THE NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY NOTICE
BOARD
Rheilffordd Arfordir Gogledd Cymru Bwrdd
hysbyseb
Recent days on the Cambrian Coast Line have produced no less than three
158s in the silver livery which results when all the vinyls are removed
from Wales and Borders livery and Arriva gyroscopes added. 158 830
/ 158 832 / 154 843 seem to be spending a few days on
the line as a change from the more usual ex-Central Trains green
versions. Trevor Roberts' picture from 9 April shows 158
843 on the 09:42 Pwllheli arriving at Barmouth.
This site is dedicated to all our regular contributors and
supporters, and especially the rail staff of North Wales.
Edition of 09 April 2004
Another attempted
murder
The school holidays are upon us again: reports are being received
that the 19:23 Manchester - Chester via Northwich on 9 April has
run into a shopping trolley on the line at Northenden, with
considerable damage to the Class 142 train, but luckily no injuries to
staff or passengers. - 9 April
Classic bus news
On Saturday 1 May, Arriva North West & Wales will be operating
in service for the last time one of the once large fleet of Bristol VR
buses. Arrangements have been made to operate the 100 service between
Pensarn and Rhyl (Seaquarium). The service will operate on an hourly
frequency, first departure from Pensarn will be 10.05am, returning from
Rhyl at 10.45am. Last departure from Pensarn will be 5.05pm, returning
from Rhyl at 5.45pm.
The vehicle to be operated will be DVG512 - OVG512 - 6512 -
3992 (YMB 512W). The picture above by Ian Richardson
comes from our Notice Board back in September 2003 when it was thought
that this machine would cease running at the end of the Summer
timetable.
Arriva Day tickets will be valid on the Mayday service: Adult
£5.00, Child £3.50, Family £13.00. In addition to the
VR, Rhyl Borough Council have arranged for a number of preserved former
'Crosville' vehicles to take part in a Vintage vehicle gathering on the
Promenade adjacent to the Seaquarium. This gathering will form part of
a week long festival in Rhyl to support the Borough's plans to twin the
town with a similar location in Southern Ireland. - 9 April
Two unusual views - by John Eyres
The 'aerial' view from Helsby hill as one of the final runs
of the morning Bangor - Manchester loco-hauled service makes its
way towards Helsby station.
The view from a road bridge looking north outside Mouldsworth station,
showing what's left of the Mouldsworth Junction – West
Cheshire Junction line. The rails have been lifted but unusually a
semaphore signal has been left intact! - 9 April
Class 31 Easter notes -
revised
Further information to hand is that the Class 31-hauled First North
Western train will be used on Easter Monday, but will not
run to Chester. The proposed diagram is a relief working to Blackpool,
viz: 2T10 10:07 Manchester Victoria - Blackpool North (Bolton 10:25,
Preston 10:51, Blackpool North 11:17). 2T30 18:00 Blackpool North -
Manchester Vic (Preston 18:25-18:40, Bolton 19:06, Manchester Victoria
19:26). - 9 April
Two bridges appeal
answered
Jamie Prestidge wrote to us a few days ago: '
'I would be very grateful if you could help me to find two bridges in
Mid Wales? Not much to go on I know, if you can imagine driving down a
road in the countryside then turning left as you turn left you go
immediately under a railway bridge and again immediately in front of
you is a road bridge over a fastish river, so the to bridges are approx
10/20 feet apart. I would be very grateful if you could help in any
way, many thanks.'
Martin Perry of the Llangollen Railway Diesel Group suggests
that the place might be Berwyn on the Llangollen
Railway, which certainly does meet the criteria. Have a look at the
Multimap
representation of this interesting place. - 9 April
It's gone quiet...
Well, the Class 47-hauled Arriva services to Holyhead ended on 31 March
as planned, and the last few EWS 47s headed off to oblivion, or at
least storage, leaving our email inbox somewhat empty; but classic
traction fans still have the Virgin HSTs, and at Chester the First
North Western Blackpool service, as Peter Roberts' pictures
from 2 April show. The train is recessed at Chester during the
day, with 31 459 Cerberus (below) and 31
602 Chimaera (above.)
The timetable change on 22 May should see a revival of Class 47s, on
the Virgin services west of Crewe, as the Strategic Rail Authority have
ordered Virgin to drop the HSTs; on the other hand the 31s will not be
seen at Chester after this date, as FNW have decided to concentrate
them on the Blackpool line. As for the North Wales Coast Railway
website, we're still here! - 5 April
Journey to Preston - by
Alec Fuller
I had a visit to Preston on 1 April. The 06:45 from Holyhead was a
175/0, and arrived early into Crewe. 09.37 Crewe to Preston only; left
about 7 minutes late arrived 2 minutes early, obviously a recovery
margin built in. 87 + DVT and 8. Both trains were very comfortable and
clean. Returned at 16.00 from Preston (Glasgow to Euston) in a Class
390 Pendolino, reasonably full. What appalling trains; they are very
claustrophobic the windows are very small in relation to the body
shell. This obviously makes for strength. The aisles are wider, but the
seats appear narrower. More importantly they do not ride as well as the
mark 3 loco hauled. It felt as if one of the bogies 'hunts', but of
course they are powered so I suppose that may cause it. I was in the
last carriage. I saw several of them whilst waiting at Crewe both going
and returning. According to some passengers they are causing confusion
with reserved seats, something to do with the computer system having
different plans to the actual train layout. This may have been because
a Pendolino had taken a loco hauled roster, or vice versa. I left
Crewe on the 17:30 'all lamp posts' to Holyhead, a 175/1 which arrived
on on time at Holyhead.
While at Crewe about 17:00, I noticed 47 828 at the south end
of platform 3. As I sat in the 175 at 17:20 47 828 raced through the
station on the down fast, and off up the WCML. Thunderbird? By the way
Springs Branch depot at Wigan looks depressing in its role as the
'component recovery centre' with what seems scores of dead and half
demolished locos. - 5 April
Rugby Extras, 27 March
Held over due to all the Class 47 excitement, here's a report by Rowan
Crawshaw on the loco-hauled extra services operated for the Wales v
Italy rugby match in Cardiff on 27 March. Rowan writes: 'I caught the
06:19 from Bangor to Chester, and rode with 478 48 to Cardiff, did
the 'Rhymneys' while the game is playing, then caught 47
853 back to Crewe and the 19:38 HST back to Bangor.'
47 848 Newton Abbot Festival of Transport at Cardiff
Central with the 07:43 from Crewe
37 417 Richard Trevithick at Rhymney with the 11:59 from
Cardiff
37 425 at Rhymney with the 12:59 from Cardiff
37 406 at Rhymney with the 15:15 to Cardiff
47 853 Rail Express arrives at Cardiff Central for the 16:44 to
Crewe.
For much more of the same, visit Alan
Crawshaw's picture report on the day. -
5 April