THE NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY NOTICE BOARD

Rheilffordd Arfordir Gogledd Cymru Bwrdd hysbyseb



Not the actual final day, but even so, surprisingly few railfans about as 47 830 calls at Chester with 1D88 17:25 Euston to Holyhead, 23 September. (Tim E. Rogers) 
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Edition of 23 September 2004

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Arriva Trains winter - by Charlie Hulme



Manchester Piccadilly, 23 September, and no sign of the 17:17 Arriva Trains Wales loco-hauled service to Holyhead which was announced to the passengers as cancelled, with no reason given, minutes before scheduled departure time. The 17:25 First North Western train to Chester via Altrincham was also cancelled due to 'unit failure.'

Thanks to Tony Miles for the information that this Manchester diagram will not be continuing into the winter timetable, as the evening 'club train' is diverted to Llandudno.  The planned Class 47 diagrams from Monday 27 September are as follows:

Monday - Saturday

1K57 0741 Holyhead - Crewe
1D65 1017 Crewe - Holyhead
1K67 1241 Holyhead - Crewe
1D75 1517 Crewe - Holyhead
1K78 1735 Holyhead - Crewe
1D84 2017 Crewe - Holyhead
Sunday

1K53 1000 Holyhead - Crewe
1D67 2035 Crewe - Holyhead

Bad news for Manchester passengers, perhaps, but on the whole it's good news for Class 47 fans. who get extra runs to make up for some of the loss of the Virgin services

While waiting for the non-existent Club Train on 23 September I had an interesting chat with a non-railfan passenger who commutes daily from Bangor to Manchester. I asked him what he thought of the loco-hauled services, and he commented that he found them more comfortable than other stock although the doors at the end of the comparttments tend to stick open causing draughts. The EWS 47/7s in use last winter had gained the very bad name with passengers for failing so often, but people are impressed with the performance and internal standard of the Riviera locos and stock currently in use. The down side of the loco-hauled trains? Guess what ... 'Excitable people who are travelling for the sake of it.' I wonder who they might be? - 23 September

Preparing for the Pendolinos



Four more days before Pendolinos enter service in North Wales, and a test run was made on 23 September, this time featuring  57301 Scott Tracy (the only loco which has hauled Pendolinos to Holyhead on test runs up to now) and 57 309 Brains hauling 390 032 City of Birmingham. Nice to see a loco named after the legendary Welsh brewery.  The train is leaving Crewe (above, by Ian Bowland) ...



... and passing Penmaenbach Mountain on the way to Holyhead (Larry Goddard.) The lastest information is that there will be just the one weekday return working by a 57/390 combo, namely the 05:38 Holyhead - London and 16:55 return, a problem for winter-time photographers, and no mistake. The other turn shown in advance information may appear in 2005; in the meantime all other Virgin trains along the Coast are booked for Class 221 Voyagers  - 23 September
Paper Press news, bad ...

Readers of the Chester Chronicle newspaper may have noticed an article drawing attention to the nuclear flask trains which run through Chester and the skock-horror fact that times of these can be found in in the 'trainspotters' publication' Freightmaster. The text of the article can be read on-line, although without the picture which appeared in the paper version, crudely snipped from an issue of our Notice Board without permission despite the fact that we told their reporter we did not wish to be associated with such controversies.

... and Very Good

Much happier news is that the October issue of Model Rail magazine contains an excellent article about the 'Talacre' garden model railway of Mike Dunning, a staunch supporter of our website almost since its inception.  Mike and his colleagues are organising a model railway exhibiton at Saltney Community Centre (a short bus ride from Chester) on behalf of the MIGO+1 (Modern Image Gauge 0 + 1) society on 16 - 17 October, which on last year's evidence will be well worth a visit. The detail that can be achieved in 0 scale, and such things as digitally-controlled working diesel exhausts,  have to be admired. Full information on the MIGO+1 website. - 23 September

Along the Estuary



An unidentified class 175 heads along the river estuary at Deganwy with the 13.40 Llandudno-Manchester on 18 September. (Larry Goddard)

Halton Curve farewell



As we have reported before, the 08:25 Chester - Runcorn train on Saturday 25 September may be the last service over the Halton Curve, and as many people as possible are encouraged to travel: a heritage bus service has been organised by the North Cheshire Rail Users' Association to return passengers to Chester. The picture taken by Mark Barber on 11 September shows this weekly train making its way along the curve and through the motorway tunnel.



Mark also sends this very interesting and rare picture of a ballast train hauled by 66 166 negotiating the Curve on Sunday 12 September. The ballast train has  run during on last two Sundays with a tamper following; Frodsham Junction box had to be opened additionally to run them. It was routed over this line, due to being required at a work site between Runcorn and Ditton, the direct line from Weaver Junction to Runcorn also being blocked in the Sutton Weaver area. - 23 September

Class 47 pictorial

As the life and times of the Virgin Class 47-hauled Lonodon - Holyhead services draw to a close, we present a selection of recent pictures of  47s on Virgin and Arriva services. Saturday 25 September (Here are the times) will be the last day for the Virgin services before the Pendolinos and 221s take over, as there are no trains along the Coast on Sunday 26 September due to engineering work.

]

D1648 'Traction Magazine' passes Llanfairfechan with the 08:35 Euston-Holyhead on a sunny 17 September (Larry Goddard).
 


D1733 / 47 853  Rail Express is reflected in the tidal basin at Bagillt as it passes through with the 13:39 Holyhead - Manchester on 17 September (Larry Goddard)

Here are the diagrams for the Arriva 47s,  valid only until 25 September
Monday-Friday
1H44     06:38 Bangor - Manchester Piccadilly
1D37     10:00 Manchester Piccadilly - Holyhead
1H52     13:39 Holyhead - Manchester Piccadilly
1D45     17:17 Manchester Piccadilly - Holyhead
Saturday                       
1G96     08:54 Holyhead - Crewe
1D67     11:30 Crewe - Holyhead
1G11     13:58 Holyhead - Crewe
1D77     16:31 Crewe - Holyhead



D1733 was caught on camera passing through Llandulas with the 16:30 Crewe-Holyhead on 18 September. The shadows are already creeping in at 17.30 as autumn approaches ... 'Depressing isn't it?' writes photographer Larry Goddard.



47 841 Spirit of Chester passes Holywell Junction on 18 September with the 13:23 Holyhead - London (Tim J. Rogers)



47 853 Rail Express at Mostyn with the lunchtime Arriva Trains Wales Holyhead - Manchester service on the same day. (Tim J. Rogers)



47 830 runs round at Holyhead, 19 September (Rowan Crawshaw)



47 830 awaits deaprture of the 16:10 to London at Holyhead on 19 September (Rowan Crawshaw)



47 841 Spirit of Chester calls at Bangor with the 1A61 13:45 Holyhead - London on 19 September (Rowan Crawshaw)



47 841 at Chester with 1D87 08:35 Euston - Holyhead on 20 September. (Rob York)



Also at Chester on 20 September, Riviera Trains loco 47 839 works the 10:00 Manchester - Holyhead. (Rob York)

The new Virgin timetable

Rowan Crawshaw has a page of the new Virgin workings from 27 September in the Rail Elite website. Based on official information, this shows two trains each way worked by 57/390 combos, although we have heard from another soure that there will only be one trip each way initially, all the others being worked by Class 221 Voyagers.

Rowan writes: 'I've been looking at the Virgin timetable leaflet. By changing at Crewe customers for the 16:55 London to Holyhead can depart at 17:18! The  01:50 Holyhead - Birmingham and 05:20 return have no first class, catering or resevable seats. The 09:00 and 11:21 from Euston along with 09:50 and 14:17 from Holyhead also 15:23 from Llandudno apparently go non-stop from Crewe to Euston.' - 23 September

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