THE NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY NOTICE
BOARD
Rheilffordd Arfordir Gogledd Cymru Bwrdd
hysbyseb
Glimpsed in a vision on the Crew Training duty, EWS's latest
livery variation
apparently pays tribute to the old Warship class diesels, which
at first glance on a dark night in a snowstorm could be said to have a
similar outline. (Larry Goddard)
This site is dedicated to all our regular contributors and
supporters, and especially the rail staff of North Wales.
Edition of 01 April 2004 (!)
Holiday
Time - from Dave Plimmer's archive
In today's highly regulated railway, it's
sometimes difficult to remember how free and easy things used to be.
Not so long ago, when the holiday season came round, engine drivers
could borrow one of the smaller and older engines for a week, hitch up
the caravan, pile the family into the back, and head off for the coast.
Here, we see 24 081 heading off for a relaxing time in sunny
Anglesey.
More pictures at www.2d53.co.uk
- 1 April
Pendolino problems
solved?
There have been strong rumours that the proposed Pendolino service to
Holyhead would be thwarted because the new trains will not fit through
various bridges, etc. on the Coast line even with their pantographs
down. Well, Network Rail have been 'scoping' the work, and from the
above item found in a recycling bin it would seem that some of the work
might be quite extensive.
Of course it is hard to believe that consideration is being given to
cutting the Conwy Tubular Bridge longitudinally and welding in an extra
section, especially considering some of the other such hoaxes that have
come our way from time to time, such as a supposed plan to implement
the new Italian signalling at Stockport by reducing the line to
Manchester from four tracks to two, and the more recent suggestions
that Network Rail are on the lookout for Victorian LNWR signalling
component drawings and spare parts to help them refurbish the existing
Stockport signalling. All nonsense, obviously. - 1 April
Signs of the times
Manchester Oxford Road station has been suffering from problems caused
by the fire in the telecommunications tunnel on 29 March: the data link
which feeds the computerised announcing system has been partially put
out of action with the result that trains are not announced at all
unless they happen to be recorded as running late. The station does
have an old-fashioned PA system as well, but First North Western have
been unable to find anyone to make use of it, so passengers have been
looking more lost than usual, especially since the display screens have
also been wrong much of the time. We were encouraged recently to see in
the supervisor's office a senior manager who recently featured in a
magazine with quotes such as 'I'm really passionate about this
industry' Ah, we thought, someone to help out and make some
announcements in Gerard Fiennes style! But no, top priority was a
telephone interview with a local radio station. Ah, well... - 1 April