THE NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY NOTICE
BOARD
Rheilffordd Arfordir Gogledd Cymru Bwrdd
hysbyseb
The very last ever Class 101 service train on the National Rail
system, the 21:10 Rose Hill - Manchester, formed of 101 678
and 101 685, calls at Romiley on 24 December. Picture by Phil
Chilton. See our DMU
memories pages for more about all this.
This site is dedicated to all our regular contributors and
supporters, and especially the rail staff of North Wales.
Edition of 10 January 2004
Mid-Cheshire
movements
The diversion of the daily Crewe - Manchester and return empty
stock trains via the mid-Cheshire line opens up some new photographic
possibilities: here are a couple of examples received this week. Above,
47 757 Capability Brown heads the morning train through
Lostock Gralam on 6 January. (Ian Bowland)
Richard Boyd braved the frosty morning of 7 December to capture
this picture at Ashley. The Locomotive is 47 773 The
Queen Mother. The trains involved are as follows. 5K44
departs from Manchester Piccadilly and runs via Stockport and Northwich
to Chester (10:27) where it reverses on the triangle of lines
there before departing at 10:49 via Crewe station to Crewe Carriage
sidings, arriving at 11:37. 5D45 departs Crewe CS at 14:00, arriving
Chester at 14:31, reversing on the triangle and waiting at Chester for
departure at 15:20 for Manchester Piccadilly, arriving at 17:17 after
stabling for while at Longsight goods loop. - 10 January
Developments at Dolgarrog
Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image
reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey
Thanks to everyone who replied to our appeal for information about
the planned heritage railway at Dolgarrog in the Conwy
Valley. The map above shows the trackbed of the line, which
crossed the river by the bridge near Dolgarrog station, and then curved
left to run straight to the Aluminium works. The works, opened in 1907,
originally incorporated a hydro-electric powered aluminium smelter, but
this was closed during World War 2, whilst the rolling mill
continues to produce specialist products for the aerospace and other
industries. The railway to the works was opened during World War I, and
had a passenger service for workers until the 1930s. The line closed
around 1960 and was lifted in 1963; some of the rails are believed to
have passed to the Welsh Highland Railway Society. . The current
management took over the works in 2002.
John M. Willis, Project Coordinator, Dolgarrog Railway Society,
has written the following notes for us.
The Dolgarrog Railway Society, (previously the Conwy Railway Heritage
Society), have now obtained planning permission to re-open the old
Dolgarrog Aluminium Works Railway Siding, as a heritage railway line.
The Dolgarrog
Aluminium Company have very generously offered us a lease on the
line, at a peppercorn rent. Now the planning approval is 'in the
bag', final negotiations on the lease are taking place.
The photo is of one of the old locos at Dolgarrog, and is in fact
standing on the site, where we are planning to put our depot. The
loco is called Uxbridge, and the photo, taken in the 1940s is
by Alan Pratt. Sadly the loco in question has long since been
scrapped, but the piece of curved track that can be seen diverging from
the main track, towards the front of the picture, is still visible in
Station Road, Dolgarrog, and is the only section of rail still extant,
although the trackbed is complete, if somewhat overgrown.
It is hoped that the lease will be signed within the next very few
weeks. Once the lease is finalised, we shall be moving our rolling
stock, and locomotive, from their present home at Tal y Cafn, to
Dolgarrog. Once there, we shall be building a security compound to
house the rolling stock, and erecting a portable building to serve as a
mess
room, and meeting room. As soon as these essential preliminaries are
complete, we shall be working on the clearance of the trackbed, and the
relaying of the line from the Aluminium Works, down towards the foot
and pipe bridge over the River Conwy, near to Dolgarrog Station, on the
main Conwy Valley Line. However, at present we have no plans to
cross the river, to link up with the main line, so the re-opened line
will stop two or three hundred yards short of the bridge, on the
Dolgarrog side of the river, making a running line of around half a
mile. Obviously, it will take some time for us to reach that point.
Above is a photograph of our present loco. Named Taurus it is an
0-4-0 Diesel Mechanical Locomotive, manufactured in 1951 by
Vulcan Foundry/Drewry Car Co. Now in full working order, the locomotive
was restored by the Society. This included the fitting of a
replacement gearbox, rewiring and repair of minor accident damage.
We also own a BR style 20 ton brake van, a 12 ton goods van, and a pipe
wagon, all of which are restored and usable. We are now on the
lookout for a five plank wagon, a type which was used on the Dolgarrog
system. Also urgently required is trackwork to add to that which
we have already acquired.
I am in the process of constructing a web site, and indeed there is
already a 'teaser' page on the web at www.dolgarrograilway.co.uk.
We shall be desperately in need of willing hands, and new members, once
the lease is complete, and we make our move to Dolgarrog. Anyone
interested in finding out more can email me at john_willis@talk 21.com. -
10 January
Amlwch revival?
The group referred to in the Dolgarrog item above evolved from one
which originally set out to provide stock for the Gaerwen - Amlwch line
on Anglesey, but abandoned this when it appeared that the attempt to
preserve this line was doomed to fail. Nothing much has been hear from
the Lein Amlwch people for some time, although there appear to be plans
by Network Rail to use the line for testing the new European signalling
system. However, the following item appeared in the Daily Post on 2
January:
Green Light Hope for Line: Route would be tourist
attraction
A bid by enthusiasts to re-open a North Wales railway line as a tourist
attraction is poised to make a major breakthrough after years of
frustration. The Isle of Anglesey Railway Co's hopes of opening up an
18 mile long branch line, which closed to regular passenger services 40
years ago, could soon be given the green light. Secret top level talks
between the company and Network Rail which owns the line between
Gaerwen and Amlwch, have paved the way for negotiations which would see
IARC being offered a 99 year lease.
And last night company publicity officer Walter Glyn Davies, who lives
in Amlwch, said a deal could be done and dusted within a matter of
months. "We have had a letter of intent from NR regarding opening up
discussions on a lease agreement and it is something we have been
working on for some time," he said. "It is a positive step forward and
our dream seems to be within touching distance at last." IARC prefer a
lease rather than to buy the line outright. Mr Davies said, " Network
Rail don't want to go down that route anyway because of the
complexities involved, including having to get specialist acts through
parliament. Anyway, it suits us because of the money which we would
need to acquire the line."
The company believes the line, which passes through some of the
island's most outstanding and stunning countryside as well as Pentre
Berw, (Holland Arms), Llangefni, Llangwylog, Llanerchymedd and
Rhosgoch, could be a huge hit with tourists. " That's what we have
thought for the last 12 years ever since the company was formed. The
potential is huge and we are convinced it will give the area a
tremendous boost. It may have appeared to the general public that
things have gone a bit quiet over the last couple of years but a lot
has been going on in the background."
Fears amongst rail buffs that the track could be ripped up to make way
for a cycle path have never materialised. Although some maintenance has
been carried out on the line from time to time, Mr Jones [sic] admitted
work needs to be done after years of neglect. The line was closed to
passenger services by Lord Beeching in 1964, but the IARC ran some
special trains for tourists in 1992. "We had people, obviously lots of
enthusiasts but families as well, who came from all over the country.
It was enough to show us a permanent attraction could give Anglesey a
massive lift. The IARC just wants to play, what would be a significant
part, in helping the local economy."
'But would all these people come each day and every day I wonder?' adds
website contributor George Jones who kindly transcribed this
item for us. Lein Amlwch has a website,
although it has not been updated for some time. We await developments
with interest. - 10 January
Timetables, fact or
fiction?
As mentioned here before, there seem to be some discrepancies at
present between the printed timetables and the actual trains which are
running. For example, the 18:22 from Holyhead, a loco-hauled working,
goes to Birmingham, but seemingly does not return!
Paul Stocks, Hon Secretary of the Shrewsbury - Chester Rail
Users'
Association, was moved to write to Arriva Trains Wales about this, and
received the following enigmatic reply: 'As per your
e-mail, I cannot confirm it is the same train returning, but a service
does run between Birmingham and Holyhead at 2254 as shown in
Railplanner .' Well, unlike ATW Customer Services
apparently, we do have have at Page 27 a copy of the locomotive
diagrams, and can assure them that the 22:54 Bimingham - Holyhead is
worked by a loco-hauled set on Mondays - Fridays.
And another thing: The weekday 11:43 from Blaenau Ffestiniog to
Llandudno was diverted to Bangor from 5 January, with the passengers
to/from Llandudno changing at the Junction to a Manchester-Llandudno
service and vice versa. Unfortunately, this change was not shown in the
printed timetable. In addition, the train crew diagrams and the
working did not correspond so even the train crews have been having
problems trying to find out such minor details as "where do we
go, what time do we go and where do we stop?" To say nothing of public
anger at the loss of a fairly well used service and replacing it with a
pointless one which no-one knows about ... however, we are
pleased to say that ATW have had a rush of common sense and 'binned'
the amended working. It's as you were, from 12 January, with the train
running to Llandudno. - 10 January
Push-Pull memories - by
Edward Fletcher
The picture of the push pull set on that Wareham-Bangor charter (last
Notice Board) brought back memories! I was
on duty that day at Llandudno Junction and I remember there being some
controversy about the return working as the organisers wanted to propel
the train back from Bangor and everyone else expected the 33 to run
round at Bangor as usual. The organisers got their wish as the train
was not technically "propelling" - it was powered from the rear but
driven from the driving trailer at the front so that was acceptable to
Chester AOC who were in charge of the coast in those days. It was a
most odd sight at the Junction as what appeared for all the world to be
a Southern Region EMU arrived at a non electrified platform 1. It was
even more odd to hear the compressors kick in on the coaches just as if
it was on 3rd rail power! Very strange ... The compressors were powered
from the loco on these units, from the electric supply for train heat.
The coaches were Waterloo- Bournemouth -Weymouth 4-TC sets which were
worked push-pull by 33s between Bournemouth and Weymouth at that time,
but running as normal 3rd rail emu's powered by a high-powered 4-REP
unit between Bournemouth and Waterloo. - 10 January
Green in the Valley - by Larry Goddard
While remembering the 101s, we were fortunate in North Wales that
Longsight Depot returned one of its three-car 101s, 101 685, to
1960s green livery specially for operating summer services on the Conwy
Valley line. It looked just the part on this branch, as seen in my
picture taken on 30 May 1994, and the heritage DMUs were ideal. It
should be remembered that the LNWR, LMS and BR operated
specially-built observation cars on this line until the DMUs arrived in
1956, but it was the latter that proved the most popular with
passengers and actually increased revenue, and not just during the
summer months. The Conwy Valley is such a beautiful unspoiled route
from end to end that I cannot understand why the operator doesn't
realize they have an asset and market it more vigorously. - 10
January
Conwy Valley comments
Thanks to everyone who wrote in response to our earlier opinion piece
about the Conwy Valley line, and Mr
Jones's suggested timetable. Dave Sallery, who runs an
excellent website
about the line, writes:
'The timetable is a good effort but my big objection would
be lack of a service from Blaenau between 15:18 and 19:04. This
would make the 'Cambrian
rail cruise' a complete nonstarter. The other
difficulty is that the line serves two vastly different markets,
shopping in Llandudno and main line connections at Llandudno
Junction. I also notice that the timing between The
Junction and Blaenau is 50 minutes; I don't know if a 5 or 6
minute acceleration is possible as the timings were increased a few
years ago following recommendations the Hidden report on level crossing
sighting. If a 50 minute timing is possible, why not go for a
two- hourly regular interval service between LJ and Blaenau only, if
good connections were available for Llandudno of course.
Regarding the stock the best hope would be two 153's. Bearing in mind
the diagrams also cover lines such as the Central Wales, maybe a 153
could be based in the north for a week at a time. One problem
with the Conwy Valley line is there are no easy answers '
As several people have pointed out, pairs of 153 have in fact recently
been in use on the line, on Saturdays at least. Alastair Graham
writes:
'I travelled up the valley on
December 27 aboard the 13:51 from the Junction. It was busy with all
bar about one seat occupied. On previous Saturdays that I have seen it
has been a pair of 153s but on this occasion was only one which just
about coped. The return from Blaenau was somewhat quieter... I must add
that having used the 'kids' train on one or two occasions I have only
found there to be some seven or eight actually using the train those
being youngsters who live in Glan Conwy. It is not like the Cambrian
coast which is very intensively used by the schools.'
True, Alastair, although those few can make
enough disturbance for anyone's taste it they put their minds to
it! - 10 January
Freight Notes - by
Alastair Graham
Monday 5 January, the first day back at
work after Christmas, and the Warrington Arpley - Dee Marsh Junction
trip was 37 886 seen at 10:30 at Wrexham with one ferrywagon.
The dhunters at DMJ are currently 08 500 newly painted in
EWS livery, 08 954 in grey and 08 561 in BR blue) On
Wednesday7 January, the same job was performed by 60 047
- rather a case of overkill again on one ferrywagon. Maybe the
extra poke was the reason it was allowed down to Dee Marsh ahead of the
passenger train rather than running behind it? Although the route was
clear from Wrexham, the distant and home were not off upon reaching
Penyffordd but the starter was pulled off as we reached the platform.
56 088 on 6E39, the Mostyn to Healey Mills freight, left Chester
at 08:23 behind the passenger to Stockport which I had just missed
thanks to Merseyrail - the 'best performing rail operator in UK' being
6 mins late! - 10 January
Pendolino propulsion progress
The story so far: Virgin have promised to work the busiest Holyhead -
London trains with Class 390 Pendolino trains from September 2004,
powered by Class 57 'Thunderbirds' over the non-electrified Holyhead -
Crewe section. To speed up the coupling/uncoupling operation, the
57/3s are being fittied with retractable 'Dellner' coupler to match the
390s, but it has been realised that when a 57/3 is pulling a Pendolino,
its diesel exhaust might get into the train's air-conditioning inlet.
It was therefore proposed that the loco would have to push the train,
although the designers have been looking at altering the exhaust system
of the 57.
However, we have been told recently that the trials have not solved
fume ingress problem. The fumes were passsed further down the train, in
a swirling motion avoiding alternate intakes. IThe idea seems to have
been to reduce the exhaust outlet dimensions as much as possible to
extend the distance the exhaust travels.
Drivers are training on the Dellner coupler at Oxley carriage depot,
Wolverhampton: some have commented that it may be prone to speed
impacted debris (flies, etc.) as it exposed. The intention is to use a
cover during periods of snow and ice, as packed snow/ice will prevent
the coupler extending to its full movement, and they become difficult
to move as high speed produces an added chill and compacting effect.
The extended Electric Train Supply (ETS) cables for the
air-conditioning power, etc. are said to require a knack to fit as the
extended length and coiling over the buffer induces extra twist in the
cable's dynamics. At a couple of sections on the cable, sheathing is
provided where it is expected the cable may come in to contact with the
390 skirt when connected and 57 buffer beam when not in use. Precise
coupling and stowage is essential, with clips used to attach the cable
to the coupling when in use, so it does not drag/catch anything. There
are hooks on the bufferbeam when stowed, and a substantial
bracket under the buffer (driver's side) which has to be
tightened/loosened about half a turn each time due to the limited
clearance around the handle. At the hook and bracket location points,
the cable must be positioned precisely in position so the sheathed
sections pass through these points.
It will be interesting to see how all of this works out in practice: me
may yet see a loco runninng round at Holyhead to get to the back of the
train! - 10 December