fast' while changing engines, as required by safety rules, they had obviously failed to come to a clear understanding of what was to happen.

The above incident was not the only one at Stafford that day: One Virgin guard 'made a balls' of attaching the diesel loco after running round a terminated train, and another managed to give the right away from one door while the door next to her was on the catch.

Incidentally there appeared to be some problem on the coast that day as neither the 14:05 or 16:46 from Holyhead ever got to Stafford - not that that stopped them from showing the 20:39 Birmingham - Chester as running on time until about five minutes before it was due! - 20 May

Responding to Ian Bowland's other comment on a Voyager passenger who 'wanted to go to Birmingham but was carried on to Crewe' because the doors didn't open, David White writes: 'On Thursday 16 May, catching the 16:25 Southport train at Manchester Piccadilly. I spoke to a lady who said that she had just got off a Voyager unit (220) at Piccadilly. She could not get off at Bolton because the doors would not open, and she was retracing her journey back to Bolton. Had the door failed on just one side? Clearly the  Bolton platform is not the side for exiting compared with Piccadilly Platform 13.' - 20 May

Flask notes - by Steve Vaughan

The flask train on Tuesday May 14 was worked by 20 903/4. They were on the down at the usual time with two flasks in tow but by 14:30 were back in Llandudno Junction yard. At about 14:45 they set back out of the yard and continued on the way east. (Picture above.) Has the return run been retimed?

Of note is the website address of DRS - www.directrailservices.com - on the side of one of the 20s. - 20 May

Our item about the MCRUA train to Minehead on 18 May has generated some 'heated' correspondence. Firstly, note that the train arrived back at 00:30, earlier than our report suggested. Thanks to several readers for this ... and also to John Cowlishaw and Reg Appleton for details of a previous working of a Class 67 on Shrewsbury - Chester Line, on 4 January 2002, when 67 013 with 1M59 Bristol Barton Hill  - Warrington mail empties ws diverted due to overhead line problems at Hartford.

Regarding the train and its running, here's an alternative view from 'Edward Fletcher' which will cheer up the organisers:

'I still enjoyed our long day out last Saturday...yes, the gloss was taken off it by the loco troubles but the tour was still a great day out if you like riding on real trains...if you don't like long rail journeys why go in the first place? I was slightly surprised by the extent of the delay at milepost 147 as it is possible to isolate a defective traction motor and proceed on reduced power....I suspect some long range "advice" from Control here ... a growing tendency to overrule the guys on the ground. In all fairness the rescue loco was just grabbed from Exeter ASAP and was not specially prepared for the job..this is hardly a new phenomenon as there are lots of epic stories of the same thing happening in steam days with the locomen putting up heroic performances!

'The loco change at Bristol seemed to take ages but this, it seems, is the modern way and is often dictated by pruning resources to the minimum. We enjoyed an extremely fast run over the "North and West" and quite a lot of time was made up to Chester where I and colleague alighted. Yes, it was a very late arrival back for the Cheshire Lines folks but it was still, to quote Wallace and Gromit, a "Grand Day Out". The stock was excellent as was the catering team and train staff. Thanks to MCRUA and don't lets get too het up over an elderly loco. A few enthusiast "experts" were holding forth on the deficiencies of EWS, Railtrack et al, quite obviously never having worked in the industry, but they didn't spoil my day even if I only had 10 minutes at Minehead!'

And here's another view from Shaun Courtnage of the Class 47 List website: 'The neat and tidy 47 725 worked 1Z44 from Altrincham, via Chester, Shrewsbury, the 'Marches' and Severn Tunnel. It was sounding very well and coped commendably well with the 12 mark I's and one mark II until we stopped at Huntspill, nearly two miles after Highbridge and Burnham. The problem was a small fire caused by oil leaking onto traction motor number three. The same loco suffered the same problem prior to working 1A45 10:57 Blackpool-Euston (to Crewe) the previous Sunday, although not as serious and the loco hauled the train as intended. It failed later the same day again believed to be with the same problem. Despite the loco then sitting on Crewe Diesel Depot for the whole week, it appears repairs were not carried out.

'47 733, the Exeter standby then made a welcome appearance. It has been very rare on passenger trains in the past year or so - although recently has hauled several Virgin HST's over the Devon banks as part of its standby duties. At Minehead, D6566 (or 33 048 as previously known) shunted the stock to release 47 733 to run around the train, whilst the poor suffering passengers of the MCRUA enjoyed their brief hour by the sea, rather than the scheduled two hours and 50 minutes.

'After the refill of the coolant at Bishops Lydeard during the return working (1Z45), 47 733 continued onto Bristol and was removed due to both low fuel, and a broken exhaust manifold which led to fumes entering the driver's cab. The 67 then worked through to Altrincham, and did not return the ECS to Crewe via Middlewich, it continued through to Stockport and onto Manchester Piccadilly (where it was seen arriving after 01:30). 67 008 ran around the stock and then took the ECS to Crewe.

' How do EWS expect a standby loco to rescue trains when it has low fuel and low coolant? And when faults do not get repaired do they not expect the engines to fail? Its fairly obvious that these 47's are going to be needed for some time to come so when is some decent maintenance going to be undertaken on them?'

Note: opinions expressed on this site belong to their authors, where attributed,  and are not necessarily endorsed by the site compiler. - 20 May

175 002 works the 10:06 Bangor - Crewe at Connah's Quay, 18 May. (Tim J. Rogers) At one stage on 16 May, only eight of the 26 units in the First North Western fleet were reported to be available for service, but there rumours of disagreements between FNW and Railtrack regarding the proposed Holyhead - Birmingham service and whether a Class 47 with a short train really requires an extra 14 minutes for the journey, even though recent experience has shown that when a class 150 or 156 unit with 75 mph maximum speed is on this run, the time lost compared to a 175 can be less than five minutes. Of course a Class 156 or a 47 doesn't have a computer recording the driver's every move... - 20 May

Typographical note - by Thomas Harwin

Noting your comment about 47 847's numbers having been reapplied in the correct font, I thought I would let you know that this was done about 4 weeks ago. They were meant to be done about 2 weeks after the loco was originally painted but due to the loco being used and them taking a little longer than expected to come, they have only just been fitted.  Also note that a Stratford Cockney Sparrow has appeared on the door half way along the bodyside!  If only the had kept the Intercity liveried carriages until the end.  47 826 is next up for 57/6 conversion, get it while you can! - 20 May

Dave Sallery's archive spot

47 226 brings a single wagon off the Dee bridge and through Shotton station on May 4th 1993.  The wagon is French registered and was used to convey liquid sodium to the now closed Deeside
Titanium plant.  the photo is from my Wrexham - Bidston site which has just had a number of gallery pages added. - 20 May

The 'Northern Belle' passes Norton signalbox near Runcorn East station, 17 May, loco 47 744 Royal Mail Cheltenham. Picture by John Whitby

The Mid Cheshire Rail Users' charter from Altrincham to Minehead via Chester and Wrexham on 18 May met with the sort of problems the MCRUA have come to expect. Motive power was initially provided by 47 725 Bristol Barton Hill which expired on the main line between Highbridge and Bridgewater at 12:05 with a traction motor fire. The fire was quickly extinguished by train staff, but the train blocked the main line for nearly two hours, before being rescued by an equally tatty and smoky 47 733 Eastern Star from Exeter. More time was lost depositing 47 725 in a long disused bay at Taunton.

The train eventually reached the West Somerset Railway at Bishops Lydeard at 14.46. Minehead was reached at 15.45 - due 13.55. (The train had left Altrincham at 06:21.)There was just time for some participants to join the departing service with 80136 - the other steam service was provided by 4160. Most participants took in the sea front before returning for a 16.50 departure, thus having one hour in Minehead instead of the three they were expecting.

More trouble as 47 733 was declared low on fuel and coolant leaving Minehead at 16:57, the latter being solved by an extended wait by the hose at Bishop's Lydeard. The highlight of the day for some was when 47 733 was replaced by 67 008 at Bristol. First information was that the 67 was to be replaced at Shrewsbury, but in fact it worked through to Altrincham via Wrexham and Chester, and presumably will work the empty stock back to Crewe via Middlewich. This must surely be the first visit of a 67 to the Shrewsbury - Chester line and the Mid Cheshire line. Is it also the first visit to the North Wales Coast line, albeit only between Saltney and Chester? [No - recall the abysmal failure of a 67-hauled railtour on Anglesey which caused a four hour delay? - C.H.]

Interesting as all this was, the charter was over two hours late outbound, and well over an hour late inbound. Arrival at Altrincham was at 00:30, where many quite elderly passengers would have been deposited having spent the best part of seventeen hours on the train. How much longer can EWS turn out their ill-maintained and ill-prepared ex RES 47s on local charters, and still expect to retain their business? And indeed, how are First North Western going to get on using the same locos on the Holyhead - Birmingham service?

Thanks to Laurence Wheeler and George Jones for the report, and John Feild for managing a picture of the train at Chester, 23:15. - 19 May

47 847 Brian Morrison/Railway World Magazine worked the 09:19 Holyhead - London on Saturday 18 May. Has anyone else noticed that the loco number has been re-applied at some stage in a more authentic font in place of the large Virgin-style numbers first seen on this re-livery?

The same train at Connah's Quay (Tim J. Rogers)

The classic machine powers through Levenshulme on 16 May (Paul Braddock) - 19 May

Sunshine at Warrington Bank Quay on 16 May, with 37 704 and 37 798. (John Humphries.)

Here's a selection of 'new approach' pictures received recently - it's good to see contributors getting away from the classic type of train picture from time to time.

Here's 43 196 at Llanfairfechan, 17 May (Deiniol Williams)

A topical study of pointwork being checked at Warrington, 16 May. (John Humphries)

Three generations of bridge, and a First North Western Class 158 at Castlefield Junction, Manchester, 11 May. The 'Dukes 92' pub among the trees to the right is a highly recommended stopover, just a short walk from Deansgate station.

33 108 and inspection saloon, Ashley, 17 April (Richard Boyd.) - 19 May

47 828 Severn Valley Railway  arrived at Crewe with the 09.19 Holyhead-London on 16 May but there was no AC electric waiting to couple up to the rear of the train and no shunter either. A move down to the South end revealed the shunter uncoupling the loco then, after some discussion, couple it up again.
 

The 47 took the train forward from Crewe - did it go all the way?

And finally - "Oh! Mr.Porter what shall I do, I wanted to go to Birmingham and you've taken me on to Crewe......"  So goes the old music hall song (Marie Lloyd?).  The morning Poole-Liverpool arrived at Crewe formed by 220 034 leading 221 107 - the first mixed set I have seen.  Unusually it was put into platform 12 rather than the usual platform 6 so I decided to walk up to the north end of the station to get a decent shot of the 221.  There was a chap waiting with a camera who said I would be lucky to catch the 221 leaving as there was a problem.  He maintained that he had been on the train and wanted to get off at Birmingham but the doors wouldn't open so he had to travel up to Crewe and get a train back to Birmingham. Sure enough the 220 left for Liverpool and it was then announced that the 221 would form the 12.18 to Portsmouth Harbour.  You couldn't make it up.....could you?  Can anyone confirm this story? Photo is of 221 107 waiting to leave for Portsmouth. - 19 May

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