THE NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY NOTICE
BOARD
Rheilffordd Arfordir Gogledd Cymru Bwrdd
hysbyseb
The last evening of First North Western, Stockport, 11 December. (Charlie
Hulme)
This site is dedicated to all our regular contributors and
supporters, and especially the rail staff of North Wales.
Edition of 17 December 2004
The
Christmas Chester
Chuffer - by George Jones
Details for Saturday 18 December's steam train to Chester
have now
appeared. The train is hauled by Black 5 45407 - makes a
change. Arrives Chester 12:28, Departs Chester: 16:15. Wrexham 16:30,
Shrewsbury 18:03. - 17 December
The last days of the old
timetable
The loco-hauled Arriva Trains Wales Crewe - Holyhead diagram ran for
the last time on Saturday 11 December, starting at Crewe with the 10:17
to Holyhead as the loco had not been used the day before.
Thesw two views by James Palmer show the 10:17 awaiting
departure from
Crewe. The six-coach set of Virgin-red coaches had been replaced
by a four-coack rake in InterCity colours.
Your compiler went to Crewe in the afternoon to ride the second
westbound run, and was rewarded on arrival by the sight of two of
the Class 47/8s recently purchased by Riviera Trains, topping and
tailing two Porterbrrok adaptor vehicles. At one end, Police-liveried 47
829 ....
... and on the rear none other than old friend 47 847 Railway
World Magazine / Brian Morrison. Wouldn;t it be good if this
machine could appear in North Wales occasionally?
Due to various planned and unplanned blockages, not many trains were
available at Crewe on this day, the rubber tyre reigning supreme on the
West Coast main line. Bizarrely, the announcers at Crewe insist on
using the old name 'The Horse Landing' for the place where the buses
depart.
The 15:17 train to Holyead was avaliable for travel, however. The
consist is TSO 5748, 5792, 5794 and BSO 9526. The last-mentioned even
carries the old INTERCITY® of the swallow era.
Sadly, unlike the morning run, the loco was positioned under the road
bridge, that old photographers' nightmare, not helped by the very poor
light.
Chester, and the Virgin Holyhead - Crewe train calls, formed of 221
125 Henry the Navigator. The Arriva train in Platform 4,
formed of a three-car 175 with a handful of passengers aboard, will
terminate at Runcorn East due to the dreaded Engineering Works.
Passengers for Manchester (who might well have been better served
catching the Voyager to Crewe and then the 16:25 Arriva Trains Wales
train from Crewe to Manchester, but how would they know?) crowd into
the single Class 142 which is all First North Western have to offer for
the slow journey stopping at most stations to Manchester via Northwich.
Your reporter found himself sharing a seat with a pile of luggage and
and old chap who kept falling asleep and leaning on my shoulder. You
might think that Arriva would run their nice posh 175 fast to
Manchester via Northwich, but since the franchises have been reshuffled
Arriva crews are no longer required to have route knowledge of this
line, so it's hard luck again for the passengers. You might ask why the
Arriva crew could not take the 142 to Runcorn East while the First
North Western crew took the 175 to Manchester; answers on a postcard to
the Stretegic Rail Authority, London.
The last locomotive working, the 20:17 from Crewe, was terminated at
Chester to position the train for its planned working to Manchester on
the Monday morning; as Dave Bramley's picture above shows, it arrived
in bay platform 1 at Chester....
.... and was then shunted to the Parcels bay, an excellent position for
a picture. The loco was not run round the train, the idea being to
revese the whole train on Monday morning using the triangle of lines to
the west of the station.
Sadly, things did not go according to plan in the first week of the new
timetable: the train set off from Chester as planned on Monday morning,
took its passengers to Manchester and then headed empty to Crewe,
apparently due to faults with the coaches. By Thursday evening 16
December as far as we know it had not reappeared, the diagram being
covered by various diesel railcars. - 16 December
Crossing the line
In the light of our recent article and all the publicity about
accidents about private crossings, Larry Goddard sends this
illustration. 66 519 has just left Penmaenmawr yard and is
passing the private level crossing at Penamenmawr on 24 September 2004.
Another private crossing, the one at Wig Farm near Bangor (MP 234.59)
made the news earlier this year when it was doscovered that it was
being used by vehicles carrying 'Chinese cocklers' to access the
beach. Network Rail responded by locking the gates to road vehicles and
issuing keys to the owners of the property. - 17 December
Christmas shopping in
Chester ... but no loco haulage - by Rowan Crawshaw
On 10 December I caught the 09:14 from Bangor to Chester which
was a 175. 66510 was on the Penmaenmawr ballast. There was no Llandudno
Junction standby loco. When I arrived at Chester I saw smartly dressed
people waiting for the 'Northern Belle' which was 67 007 on the
front (note the non-standard white number) ...
... and 67 024 on the rear.
When I arrived back at the station I saw the Railhead Treatment Train
with 37 682 and 37 689. I returned on the 15:17 from
Crewe which was a overcrowed 158 but I got a seat in the end. Why
not use another 47 when both 839 and 853 are out of action? - 17
December
End of the Railhead
Treatment Trains (for this year)
Stephen Harper sends some interesting pictures taken at
Warrington Bank
Quay station on 10 December. 37 712 is at the back of 37 893 on
the final Buxton to Wigan RHTT.
Some of the locomotives from the RHTT fleet returning
from Wigan Springs Branch to Warrington Yard. 37 893 + 37 712 +
37 706 are seen above in convoy opposite Warrington signal centre.
A close-up of 37 706 - some weathering job!
Also noted at Warrington on the same day was the EWS route learning
special which has been running every day from Crewe to
Carstairs and back. Train formation is 90 023 and
Arriva -liveried coaches 9521, 6035, 6061, 6124 and 6170 with Driving
Van Trailer 82131. - 17 December
Another image of the RHTT in action. 37 689 and 37 682
head through the December shadows at Abergele at 12:30 on 9 December.
'I wonder when Network Rail will get round to demolishing that
unsightly signal gantry?' writes photographer Larry Goddard.
- 17 December