158 818 did, as we predicted, work to Holyhead on the evening of 8 December, and went back to Cardiff on the 05:38 from Holyhead the next day. Here is is at Chester on the morning of 9 December (Dave Bramley)
Nothing to do with North Wales, but I thought I'd show you these two pictures taken at Davenport while waiting for my train to work on 10 December, in an attempt to be the John Atkinson Grimshaw of the twenty-first century ... did you know that Grimshaw was a booking clerk on the Great Northern Railway before he became a full-time painter? - 10 December
I got to ride refurbished 508 110 back from Liverpool on 6 December. I am very impressed with the work, in particular the quality of the internal sound proofing is most noticeable.
As you can see from the interior shot, the seating is now all 2 + 2 and electronic destination displays are now fitted throughout the train. The new seats are very comfortable and the new lighting is well designed. - 10 December
On the subject of 508s, George Jones writes: 'Does anyone have a record of the reporting of these units returning from refurbishment via Crewe? My last note was 47 727 with 508 108 at Wrexham on 16 September. Another worked back on 3 November (it waited all weekend at Crewe) which I missed and one went out a few days later which I again didn't see.I have been told another one is or was due to go. Can anyone fill in the gaps - units and haulage? - 10 December
I am after a good quality colour image of a class 40 working the
Petroleum
Coke train for a project I am working on at the moment. It needs to be
taken between Holyhead and Ty Croes, all of mine are black and white!
Also, did class 44's ever work through to Holyhead?. There have
always been rumours that they did in the very early 60's but I never
saw
any real evidence of it. Then I found a photo in this month's Traction
magazine of D5 calling at Rugby working a Euston to Holyhead
service
in July 1961. Question is, did it come off at Crewe and if not was this
a regular turn along the Coast ?
All help welcome - please contact Steve via the usual website address. - 10 December.
An unusual working on 9 December was the empty stock from Llandudno Junction to Crewe which was off the previous night's 1D45 17:19 Manchester - Holyhead which terminated at The Junction due to striking a tresspasser on the track near Colwyn Bay. The loco from 1D45, 47 732 Restormel, was dragged back by 47 739 Resourceful which passed Chester making one hell of a banging noise, and was later out of service at Crewe with turbo faults.
The loco has to stay attached to the stock so brake tests can be carried out on the loco and stock concerned,a standard procedure in this sort of incident.
Also through,although much later than normal were 20 309 + 20 311 which passed Chester at 09:40 on the Crewe to Valley flasks.
Meanwhile, at Crewe, 47 786 Roy Castle OBE left its stock at Crewe's platform 12 to run round to form the 10.30 for Holyhead. After waiting at the signal for a while, the driver transferred to the other cab and the locomotive returned to the stock. In the background is the, seemingly, doomed Crewe Diesel Depot.
786 disappeared South and was replaced by 158 831 which had run empty from Manchester. The unbranded unit eventually left for Holyhead at 10:45.
If it were April I would suggest that sleepers were to be attached to 175s for service on the coast! Caledonian Sleeper car 10548 was parked in bay platform 7 with "not to be moved" signs at each end - reason unknown. 175 007 had arrived to form a Holyhead service.
I notice that the seating information on 007's two coaches were designated "A" and "C". This seems to imply that the 175/0 sets are intended for eventual conversion to 175/1's, but more likely it is to simplify reservations: coaches A and C will be present whether a train is a 2- or 3-car set, and will always have the same seating layout.
In the afternoon, 158 831 returned with the 1250 from Holyhead - which was noted still in Platform 12 at 16:30. 47 749 Atlantic College appeared from the depot, and collected coaches to form the 15:29 to Holyhead, departing at 15:38 - this move seemed to even surprise the guard! 47 746 The Bobby the collected the empty stock to run to Manchester to form the evening 'club train' and departed through the station at 16:11 - altogether Arrriva Trains Wales had made use of five different locos during the day! - 10 December
A last 101 ride - by Rowan Crawshaw
I travelled to Manchester to ride the last of the 101s on 5 December before they go.
47 750 at Manchester Piccadilly with the 1H44 06:38 from Bangor.
101 685 at Marple with the 2H65 11:50 to Manchester
101 693 has arrived at Piccadilly with the 2H59 11:52 from Rose Hill while 101 680 is on the third diagram which stables at Piccadilly between the peaks.
