THE NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY NOTICE
BOARD
Rheilffordd Arfordir Gogledd Cymru Bwrdd
hysbyseb
6233 Duchess of Sutherland approaches Helsby, 5
June (Neil Kennedy)
This site is dedicated to all our regular contributors and
supporters, and especially the rail staff of North Wales.
Edition of 08 June 2004
The
story so far
This is the first 'ordinary' episode of the Notice Board for some
time, as so many changes and events have surrounded the Summer
timetable change that we've had a series of themed specials. For anyone
who has missed them, here's a quick menu:
Time now to catch up what else has been happening! - 8 June
Important note: contact address changes
Patience here at Page27 has finally snapped, after the average number
of 'spam' messages has exceeded the 1000-per-day mark over the last
month. It's time to change email address, to a company that doesn't
send you all the messages which have the same characters after the '@
sign' in the their 'to' field. The new address for all correspondence
is the one shown at the top and bottom of this page: note that this
shown as an image rather than as text to foil the programs which are
'harvesting' email addresses from websites. Please don't, under
any circumstances, publish this address in text form on the web, or
we'll have to start all over again. I'll be writing to all the regular
contributors very soon.
Thanks as always to all contributors and to all the rail staff of the
North Wales line. - 8 June
Steam to Chester
Although there was some scepticism in railfan circles about the running
of the 'private charter' planned from Preston to Crewe and back,
planned for 5 June, as the loco 6233 Duchess of Sutherland
was on display at the York 'Railfest' , the train ran according to
plan; thanks to Neil Kennedy for the accompanying pictures.
Above, and heading picture: the southbound train at Helsby.
The return working crosses Frodsham viaduct. - 8 June
Conwy Valley
strengthening?
In our earlier item about the Conwy Valley re-opening, we suggested (as
we had heard from a source within Network Rail) that the rebuilding had
not included any strengthening of the route to carry the proposed slate
waste trains. However, Dave Roberts draws our attention to the
following quote from Network Rail PR man Keith Lumley published in the Daily
Post:
"We've completely rebuilt all the embankments and helped to
improve flood defences. Stretches of track have also been rebuilt to a
higher standard for freight trains so that slate waste can be carried
by train."
So can we assume that the line is now in a condition to carry heavy
freight, leaving aside any signalling or line capacity considerations?
Informed comments very welcome. - 8 June
Loco-haulage notes
In addition to the Virgin loco-haulage in North Wales this summer,
there's a remarkable number of chances to ride behind locomotives
elsewhere in the UK. Virgin Cross Country have hired in equipment to
run longer trains on Friday- Night / Saturday trains to the West
Country, including some workings by Class 67s hauling trains of Mk2
coaches. The trains in question are the 07:40 Saturdays from
Leeds to Paignton, and the 10:15 Saturdays from Manchester Piccadilly
to Paignton) the 08:43 Paignton to Preston and the 09.05 Paignton to
Newcastle). Paignton still has run-round facilities, whereas Newquay is
a rationalised branch terminus best served by HSTs: these are being
obtained from any available source. John Cowlishaw reports the
09:25 Newquay to Newcastle on Saturday 29 May formed of a GNER
HST with locos 43 114 and 43 006. John writes: 'The
sight of those plates displaying 'Route of the Flying Scotsman' in
Plymouth was a difficult concept.' The GNER train runs empty from Leeds
to Plymouth on Friday night for1C65 07:06 Plymouth-Newquay (08:50) then
forms 1E34 09:25 Newquay-Newcastle. Virgin-liveried HSTs are also
in use in the south west - are they ex-North Wales units? More details
about what is actually running will be very welcome.
Arrriva Trains Northern have enhanced Class 37/4 ‘top & tailed’
operation over the Settle-Carlisle route with a Saturday service during
the Summer timetable. This comprises 09:06 York - Carlisle
departure via Leeds, arriving Carlisle at 12:11, with a 15:32 return
from Carlisle, arriving back at York at 18:52. Other 37/4 workings can
be found on the Cardiff - Rhymney route, with a working to
Fishguard due to start from 19 July, and of course on the West Highland
sleeper - your compiler has a journey planned on this train in the near
future... - 8 June
Traveller's Tales - by
Alec Fuller
On 11 May we went on the 09:26 Holyhead to London, and returned on the
17:26. Just went for the ride. My wife had never been on an HST before,
so there was very little time to lose! On time both ways, comfortable,
exceedingly generous schedule - we seemed to be waiting time at every
stop, and a very pleasant day out.
On 28 May I was working in Openshaw, so got the 06:44 to Crewe, and the
08:59 to Manchester, a train which had started from Cardiff. Very easy
as the Manchester goes off platform 6, and was arriving as we got into
9.
Because of it being the Bank Holiday weekend I reserved a seat on the
17:17 from Piccadilly. [Not that the reservations are ever labelled on
this train... C.H.] However I finished early and got to Piccadilly at
15:25, and caught the 15:38 ATW service to Crewe due 16:11. However it
was held up for several minutes on the approach to Stockport, and
seemed to be behind something as far as Cheadle Hulme. We ran into
Crewe platform 5 at 16:23, the 16:30 Holyhead was a 175/1 but at my age
I did not fancy dashing over the bridge and perhaps having to stand so
I went and had coffee and thought I would watch the traffic.
About 16:45 I am strolling down towards 9 and I see the 16.30 is still
there, apparently there was no driver. Many of the passengers detrained
and dashed to platform 11 to catch the 16:45 to Chester. About 16:50
the 16:30 departed. Around 16.55 a 175/0 arrived to form the 17.30
Holyhead. Two Cars was going to be insufficient so I grabbed a seat. By
the connections from London, and Birmingham had arrived it was full and
heaving. The guard apologised for the overcrowding, a 3-car had been
scheduled but was not available. He apologised especially to 'our
regular customers' which was an appreciated touch. Chester station was
full, presumably connections from Manchester. I think most people got
on, although some waited for the Llandudno, 20 minutes later. We left
about nine minutes down. Each station stop was about 2 minutes up to
Rhyl, where we stopped longer as many got off. People were still
standing as we reached Llandudno Junction. Even at Holyhead the train
was still comfortably full. We were about 10 minutes late. There were
about 60 heading for the 20:15 fast ferry to Dublin. If we had been
much later they could have missed it. Mind you the road works at
Penmaenbach are causing problems for the ferries also. As we passed
Llandudno Junction the queue for the tunnel was back to Black Cat
roundabout. - 8 June
Notes and Queries
Bill Rear writes: 'Recently I came across this photograph
(attached) which purports to be on the North Wales coast about 1949.
However I have looked through all my usual sources of reference and
cannot find anything that pin-points it. If you have a bit of space to
spare, could you ask your viewers/readers whether they can identify the
location? All help will be gratefully received.'
The scene definitely has an LNWR style about it - the loco is an 8F
2-8-0, (we think) 48728. Could it be somewhere on the Chester -
Crewe line?
Another query comes from 'Rob' who writes: ' I worked at Shotton Low
Level in 1962, and I have been trying to find a photo of the station
[round that time, we presume.] Can anyone help?' - 8 June
Going home
Ian Bowland's picture shows Valley Lines liveried 142 069 in
Platform 9 at Crewe on 22 May. This unit was transferred to First North
Western in 2003. It was once in the FNW fleet but while at
Cardiff its 3 + 2 seating has been replaced by 2 + 2 versions,
which caused problems when returned to FNW since Greater Manchester
specifies the number of seats to be provided on its services (really?)
It therefore had to be confined to local trains in the Lancashire area,
and when pictured was en route back to Cardiff having been given up by
FNW. No doubt the SRA-ordered cutting back of the Manchester -
Wakefield stoppers to Huddersfield has relieved FNW's stock shortage.
In addition, it appears that there is now at least one Central Trains
liveried 158 in service with FNW who are now operating a Crewe -
Liverpool service. Confusing... - 8 June
Steam notes - by John
Myers
Amongst the additional FA cup-final trains on 22 May, worked mainly by
67s but with large logo liveried 47 847 also putting in an
appearance, railtour 1Z47, the sold-to-capacity PMR Tours "Royal
Scot" charter from Birmingham New Street to Carlisle, was formed of
West Coast Railway coaching stock brought in behind 57 601.
At Crewe, LMS Princess Coronation 4-6-2, 6233, Duchess of
Sutherland was substituted and those of us aboard enjoyed a
combination of very spirited running and good weather both ways over
Shap plus time for a welcome afternoon break in Carlisle. The 57
was worked ahead of us and was on hand at Carlisle to shunt the stock
whilst providing available traction insurance in case of need.
Duchess of Sutherland and her support coach couple to the LMS-design
inspection saloon that was leading the formation.
At Carlisle, 57 601 gets ready to draw the empty coaching
stock out of the platform.
After being turned and serviced, 6233 awaits booked departure time of
15:28 for the return run to Crewe.
Having reached Crewe and been accommodated approximately 40 minutes
early (!), Duchess of Sutherland stands at the southern end of Platform
12 awaiting the road to turn on the triangle at Gresty Lane.
Here's advanced notice of some steam runs in North Wales:
On Bank Holiday Monday 30 August, A Railway Touring Company charter with 71000 Duke
of Gloucester deputising for 6201 Princess
Elizabeth. Nottingham, Loughborough, Leicester, Nuneaton and
Crewe To Bangor and Holyhead. Optional Tour from Bangor to the Welsh
Highland Railway for a trip with a narrow gauge Garratt over the
recently extended line.
Also, not yet posted anywhere that I've seen, announcements made aboard
Saturday's PMR Tours charter advised that 6233 Duchess of Sutherland is
working to Holyhead and back for them on Saturday 4th September.
This is the same day as 71000 is working to Carlisle for the Railway Touring Company noted in the above link so
those at Crewe could be treated to seeing two return workings, each
headed by 8P locomotives. - 8 June
Some sad scenes
The two prototype three-car Class 151 diesel railcar sets built by
Metro-Cammell in 1985 have, after having been in store in various
locations for about 12 years, recently been in process of dismantling
at the LNWR depot iin Crewe, as these pictures by one of our 'insider'
contributors show.
The vehicle shown is one of the driving cars of 151 004: at
some point in their early life they were numbered 003 and 004 to avoid
confusion with the two prototype Class 150s, 150 001 and 150 002.
Readers may recall seeing the two units stored at the now-vanished
Llandudno Junction carriage shed in the early 1990s: more recently they
were bought by a company called Endeavour Rail who hoped that they
could be restored and leased to a Train Operating Company. However,
they have many non-standard parts and this idea has proved to be a
non-starter. Concrete Bob's website has some very interesting detail on
these trains. - 8 June