THE NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY NOTICE
BOARD
Rheilffordd Arfordir Gogledd Cymru Bwrdd
hysbyseb
66 605 at Crewe with the Penmaenmawr stone train on 19
November, unusually passing through the station en route for Basford
"Virtual Quarry". Picture by Ian Bowland, who notes: There was
chaos at Crewe around 12:15 when something just south of the station
stopped traffic which included a Pendolino and two Voyagers. The
Pendolino was eventually reversed into the station - I don't know what
happened after that.' is a very unusual sight. The
eastbound flask
depared after the passage of the 14:35 passenger from Holyhead.
This site is dedicated to all our regular contributors and
supporters, and especially the rail staff of North Wales.
Edition of 20 November 2004
37/4s
to return to the
Coast!
We try not use too many exclamation marks on these pages, but one is
surely justified by the news that Chester- and Llandudno Junction-based
drivers are to receive refresher courses on driving Class 37/4 locos.
It would appear that the plan is for Arriva Trains Wales to take over
the 'top-n-tail' Arriva-liveried Mk 2 coach set which has was used last
winter and summer on the Settle and Carlisle line but is currently out
of service. Possible uses are to Holyhead, or maybe the Chester -
Birmingham via Wrexham, no doubt with a view to covering for the
fire-damaged Class 175 set. We have no information at present regarding
this will begin. The picture from autumn 2003 shows the train at Leeds
station with 37 405; 37 408 Loch Rannoch is at
the other end.
The previously-rumoured plan the use the train on the Manchester -
Cardiff line seems to have come to nothing: our picture from 16
November shows ex-Central unit 158 852 about to set sail from
Piccadilly with the 17:33 Manchester - Cardiff. - 20 November
Meanwhile, the Coast continues to see 37s on the Railhead
Treatment train: here's a picture from 10 November to prove it does
sometimes reach Holyhead.
Chester comments - by
Laurence Wheeler
The following is from the Chester Chronicle of 12 November:
Complaints from travellers using Chester Railway station
have prompted a train company to take action. Customers have been
complaining to Arriva trains Wales plc, which has been responsible for
the City Road station since December last year, about squalid or closed
toilets, grubby lifts and a leaking roof on platform four. They were
also unhappy that arrival and departure screens had been out of action
for months, forcing people to queue at the ticket office to find out
information about trains. Chester MP Christine Russell wrote to Peter
Strachan, managing director of Arriva Trains Wales plc, listing
complaints about the station she had received from the public.
Mrs Russell said she was concerned about the increasing number of
complaints about the shortcomings at the station. This week, James
Widdowson retail manager (North) for Arriva Trains Wales said, “We are
looking at a range of short, medium and long term projects to improve
facilities and enhance the overall look and feel of the station. In the
short and medium term, we are undertaking various cleaning projects. We
have recently completed the work on the information screens at the
stations as well. We recognise there is work to be done to bring
Chester station up to the standard our customers expect and deserve.”
Chester Station, formally owned [sic] by First North Western, is
undergoing structural work to enhance the front of the station. Mr
Widdowson added: “Arriva Trains Wales is working closely with Chester
City Council on the Chester Gateway project, which will be looking at
the regeneration of the station and the surrounding area.”
Something not mentioned in the article is that the information screens
at Chester have been working for the last couple of weeks. Well up to a
point ... the two screens on the concourse now give departures (no
arrival information), repeated on two monitors on platforms 4 and 7. No
individual departures at each platform; still, it's a start.
Outside the station the 'improvements' don't seem to have been
worked on for months, and present a terrible view for arriving
passengers. - 20 November
New look Class 87
A novelty for our insider contributors at the Crewe LNWR depot has been
87 022, one of four obtained by Direct Rail Services for
their freight service to scotland in response to a request by Network
Rail that all freight over the Shap route should be electric-hauled. -
20 November
Holyhead notes - by Alec
Fuller
In 17 November's Holyhead and Anglesey Mail there is a short
article about the station. The only item of interest is a statement by
Arriva Trains Wales MD Peter Strachan that the station is to get
electronic information screens early in January. That will be an
improvement. The need to to at the signage is even more important, but
is not mentioned.. Passengers on the London service due in at
19:41 on platform 1 have to be re-directed because the directions for
the ferry point to the concourse which is always closed. The ferry
sails at 20:15 so time is of the essence.
Platform 1 is probably the 'best' platform, its long - 14 carriages,
has a canopy over most of its length, and has a run round facility. It
is also has an easy run in. Platform 3 has run round but no protection.
It can just accommodate a Pendolino but it is on a curve. Platform 2
has been used by HSTs, but has no run round. The train shed gives
reasonable protection; I believe it is grade 2 listed. The unconnected
track is short, and it may have too little clearance by today's
standards from the platform 2 road. Even if it was brought into use,
two facilities for run round are still needed at times.
I have no idea what is being built behind the signal box, it has not
been mentioned in the local press. Seeing as how all Holyhead is being
re-sewered, and a new treatment plant is being built perhaps it is a
facility for emptying train toilets. That would not be newsworthy in
the local press, which is still today chuntering on about the chaos on
the night of the floods in October. - 20 November
Middlewich campaign news
As the Middlewich line prepares to receive diverted trains again on
Sunday 21 November, here's some comments prepared by the people of the
Middlwich Rail Campaign in response to reqest for comment on Cheshire County
Council's Local Transport Plan.
'This is the Middlewich Rail Link Campaign (MRLC) response to your
invitation to comment on the second Cheshire Local Transport Plan. MRLC
is a sub-committee of the Mid Cheshire Rail Users Association (MCRUA)
and was formed in 1992 to coordinate the Association’s campaign for the
re-opening of the Sandbach-Northwich branch line and Middlewich railway
station. First of all, we would like to refer to the nine issues set
out on page five of the consultation booklet under the heading ‘The
Challenge For The Future’. We fully agree that all these issues need to
be addressed in the LTP and would point out that, locally, the
re-opening of the branch line and station would directly address seven
out of the nine issues:
'(1) Traffic Growth. The population of Middlewich has grown by 50% in
the last fifteen years. Many of the newcomers commute to work outside
Middlewich, a significant number in Manchester and the Manchester
corridor. The Chapman Report of 2000 shows that the majority of these
commuters would use a train service in preference to their cars if it
were available. The Chapman Report is due to be updated in the near
future.'
'(2) Tackling congestion. More people leaving their cars at home and
travelling by train would have an obvious impact on congestion levels,
particularly on Holmes Chapel Road and King Street.'
'(5) Town Centre improvements and regeneration in Northwich and
Chester. Middlewich is developing tourist facilities, with a strong
emphasis on the town’s Roman past. There are obvious similarities and
links in this regard between Middlewich and Chester. Re-opening of the
branch line and re-establishment of a station in Middlewich would open
up possibilities for travel links between two important Roman centres.
Vale Royal Borough Council has expressed its support for a
rail link to Crewe via Middlewich as part of plans to regenerate
Northwich Town Centre. A new station would, incidentally, help with
plans to regenerate Middlewich town centre. The station site is within
easy walking distance of the centre of town, something which cannot be
said of many stations in the area (including Crewe).
'(6) Improving Cheshire’s local public transport network. Although we
are thinking in terms of a commuter service from Crewe to Manchester
via Sandbach and Middlewich the re-opening of the line and station,
linked to integration with improved bus services, could provide a boost
to local public transport
'(7) Helping meet the travel needs of non-car owners and those who only
have access to cars at certain times. Middlewich should be the hub for
transport in Mid-Cheshire. As its name implies, the town is in the
middle of everything and yet is ill served by public transport. The
Middlewich line has the potential to provide journeys to Manchester,
Chester, Liverpool (via the Hartford Curve) and further a-field.
Services to Crewe would give access to trains to many more destinations
and help those who cannot (or choose not to) use cars.
'(8) Improving air quality. Pollution levels in Middlewich already
exceed acceptable European standards. The re-introduction of a train
service and moves away from over-reliance on the car will help
alleviate the problem.
'(9) Ensuring that transport continues to support economic growth and
development in Cheshire. Many impending and proposed developments in
Middlewich, which will bring about growth in the local economy, are
dependent on improved transport infrastructure.
'It should be borne in mind that although MRLC is, naturally,
concentrating on the benefits to the town of the proposed re-opening,
it has wider implications for the County as a whole in terms of
improving public transport links. The Middlewich line could form
a vital part of new routes feeding into Manchester Airport via a new
Western Link from the Mid-Cheshire line (although the Chapman Report
indicates that the re-opening of the Middlewich line would also be
viable as a stand-alone scheme). MRLC calls on the County Council, as
the transport authority for the county, to take the lead in making the
re-opening of the Middlewich line and Middlewich station a reality.
Feedback indicates that provision of a rail service is one of the major
priorities for local people. We consider that the introduction of the
new LTP is an opportunity for the County to take the scheme forward.
'We note that the Department For Transport’s guidance notes on Local
Transport Plans indicate that local authorities will be able to bid for
funding for railway projects, and we ask the County to investigate this
possibility. On a more general note we would like to see the County
Council putting more emphasis on the role that railways can play in
solving Cheshire’s transport problems and, in particular, we would like
to see the appointment of a dedicated Rail Officer for the County.' -
20 November
Manchester loco-hauled
memories
John Eyres send these reminders of Summer 2004's operations with
Riviers locos on the Manchester turn. The first is 47 839 on
Wednesday 8 September with the 13.39 Holyhead - Manchester at
Winwick Junction.
The second is 47 853 Rail Express on Thursday 9
September with 10:00 Manchester - Holyhead at Moore.
The third is 47 853 on Friday 24September with 06.38 Bangor -
Manchester Piccadilly at Daresbury. - 20 November