The RMT union has called a series of one-day strikes by train guards / conductors working for train companies who they say have devalued the job by transferring safety responsiblilities to the driver. This has been rumbling on for some time: readers may remember that First North Western averted action a couple of years ago by eaching an agreement with the guards which resulted in a modification to the Class 175 trains. Originally these were built on the assumption that the driver would release the train doors at stations, but now the guard has to release the doors as well as closeing them. Thus, First North Western trains will be running normally on the strike days, March 28 and 31 and April 17, but as things stand at present the other Coast operators Virgin and Wales and Borders will not be running, or will be running a very limited service. See the BBC news website for more. - 17 March
What could be better on a Saturday morning then 43 154/43 122 passing over Conwy cob in the spring sunshine? The pair are seen here heading into Llandudno Junction with 1A49 09:21 Holyhead - London Euston on 15 March. (Deiniol Williams)
Two industrial combines connected with the railways of North Wales appear to be in some trouble at present. BBC reports that 'Thousands of UK jobs are set to go at French heavy engineering giant Alstom' which is of course the builder of the 175s and Pendolinos, and the operator of Chester train depot. Whether the train side of things is blamed for this seems unclear.
There have also been press stories about the National Express Group, which runs nine rail franchises in the UK, possibly wishing to dump some of them, following its decision to 'hand back the keys' of its rail operations in Australia, although all its March 2003 'Preliminary Results' press release has to say is "With six of our nine rail franchises coming up for renewal during 2004, we will be in a strong position to improve the cash returns in our trains division whilst at the same time rationalising our rail portfolio." National Express is currently the owner of Wales and Borders Trains and one of the three on the shortlist for the enlarged Wales and Borders operation which will take over the North Wales coast trains from First North Western. Indeed, unless things have changed while we haven't been concentrating, National Express has been asked to add the North Wales line to its portfolio from the Winter 2003-4 timetable to create a Wales and Borders 'shadow franchise.'
On top of this, steel company Corus announces it is considering cutbacks and plant closures, which are bound to affect what's left of freight traffic in the area. - 16 March
Thanks to Rowan Crawshaw and Kevin Melia for correcting our guess at the third locomotive diagram which will be in force on FNW from 31 March. (See below). The correct afternoon/evening workings are 12:21 Birmingham - Holyhead, 15:49 Holyhead - Crewe 18:18 Crewe - Chester, then empty stock from Chester - Holyhead (Not Fridays and Saturdays).
As Kevin writes: 'If it forms the 16:46 Holyhead - Birmingham there'd be a problem, i.e. the 15:49 Holyhead - Crewe. The unit forming this 16:46 ex Holyhead arrives off the 14:26 Crewe-Holyhead (a service which arrives too late to form the 15:49 Holyhead-Crewe). A unit would have be pulled from nowhere just to form the Crewe service (defeating the object of a 3rd turn.). Then you would have one arrive off the 14:26 Crewe-Holyhead only to be 'surplus' if the hauled set needlessly waited. I know they did daft things like that in the "37 days" - but thought there'd need to be some kind of logic in this day in age.'
Also, if the train ran to Birmingham three times, the 950-mile day would be pushing the fuel capacity of an EWS Class 47/7, for which the contract has now been signed, so we can definitely expect these to power the trains. The green ex-Great Western 47s (which would have matched the coaches) are now reported to have joined the Virgin Trains fleet. This third diagram is expected to cease at the end of the Winter timetable on May 17, but the other Holyhead - Birmingham turn will be retained, according to current plans.
A timing curiosity plucked from the FNW website by Darran Moss concerns the same diagram: '0205 Mondays Only Holyhead - Birmingham New Street. Re-timed from Monday 31 March. Holyhead dep. 01:40, Bangor 0207, Llandudno Jn arr. 0223 dep. 0225, Chester arr. 0303 dep. 0304, Crewe arr. 0408 dep. 0408, Stafford 0435, Wolverhampton 0451, Birmingham New St arr. 0508.' From this extended timing south of Chester, we assume that the train will run from Chester to Crewe via Northwich and Sandbach due to engineering works, but it's worth noting in passing that this overnight train runs non-stop from Llandudno Junction to Chester, covering the distance of just over 44 miles in 38 minutes. Are there any other trains along the Coast timed at better than 'even time' (60 miles an hour) between stops? - 16 March
Aluminium 100
David Guy sends this picture of 37 410 Aluminium 100 taken with a long lens at Stafford on the evening of 8 March, to illustrate our story (below) about the nameplate theft which occurred shortly afterwards. With collectors willing to pay huge sums for nameplates, perhaps this kind of theft is not surprising, although totally despicable. In any case, if you bought it who could you show it off to? If anyone has information about the whereabouts of the plate we'll be happy to pass them on anonymously to EWS. - 16 March
Enquiries on the QJump website appear to show that Savers and even SuperSavers on the new Midland Main Line (MML) Manchester to London St Pancras service are available on any train. MML report that this is an "opening offer" and will be available for any bookings made up to 10 May, after which some slightly tighter restrictions will apply. Tests on QJump show that savers can be booked for any MML service on the route well into the summer, so time to book ahead for those cheap days out in London? After 10 May (subject to confirmation) the first service that will be available for "route Chesterfield" savers will be the 07:47, which still gets to London shortly after 11:00, and less than 40 minutes after the first Virgin service that accepts savers has left Manchester. Evening restrictions will bar the use of savers between 16.00 and 18.55 out of St Pancras. Other business offers and 'book ahead' offers will come along in due course.
So the moral is, if you would like to try this new service, which covers the very scenic line through the Hope Valley, book now! - 16 March
Flooding in the Conwy Valley (as reported recently) is nothing new, as these archive pictures show.
On 19 February 1990 Llanrwst and Roman Bridge were severely flooded during continuing heavy rainfalls and 'Troderavon' viaduct between Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed was barely visible. To my surprise the 14:22 Llandudno - Blaenau Ffestiniog DMU crossed the bridge within feet of the river - a sight never to be repeated! A week later it was the turn of the whole coastline to be flooded in the infamous 'Towyn' floods. Much remedial work on the stone pillars was undertaken and the high-water marker boards were lowered so that it doesn't take much water to close the line nowadays.
The second picture shows normal winter river levels as two Class 31s cross the bridge with ballast empties in 1993. - 16 March
Now, Voyager
The following curious information comes our way:
Monday 17 March 2003 Virgin Class 220 Gauging Train. 1Z52 10:21 Crewe - Blaenau Ffestiniog.Chester pass 10:41, Holywell Jc pass10:58, Rhyl pass 11:08, Llandudno Jc 11:22 to 11:52, Llanrwst loop 12:13 to 12:20, Blaenau 12:48 (estimated).
1Z53 13:20 Blaenau Ffestiniog - Llandudno. Llanrwst loop 13:58 to 14:05, Llandudno Jct 14:24 to 14:26, Llandudno 14:35.
1Z54 15:34 Llandudno - Central Rivers Depot. Llandudno Jc 15:40, Rhyl 15:51, Holywell Jct 16:01, Chester pass 16:24, Crewe 16:48 to 16:55.
The driver will be from Virgin Cross Country, very possibly the same one who drove the Voyager down the coast for the naming ceremony some time ago. The likelihood is that this is a rehearsal for one of Virgin's 'media events' perhaps in a couple of weeks time. Maybe they are going to re-assure us that Virgin is not pulling out of North Wales? One wonders what sort of sound will come from the Class 20's wheel ffalges on the Conwy Valley's checkrailed curves... needless to say, if anyone happens by coincidence to be around with a camera, we'd be pleased to receive a picture. - 15 March
Freight observations - by Alastair Graham
Dee Marsh Junction has another new shunter: this time it is EWS-painted 08 842 which joins long time resident Mainline Blue 08 909 (which was at Castle Cement at Penyffordd prior to its arrival at DMJ) Both are allocated to Allerton T&RSMD.
Monday 10 March, and 56 069 on 6E39 (if that is still
the
headcode for the Mostyn to Healey Mills empty steel flats?) was at
Chester
at 07:45 awaiting its path along the Cheshire Lines which it got after
the 08:16 to Manchester Piccadilly via Stockport. OnTuesday 11
March
56 059 was on the diagram, arriving in Chester at 07:40. This time,
however, it left after the 07:45 to Manchester via Stockport, and once
the incoming set for the 08:16 had cleared the single line section from
Mouldsworth to Mickle Trafford. It's sound could be quite distinctively
heard through Delamere Forest! 66 147 ran light engine through
Helsby
at 09:45. presumably going to Dee Marsh for the Shotton Paper Wagons. 47
732 and 47 760 topped and tailed a Serco test train through
Rhyl at 11:23 on the same day.
Capturing the Penmaenmawr to Basford Hall ballast in brilliant sunshine made a change on 11 March. 66 509 was running under clear signals as it passed Sea Road Bridge, Abergele. Clear blue skies and shortening shadows... signs of things to come? (Larry Goddard)
Compiler's note: thanks to all those who have written about Class 50s - another feature coming soon.
One for the rivet counters: 175 107 shows
off its
non-standard number typeface at Manchester Oxford Road before setting
off
for Llandudno, 12 March. Several 175s have gained a sticker inside at
cantrail
level offering that space for advertising: is there no escape?
Reliable sources tell us that First North Western will be running three Monday- Friday Class 47 diagrams from 31 March for a period of six weeks, while rectification work continues on the 175s.
Diagram 1
06:48 Holyhead - Birmingham New Street
10:21 Birmingham - Holyhead
14:00 Holyhead - Birmingham
17:21 Birmingham - Holyhead
Diagram 2
1G76 01:50 (01:40 Mondays) Holyhead - Birmingham
1D57 05:21 Birmingham - Holyhead
1G96 08:52 Holyhead - Birmingham
1D71 12:21 Birmingham - Holyhead
1K73 15:49 Holyhead - Crewe
1D81 18:18 Crewe - Chester
Empty stock Chester - Holyhead (Not Fridays and Saturdays)
Diagram 3:
06:33 Bangor - Manchester Piccadilly
17:19 Manchester Piccadilly - Holyhead
On Saturdays, only Diagram 1 will operate. Nothing is to hand about the locomotives to be used, so we assume for the present that they will be from EWS, although the two ex-Great Western locos are presumably available, plus Riviera's fleet. We'll bring you more as it happens.
The empty stock workings of the 'club train' between Manchester and Crewe are rarely photographed, or at least if they are, nobody sends the pictures to us! The train runs via the Styal line, and arrives Crewe carriage depot at 09:49, returning from Crewe at 15:51. Here's 47 776Respected in the Styal Line platform at Wilmslow on 10 March. Picture by Concrete Bob. - 14 March
As we hoped in our article on the last Notice Board, two readers have been kind enough to send us their memories of the long-closed lines in the Vale of Clwyd. First on stage is Peter Roberts:
First some clarification of closure dates. The Ruthin - Corwen section lost its regular passenger service on 2 February 1953. [True.- apologies for the blunder. - CH.] Rhyl - Denbigh regular passenger services ceased on 19 September 1955. After this date, the usual passenger service was Chester - Mold - Denbigh - Ruthin, but freight services continued to operate on those sections closed to regular passenger traffic. However, as you say, the Land Cruise trains carried on working in the Summer season, basically following a route from Rhyl to Denbigh - Ruthin - Corwen - Bala Junction - Barmouth - Portmadoc - Afonwen - Carnarfon - Bangor - Rhyl and vice-versa. I think the last year of operation was 1961, but others might know differently.My own memories relate to the Mold - Denbigh section in about 1961 - I often accompanied my father in an Austin van when he was delivering groceries in this area. We'd often park-up on the Mold - Denbigh road to watch the next train - it was usually a BR Standard Class 2 - 78032 or 78033 were regulars - on 2 or 3 coaches. I must admit that I don't remember the closure proposals creating much adverse publicity at the time, but I was only 12 (it might have passed over my head). I'd be very interested in the views of other locals.'
Here's an extract from a map from an old timetable, 'Copyright 1949 The Railway Executive' and now some memories from Alec Fuller:
My first memory of the Vale of Clwyd lines is from about 1946/7, when many of us used to collect by the H - Bridge in Rhyl to collect train numbers. Whilst the 'Irish Mail' was the highlight of the summer days, the trains with most character were off the Denbigh. Initially there were LNWR 2-4-2 tanks, such as 6712 and 6681, and the Coal tanks. Later L & Y 2-4-2 tanks were used. Occasionally strangers would be seen, perhaps running off Crewe. I used also to see the Mold - Denbigh line when I used to visit my Grandparents in Hope Village. We would get a train from Rhyl to Shotton, perhaps with a 2-4 -2, change into an LNER train usually with an ex-Great Central C13 4-4-2 tank, and CLC coaches. At Hope Exchange you got reasonable view of the Denbigh - Chester line.Thanks to Peter and Alec for this insight into a lost era. Any more? - 14 MarchMy major contact however was when I was appointed as a clerk at Ruthin Station in 1957. The freight side was very busy as a Railhead for agricultural material especially animal feed from companies such as Levers, and BOCM Silcock. There were 3 or 4 lorries based there and often others sent out from Rhyl. Rhyl also had to supply many of the drivers, Ruthin was often short. There must have been three or four goods porters and a foreman, plus 3 goods clerks. There were three or four freight trips from Denbigh each day, and the Corwen goods also called in the late afternoon. It was the passenger side that used to amaze me. Most trains were 2 coach. The train engine was usually a class 2-6-4T or 4-6-0. The latter were almost new. Trains would be 'busy' if they had more than 2 passengers. I used to cover the booking office for about an hour each day; I rarely had to deal with passengers. There was a reasonable parcels traffic, which could take up to an hour to log each morning ready for the lorry delivery. None of this justified the two passenger porters, two signalmen, a booking clerk and a Stationmaster.
I am the proud possessor of a ticket from the Denbigh Ruthin and Corwen railway. When I worked in Ruthin the lost property register was the original from when the line was opened. I wonder what happened to it?
Ruthin also was responsible for Rhewl and Eyarth. Rhewl was open for passengers and parcels. The stations from Ruthin to Corwen were all manned despite having only one regular goods train each day and no passenger service. Gwyddelwern also had its own Stationmaster! I only stayed about 6 months, there was obviously no future there. I did ask for a transfer to control in Crewe, it came through on the day I left, it was too late. Because there was no train from Rhyl, I had to get the bus to Denbigh, and then the train. Returning it was bus all the way. Some days there were as many as a dozen of us doing this.
I asked the stationmaster why we did not run excursions to Rhyl in the summer, perhaps undercutting Crosville on their 5/3d fare. Apparently this was not feasible because BR was not allowed to compete with Crosville. Presumably part of the agreement for providing rail replacement services. The other memory is of watching L&Y 0-6-0 12125 working down to the Foryd harbour; it was a rare event, usually after a timber ship had docked there.
Thinking about the Foryd end of the line reminds me of the Rhyl Marine Lake Railway with its four Barnes Atlantics. I had the privilege of knowing Albert Barnes, who showed me round the workshops where the engines were maintained. On one occasion there were new boilers waiting to be fitted, I suppose that was about 1947. I spent many happy hours with the staff on this railway, both officially and unofficially. It was great fun during the summer holidays helping to prepare the locos for the days work. This line, of course, still thrives today and has its own website.
Across the road from the Marine Lake Railway there was also a small line, and I used officially to be a driver there. The engine was a model of a Caledonian Railway 'Dunalastair III' no 769. The owner told me that the engine had been built as retirement gift to J. F. McIntosh, the Caledonian's CME by the St Rollox apprentices. It was a beautiful engine but had never been built to be used so intensively. It was maintained by Percy Harrison, an engine driver at Rhyl Shed and a serious model engineer.
Another era, perhaps not quite lost, but very nearly: Tony Flusk sends this photo taken on Saturday 2 February 1996 of 37 886 hauling the 09:05 Holyhead - London Euston approaching Colwyn Bay, and doing a good impression of a tilting train. The loco was off the previous night's Humber - Holyhead RTZ train and was pressed into service after the failure of the 47/8 at Holyhead. - 14 March
More insider views - by Concrete Bob
Some more views inside Crewe depot from our authorised correspondent - don't try this yourself, readers! First, 47 829 looking very arresting at the fuelling point on 10 March.
Rather less salubrious, out-of-use 47 519 on 9 March. [Speaking of withdrawn locos, we were in error in the last Notice Board in stating that NSE-liveried 47 547 was destined for dismantling at Wigan: in fact it has been sold to Fragonset Railways. Thanks to Ian Furness of that indispensable website www.wigancrdc.co.uk for drawing this to our attention.]
Last but not least, Sir Robert McAlpine / Concrete Bob - 37 416 - waiting for work on 8 March. Someone's overdone the weathering powder on that bogie ... - 14 March
The upper section of the Conwy Valley line was closed on 10-11 March because of problems involving two bridges. No trains ran on Monday and Tuesday between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llanrwst North, and passengers were transferred to replacement buses. A Network Rail spokeswoman told the Caernarfon Herald that there had been concern about a bridge near Llanrwst, and the picturesque Roman Bridge Road, between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Dolwyddelan. "There was originally flooding near the Llanrwst bridge, and although this has now cleared, it is being monitored," she said. "On the same section of line last weekend, our engineers were doing some bridge-strengthening work near Roman Bridge, but they were unable to complete it because of bad weather and because there was a lot more work than first anticipated."
The three-arched railway and pedestrian bridge in the beautiful Roman Bridge valley was built in the mid-1880s and has deteriorated over the years. When contractors removed the upper stones of the bridge at the weekend they discovered further weaknesses in the structure. They have replaced the top of the bridge with reinforced concrete beams to be cased with the original stonework. - 14 March
It is sad to say but some b-------d has stolen the name plate off 37 410 Aluminium 100. I and a few others photographed 37 410 on Saturday evening 8 March at Stafford station whilst it was working a Bescot - Stafford engineers' train. It had the name plate on it then. Having seen on various lists that it was at Stoke-on-Trent station and then Longport station, I went up to Longport on 11 March to see if it was in a 'phottable' position. Unfortunately it was not, being parked right next to the down side platform, wherethere is a small wall coming up to just above the tumblehome height which prevents one taking a reasonable picture. However someone had cut the bolts which were holding the plate on and taken the plate with them. If the engine stayed there much longer I dare say it would be covered in graffiti and vandalised just like the PCA in front of it. It amazes me that there are many countryside locations being hastily covered with palisade fence but there is no fencing at all at Longport yard! I have reported this theft to EWS but I don't think the plate will ever be seen again, unless the person(s) who stole it ever give it in. Sad. - 14 March