Our recent story about the SRA proposing to serve Holyhead by towing Pendolinos from Crewe using Class 57/3 locos seems almost as far-fetched as our April 1 'clockwork' idea, but it is definitely what was said by an SRA man - the story was also picked up by the Western Mail which added the detail that 'The idea is to use a Pendolino on weekdays for the main evening service from Euston to Holyhead, via Rhyl, Llandudno Junction and Bangor, and a return service to London in the morning.'
The locomotive would have to run round the train at Holyhead, as push-pull working is not allowed for in the design of the new trains, so railfans would still be able to see that time-honoured ritual, but Shaun Courtnage writes: 'Currently, locos with pantographs cannot be dragged to Holyhead due to the size of the tunnels on the route, so presumably Pendolinos will fall in to the same category.'
We hear that the current weekly return Pendolino from Manchester to London and back has been provoking some dissent among the first-class clientele. It is rumoured that some regular first-class Wilmslow - London passengers are taking themselves off to Macclesfield on Thursday morning so that the can avoid the inconveniences of Class 390 travel, such as not having enough room to work with a laptop, spread documents about for reference and take breakfast as they can in the Mark 3 open firsts. The only good seat is the driver's, say some... - 14 April
A feature of the current First North Western diagrams is that for most of the day three Class 47s and their trains can be seen at Holyhead, accompanied by some of the time by a Virgin HST (see our Sunday loco-hauled timetable). John Lewis visited this regular exhibition with his camera on 13 April.
47 757 Capability Brown was at the head of one rake adjacent to platform 1 ...
whereas 47 635 was in the outermost siding next to the bridge.
47 746 The Bobby was further down.
In the midst of all this, 43 093 drew in to platform 1. - 14 April
Our earlier report suggesting that a Class 47 had failed on 8 April due to an oil leak generated some lively correspondence. Kevin Melia writes:
'I would like to give the correct version of what happened from an "eye witness" position with EWS loco gen added to clarify what actually happened - as it is easy to make assumptions when a 175 rolls in later in the diagram. 47 773 The Queen Mother should have worked 1H44 06:33 Bangor-Manchester, as it was close to requiring an 'A' exam at Crewe. Whilst its true it was leaking fuel and clouds of smoke pouring everywhere, the loco has managed to plod on for days like this as the problem looked worse than it was.
'Unfortunately Holyhead put 47 773 out on 1G76 the 01:50 ex Holyhead, instead of the loco that should have been used, 47 789 (which worked 1H44 and did not rescue any trains). With one chance left 773 could have been replaced by a different loco at Crewe, but instead nobody noticed until too late, the obvious smoke of 773 probably helped people realise it was due maintenance. The 05:21 Birmingham-Holyhead rolled into Chester around 30 minutes late, after a reported overnight engineering block in the West Midlands which had overrun. There a 175 was waiting, and finished the diagram. Its worth noting this mistake is all too common and its a shame when locos sometimes get more blame than deserve (intended or not). Units will often cover at the slightest problem - expect more, just the way it goes!'
Alastair Graham adds: 'I was waiting at Chester for the 05:21 Birmingham to Holyhead (1D57) and it was on this turn that the 47 was replaced by 175 104. It was shown as 10 late which then went to 07:07, the same time as 2D56, the all stops kids' train to Bangor! About 06:55 the substitute 175 came into platform 3B. As I needed to be in Bangor by 08:30 I went over to Platform 7A to catch the 07:07, not hopeful as I expected the 175 to leave first but no, with no station announcements such as 'any passengers for the coast as far as Bangor should make their way to Platform 7A' it just left on time. Of course, there was going to be a delay, even when the 47 arrived, as passengers from Birmingham forward to Holyhead had to change trains.' - 14 April
The current First North Western loco-hauled trains with their vast luggage space in the brake van and free carriage of bicycles gives an ideal opportunity to savour the cycling possibilities of the North Wales coast, and Saturday 12 April saw Joanna and I making the best of the possibilities available.
We have commented before about the poor standard of information at Crewe, with the departure monitors often being switched off; looking at this example, though, it is perhaps best if they are not used! The train really was for London, and the correct stops were announced, although the PA system at Crewe is not all it might be, so pity any visitors to Britain.
The morning train to Holyhead departs Crewe at 11:30, due Llandudno Junction at 12:30, but it arrived late and lost time, so were were over 20 minutes down on arrival at Llandudno Junction, whence the train is seen making a picturesque departure. It was also very crowded, with many standing from Crewe as far west as Rhyl. Since this is the only diagram on a Saturday, why not add a couple of coaches at Holyhead in the morning from those standing spare?
This train is fast from Chester to Rhyl and from Rhyl to Llandudno Junction, ruling out a cycling start from Colwyn Bay. We had thought we might make it from Llandudno Junction to Rhyl, but with the late start and the twisting country lanes from The Junction to the seaside at Penrhyn Bay, in the end we curtailed our run at Llanddulas and returned to Colwyn Bay for the 14:51 return. An interesting and pleasant run, though, provided you keep an eye out for Alan Turner in his four-wheel drive belting round the blind corners. There's a nice-looking pub on the way at Glanwydden, too, if you fancy a refreshment break. The cycle route is well-signed with pointers numbered '5' - turn right from The Junction station through the village, and turn off left at the point where the main road crosses the line.
Arrival back at Crewe later that afternoon, with 47 757 Capability Brown fresh from overhaul and looking very smart indeed.
We note that the Daily Post has been taking its usual 'old locos foisted on the Coast passengers' line, accompanied by the bizarre claim that Class 175s should be used as they are 'more reliable.' If they were reliable there's have been no need for the 47s in the first place. - 14 April
It's good to see locomotives, and Class 37s at that, back on the Cambrian Coast line, even if only on engineers' trains at the moment. A heavy ballast train double headed by 37 114 and 37 667 travelled through Barmouth towards Pwllheli at 01:05 on 11 April returning empty at 05:00 while our reporter Trevor Roberts was still in bed, but the following day, 12 April, the performance was repeated, and this time the return train came through Barmouth at 06:40, waiting for an hour for two railcars on service trains to pass through. This time, Trevor was ready with his camera to take these historic views of 6W90 Pwlhelli - Bescot at Barmouth station.
The ballast train this time consisted of 37 114 City of Worcester and 37 042 plus 10 JJA 'autoballaster' wagons.
This is surely the heaviest train ever to have crossed Barmouth Viaduct for many, many years. It also means three different 37s in two days.
'Can we look forward to loco-hauled passenger trains on the Cambrian in the near future - even a couple of specials would do!' writes Trevor. Well, we understand that Hertfordshire Railtours has made some enquiries, only to be rebuffed by Network Rail; let's home that excursions can return to this most scenic of railways. - 14 April
This splendid view by Tom Harwin shows 47 732 Restormel on 2 April working 1D82, the 17:21 Birmingham New Street - Holyhead. It is passing Badnall Wharf (about 2 miles North of Norton Bridge) at 18:15.