The Sunday afternoon scene at Holyhead station, with 47 757 Capabillty Brown stabled ready for Monday's First North Western workings, and 47 828 Severn Valley Railway waiting with the 16:13 London Euston service.
Seen from Platform 1, 47 757 is coupled to an eight-coach rake: what's happening here? Can someobody confirm whether any FNW loco-hauled trains run on Sundays? 47 739 Resourceful was stabled on its own in a siding opposite the signal box.
47 828 attacks the gradient out of the station. Speaking of Virgin trains, informed sources confirm that green ex-First Great Western loco 47 816 did indeed work 1A23 05:46 Holyhead - London all the way to London on Thursday 29 May. The next day, 30 May, it was noted spending the day at Rugby station on 'Thuunderbird' duty. Several London-bound trains seemed to be headed by 47s on 30 May - does anyone know why? - 1 June
Thanks to John Dawson for writing to say that however smart 37 410 might look, it has not in fact been overhauled, just repainted at Toton depot. The only 37s that have had light overhauls over the last financial year are 406, 417 and 422 at Cardiff Canton. Ian Bowland's picture above shows 410 on Friday 30 May on the Crewe Works traverser while being used to shunt some of the other exhibits. Ian writes: 'It was only released from Toton paint shop on Wednesday and you could, quite literally, smell the paint.' (lots more pictures by Ian on his website.)
A couple of other 37/4 news items: 37 423 Sir Murray Morrison has, in an unprecedented move, been sold by EWS to Ian Riley from stirage at Motherwell. Apparently, Riley and Son hope to have it operational and certified for main line working from their Bury depot before the end of the year. (Any chance of Large Logo blue?) Up to now, EWS have taken the attitude that these locos with their passenger train capability should not be sold to prospective competitors, but with the furure ownership of the company undertain anyway, perhaps they no longer care.
Here's a couple of pictures from Steve Morris of another ex-Coast line favourite, 37 426. Above, on 27 May 2003 and due for store any day now, seen at Toton backed onto a rake of ballast wagons. Below, just after preparation for naming, taken at Cardiff Canton depot on 1 May 1986.
Meanwhile, 37 402 Bont Y Bermo has been placed in store at Cardiff due to 'high engine hours' and the availability of the overhauled machines mentioned above. The fleet for the Cardiff Valleys and Fishguard passenger trains now comprises 37 408 / 417 / 419 / 422 / 425. However, 402 is believed to be getting a repaint at Margam depot, and local sources suggest that it might one day run again. Indeed, it has been withdrawn from service once before... - 1 June
From the Daily Post: 'Shipping giant P&O came under fire last after announcing it was to axe services from North Wales - just 18 months after they started. The company is to sell its Irish Sea ferry operations to rival Stena with the loss of 26 jobs at Mostyn, in Flintshire. P&O switched Dublin services from Liverpool to Mostyn following £17m improvements to the port - which included dredging the Dee Estuary. The project received part of a £500,000 government grant. Delyn MP David Hanson said yesterday: "The actions of P&O in shutting this excellent facility so soon after it had opened defies belief.This decision is bad news for the Port of Mostyn and bad news for the economy of Flintshire but I hope there is still time for P&O to reconsider."
'P&O came under fire from its own workforce.One angry staff member said: "Just over a year ago we agreed to move our families to North Wales when P&O switched and now we have been left high and dry." The company yesterday said the route had failed to make a profit and claimed dredging problems meant they were unable to operate a regular timetable.Services will continue from Mostyn until the deal with Stena is finalised. That's expected to take several months. Mostyn Docks manager Jim O'Toole yesterday said the loss of the business was regrettable but would not sink the port. He vowed efforts would be made to find a new operator for the brand-new P&O terminal.'
There's a P & O press release available for their side of things, which only talks about the 'possible closure' of the Mostyn route. As far as rail travellers are concerned, the loss of the service will make no difference as foot passengers are not allowed on the ships, and there is no station at Mostyn. There's also a BBC news item. The web page announcing the 'great news' of the new service from November 2001 is still on-line ... but in reality it's only advantage was over the previous P & O route from Liverpool: if people are driving to Mostyn they have probably been thinking may as well continue down the super improved A55 to Holyhead. - 1 June
The picture by Ruth Cowlishaw shows 47 798 Prince William at Wrexham General at 06:25 on Monday 26 May with 1Z27 03:05 Cardiff Central - Edinburgh Pathfinder Tours charter train. The loco ran to Preston where it was replaced with 90 023 for a fine run north. Timekeeping was generally good with some early running and arrival in Edinburgh just after mid-day. The return left at 17:56 with 47 798 coming on again at Preston. Co-operative signallers allowed the excursion to leave Chester early and arrival in Wrexham was at 22:45 (50 minutes early) with the Chester bound 158 awaiting the single line at Wrexham. This early running was probably well received as scheduled arrival in Cardiff was 02:52, which gives a different definition to the phrase a 'day excursion'! - 1 June
Two leafy shots by Alan Crawshaw of 47 739 Resourceful west of Bangor on 26 May. Above, westbound on 1D67...
... and returning east with 1G11.
A more orthodox angle, by Rowan Crawshaw.
The other First North Western diagram was covered by 47 757 Capability Brown, pictured here by John Eyres calling at Frodsham with the 06:33 Bangor - Manchester. - 1 June
Following on from Dave Sallery's item about the North Hoyle Wind Farm off the Prestatyn coast, the installation of the windmill bases seems to be progressing quite quickly as number 12 was in process of being installed over the weekend of 24-25 May. It can be seen quite clearly with binoculars and presents quite a show at night when it is brightly lit.
Not easy to photograph but my first shows the bases in a row (the white dots) ...
... and my second is the same view at night. The Liverpool Bay Field is littered with rigs of various kinds producing oil and gas and details can be found on the Virtual Prestatyn Offshore Industry web site - The largest rig is the Douglas Complex which can be seen from the coast. It has eight well heads producing gas which is piped to Point of Ayr for processing. Details of a visitor centre, and further details of North Hoyle can be found on the website.
Whether the wind farm will have as little visual impact as is projected remains to be seen. A visit to North Anglesey clearly demonstrates how dramatically ugly these things can be. - 1 June
Double trouble
Readers my recall the events of 24 May when the Virgin London train failed to perform for your compiler waiting at Llandudno Junction ... here's an interesting picture of the train leaving Bangor with 47 739 Resourceful dragging failed 47 770 Reserved. Photographer (and wagon expert) Paul Harrison writes: 'I had only just arrived at Bangor on a 6-car 175 (2x 3car) and didn't manage to get a full shot as the Euston departed pretty quickly!' - 1 June
Aecently-published book not yet mentioned here is British Railways Past & Present No. 40: Cheshire"by Paul Shannon & John Hillmer. I wasn't aware of it myself until I came across it in Waterstones yesterday. Apparently, it was published in March See www.nostalgiacollection.com for details.
I'm biased because I like this series a lot, particularly the north west region volumes by Shannon/Hillmer. However, there must be plenty in this book to interest North Wales Coast fans, including Chester (Northgate!), Wirral, Crewe and stations to Altrincham - even Woodhead [yes, part of the Longdendale valley was in Cheshire before 1974.- C.H.] . It's so up to date, it even includes comparison shots of the old carriage works in Altrincham against the brand new flats below Goose Green (dated Aug 2002).
I note that the publisher's web site shows P&P No. 41, Lancashire Part 1: Manchester Area due for publication in October (and No. 36 North Wales Part 2 is going out of print!). - 1 June
On the islands
A selection of interesting views from 22 May by George Westlake. Above, the 08:35 London - Holyhead passing through the gorse at Valley with 43 080 at the head.
43 121 leads the 13:35 to London waiting at Holyhead station.
An interesting action shot of 47 739 Resourceful and train being washed at Holyhead. - 1 June