THE NORTH WALES COAST RAILWAY NOTICE
BOARD
Rheilffordd Arfordir Gogledd Cymru Bwrdd
hysbyseb
37 197 is passing Llandulas with the 5Z47 empty stock for
Bangor on 2 April, having left Carnforth at midday. (Larry
Goddard)
This site is dedicated to all our regular contributors and
supporters, and especially the rail staff of North Wales.
Edition of 03 April 2005
The Wedding Belle
The 'Wedding Belle' charter on 2 April created a lot of interest
among our contributors, helped by the super weather. The bridegroom, we
believe, was a manager at LNWR Co. Pete Waterman was among the
guests to be seen. Oh to have the money for something like this! Chris
Poole's picture here shows the train at Bunbury between Crewe and
Chester.
At Promised Land Lane just east of Chester (Tim E. Rogers) A
fascinating variety of coach side profiles among the 'Queen of Scots' stock:
the first coach is BR Mk1, then a traditonal flat-sided Pullman,
BR Mk 1 again, then a GWR saloon, an LNWR-bodied vehicle
....
Arriving at Chester , with 37 609 in the lead. (Dave
Skipsey)
Portrait of 37 609 at Chester: its condition is a tribute to owners
DRS and the dtaff of LNWR who prepared it. (Dave Bramley)
37 606 brings up the rear of the train of 'posh stock' as
the train waits for a path on to the single line to Wrexham. (Laurence
Wheeler) All the more time to drink champagne! The
observation car (contrary to its reseblance to a Class 101 vehicle) was
built at Wolverton and entered service 1st July 1892 as a dining car
for the West Coast Joint Stock.
Away at last. 37 609 powers away from Chester. (Laurence Wheeler)
On the single line at Rossett between Chester and Wrexham. (Tim
E. Rogers)
"This is how photos get on to Charlie's website". (Laurence
Wheeler) - 3 April
D1648 / 47 851 Traction Magazine, still
in the Virgin Trains fleet, stands by at Crewe on 28 March. This loco
differs from 47 815, which can also be seen around Crewe these
days, in having the later version of the green livery with yellow
wrapping round the cab windows in the style of the rail blue scheme,
whereas 815 just has a small yellow panel below the windscreen. (Charlie
Hulme)
No trains (well, not
many) on Sunday 3 April (revised 2 April 20:45)
For reasons that are, according to one of our correspondents,
'mostly political', all Arriva Trains Wales Chester-based drivers have
decided to take the day off on Sunday 3 March, a little like Midland
Mainline did in the past, as Sunday working is considered as voluntary
overtime so this can be done without carrying out any procedures
related to 'industrial action'. There will be few, if any, Arriva
Trains Wales train services running in North Wales, to Crewe, Wrexham,
Shrewsbury and The Borderlands Line all day. The Manchester line is
'buses all day' due to engineering work, anyway. The Shrewsbury to
Aberystwyth line is also affected, and of course the Cambrian Coast
line (which is not worked by Chester crews) is closed by last week's
rock fall.
If any driver would care to let is have some thoughts on the cause of
this situation, we'd be pleased to publish them here (uncredited of
course.) It does not seem to be related to the national strike which
recently got called off almost as soon as anyone found out about it.
Here are some words from Graeme Bunker, Arriva Trains Wales
deputy managing director: “We apologise to our customers for any
inconvenience caused and would like to reassure our customers that we
will keep any disruption to a minimum. We will be implementing an
amended timetable, and some services will be replaced by buses. We
would urge our customers to check train times before travelling. In the
interests of all our customers and employees we are working together
with our drivers' representatives to resolve matters as quickly as
possible.”
An amended timetable with alterations to services will be in operation
with most trains being replaced by buses; there are some details
in PDF format on the ATW website as we write on 2 April. (Readers
of these seem to be expected to know that headcodes beginning with B
represent buses.) Details of any alterations will supposedly be
available at all booking offices, all staffed stations, the Arriva
Trains Wales Customer Relations Department on 0845 6061 660 and
National Rail Enquiry Service on 08547 48 49 50.
Interesting news for some readers is that Arriva, following the example
of Midland Mainline who found themselves in a similar situation
recently, have decided to hire a train and driver(s) from West
Coast Railway Company in order to provide a skeleton train
service. 37 197 were reported leaving the WCRC Carnforth base
on Saturday 2 April as 5Z47 empty stock train to Bangor. It will, we
think, be joined by WCRC's 47 854 to work in 'top-n-tail' mode
the following diagram on Sunday 3 April:
1Z53 10:43
Bangor-Crewe arr 12:16
1Z60 13:55 Crewe-Holyhead arr 16:11
1Z64 16:55 Holyhead-Crewe arr 19:12
1Z67 20:35 Crewe-Holyhead arr 22:49
If this happens it will be the first appearance of a 37 on a
service passenger train along the Coast since 2001.
Another Crewe - Holyhead diagram looks like it's booked for Riviera
Trains power, probably top-n-tailed by the heritage pair of 47 815
and 47 847, as below.
1Z58 11:15
Crewe-Holyhead arr 13:28
1Z35 13:35 Holyhead-Crewe arr 15:48
1Z62 16:00 Crewe-Holyhead arr 18:13
1Z79 18:39 Holyhead-Crewe arr 20:41
It appears that these will be the only trains running, except of course
that Virgin Trains will operating their normal Sunday timetable, as
they no longer use ATW drivers. It would seem that one man's protest is
another man's field day, but pity the passengers on BD81, 20:52 bus
from Holyhead, due to roll into Crewe at 01:04 Monday. - 2
April
A railtour to savour
There are still tickets left in both first and
standard classes. of the 'West Somerset Express' on Saturday 16 April
2005 organised by Ffestiniog Railway (Dee & Mersey Group) and
Chester Model Railway Club. Hooton, Bache, Chester, Crewe &
Shrewsbury, via Lickey to the West Somerset Railway and Minehead.
Motive power is a class 67 with Riviera Trains stock. More details laurence.wheeler@tesco.net,
phone 01244 678070 or visit www.chestermodelrailwayclub.com
for a downloadable booking form. - 30 March
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