Drivers are being trailed on multiple working on some ballast trains this week. 66 517 and 66 513 are approaching Towyn with Thursday's ballast from Penmaenmawr, 6 November. Picture by Larry Goddard
47 739 Resourceful picks up the schoolkids at Llanfair PG on the morning of 6 November. (Alan Crawshaw)
An article from the Daily Post draws our attention to debate which took place in the House of Commons on 5 November concerning the North Wales Coast line, initiated by Albert Owen, MP for Ynys Mon. The whole text can be seen in 'Hansard' by following this link: some of Mr Owen's comments deserve a little examination here.
'The Minister will be aware of my campaign to establish scheduled flights from RAF Valley to Cardiff, Dublin and other UK airports. If that succeeds, the Minister [Kim 'Registered Trainspotter' Howells that is] could come to Anglesey for business, take a quick walk up Snowdonia, which I know he is fond of, and be home for tea the same day. I am sure that he will support my campaign for an intra-air service.'
'My point for the purpose of the present debate is that the line speeds are as low as 75 mph in parts of north Wales, including Anglesey. That is a total waste of the new capacity that Virgin trains is promoting, which would allow its trains to reach a speed of 125 mph across the network. No wonder people in north Wales feel that the line is a Cinderella line. That is unacceptable for a designated major Euro-route linking the European capitals of Dublin and London....Cost is a major factor, yet crude estimates in respect of upgrades in the north Wales line and signalling to allow the new trains to run at 125 mph when they come into service are that the cost would be in the region of £10 million to £20 million.'
To which Dr Howells responded: Will my hon. Friend read out those figures again? I was looking at information recently about the replacement of one group of points, and that cost £10 million. Is my hon. Friend saying that the whole of the railway line from Crewe to Anglesey could be made available for trains to run at 125 mph for between £20 million and £30 million?'
Albert Owen : 'No. The information that I was given by Virgin when the Welsh Affairs Committee conducted its inquiry into railways was that most of the line now has the capacity to run at 100 mph-plus, but that areas of the line need upgrading. The figure for upgrading the whole line so that it could maximise its speed to 125 mph was £10 to £20 million.'
All admirable stuff, but does Mr Owen really believe that he will see 125 mph running in North Wales? - 6 November
Correspondent Peter Smith asked about the visit of 67010 to Chester on 11 October, we can now say that the train ran as 1Z67 11.45 Birmingham International and back via Shrewsbury, Wrexham, Chester, Crewe, Shrewsbury and Cosford. Our correspondence suggests the last Class 67 between Wrexham and Chester was 67 013 which powered the diverted 1M59 Bristol Barton Hill to Warrington Royal Mail Depot mail vans on Friday 4 January 2002. - 6 November
Thanks to everyone who sent pictures of the 2Z01 Network Rail inspection saloon run down the Coast on 4 November. Here goes:
Fragonset Railways loco 47 488 makes an appearance at Chester, haulding saloon 999506. (Steve Morris)
Running through Platform 3, not the goods line as booked. (Laurence Wheeler)
Rear of the maroon liveried, Railtrack labelled saloon. Inspectors/Engineers visible at observation windows. (Laurence Wheeler)
47 488 and saloon leave Chester for North Wales, running about 10 minutes early. (Laurence Wheeler)
Near Abergele (Larry Goddard)
Running round at Holyhead. (Rupert Lewis)
Ready to head back east as 2Z02 12:15 Holyhead - Crewe. (Rupert Lewis)
Approaching Bangor (Alan Crawshaw)
Through Bangor station (Alan Crawshaw)
Passing Hen Wrych, Abergele on the way home. (Larry Goddard) - 6 November